Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund: Funding

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A decision made on 19 July 2019

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2019-0061
Decision Summary Title:	Applications of COCF funding to assist with the Investigation of Fly Tipping and to Support the Jersey Fraud Prevention Forum		Date of Decision Summary:	18th July 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 Growth, Housing and Environment and Justice and Home Affairs Departments		Date of Written Report:	18th July 2019
Written Report Author:	Specialist – Business Cases		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: The allocation of up to £56,300 from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund (COCF) with £6,300 to Growth, Housing and Environment department and £50,000 to Justice and Home Affairs department as detailed in the attached report.
Decision(s): The Minister approved the allocation of up to £56,300 from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund (COCF) to the Growth, Housing and Environment department and the Justice and Home Affairs department as detailed in the attached report.
Reason(s) for Decision: 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 both departments.
Resource Implications: The COCF to decrease by £56,300 and the Growth, Housing and Environment department revenue head of expenditure to increase by £6,300 and Justice and Home Affairs department revenue head of expenditure to increase by £50,000. 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 Partners of the receiving departments that this decision is approved.
Signature:		Position: Deputy Susie Pinel Minister for Treasury and Resources
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Criminal Offences confiscation Fund: Funding

Treasury and Exchequer

Ministerial Decision Report

Applications of COCF funding to Growth, Housing and Environment and Justice and Home Affairs Departments

Purpose of Report

To enable the Minister to approve the allocation of up to £56,300 Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund to Growth, Housing and Environment department and the Justice and Home Affairs department as detailed below.

Background

Growth, Housing and Environment - £6,300

Environmental Protection is leading the project and working with parish authorities, the National Trust, Honorary Police and land owners to reduce incidents of fly tipping by locating problem areas and directing resources to these areas. This funding will cover the costs of additional signage and also the installation of CCTV at hotspots in order to reduce incidents of fly tipping as more offenders are identified and either educated or prosecuted.

The Attorney General has consented to the use of the COCF for this project in a letter dated 12th November 2018.

Justice and Home Affairs - £50,000

The Jersey Fraud Prevention Forum consists of an informal membership consisting of representatives of the Jersey Financial Services Commission, States of Jersey Police, Trading Standards, Consumer Council, Bankers Association, Honorary Police and the main telecommunication companies.

The funds will have a direct impact on raising awareness of the different types of scams and emerging threats in relation to financial crime and providing advice to members of the public on how best to avoid fallen victim to financial crime. It is anticipated that this funding will be utilised over a 5 year long programme.

The Attorney General has consented to the use of the COCF for this project in a letter dated 12th November 2018.

Recommendation

Based upon the advice of the Attorney General, the Minister is recommended to approve the allocation of £56,300 from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund (COCF) with £6,300 to the Growth, Housing and Environment revenue head of expenditure and £50,000 to the Justice and Home Affairs revenue head of expenditure for the above projects.

Reasons for Decision

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 both departments.

5. Resource Implications

The COCF to decrease by £56,300 and the revenue heads of expenditure of Growth, Housing and Environment and Justice and Home Affairs to increase by £6,300 and £50,000 respectively. 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 : 18th July 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\2019-0061 - COCF funding for Fly Tipping and Jersey Fraud Prevention Forum
MD sponsor : Treasurer of the States