Government of Jersey

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A decision made 22 January 2010 regarding: Fees - approval of above inflation increase.

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2010-0014
Decision Summary Title:	Housing Department – Above Inflation Increase in Applications for and variations to Housing Consent Fees		Date of Decision Summary:	20 January 2010
Decision Summary Author:	Finance Manager, Decision Support		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title:	Housing Department – Above Inflation Increase in Applications for and variations to Housing Consent Fees		Date of Written Report:	20 January 2010
Written Report Author:	Finance Manager, Decision Support		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: For the Minister for Treasury and Resources to approve the Housing Minister’s request for an above inflation increase in fees for applications for or variations to consent.
Decision(s): The Minister for Treasury and Resources approved the Housing Department’s request to increase application fees for issuing of consents by £10 (from £50 to £60) and application fees for variations to consents by £5 (from £20 to 25).
Reason(s) for Decision: Financial Direction 4.1 Increases in States Fees and Charges states that where a fee or charge increase exceeds the limit of 2.5% per annum the Minister for Treasury and Resources is responsible for approving the fee increase. The new fees reflect the cost of providing this service and this is the first increase in these fees since 2004.
Resource Implications: There are no financial or manpower resource implications other than those noted in the report.
Action required: Finance Manager to inform Finance Director, Housing Department that the fee increases have been agreed.
Signature:		Position: Senator P. F.C. Ozouf, Minister for Treasury and Resources
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Fees - approval of above inflation increase

TREASURY AND RESOURCES MINISTER

housing department – increases in applications for and variations to housing consent fees

Purpose of Report

Financial Direction 4.1 “Increases in States Fees and Charges” states that fees and charges should be limited to an annual increase of no more than 2.5 percent in accordance with P125/2000 States Anti Inflation Strategy. Departments seeking increases in charges of greater than 2.5 percent that are not calculated by reference to statute, or by a formula previously approved by the States or Minister for Treasury and Resources, will need approval from the Minister for Treasury and Resources.

The Housing Department requests approval to increase fees in relation to applications for consents and variations to existing consents.

Background

The fees charged for a consent for a sale or transfer of land or a registered contract of lease required under the Housing (Jersey) Law, 1949, are designed to recover the costs associated with the administration of providing the service.

The Department has reported that these fees have not been increased since they were first introduced in 2004 and request approval for the following increases:-

The Housing Department have confirmed that increasing the fees above that prescribed in Financial Direction 4.1 is justified as they accurately reflect the cost of providing the service.

Recommendation

That the Minister for Treasury and Resources approves the Housing Department’s request to increase the application fees for issuing of consents by £10 and the application fees for variations to consents by £5 representing the first increase in fees since 2004.

Reason for Decision

Financial Direction 4.1 Increases in States Fees and Charges states that where a fee or charge increase exceeds the limit of 2.5% per annum the Minister for Treasury and Resources is responsible for approving the fee increase.

States Treasury Finance Manager Decision Support

22 January, 2010