Department for Education, Sport and Culture Report for Minister |
Subject: | Jersey Heritage Trust – Request of Funds in respect of Historic Child Abuse Enquiry |
Exempt Clause: | None | Date: | 28 July 2009 |
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Authors: | Julie Harris – Management Accountant & Peter Robinson – Assistant Director, Finance |
- Introduction
The purpose of this report is to ask the Minister to request funds to the value of £135,000 to be transferred from the Treasury & Resources department to Education, Sport & Culture, on behalf of the Jersey Heritage Trust. The amount of £135,000 representing the costs of the Historic Child Abuse Enquiry to the Jersey Heritage Trust as outlined in a Service Level Agreement agreed in 2008.
- Background
As a result of a meeting held 29 May 2008, a Service Level Agreement between the Chief Minister’s department, Education, Sport & Culture, States Greffe and Jersey Heritage was created in respect of the safeguarding of documentation for a potential Committee of Inquiry into Children’s Care Homes.
The Service Level agreement states that the costs to be paid to Jersey Heritage Trust in January 2009 as £65,000 and a further £70,000 with the States of Jersey approval.
Costs for 2008 to be paid 01/01/09 | £65K |
Costs for 2009 to be paid on SOJ approval | £70K |
Total Cost to be paid January 2009 | £135K |
On 8 September 2008 the States approved a proposition which agreed to allocate up to £7,500,000 to the Treasury & Resources department in order to reimburse departments for actual expenditure on the Historic Child Abuse Enquiry. Of this amount, £65,000 was carried forward into 2009 as an ‘earmarked sum’ for Education, Sport & Culture in respect of costs incurred and £70,000 was identified for costs in 2009 in order to:
‘…fund a contract post at the Jersey Archive and improve storage to appraise and catalogue all departmental records potentially relating to the enquiry. This was agreed by the Minister for Treasury & Resources in 2008 for a period of 2 years.’
The Director of Education, Sport and Culture has confirmed that he will receive assurance that the funds forwarded to the Jersey Heritage Trust concerning the costs associated with the historic child abuse enquiry will be used appropriately and for its intended purpose.
The Jersey Heritage Trust has confirmed that should the funds not be required up to the level specified in the Service Level Agreement then the balance shall be returned to the Treasury and Resources Department.
- Recommendation
It is recommended that the Minister requests the Minister for Treasury and Resources to approve a transfer of £135,000 in respect of the Historic Child Abuse Enquiry to Education, Sport & Culture on behalf of the Jersey Heritage Trust.