Public Accounts Committee – Approved Committee Minutes -18th December 2017

Present

Connétable C.H. Taylor (Chairman) Mr R. Parker

Mr M. Robinson

Apologies

Deputy J.A. Martin (Vice-Chairman) Deputy M. Tadier

In attendance

Mr S Warr en, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (DC&AG) Mr J. Williams, Director, Business Change (eGov) (Item 2 only) Ms Nadia Lopes, Service Design Officer (Item 2 only)

Mr Ed Williams, Chief Architect (Item 2 only)

C. Tomlinson, PAC Officer

Mr M. Robbins, Scrutiny Officer

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1. Apologies and Minutes

Apologies  were  received  from  the  Vice-Chairman  and  from Deputy Tadier . Members agreed that it should continue with the meeting, despite being inquorate, and would ratify any decisions made by electronic minutes at a later date (subject to approval of the absent Members) and to sign the minutes at its next meeting.

27.11.17 Item 1 512/32

2. eGov Presentation

The Committee received Mr J. Williams, Ms N. Lopes, and Mr E Williams. The eGov team presented an update of the website portal for customer access to records and data, and answered questions from the members in respect of security measures and progress on the programme.  

27.11.17 Item 2 512/1(8)

3. C&AG - Audit Plan update

The Committee received a verbal update from the DC&AG, and noted that two reports would be published early in 2018, namely Governance of Police' and Governance of Health and Social Services'. It further noted the C&AG's plans to provide a revised written audit plan in January 2018.

27.11.17 Item 2 512/1(8)

4. C&AG Affiliate – Future Hospital: Decision Making

The  Committee  agreed  to  welcome  Ann  Trudgeon,  C&AG Affiliate, to its meeting on 15 January, to aid its discussion of the C&AG's Report, Future Hospital: Decision Making.' It agreed it would be more helpful to prepare a question plan on overarching

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topics of particular interest ((subject to approval of the absent Members),  such  as  business  cases,  use  of  consultants  and corporate decision making, and not debate the specifics of the siting or funding of the future hospital.

The Committee noted that the Executive Response to the C&AG's report was expected by 8 January 2018.

27.11.17 Item 2 512/1(8)

5. C&AG Report – Grants and Subsidies

The  Committee  noted  that  Executive  Response  had  been requested from the Treasury and Resources Department, and was expected by 25 January 2018.

6. Recurring Themes – new PAC Review

The Committee noted that the Terms of Reference and Scoping document were to be considered by the Chairmen's Committee at its next meeting. It agreed that (subject to approval of the absent Members) most of the research for the review could be conducted via email, which would free up the short time available between now and the elections in May 2018. It further agreed to invite Charlie Parker, the new Chief Executive, to its meeting on 29 January 2018, to hear its concerns about the lack of progress on implementation of recommendations by the C&AG and the PAC, and to seek his thoughts on how progress can be achieved.

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7. Abortive Costs' - Report and Proposition

The Committee recalled that following the receipt of the C&AG's report on Future Hospital: Decision Making', it had decided to prepare a Report and Proposition on the need to report abortive costs' of projects to the States Assembly. The Committee heard a verbal update from its Officer on progress made in this regard. Treasury Officers had been contacted and initial advice received. Preliminary research would commence shortly with jurisdictions of  a  similar  size  and  constitutional  make-up  to  Jersey.  The Committee agreed to consider a draft, prior to it being sent to the Law Officers' Department, at a PAC meeting in January 2018.

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27.11.17 Item 1 512/32

8. eGov Review - Report

The  Committee  received  a  paper  from  the  Scrutiny  Officer regarding the delay in producing a draft follow-up report. The Committee agreed (subject to approval of the absent Members) the proposed timetable, including 12 January 2018 as the date for receiving  a  draft  for  consideration,  and  30  January  as  the publication date. It noted that the relatively short deadlines for consideration of the report would involve weekend reading for members.  

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12.10.17 Item 8 512/1(8)

9. Jersey Innovation Fund Review – Report

The  Committee  received  a  paper  from  the  Scrutiny  Officer regarding  the  delay  in  producing  a  further  draft  report.  The

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Committee agreed (subject to approval of the absent Members) the proposed timetable, including 5 January 2018 as the date for receiving  a  draft  for  consideration,  and  23  January  as  the publication date. It noted that the relatively short deadlines for consideration of the report would involve weekend reading for members.

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12.10.17 Item 10

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10. Road Surfacing Review – Report

The Committee received a verbal update from the Scrutiny Officer in respect of progress made on this review. The Officer advised that he had not requested, or received any further updates. In light of the other PAC work to be completed, the Committee agreed, subject to approval of the absent Members, that the review should not be pursued, although the Officer was requested to present the findings  to  date  in  a  short  paper  for  the  Committee's consideration.  

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11. Funding of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service

The Committee noted that the Chairman, in his capacity as a backbencher'  had  posed  questions  in  the  States  Assembly regarding  the  funding  of  the  Fire  and  Rescue  Service  in maintaining sea rescue. The Committee noted the service was being funded by Ports of Jersey and agreed it did not wish to follow up with a review into the matter.

12. Date of next meeting

The  Committee  agreed  (subject  to  approval  of  the  absent Members) to meet at 1.30 pm on 15 January 2018.