Treasury & Resourses
Ministerial Decision Report
Central Contingency Funding for Expansion of Prince’s trust
- Purpose of Report
To enable the Minister for Treasury and Resources (T&R) to approve funding from Central Contingency (one-off) of £147,000 in 2014 and £146,000 in 2015 and a potential £84,000 for backfilling secondees for the expansion of the Prince’s Trust and request the inclusion of £146,000 as a growth bid for 2016 in the next Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP). In addition ESC are seeking an increase of 2.5 FTE.
- Background
The Council of Ministers, at their meeting of 19 September 2013, discussed the expansion of the Prince’s Trust programme. It was noted that there were currently 480 16-24 year olds registered as unemployed in Jersey. It was recognised that the Prince’s Trust had been operational in the Island since 2006 and through its delivery partner – the Jersey Youth Service – would support 208 young people in Jersey in 2013. It was recalled that the Trust currently received approximately £300,000 from a mixture of public and private sector sources from which the above-mentioned support was provided, with £110,000 of that funding being provided by the States either as a gift in kind or financial contribution. A steering group in Jersey, chaired by the Chief Probation Officer and consisting of public sector and private sector stakeholders, provided local governance for the Trust’s activities in the Island.
It was noted that outcomes from the Prince’s Trust programmes were positive, with 86 per cent of the cohort in 2012 moving into employment, further training or regular volunteering; 59 per cent having moved directly into work; and 7 out of 9 young people placed with Sandpiper in 2012 on a “Get into retail” programme having been offered employment by the company with the 2 others proceeding into Higher Education and a further training placement with Sandpiper. It was recognised that these results were to be seen in the context of the Trust’s recruitment criteria which required applicants to be unemployed, care leavers or young offenders.
At the Council of Ministers meeting of 13 November 2013 the proposed funding request was approved.
- Funding
Funding to support the wholly revenue items has not been identified within ESC. The Central Contingency exists for urgent and unforeseen events, which in this case arises as the need to implement these initiatives cannot wait until 2016 as if the benefit of the expansion is to be realised when needed by the young people, it needs to be in place by the start of 2014.
The Central Contingency (One-Off) has a sufficient unallocated balance to provide the required funding of £147,000 in 2014 and £146,000 in 2015 and potentially a maximum of £84,000 per annum to fund backfill secondees for the expansion of the Prince’s Trust. The funding is supported by the Treasury and Resources Minister. A case for any continued funding beyond 2016 will need to be made in the next Medium Term Financial Plan.
4. Recommendation
The Minister is recommended to approve a budget transfer from Central Contingency (one-off) to the ESC revenue head of expenditure of £147,000 in 2014 and £146,000 in 2015 to support the expansion of the Prince’s Trust. Similar funding for 2016 will be requested as a growth bid from the next Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2016 to 2019.
The Minister for T&R is also recommended to set aside an additional £84,000 in 2014 and 2015 from Central Contingency (one-off) which could be transferred to ESC to support departments in back filling secondees. The budget transfer for these funds will be actioned upon approval by the Treasurer of the States by delegated decision. Similar funding for 2016 will be requested as a growth bid from the next MTFP
6. 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 to heads of expenditure of amounts not exceeding, in total, the amount available for contingency expenditure in a financial year.
7. Resource Implications
The ESC revenue head of expenditure will increase by £147,000 in 2014 and £146,000 in 2015 with Central Contingency (one-off) decreasing by an identical amount in the corresponding years. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for 2014 and 2015. In addition the ESC’s approved FTE total will increase by 2.5 FTE.
The scheme also relies on secondees being available from other departments to help run the courses at an annual cost of £84,000; with this still being the subject of inter-departmental discussions. Depending on the outcome of these discussions a further allocation of £84,000 in 2014 and 2015 may be required from Central Contingency (one-off). The budget transfer for these additional funds will be actioned upon approval by the Treasurer of the States by delegated decision.
Any required growth bids once submitted by ESC for the continued funding of this expansion beyond 2015 will be considered in the next MTFP period 2016 to 2019.
Report author : Assistant Accountant, Financial Planning | Document date : 14th November 2013 |
Quality Assurance / Review : Business Manager | File name and path: L:\Treasury\Sections\Corporate Finance\Ministerial Decisions\DSs, WRs and SDs\2013-0102 - Contingency funding to ESC for Prince's Trust\WR - Central Contingency Funding for Prince's Trust.docx |
MD sponsor : Treasurer of the States |