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19-21 Broad Street | St Helier Jersey | JE2 4WE
Connétable Mike Jackson Chair, EHI Panel
BY EMAIL
27 November 2020
Dear Mike
Re: Re: Government Plan 2021 – Written Questions
Further to my letter dated 11 November 2020, please see response to question 9.
Departmental Budget, Efficiencies and Rebalancing
9. Noting the Efficiency measure to increase income from new charges and increased cost recovery, will this include new fees for services from IHE and if so, what can we expect them to be?
- The annex business case for this project (pages 144-5) states that a subset of fees and charges "may be reinvested in protecting the environment", including to "incentivise the right behaviours and disincentivise wrong behaviours based on policy decisions". Could you give us an example of what you intend by this?
Would you be willing to brief or supply Scrutiny with documents outlining proposed new charges and cost recovery strategies, in order for us to better- understand the details of this proposed measure?
IHE aim drive cultural and behavioural change to minimise negative environmental impacts and support and positive behaviour for example energy use, waste disposal and recycling, sustainable and active travel habits, water use, and carbon reduction. This aspiration is part of our commitment to delivering the Carbon Neutral Strategy, the Sustainable Transport Policy and is supportive via our extensive work with colleagues at SPPP. We work in partnership developing and delivering multiple workstreams that bring environmental benefit, and many are funded through the Climate Emergency Fund. The outcomes of the Citizen's Assemblies and wider participatory democracy approach will no doubt endorse many existing programmes and make suggestions for even more ambitious progress.
In line with this agenda for change, we are will examine where it is possible to assign more appropriate charging mechanisms or fiscal levers whose revenue could then be re invested in environmental protection. This will ensure that the "user or polluter pays" fairly for the any negative environmental externalities that arise from their behaviour. IHE will continue to explore these workstreams in partnership with colleagues in Tax policy and SPPP. Work has started to scope and define the approach to examine where, it may be possible to introduce or increase revenues that will wholly or in part be reinvested back to environmental protection measures. These ideas will evolve over the coming months and be apprised by the Revenue Policy Development Board and will ultimately come to the States for approval.
A specific example is that in order to enable the Development Control team to meet and improve service delivery, I am proposing the removal of the artificial cap on planning application charges. Similarly, although there are no concrete plans at this time, I would not rule out any increase in charges for regulatory services, such as Environmental Health, in order to address staffing challenges in light of increased demand for the service especially in relation to community nuisance and housing standards.
I hope the above is of use to the Panel and please do not hesitate to contact me if you require anything further.
Yours sincerely
Deputy John Young Minister for the Environment
D +44 (0)1534 440540 E j.young@gov.je