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Deputy Inna Gardiner
Chair, Public Accounts Committee States Greffe
Morier House
St Helier
JE1 1DD
By email: i.gardiner@gov.je 27 May 2021
Dear Deputy Gardiner
PAC Review of Estate Management
Thank you for your letter dated 30 April 2021. You have asked for information from the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) in respect of your review of estates management. I have answered each of your questions from my perspective as Accountable Officer for the Office of the C&AG rather than from my perspective as the C&AG fulfilling my statutory duties as C&AG.
- What consultation have you or your department had with the Government of Jersey, particularly the Corporate Asset Management Board, regarding the plans for the development and future use of Cyril Le Marquand House and Broad Street accommodation, since 2018?
- Do you believe that this consultation was adequate? Did the consultation show a clear understanding of the needs of your department?
- What influence has this had on your views regarding the 2018 Business Case? Have these changed since you first received the Case and since the pandemic?
LYNN PAMMENT
Comptroller and Auditor General
Jersey Audit Office, de Carteret House, 7 Castle Street, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3BT
T: +44 1534 716800 E: enquiries@jerseyauditoffice.je W: www.jerseyauditoffice.je
No consultation has taken place with the Office of the C&AG regarding the plans for the development and future use of Cyril Le Marquand House.
I would not expect the Office of the C&AG to be included in the redevelopment plans given the statutory independence with which the Office of the C&AG operates.
- To what extent were you consulted on the Public Estate Strategy 2021-2035?
a. How regularly were you in contact with the team assigned to the Strategy's development?
The Office of the C&AG was not consulted on the Public Estate Strategy and was not in contact with the team assigned to the Strategy's development.
- What role do the Corporate Asset Management Group and States of Jersey Development Company have in maintaining the office accommodation used by your department?
a. Do you believe that the communication you have with these organisations is adequate? How could it be improved?
Neither the Corporate Asset Management Group nor the States of Jersey Development Company have a role in maintain the office accommodation used by the Office of the C&AG. The Office of the C&AG operates out of serviced office accommodation in St Helier.
- Can you provide a list of property/land in your department's remit, including:
- Rental
- Unused/closed/disused
- Outside the purview of the Property Division
As noted above, the Office of the C&AG operates out of serviced office accommodation in St Helier. This accommodation is the subject of a service agreement with the landlord of the building.
- Please indicate if you have completed any of the following on the behalf of your department:
- Asset Management Plan
- Condition survey
- Risk/cost benefit analysis (for use/disposal/repurpose)
- Maintenance programme?
An options appraisal of accommodation options was undertaken by my predecessor and was considered by the Board of Governance prior to the Office of the C&AG relocating to its current serviced accommodation. A further options appraisal will be undertaken prior to consider appropriate future accommodation for the Office of the C&AG.
- What consultation have you received on ensuring disability legislation compliance, and what was the result?
a. How has this information been compiled?
The responsibility for disability legislation compliance rests with the landlord of the building in which the Office of the C&AG is located.
- Do you consider the Strategy to be fit for purpose' – if not, what are the issues with any of the land/property you utilise not addressed by the Strategy?
a. How do you expect these issues to be represented beyond the Strategy? What discussions have you had with relevant Officers and Ministers regarding this?
In my capacity as Accountable Officer for the Office of the C&AG I have no comments on whether or not the States of Jersey strategy is fit for purpose as it does not encompass the Office of the C&AG.
- Have you undertaken an assessment of what land/property your department will need:
- In one year
- In 5-10 years
- In the longer term?
The current serviced accommodation is fit for purpose for the needs of the Office of the C&AG in the short and medium term. Longer term options will be appraised prior to the end of the current agreement in 2022.
- How much annually do you spend on property maintenance (including what percentage of your budget) and who undertakes that maintenance?
a. Who is/are the Accountable Officer(s) for that expenditure?
The current rental charge for the serviced office accommodation is £27,170. This is subject to an annual uplift for RPI The service provider is responsible for all maintenance of the premises and the cost of
maintenance is therefore covered by the sums payable to the service provider. The current rental charge represents 2.9% of the Office of the C&AG budget for 2021.
As Accountable Officer for the Office of the C&AG I am responsible for this expenditure.
If you would like to discuss this response further, please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely
Lynn Pamment
Comptroller and Auditor General
Cc: Caro Tomlinson, Theo Stone