Government of Jersey

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A decision made 21 December 2009 regarding: Jersey Heritage Trust - 2009 supplementary funding.

Decision Reference: MD-ESC-2009-0023
Decision Summary Title:	Jersey Heritage Trust – 2009 supplementary funding		Date of Decision Summary:	11th December 2009
Decision Summary Author:	Assistant Director - Finance		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	n/a
Written Report Title:	Jersey Heritage Trust – Supplementary Funding		Date of Written Report:	11th December 2009
Written Report Author:	Assistant Director - Finance		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Jersey Heritage Trust - supplementary funding to meet the short term cash flow requirements.
Decision(s): The Minister approved additional funding up to a maximum of £888,000 to be made available to the Jersey Heritage Trust on receipt of appropriate supporting documentation. This sum is sufficient to meet its short term cash flow requirements, with payments to be made monthly through to the end of 2009.
Reason(s) for Decision: A financial review is currently being carried out of the Jersey Heritage Trust by BDO Alto and, additionally, Locum Consultants are undertaking work for EDD on the potential for the Trust to generate additional income. These will provide the basis for agreement on the future operations of the Trust and funding levels required to sustain that level of activity. Until those reviews are complete, additional funding will need to be made available to ensure that the Trust is able to meet its short term cash requirements without recourse to an overdraft facility. The emergency financial assistance was recognised in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report on the Trust as being between £800,000 and £900,000. The Treasury & Resources Minister has agreed to work with the ESC Minister to clear the existing borrowing of the Trust and to develop a longer term solution for the funding of the organisation. As an interim measure it has been agreed that unspent funds within the Department’s budget for 2009 could be used for this purpose. The Treasury Minister has confirmed that the Department will be reimbursed allowing it to deal with some of the ongoing financial pressures not recognised in the 2010 Business Plan.
Resource Implications: No resource implications other than the payments up to £888,000. It should be noted that this will ensure the short-term viability of the Trust but does not address potential long term financial consequences of any restructuring should that be required.
Action required: Instruct the Assistant Director – Finance to make appropriate payments upon receipt of appropriate supporting documentation.
Signature:		Position: Minister for Education, Sport and Culture
Date Signed:		Date of Decision: