Treasury and Resources Department
Ministerial Decision Report
ADDITIONAL OFCOM INCOME and change of use of carry forward budget
- Purpose of Report
To enable the Minister to approve the use of additional Ofcom income and change of use of the carry forward currently allocated to the Jersey Aircraft Registry online registration to be used for onward additional grant, in 2015, to Digital Jersey Limited.
2. Background
EDD has recently received funding from Ofcom in respect of Wireless Telegraphy Licence fees.
Income of approximately £300,000 was expected from Wireless Telegraphy Licence Fees each year (although the exact sum was not certain) and this has been included in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2013-2015.
Fees are collected by Ofcom on behalf of the States of Jersey, under authority of various pieces of legislation, most notably the Communications (Jersey) Order 2003, SI 2003/3197, arts 6, 7, Sch 2, para 91 (as amended by SI 2006/3324, art 4(2), Sch 2, Pt 2) and SI 2003/3197, arts 1(3)–(5), 2.
EDD received £548,282 on 2nd April 2015 from Wireless Telegraphy Licence Fees in relation to 2014. This decision approves the use of additional unanticipated income of £248,282 to be added to EDD’s approved revenue expenditure and recognised as income for 2015. This decision only relates to that year’s income.
This decision also approves the change of use of £110,000 carry forward budget for the Jersey Aircraft Registry online registration which is now due to commence slightly later than anticipated.
EDD allocated £825,000 grant funding for Digital Jersey Limited in the 2015 Business Plan and has agreed to pay an additional one off grant of £400,000 in 2015. To fund this grant EDD will use the additional Ofcom income of £248,282 and change the use of £110,000 carry forward budget for the Jersey Aircraft Registry online registration which is now due to commence slightly later than anticipated.
The balance will be taken from a recharge to the Jersey Innovation Fund of £41,718 for part of the costs incurred for the administration of the Fund by the department.
There will be no further funding for Digital Jersey Limited in 2015 and funding for 2016 and beyond will be addressed in the next MTFP.
If this decision is not approved the activities of Digital Jersey in 2015 will need to be more limited.
EDD have confirmed that the Jersey Aircraft Registry project will not be delayed as a result of as a result of this decision.
3. Recommendation
The Minister is recommended to approve the use of additional unanticipated income of £248,282 Ofcom income to be added to the Economic Development Department’s approved revenue expenditure and recognised as income for 2015 and to approve the change of use of carry forward budget of £110,000 for the Jersey Aircraft Registry online registration to be used for an onward additional grant to Digital Jersey Limited.
4. Reasons for Decision
Under Article 19(1) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 the Minister for Treasury and Resources can authorise a States funded body to withdraw from the consolidated fund during a year an amount not exceeding the likely excess of income over the amount approved in that year’s revenue allocation.
Article 18(3A) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states the Minister may approve the withdrawal from the consolidated fund, after the end of the relevant financial year, of all or part of the amount appropriated by a revenue head of expenditure.
5. Resource implications
Recognition of £248,282 income in 2015 and added to the approved revenue expenditure for 2015 together with the change of use of carry forward budget of £110,000 for the Jersey Aircraft Registry online registration to be used for onward additional grant to Digital Jersey Limited.
Report author : Decision Support Officer | Document date : 26/05/2015 |
Quality Assurance / Review : Head of Decision Support | File name and path: L:\Treasury\Sections\Corporate Finance\Ministerial Decisions\DSs, WRs and SDs\2015-0047 - Change of use of Carry Forward budget |
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