Prison Horticultural Project: Budget Transfer

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A decision made on 8 August 2012:

Decision Reference: MD-HA-2012-0061
Decision Summary Title :	Budget Transfer to Jersey Property Holdings		Date of Decision Summary:	23 July 2012
Decision Summary Author:	Finance Director Home Affairs		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	n/a
Written Report Title :	Budget Transfer to Jersey Property Holdings – Prison Horticulture Area		Date of Written Report:	23 July 2012
Written Report Author:	Finance Director		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Exempt 3.2.1 (a) (x)
Subject: Transfer of a budget from the Home Affairs Department to Jersey Property Holdings.
Decision(s): The Assistant Minister agreed a budget transfer of £85,300 from the Home Affairs Department’s revenue head of expenditure to a JPH capital head of expenditure to provide for the shortfall in funding for the Prison Horticulture Project. (£55,000 of which was approved in principle in MD-HA-2012-0043).
Reason(s) for Decision: In November 2011 the Minister signed MD-HA-2011-0084 agreeing a budget transfer of £415,000 from the Home Affairs Department’s revenue head of expenditure to a JPH capital head of expenditure to provide for the provision of new teaching facilities and alterations within the horticulture area as part of the Prison Redevelopment Masterplan. In May 2012 the Minister agreed, in principle, to a budget transfer of £55,000 (MD-HA-2012-0043) in order that JPH officers would commence the tender process. Tenders have now been received and evaluated and there is a further shortfall in funding of £30,300. The Home Affairs Accounting Officer and Minister had concerns over the increase in the project cost. The Accounting Officer has sought confirmation from the Director of Jersey Property Holdings that the estimating and tendering processes were robust and that the project provides value for money for the States of Jersey. The Director of Jersey Property Holdings has confirmed ‘Accordingly, given that the current M&E design meets the acceptable needs and qualitative standards of the Prison and that the scope of work was fully designed and competitively tendered, I consider that value for money has been achieved.’ It is necessary to have the Horticulture Facility up and running as soon as possible in order to minimise the impact on vocational training opportunities and the Prison’s income stream.
Resource Implications: The JPH Prison Redevelopment capital head of expenditure to increase by £85,300 and the Home Affairs Department revenue head of expenditure to decrease by an identical amount. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States.
Action required: The Assistant Minister to seek the approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources in accordance with Financial Direction 3.6 – Variations to Heads of Expenditure (Treasurer’s Delegation).
Signature:		Position: Assistant Minister for Home Affairs
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):