Budget Transfer from Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund (COCF) to Justice and Home Affairs: Living Hope Life Centre

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A decision made on 27 September 2019

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2019-0089
Decision Summary Title:	Applications of COCF funding to Justice and Home Affairs department to assist with the completion of the Living Hope Life Centre		Date of Decision Summary:	27th September 2019
Decision Summary Author:	Specialist – Business Cases		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title:	Applications of COCF funding to Justice and Home Affairs department to assist with the completion of the Living Hope Life Centre		Date of Written Report:	27th September 2019
Written Report Author:	Specialist – Business Cases		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: The allocation of up to £61,500 from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund (COCF) to Justice and Home Affairs department to assist with the completion of the Living Hope Life Centre.
Decision(s): The Minister approved the allocation of up to £61,500 from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund (COCF) to the Justice and Home Affairs department as detailed in the attached report.
Reason(s) for Decision: Article 58 of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 states that the provisions of the previous Law, as they have effect immediately before the 2019 Law came into force, continue to apply to money received, expended or otherwise handled by or on behalf of the States during the financial year in which this Law came into force. Article 19(1)(a) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that if, during a financial year, the Minister is satisfied that the income of a States funded body is likely to exceed its estimated income, the Minister may authorise the body to withdraw from the consolidated fund during that year an amount not exceeding the likely excess of income. A case for funding from the COCF has been made by the department.
Resource Implications: The COCF to decrease by £61,500 and the Justice and Home Affairs department revenue head of expenditure to increase by the same amount. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2016 to 2019.
Action required: The Head of Financial Governance to advise the Senior Finance Business Partner of the receiving department that this decision is approved.
Signature:		Position: Deputy Susie Pinel Minister for Treasury and Resources
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Budget Transfer from Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund (COCF) to Justice and Home Affairs: Living Hope Life Centre

Treasury and Exchequer

Ministerial Decision Report

Applications of COCF funding to Justice and Home Affairs Department to assist with the completion of the Living Hope Life Centre

Purpose of Report

To enable the Minister to approve the allocation of up to £61,500 from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund (COCF) to the Justice and Home Affairs department as detailed below.

Background

The primary aim of Freedom for Life Ministries (FFLM) is to help those who are involved with the Criminal Justice System, both in the prison and the community, to develop a life that is pro-social and is filled with purpose, hope and freedom. Over the past 7 and a half years, FFLM has been pursuing the development of the “Life Centre” project, which is Jersey’s first drop in centre developed primarily to support ex-prisoners. It has been designed as a safe and friendly space which will provide much needed support for people who are struggling to settle back into the community. The project not only works with individuals but also with families, both of prisoners and ex-prisoners and provides mentoring support and practical support (such as helping individuals find suitable accommodation and employment), in order to help people move away from their offending behaviour and become contributing members of society.

Justice and Home Affairs is the sponsoring department for this request with the intention of a grant being made to Living Hope (formerly Freedom for Life Ministries) for the completion of the Life Centre.

The Attorney General has consented to the use of the COCF for this project in a letter dated 24th September 2019.

Recommendation

Based upon the advice of the Attorney General, the Minister is recommended to approve the allocation of £61,500 from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund (COCF) to the Justice and Home Affairs revenue head of expenditure for the above project.

Reasons for Decision

Article 58 of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 states that the provisions of the previous Law, as they have effect immediately before the 2019 Law came into force, continue to apply to money received, expended or otherwise handled by or on behalf of the States during the financial year in which this Law came into force.

Article 19(1)(a) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that if, during a financial year, the Minister is satisfied that the income of a States funded body is likely to exceed its estimated income, the Minister may authorise the body to withdraw from the consolidated fund during that year an amount not exceeding the likely excess of income.

A case for funding from the COCF has been made by the department.

5. Resource Implications

The COCF to decrease by £61,500 and the revenue heads of expenditure of Justice and Home Affairs to increase by the same amount. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2016 to 2019.

Report author : Specialist – Business Cases	Document date :27th September 2019
Quality Assurance / Review: Director, Investment Appraisal & T&E Business Management	File name and path: L:\Treasury\Sections\Corporate Finance\Ministerial Decisions\DS, WR and SD\2019-0089 - COCF funding for Living Hope Life Centre
MD sponsor : Treasurer of the States