Budget transfer from Central Contingency to Education Department: Rescindment of means-tested nursery education

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A decision made 29 March 2018

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2018-0042
Decision Summary Title:	Provisional transfer from Central Contingency to the Education Department following the Education Minister’s decision to rescind means-tested Nursery education		Date of Decision Summary:	28th March 2018
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:	Transfer from Central Contingency to the Education Department following the Education Minister’s decision to rescind means-tested Nursery education		Date of Written Report:	28th March 2018
Written Report Author:	Head of Decision Support		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: The provisional transfer of up to £250,000 in 2018 and up to £467,000 in 2019 from Central Contingency to the Education Department revenue head of expenditure following the Education Minister’s decision to rescind means-tested nursery education from September 2018.
Decision(s): The Minister approved the provisional transfer of up to £250,000 in 2018 and up to £467,000 in 2019 from Central Contingency to the Education Department revenue head of expenditure following the Education Minister’s decision to rescind means-tested nursery education from September 2018. The Contingency funding provisionally allocated is subject to the Department demonstrating that it is not able to meet the costs from existing resources, through efficiency savings or underspends, in 2018 and 2019. If the department is in an overspend position for either year after meeting costs of the decision to rescind means-tested nursery education the Contingency funding allocated by this decision will be that required to achieve a break-even position, up to a maximum of the above sums.
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. The purpose of introducing means testing in 2016 was to enable the Education Department to meet its savings commitment for the MTFP and to control the expenditure of the Nursery Education Fund. The MTFP savings target is £250,000 in 2018 rising to £467,000 in 2019. Withdrawing the means testing proposal will mean this saving will have to be found elsewhere, either from another part of the Education Department’s budget or from central funds (e.g. contingency). The Education Minister recognises both these options present challenges, particularly as education has been recognised as a strategic priority by the Council of Ministers. The Education Minister’s decision to rescind means-tested nursery education was discussed at the CSB meeting on 23rd January 2018 and the position noted at the Council of Ministers meeting on 7th February 2018.
Resource Implications: Central Contingency to decrease by up to £250,000 in 2018 and up to £467,000 in 2019 and the Education Department revenue head of expenditure to increase by identical amounts if required. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for 2017-2019 in the Medium Term Financial Plan.
Action required: Head of Decision Support to advise the Director Policy & Planning – Education Department once this decision has been approved.
Signature:		Position: Senator A J H Maclean, Minister for Treasury and Resources
Date Signed:		Date of Decision: