Treasury and Resources
Ministerial Decision Report
Fiscal stimulus funding in respect of a grant award to St Matthew’s (Glass) Church
1. Purpose of Report
The report summarises the evaluation process and resulting recommendation of the Fiscal Stimulus Steering Group (the “FSSG”) to the Minister for Treasury and Resources in respect of the allocation of the funding to the Department for Education, Sport and Culture (“ESC”) for a grant award to St Matthew’s (Glass) Church. The grant of £125,000 is to be awarded on a £1 for £1 matched funding basis, in respect of phases 1 and 2 of a major restoration and refurbishment programme. The project will give a boost to the construction industry by way of releasing a project which totals £250,000 and cannot, in the absence of matched funding from the fiscal stimulus fund, take place at this time.
2. Background and fiscal stimulus rationale
As recommended by the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel the total programme of fiscal stimulus projects includes schemes to be undertaken by both States departments and non-States organizations, with the St Matthew’s Church project representing a public-private partnership which achieves a 100% multiplier on the States of Jersey spend.
The bid was evaluated under the fiscal stimulus criteria which resulted in its inclusion in the provisional programme. As part of the FSSG evaluation underlying this recommendation those criteria were revisited and it was concluded that the project, in particular the estimated cost and planned programme, remain acceptable to merit the delivery of the project.
3. Recommendation from the Fiscal Stimulus Steering Group
The Fiscal Stimulus Steering Group recommends to the Minister for Treasury and Resources that a sum of £125,000 is now allocated to ESC, to be transferred to its budget for 2010 which will allow it to make grant payments on a matched funding basis to St Matthew’s Church for the project outlined above. The project will be overseen by ESC which as sponsoring department will have the continuing responsibility for monitoring and oversight to ensure that the conditions of the grant are met and that the Memorandum of Understanding is adhered to.
5. Reason for Decision
A discretionary fiscal stimulus allocation from the Stabilisation Fund of £44m has already been approved. The project meets the key criteria for fiscal stimulus being timely, targeted and temporary and will benefit local business and individuals. The £125,000 allocation to ESC will enable grant payments to be made to St Matthew’s Church in accordance with the critical path for delivering this stimulus project, placing construction and related works of a total estimated value of £250,000 with local businesses, which would not otherwise take place.
6. Resource Implications
No financial resource implications other than those explained above.
No manpower resource implications.