Children, Young People, Education and Skills: Allocation of funds from General Reserve for Assistant Youth Worker for the Move on Cafe for 2020

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A decision made on 15 May 2020

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2020-0056
Decision Summary Title:	Allocation from General Reserve for Assistant Youth Worker for the Move on café for 2020		Date of Decision Summary:	15th May 2020
Decision Summary Author:	Head of Finance Business Partnering - CYPES		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title:	Allocation from General Reserve for Assistant Youth Worker for the Move on café for 2020		Date of Written Report:	15th May 2020
Written Report Author:	Head of Finance Business Partnering - CYPES		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Allocation of up to £11,414 in 2020 from the General Reserve to the Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) department to fund an Assistant Youth Worker post for the Youth Service.
Decision(s): The Minister approved an allocation of up to £11,414 in 2020 from the General Reserve to the Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) department to fund an Assistant Youth Worker post for the Youth Service.
Reason(s) for Decision: Article 15(3) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 states that the approval by the States of a government plan authorises the Minister to direct how an approved appropriation for a reserve head of expenditure in the plan may be spent (including on another head of expenditure) in the first financial year covered by the plan. The current Contingency Allocation Policy (published as R.23/2020) sets the requirement for all allocations from contingency to be considered by the Investment Appraisal Board, Principal Accountable Officer and States Treasurer prior to submission to the Minister for approval, however it also states that ‘Where a request is made for £100,000 or less, or where the Minister is satisfied that there is an urgent need to provide funding in the public interest, an allocation may be made by the Minister on the recommendation of the Treasurer.’ This funding was the subject of an amendment to the Government Plan 2020-2023. The amendment was not adopted on the basis that continuation of funding from the Parish of St. Helier was to be discussed. This funding will not be provided, hence an additional allocation from the General Reserve is requested. The Department has confirmed it is unlikely to be able to meet these costs from its existing approved head of expenditure. On that basis the Treasurer recommends this allocation to the Minister.
Resource Implications: The General Reserve head of expenditure to reduce by up to £11,414 in 2020 and the CYPES head of expenditure to increase by an identical amount. This allocation is not recurring so CYPES will need to ensure that full year funding is included in the department’s submission for the Government Plan 2021-2024.
Action required: The Head of Financial Governance to advise the Head of Business Planning and the Head of Finance Business Partnering - CYPES that this decision is approved. Head of Business Planning to ensure that the allocation of funding takes place.
Signature:		Position: Deputy Susie Pinel Minister for Treasury and Resources
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Children, Young People, Educatin and Skills: Allocation of funds from General Reserve for Assistant Youth Worker for the Move on cafe for 2020

Treasury and Exchequer

Ministerial Decision Report

Allocation from General Reserve for Assistant Youth Worker for the Move on café for 2020

Purpose of Report

To enable the Minister to approve the allocation of up to £11,414 in 2020 from the General Reserve to the Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) department to fund an Assistant Youth Worker post for the Youth Service.

Background

For the past 10 years the Parish of St Helier Youth Committee has supported a number of youth projects in St Helier such as La Pouquelaye and First Tower Youth projects and also the Move on café for the sum of approximately £85,000 per year. Over the past 2 years the St Helier Youth Committee has been developed into the St Helier Youth and Community Trust with a wide remit of work to support. In light of these changes the Committee has decided to reduce the funding to Youth Projects in St Helier, and while it is still committed to the First Tower and La Pouquelaye Youth Club, it has decided that the support to the Move on café will end in April 2020.

Deputy Inna Gardiner submitted an amendment to the Government Plan for the funding to be allocated within the Government Plan. This was rejected as the Minister for Education requested that officers of the Youth Service and the Parish of St Helier meet to discuss. These discussions have taken place and while the Parish will support the Move on cafe by paying the rent, it considers that it is unable to support the salary and on costs for the Youth Worker.

The funding requested is for a part-time worker from 1st July 2020 to the end of December 2020.

Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to approve the allocation of up to £11,414 in 2020 from the General Reserve to the Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) department to fund an Assistant Youth Worker post for the Youth Service.

Reasons for Decision

Article 15(3) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 states that the approval by the States of a government plan authorises the Minister to direct how an approved appropriation for a reserve head of expenditure in the plan may be spent (including on another head of expenditure) in the first financial year covered by the plan.

The current Contingency Allocation Policy (published as R.23/2020) sets the requirement for all allocations from contingency to be considered by the Investment Appraisal Board, Principal Accountable Officer and States Treasurer prior to submission to the Minister for approval, however it also states that ‘Where a request is made for £100,000 or less, or where the Minister is satisfied that there is an urgent need to provide funding in the public interest, an allocation may be made by the Minister on the recommendation of the Treasurer.’

This funding was the subject of an amendment to the Government Plan 2020-2023. The amendment was not adopted on the basis that continuation of funding from the Parish of St. Helier was to be discussed. This funding will not be provided, hence an additional allocation from the General Reserve is requested. The Department has confirmed it is unlikely to be able to meet these costs from its existing approved head of expenditure. On that basis the Treasurer recommends this allocation to the Minister.

5. Resource Implications

The General Reserve head of expenditure to reduce by up to £11,414 in 2020 and the CYPES head of expenditure to increase by an identical amount. This allocation is not recurring so CYPES will need to ensure that full year funding is included in the department’s submission for the Government Plan 2021-2024.

Report author : Head of Finance Business Partnering - CYPES	Document date : 15th May 2020
Quality Assurance / Review: Head of Financial Governance	File name and path: L:\Treasury\Sections\Corporate Finance\Ministerial Decisions\DS, WR and SD\2020-0056 - Reserve funding for Move on Cafe
MD sponsor : Treasurer of the States