Budget transfer re-allocation of Contingency Funding from Treasury and Resources: 2015/2016 Pay Award

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

[THIS DECISION PARTLY RESCINDS MD-TR-2017-0087] A decision made 17 November 2017:

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2017-0139

Decision Summary Title:

Reallocation of Contingency Funding from T&R to departmental revenue heads of expenditure for the 2015/2016 Pay Award

Date of Decision Summary:

15th November 2017

Decision Summary Author:

Financial Performance Reporting Manager

Decision Summary:

Public or Exempt?

Public

Type of Report:

Oral or Written?

Written

Person Giving

Oral Report:

N/A

Written Report

Title:

Reallocation of Contingency Funding from T&R to departmental revenue heads of expenditure for the 2015/2016 Pay Award

Date of Written Report:

15th November 2017

Written Report Author:

Financial Performance Reporting Manager

Written Report :

Public or Exempt?

Public

Subject: The rescindment of part of the Treasury and Resources Department decision, MD-TR-2017-0087 and the reallocation of Contingency Funding from the Treasury and Resources Department (“T&R”) to the departmental revenue heads of expenditure as detailed for the 2015/2016 Pay Award.

Decision(s): The Minister approved the rescindment of part of the Treasury and Resources Department decision, MD-TR-2017-0087 and the reallocation of Contingency Funding of £2,301,894 from T&R to the departmental revenue heads of expenditure for the 2015/2016 Pay Award.

Reason(s) for Decision:

Article 17(2) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that the Minister for Treasury and Resources is authorised to approve the transfer from contingency expenditure of amounts not exceeding, in total, the amount available for contingency expenditure in a financial year.

The current Contingency Allocation Policy (published as R.110/2017) sets the requirement for all allocations from Contingency over £100,000 to be considered by the Council of Ministers prior to submission to the Minister for approval.

A T&R decision, MD-TR-2017-0087, was signed by the Minister for Treasury and Resources on 19th June 2017.

It is necessary to adjust part of the T&R decision MD-TR-2017-0087, specifically the first part of the decision requesting:

A non-recurring allocation of £2,406,708 in 2016 to the Treasury and Resources Department to fund the 2016 element of the 2015/2016 pay award with effect from 1st January 2016.

This should now say:

A non-recurring allocation of £2,406,708 in 2016 to the Departments listed in the table below to fund the 2016 element of the 2015/2016 pay award with effect from 1st January 2016.

Chief Minister's Department	135,386
Non Min SFB-Overseas Aid	424
External Relations	5,825
Comm and Const Affairs (CCA)	146,826
Economic Development, Tourism, Sport & Culture	61,798
Education	287,953
Department of the Environment	70,133
Health & Social Services	1,123,789
Department for Infrastructure	209,780
Social Security	111,068
Treasury and Resources	104,814
Non Ministerial States Funded	134,738
States Assembly	14,174
Total funded from Contingency	2,406,708

This pay award was not agreed in time to include by department in 2016, so the decision was made to transfer the costs and budget all to T&R. This pay award was paid to employees in 2017. As such, the costs have been removed from departments in 2017 with their agreement. This decision will allow the budget to match the actuals which will be posted retrospectively from T&R to each department to reflect the correct costs, by department, in 2016.

Resource Implications: Central Contingency (Pay Provision) to decrease by £2,406,708 in 2016 and departmental revenue heads of expenditure to increase by a total identical amount, detailed in the table above.

The balance of £104,814 will remain in T&R to cover the cost of the department’s pay award.

This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for 2017 and 2018 in the Medium Term Financial Plan.

Action required: Head of Decision Support to advise the Financial Performance Reporting Manager once this decision has been approved.

Signature:

Position: Senator A J H Maclean,

Minister for Treasury and Resources

Date Signed:

Date of Decision: