Skills Executive: transfer of budget from the Social Security Department to the Education, Sport and Culture Department.

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A decision made (18/05/2009) regarding: Skills Executive: transfer of budget from the Social Security Department to the Education, Sport and Culture Department.

Decision Reference: MD-S-2009-0024
Decision Summary Title:	Skills Executive –Budget Transfer		Date of Decision Summary:	13 May 2009
Decision Summary Author:	Richard Lang Director of Finance		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Skills Executive – Budget Transfer		Date of Written Report:	11 May 2009
Written Report Author:	Richard Lang Director of Finance		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Skills Executive: transfer of budget from the Social Security Department to the Education, Sport and Culture Department.
Decision(s): The Minister approved the transfer of funding amounting to £203,250 from the Social Security Department to the Education, Sport and Culture Department in perpetuity, subject to an associated decision of the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture to accept the transfer.
Reason(s) for Decision: Internal reorganisation following the relocation of the Careers Service to Huguenot House and the establishment of the Skills Executive.
Resource Implications: Transfer of financial resources as detailed in decision above.
Action required: Instruct the Director of Finance to request the Minister for Treasury and Resources to action this transfer between the departments in accordance with Financial Direction No. 3.6 variations to Heads of Expenditure, subject to a decision of the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture to accept the transfer.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Skills Executive: transfer of budget from the Social Security Department to the Education, Sport and Culture Department.

Social Security Department Report
Subject:	Skills Executive – Funding Transfer following establishment of the Skills Executive
Exempt Clause:	N/A	Date:	11 May 2009

Author:	Richard Lang

Introduction

Following the collaboration between the Education, Sport and Culture, Social Security and Economic Development Departments in establishing a Skills Executive, an exercise was carried out to identify the full extent of funding to be made available. It was also necessary to formalise the transfer of resources between those Departments in accordance with Financial Direction 3.6, which stipulates that non-contentious transfers exceeding £100,000 require the approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources.

Background

In 2008 the Council of Ministers approved arrangements for the formation of a Skills Executive charged with improving the skills of adults in the workplace and those about to enter it.

The Skills Executive comprises the three Ministers of Education, Sport and Culture, Social Security and Economic Development and it is advised and supported by an employer led skills board chaired by Richard Plaster (JEC). The functioning of the Skills Executive and procedures for ensuring close co-operation between Ministers and Departments is described in a Partnership Agreement signed by the three Ministers in 2008.

One important function of the Skills Executive is to draw together the skills development functions of the three departments to ensure a cohesive service to employers, training providers and the public, ensuring there are no gaps or duplication of provision. Early actions to support this endeavour included the relocation of the DfESC Careers Service to Huguenot House to create an all-age service located within the town area.

In view of the need for close-co-operation between departments it is also important that the resources available for skill development within the three departments are identified and ‘ring-fenced’ for skill development purposes.

The attached table highlights the budget for the Skills Executive for 2009 based on expenditure by the three departments on skills related activity during 2008. It is intended that the application of these resources will be governed by the spirit of the partnership agreement between the three ministers – in particular:-

‘the Ministers within the Skills Executive will undertake to seek and obtain a ‘collective agreement’ on strategy and the deployment of those resources allocated to Skills Jersey as a means of fulfilling their Ministerial duties in this respect.’

Next Step

The budget transfer required in terms of Social Security to Education, Sports and Culture is as follows:-

3.1 From the Social Security Department, a sum of £197,000 in respect of the cost of the Workwise staff, which includes an allowance for staff related costs such as training; and £6,250 being a one-third contribution to the annual service charge;

The transfer will be made in perpetuity.

3.2 The impact of this transfer will be to reduce the Social Security Department’s cash limit for 2009 by £203,250 from £146,572,518 to £146,369,268.

4. Recommendation

To note the total funds that fall within the remit of the Skills Executive and to agree an appropriate transfer of resources from the Social Security Department to Education, Sports and Culture with effect from 1 January 2009.