Budget transfer from Contingency Funding to Community and Constitutional Affairs

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While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.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 22 February 2018:

Decision Reference: MD-HA-2018-0020
Decision Summary Title:	Contingency Funding Request		Date of Decision Summary:	15 February 2018
Decision Summary Author:	Finance Director Community and Constitutional Affairs		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	n/a
Written Report Title:	Contingency Funding Request		Date of Written Report:	15 February 2018
Written Report Author:	Finance Director Community and Constitutional Affairs		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Qualified Exempt Article 35 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011
Subject: A non recurring transfer of £81,408 from Central Contingencies to the Home Affairs minor capital head of expenditure as detailed in the attached report.
Decision(s): The Minister requested the Minister for Treasury and Resources to approve a non recurring transfer of £81,408 in 2018 from Central Contingencies to the Home Affairs minor capital head of expenditure.
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 to heads of 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) states that requests for less than £100,000 in total can be approved directly by the Minister for Treasury and Resources on the recommendation of the Treasurer of the States.
Resource Implications: The HA minor capital head of expenditure will increase by £81,408 in 2018 and Central Contingencies will decrease by an identical amount. 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: Finance Director, Community and Constitutional Affairs, to seek the necessary approvals.
Signature:		Position: Minister for Home Affairs
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed)