Contingency funding to States Assembly: Costs associated with 2018 election observation

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A decision made 4 May 2018:

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2018-0070
Decision Summary Title:	Contingency Funding to the States Assembly for election observers		Date of Decision Summary:	30th April 2018
Decision Summary Author:	Head of Decision Support		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title:	Contingency Funding to the States Assembly for election observers		Date of Written Report:	30th April 2018
Written Report Author:	Head of Decision Support		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: The transfer of up to £43,000 in 2018 from Central Contingency to the States Assembly revenue head of expenditure for costs associated with States Assembly election observation.
Decision(s): The Minister approved the transfer of up to £43,000 in 2018 from Central Contingency to the States Assembly revenue head of expenditure.
Reason(s) for Decision: Article 17(2) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that the Minister for Treasury and Resources is authorised to approve the transfer from contingency expenditure of amounts not exceeding, in total, the amount available for contingency expenditure in a financial year. The Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC) discussed this matter at their meeting on 13th March 2018 and endorsed the request. The PPC presented a report, R.33/2018 Election Observers to the States on 26th March 2018.
Resource Implications: Central Contingency to decrease by up to £43,000 and the States Assembly revenue head of expenditure to increase by an identical amount. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for 2017-2019 in the Medium Term Financial Plan.
Action required: Head of Decision Support to advise the Finance Director – Corporate Group once this decision has been approved.
Signature:		Position: Senator A J H Maclean, Minister for Treasury and Resources
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Contingency funding to States Assembly: Costs associated with 2018 election observation

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Treasury and Resources

Ministerial Decision Report

Contingency funding request by the States Greffe for States Assembly election observers

Purpose of Report

To enable the Minister to approve the transfer of up to £43,000 in 2018 from Central Contingency to the States Assembly revenue head of expenditure for costs associated with States Assembly election observation.

Background

A new legal provision was made in January 2017 for the appointment, by the Privileges and Procedures Committee (“PPC”) after consultation with the Chief Minister, of election observers at public elections. Once the new Article was brought into force, the PPC invited the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (“CPA”) (UK Branch) to provide election observation at the May 2018 election. The approach to CPA (UK) was made jointly with the Chief Minister, at the request of CPA (UK).

The election observation mission will include two professional election analysts (Political/Campaign and Legal/Elections), two CPA (UK) staff, one election official, and three politicians from across the Commonwealth. The estimated cost of the election observation is £74,000, with £52,000 to be paid by the States Greffe and the balance to be paid by CPA (UK).

The proposition, P.125/2016 – Draft Public Elections (Amendment No. 8) (Jersey) Law 201- lodged on 23rd November 2016 to provide the legal basis for election observers to operate in Jersey acknowledged that there would be costs associated with election observation missions but stated that the costs would be “modest” without attempting to quantify them. In addition, it would have been assumed at that time that such costs would have been absorbed within the States Assembly revenue head of expenditure however this is no longer the case.

The States Greffe requests funding from contingency to pay the costs of the election observation mission, which will principally be incurred in May 2018. This cost stems from decisions made by the States Assembly to change the law and of PPC and the Chief Minister to invite CPA (UK) to carry out the election observation mission which arose after the MTFP was concluded.

The request from contingency for £43,000 is less than the estimated cost of the election observation mission to the States Greffe as some costs were incurred and paid for in 2017 and CPA (UK) have advised that their costs will come in under budget.

3. Recommendation

The Minister approved the transfer of up to £43,000 in 2018 from Central Contingency to the States Assembly revenue head of expenditure.

4. Reason for Decision

Article 17(2) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 states that the Minister for Treasury and Resources is authorised to approve the transfer from contingency expenditure of amounts not exceeding, in total, the amount available for contingency expenditure in a financial year.

The Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC) discussed this matter at their meeting on 13th March 2018 and endorsed the request. The PPC presented a report, R.33/2018 Election Observers to the States on 26th March 2018.

5. Resource Implications

Central Contingency to decrease by up to £43,000 and the States Assembly revenue head of expenditure to increase by an identical amount. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for 2017-2019 in the Medium Term Financial Plan.

This cost is expected to recur in 2022.

Report author : Head of Decision Support	Document date 30th April 2018
Quality Assurance / Review : Director of Financial Planning and Performance	File name and path: L:\Treasury\Sections\Corporate Finance\Ministerial Decisions\DS, WR and SD\2018-0070 - C35 Contingency funding to States Assembly for election observers £43k