| Committee/Panel: Government Plan Review Panel | |
| Launch Date: 21 September 2021 | Close Date: To be advised |
| Submissions Deadline: To be advised | Ministerial Response Date: To be advised |
| Review Status: Report published | |
The Review Panel presented its report on Friday 10th December. The full report can be read here
About
The Government Plan is set to replace the previous Medium Term Financial Plan, which details income and expenditure forecasts for the subsequent four financial years following Assembly approval. The Government Plan will include a definitive plan for the first succeeding financial year, and similar projections for the following three financial years. A new Government Plan will be devised and approved by the Assembly annually and will see a 12 week lodging period. Details of the plan will include:
Estimated income and expenditure of the Consolidated Fund
- Amount to be internally transferred between States funds
- Any other proposed financing
- Major projects and their proposed costs
- Estimated income and expenditure from States trading operations to be paid into the States trading operations Fund
- Amounts to be appropriated from the Consolidated and States trading operations funds for the next financial year
- Estimated amounts in States funds at the start and finish of each financial year
The Government Plan aims to shift the general focus from income and expenditure to the underlying projects and strategic priorities being funded.
Key Issues
- Will the Government Plan meet the requirements of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 201-
- Will the Government Plan meet the Common Strategic Priorities?
- Is expenditure appropriately apportioned to projects and departments?
- Does income balance with expenditure?
Terms of reference
To coordinate the overall scrutiny of the 2022 – 2025 Government Plan. This will include responsibility for:
1) Coordinating the scrutiny of the Government Plan (projects, sections, etc.) by the standing Panels. Panels will be guided to use the following criteria as a guide:
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- Where funding over £500,000 has been allocated
- Where funding has been withdrawn or decreased significantly from the previous year
- Where funding has been increased significantly from the previous year
- Projects which the Panels consider are of most concern (as a result of, for instance, delays, deferrals, overspends or because they are not in keeping with Common Strategic Priorities)
- Projects which have been identified as of concern by stakeholders
- Projects which are contentious and/or in the public eye.
- Projects where insufficient information has been provided and more information is sought
- Concern is held on the project's alignment with Common Strategic Priorities, social impact and impact upon children.
2) Undertaking an overarching review of the Government Plan 2022 – 2025 to determine whether, overall, funded projects meet Ongoing Initiatives, Common Themes and Common Strategic Priorities.
3) Considering the financial, social and administrative implications that rebalancing Government finances may have on Islanders.
4) Considering overall spend and growth outlined in the Government Plan
5) Considering the format, presentation and the ease with which the Government Plan can be read and understood by the public and States Members.