Budget transfer from Chief Minister's Department for the Recruitment Advertising budget

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While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made (30.07.07) to approve the budget transfer from the Chief Minister's Department for the Recruitment Advertising Budget in the Planning and Environment Department.

Subject:	Transfer from the Chief Ministers Department for the Recruitment Advertising budget.
Decision Reference:	MD-PE-2007-0202	Exempt clause(s):		N/A
Type of Report (oral or written):	Written	Person Giving Report (if oral):		N/A
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?	N/A	Report File ref:
Written Report Title:	Transfer from the Chief Ministers Department for the Recruitment Advertising budget.	Written report – Author:		Honey Whiteman, Senior Management Accountant
Decision(s): The Minister approved the following non-contentious transfer:  from 2007, a recurring budget transfer of £1,025 from the Chief Minister’s Department to the Planning and Environment Department for the funding of Departmental recruitment budgets.
Reason(s) for decision: To ensure that recruitment advertising for the Department is managed in line with the allocated budget.
Resource implications Financial: A recurring increase of £1,025 in the Planning and Environment Department budget. Manpower: Nil Property: Nil ICT: Nil Law Drafting: Nil
Action required: The Finance Director:  to notify the Minister for the Chief Minister’s Department of the Minister’s approval of the recurring transfer sum of £1,025 from the Chief Minister’s Department to the Planning and Environment Department to fund the department’s recruitment advertising;  to notify the Treasurer of the States of the above decision to approve the transfer from Chief Minister’s Department to the Planning and Environment Department for the purpose outlined in the attached report; and  to arrange for the journal transfer for 2007 actual recruitment advertising costs to be transferred from the Chief Minister’s Department to the Planning and Environment Department.
Signature: (Minister)			Date of Decision: 30.07.07

Budget transfer from Chief Minister's Department for the Recruitment Advertising budget

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

BUDGET TRANSFER FROM THE CHIEF MINISTERS DEPARTMENT FOR RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING

Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this report is to seek the Minister’s approval of the recurring budget transfer from the Chief Minister’s Department of £1,025 to fund the department’s recruitment advertising.

Background

As at 1 January 2006 Departments transferred recruitment advertising budgets to the Chief Minister’s Department in an attempt to better identify costs and achieve across the board savings. The total budget transferred to the Chief Minister’s Department from the Planning and Environment Department for this purpose was £1,000.

By centralising the purchasing of recruitment advertising the States of Jersey as a whole has achieved savings of £60,000 in 2006. However at mid point in the year it appears that the total budgets transferred to the Chief Minister’s Department for the full year will be insufficient to fund ongoing advertising costs, as highlighted in the table below:

Department	Budget 2007	Actual July 2007
Chief Minister’s Department	-	14,312
Economic Development	2,050	3,147
Education, Sport & Culture	51,250	46,691
Health & Social Services	184,500	133,509
Home Affairs	15,375	3,367
Police	15,375	10,023
Housing	3,075	929
Planning & Environment	1,025	1,591
Employment & Social Security	3,075	2,961
Transport & Technical Services	1,025	20,250
Treasury & Resources	841	9,457
Highlands	-	1,310
Total	277,591	247,547

N.B. The budget figures detailed in the table above include 2.5% inflation for 2007.

In addition to the budget transfer the Department will be required to journal the 2007 actual spend as at the date of transfer of the budget from the Chief Minister’s Department to the Planning and Environment Department. This amount is currently being reported as £1,591.

Discussion

Although the centralisation of purchasing recruitment advertising has achieved savings of £60,000 in 2006 it is contradictory with good budget control as the spend is dictated by the department and not the Chief Minister’s Department which holds the budget.

It is envisaged that all JEP advertising will be made via the Chief Minister’s Human Resources Team in order that savings are still achieved and tracked (proposals to be put forward).

Recommendations

It is recommended that the Minister:

(i) approves the non-contentious recurring transfer of £1,025 from the Chief Minister’s Department to the Planning and Environment Department to fund the department’s recruitment advertising;

(ii) notifies the Minister of the Chief Minister’s Department of his approval of the recurring transfer of £1,025 to fund the department’s recruitment advertising; and

(iii) notifies the Treasurer of the States of the transfer.

Reason (s) for Decision

To ensure that recruitment advertising for the Department is managed in line with the allocated budget.

Action Required

The Finance Director:

 to notify the Minister for the Chief Minister’s Department of the Minister’s approval of the recurring transfer sum of £1,025 from the Chief Minister’s Department to the Planning and Environment Department to fund the department’s recruitment advertising;

 to notify the Treasurer of the States of the above decision to approve the transfer from the Planning and Environment Department to the Chief Minister’s Department for the purpose outlined in the attached report; and

 to arrange for the journal transfer for 2007 actual recruitment advertising costs to be transferred from the Chief Minister’s Department to the Planning and Environment Department.

Written by:	Honey Whiteman, Senior Management Accountant

Approved by:	Ellen Littlechild, Finance Director

Attachment:	None

Exemption:	N/A

Reference: