Budget transfer from Health and Social Services to Chief Minister's Department: Children's Social Services

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A decision made 23 February 2018:

Decision Reference: MD-HSS-2018-0005
Decision Summary Title:	Transfer of Children’s Social Services revenue budget from Health and Social Services to Chief Minister’s Department		Date of Decision Summary:	20th February 2018
Decision Summary Author:	Director of Finance and Information		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title:	Transfer of Children’s Social Services revenue budget from Health and Social Services to Chief Minister’s Department		Date of Written Report:	20th February 2018
Written Report Author:	Head of Decision Support		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: The transfer of the Children’s Social Services revenue budget from Health and Social Services to the Chief Minister’s Department.
Decision(s): The Minister approved the transfer of £18,716,778 from 1st January 2018 from the Health and Social Services revenue head of expenditure to the Chief Minister’s Department (CMD) revenue head of expenditure.
Reason(s) for Decision: Article (18)(c) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that all or any part of the amount appropriated by a head of expenditure may, with the approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources, be transferred from one head of expenditure to another head of expenditure for any purpose. The transfer reflects movement in direct oversight and accountability for Children’s Social Services, approved by the Chief Minister, to the Chief Executive. Ministerial accountability for Children’s Services remains with the Minister for Health and Social Services.
Resource Implications: The Health and Social Services revenue head of expenditure will decrease by £18,716,778 from 1st January 2018 and the Chief Minister’s Department (CMD) revenue head of expenditure will increase by an identical amount. The transfer represents the budget for the direct costs of Children’s Social Services. Further transfers of budget for associated and shared services may be necessary once these have been fully quantified. Any Ministerial Decisions previously signed and approving funding from Central Contingencies to the Children’s Service to now be transferred to CMD.
Action required: The Head of Decision Support to notify the Finance Directors of Health and Social Services and the Corporate Group that the decision has been approved.
Signature:		Position: Minister for Health and Social Services
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Budget transfer from Health and Social Services to Chief Minister's Department: Children's Social Services

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Health and Social Services

Ministerial Decision Report

Transfer of Children’s SOCIAL Services revenue budget from Health and Social Services to Chief Minister’s Department

Purpose of Report

To approve the transfer of £18,716,778 from 1st January 2018 from the Health and Social Services revenue head of expenditure to the Chief Minister’s Department (CMD) revenue head of expenditure.

2. Background

Jersey’s Chief Minister has agreed to give the Chief Executive direct oversight and accountability for Children’s Social Services.

The Chief Minister took the decision, with the agreement of the Health Minister after the Chief Executive and the new Children’s Commissioner raised concerns about the pace of change in Children’s Social Services and the possibility that children may still be at risk.

The Chief Executive and the Children’s Commissioner have been reviewing the current arrangements and have both visited Children’s Social Services to see for themselves what progress has been made since the publication of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry’s report.

Their assessment was that while Children’s Social Services have come a long way since the Care Inquiry report, there was still more to do. However, the pace of change was too slow and children may still be at risk.

Ministerial accountability for Children’s Social Services remains with the Minister for Health and Social Services.

3. Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to approve the transfer of £18,716,778 from 1st January 2018 from the Health and Social Services revenue head of expenditure to the Chief Minister’s Department (CMD) revenue head of expenditure.

4. Reason for Decision

Article (18)(c) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that all or any part of the amount appropriated by a head of expenditure may, with the approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources, be transferred from one head of expenditure to another head of expenditure for any purpose.

The transfer reflects movement in direct oversight and accountability for Children’s Social Services, approved by the Chief Minister, to the Chief Executive.

Ministerial accountability for Children’s Services remains with the Minister for Health and Social Services.

5. Resource Implications

The Health and Social Services revenue head of expenditure will decrease by £18,716,778 from 1st January 2018 and the Chief Minister’s Department (CMD) revenue head of expenditure will increase by an identical amount. The transfer represents the 2018 budget for Children’s Social Services. Further transfers of shared and associated service budgets may be necessary once the relevant operational requirements have been reviewed, assessed, and quantified.

Any Ministerial Decisions previously signed and approving funding from Central Contingencies to the Children’s Social Services to now be transferred to CMD.

Report author : Head of Decision Support	Document date: 20th February 2018
Quality Assurance / Review : Head of Decision Support	File name and path: L:\Treasury\Sections\Corporate Finance\Ministerial Decisions\DS, WR and SD\2018-00xx - HSS
MD sponsor : Director of Financial Planning and Performance