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Public Accounts Committee - Approved Committee Minutes - 30 January 2017

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Public Accounts Committee Record of Meeting

Date: 30th January 2017

 

Present

Deputy A.D. Lewis , Chairman

Connétable A.S. Crowcroft , Vice-Chairman (from Item 4) Deputy J.A. Martin (from Item 3)

Mr R. Parker

Mr M. Robinson

Mr G. Drinkwater

Apologies

Connétable C.H. Taylor

In attendance

Mrs K. McConnell, Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG)

C. Tomlinson, PAC Officer.

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1. Minutes

The Committee approved the minutes of the meeting of 21st November 2016.  

 

 

2. Review Planner

The  Committee  considered  a  year  planner  for  2017  and requested the Officer to amend the timings of planned reviews and  follow  up  hearings  in  respect  of  previous  reviews,  and circulate to the Committee via email accordingly.

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16.01.17 Item 7 512/1(8)

512/31

3. Jersey Innovation Fund

Connétable A.S. Crowcroft , Vice-Chairman, declared a conflict of interest in the proposed review of the Jersey Innovation Fund and was not present at the meeting when it was discussed.

The Committee noted that a letter had been sent to the Attorney General  seeking  clarification  on  whether  investigations  were being carried out in respect of the Fund. It noted it had not yet received  the  Chief  Minister's  Department's  (CMD)  terms  of reference  for  its  planned  reviews.  The  Committee  agreed  to amend its own draft Terms of Reference to ensure it did not duplicate the work already undertaken by the C&AG or the CMD.

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16.01.17 Item 8 512/1(8)

4. MI in Education

The Committee noted the up to date version of the Action Plan in respect of the C&AG's recommendations.

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16.01.17 Item 9 512/1(8)

5. Use of Consultants

The Committee noted that a list of further questions seeking clarification on the Executive Response and Action Plan for the implementation of the C&AG's recommendations, had been sent to the Chief Minister's Department. A response was expected later in the week.

 

 

 

Mr G. Drinkwater expressed an interest in taking the lead in a follow-up review by the PAC, and agreed to liaise with the Officer as to what form that follow-up would take. The Committee agreed that, in the first instance, due to limited time, the Officer should investigate whether the planned review could be undertaken in a simpler way, namely research to aid questions in the States Assembly or a comments paper.

GD/CT

16.01.17 Item 10 512/30

6. Travel and Accommodation Expenses Review

The Committee noted the Chief Executive and Treasurer of the States had been invited to a public hearing to follow up the implementation of its recommendations, on 24th April 2017, and requested the Officer to include this date in the schedule of planned meetings.

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16.01.17 Item 11 512/32

7. eGov Review

Mr M. Robinson reported that a meeting with the C&AG and her Associate, Ms A. Trudgeon, had taken place. A letter had been sent  to  the  Chief  Executive,  amongst  others,  requesting clarification on a number of points. A follow up meeting with Mr S. Goulding of the eGov management board, had been very useful. The Committee noted a two-page document named eGov Vision. The  Committee  agreed  a  public  hearing  with  the  eGov representatives should take place in March 2017.  

MR

16.01.17 Item 12

8. Future PAC Reviews

The Committee noted that the Officer had worked with individual Members to draft Terms of Reference and scoping documents where appropriate on the following topics:

  • Estate Management
  • Police Station
  • Entertainment & Hospitality Expenses
  • Road Surfacing

The  Committee  asked  the  Officer  to  circulate  the  amended documents for approval, in conjunction with the review planner so that members could co-ordinate their workload accordingly.  

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16.01.17 Item 12

9. Estate Management

The Committee noted the C&AG was likely to divide her planned review of States Management of Assets into two parts. One part would focus on estate management including the role of Property Holdings,  and  the  second  part  would  review  the  SoJDC. Committee  agreed  it  would  await  the  C&AG's  reviews  and consider undertaking its own follow up in September 2017.

The Committee requested the Officer to amend the planned work schedule  so  that  members  could  co-ordinate  their  workload accordingly.  

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16.01.17 Item 12

10. Police Station

The  Committee  amended  the  draft  terms  of  reference  and requested the Officer to circulate it via email for approval. It agreed the review should be launched in March 2017 after the

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transfer of personnel to the new police headquarters and should be completed before its planned review of estate management.

The Committee requested the Officer to amend the planned work schedule  so  that  members  could  co-ordinate  their  workload accordingly.  

 

16.01.17 Item 12

11. Entertainment and Hospitality Expenses

The Committee noted that a letter requesting information had been sent to the Chief Executive and Treasurer of the States. It agreed that the review should be launched after the public hearing of 24th April 2017 which had been planned to follow up the implementation  of  recommendations  regarding  travel  and accommodation expenses.

The Committee requested the Officer to amend the planned work schedule  so  that  members  could  co-ordinate  their  workload accordingly.  

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16.01.17 Item 12

12. Road surfacing

Notwithstanding that Connétable C.H. Taylor was absent, the Committee agreed that, in the first instance, due to limited time, the Officer should explore with Connétable C.H. Taylor whether the planned review could be undertaken in a simpler way, namely research to aid questions in the States Assembly or a comments paper.

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21.11.16 Item 4 512/1(8)

13. C&AG – Jersey Audit Office Audit Plan

The Committee received an update on the C&AG's Audit Plan for 2017.

 

 

14. Next meeting

The Committee agreed that it would hold its next meeting on 13th February at 1pm in the Blampied Room.

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