Budget Transfer: Central Contingency Funding to Education and Community and Constitutional Affairs for vulnerable children initiatvies

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there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

[THIS DECISION HAS BEEN RESCINDED BY MD-TR-2017-0132] A decision made on 21 April 2017:

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2017-0051
Decision Summary Title:	Contingency Funding Request - Initiatives that support vulnerable children: Family Support Workers and Baby Steps universal antenatal programme		Date of Decision Summary:	28th March 2017
Decision Summary Author:	Head of Decision Support		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title:	Contingency Funding Request - Initiatives that support vulnerable children: Family Support Workers and Baby Steps universal antenatal programme		Date of Written Report:	28th March 2017
Written Report Author:	Director, Social Policy: Community and Constitutional Affairs Department		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Contingency Funding Request – Investment in initiatives that support vulnerable children (Family Support Workers and Baby Steps Universal antenatal programme)
Decision(s): The Minister approved budget transfers from Central Contingency of up to £896,150 over the years 2017, 2018 and 2019. The funding will be used to support two initiatives that support vulnerable children as follows: 1) up to £153,600 in 2017 and up to £160,000 in each of the years 2018 and 2019 from Central Contingency to the Education Department revenue head of expenditure to support delivery of the Family Support Workers initiative; and 2) up to £70,000 in 2017, up to £140,000 in 2018 and up to £212,500 in 2019 from Central Contingency to the Community and Constitutional Affairs Department revenue head of expenditure to support delivery of the Baby Steps universal antenatal programme. The Minister also approved an increase in the Education Department’s staffing levels of 6.0 FTE for the years 2017-2019 to enable the recruitment of six dedicated family support workers to support individual children and their families.
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.10/2012) sets the requirement for all allocations from Contingency to be considered by the Council of Ministers prior to submission to the Minister for approval. The MTFP2, as adopted by the States Assembly, included the allocation of £1.65million per year from Central Contingencies for initiatives that support vulnerable children (£4,950,000 in total over the period from 2017 to 2019). In addition on 9th November 2016, the Council of Ministers collectively agreed nine projects to be allocated a proportion of those contingencies monies (totalling up to £2,260,650 over the period from 2017 to 2019). The Council of Ministers also collectively agreed to delegate to the Chief Minister the decision to request the Treasury and Resources Minister to fund other initiatives that support vulnerable children from the remaining contingency allocation. The Chief Minister has signed decision MD-C-2017-0038 requesting the current allocation. To comply with P67/1999 which charges the Minister for Treasury and Resources to regulate the number of persons that may be employed by the States.
Resource Implications: The Education Department revenue head of expenditure to increase by up to up to £473,600 over the period 2017 to 2019 (£153,600 in 2017, up to £160,000 in each of the years 2018 and 2019 together with an increase of 6.0 FTE. The Community and Constitutional Affairs Department revenue head of expenditure to increase by up to £422,550 (up to £70,000 in 2017, up to £140,000 in 2018 and up to £212,500 in 2019). Central Contingency to decrease by identical amounts. The £896,150 in total is proposed to be drawn down across the years 2017, 2018 and 2019. The amount for each year may be varied without exceeding the total amount for the three years. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for 2017 and 2018 in the Medium Term Financial Plan. Staffing levels in the Education Department will increase by 6.0 FTE for the years 2017-2019.
Action required: The Head of Decision Support to advise the Finance Director - Education Department and the Director, Social Policy - Constitutional Affairs Department once this decision has been approved.
Signature:		Position: Connetable John Refault, Assistant Minister for Treasury and Resources
Date Signed:		Date of Decision: