2012 Carry Forwards for Environmental Protection

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A decision made 19 August 2013:

Decision Reference: MD-PE-2013-0089
Decision Summary Title :	Request for the allocation of carry forward funds from 2012 Central Reserves to the Department of the Environment for Environmental Protection		Date of Decision Summary:	28th July 2013
Decision Summary Author:	Finance Manager – Department of the Environment		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Request for the allocation of carry forward funds from 2012 Central Reserves to the Department of the Environment for Environmental Protection		Date of Written Report:	28th July 2013
Written Report Author:	Finance Manager – Department of the Environment		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Transfer of £200,000 of Central Reserves funds as identified in the 2012 Carry Forward Report to the Department of the Environment (DoE) for Environmental Protection
Decision(s): The Minister approved an internal budget transfer of up to £200,000 from the Treasury central reserves to the Department of the Environment for Environmental Protection.
Reason(s) for Decision: To enable DoE to achieve the Scrutiny recommendations for the strengthening of regulation of the Island’s Environmental Protection as highlighted in the 2012 Carry Forward Reports.
Resource Implications: Other than those detailed in the report there are no further financial or manpower implications.
Action required: The Minister for the Department of the Environment to seek approval from the Minister for Treasury and Resources for the budget transfer highlighted above. The Finance Director for the Department of the Environment will then action the budget transfers in conjunction with the Head of Financial Performance Reporting.
Signature:		Position: Minister for the Department of the Environment
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

2012 Carry Forwards for Environmental Protection

Department of the Environment Ministerial Decision Report

Request for the allocation of carry forward funds from Central Contingency (one-off) to the Department of the Environment for Environmental Protection

Purpose of Report

To enable the Minister to accept an internal budget transfer of up to £200,000 from Central Contingency (one-off) as identified to the Department of the Environment for Environmental Protection.

Background

A funding pressure of £150,000 per annum from 2014 was identified by Scrutiny and detailed in the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) Second Amendment for “strengthening the protection and regulation of the Island’s Environment”.

The amendment was subsequently withdrawn; however, the 2012 Carry Forwards Report identified £200,000 from Departmental under spends which could be used by the Department for Environmental Protection from Central Contingency (one-off).

Discussion

The 2012 Carry Forward Report states:

“Funding pressure identified by Scrutiny and detailed in the Medium Term Financial Plan Second Amendment. Strengthening the protection and regulation of the Island’s Environment including scientific and technical studies to assist compliance with environmental regulation and increase the frequency of environmental monitoring, particularly Marine and Water Pollution”

The original MTFP amendment was proposed by Deputy John Young in response to the Environment Scrutiny Panel’s Review ‘Protecting our Marine Environment’ that was presented to the States on 9 Nov. 2011 (ref: S.R.15/2011)[1].

Major Key findings (findings 1 & 2) of the Review were;

1. Manpower and resources within the Department cannot always meet legitimate stakeholder aspirations, and in the event of a serious environmental incident the regular workload of the Environmental Protection team is compromised.

2. While some aspects of European legislation are adhered to locally, resources available are currently insufficient to permit full compliance with wider environmental directives, such as the Water Framework Directive. There is potentially some lack of clarity amongst the public concerning which elements are legally enforceable.

The funding of £200,000 will be used by the Department to help address the two key findings of the Scrutiny report as highlighted above.

Recommendation

That the Minister accepts the internal budget transfer of up to £200,000 from Central Contingency (one-off) as identified in the 2012 Carry Forward Report to the Department of the Environment for Environmental Protection.

Reason for Decision

Under Financial Direction 3.6 and the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005, the approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources is required for any variations to heads of expenditure.

Resource Implications

The Department of the Environment’s revenue head of expenditure will increase by up to £200,000 in 2013 and Central Contingency (one-off) to decrease by an identical amount.

[1] http://www.scrutiny.gov.je/Pages/Review.aspx?ReviewId=22