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A decision made (01.06.07) to agree to appoint Mr. Ray Shead as a member of the Statistics User Group.

Subject:	Statistics User Group: Appointment of member
Decision Reference:	MD-C-2007-0036		Exempt clause(s):	n/a
Type of Report: (oral or written)	Written		Person Giving Report (if oral):	n/a
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?	n/a		Report File ref:	-
Written report – Title	Statistics User Group: Appointment of member
Written report – Author (name and job title)	Jeremy Harris, Policy Adviser
Decision(s): The Chief Minister decided to appoint Mr. Ray Shead as a member of the Statistics User Group with immediate effect for a period of three years.
Reason(s) for decision: The Chamber of Commerce has nominated Mr. Ray Shead to replace Mr. Kevin Keen as its representative on the Statistics User Group. The appointment of Mr. Shead will help to ensure a broad range of representation on the Group, as well as maintaining the representation of one of the Island's key business organisations.
Action required: Mr. Harris to arrange for Mr. Shead to be notified of his appointment.
Signature: Chief Minister		Date of Decision: 1st June 2007

Statistics User Group - appointment of member

REPORT TO CHIEF MINISTER

Statistics User Group: Appointment of member

1. Introduction

1.1 The Chief Minister is asked to consider the appointment of Mr. Ray Shead as a member of the Statistics User Group.

2. Background

2.1 The Statistics User Group was established by the States in 1999 as an independent body to review and comment upon official statistics in Jersey, including their compilation, dissemination and relevance, and to make recommendations to the Chief Minister where appropriate. It was agreed at the time that the Group should consist of 'up to ten regular members who shall be appointed for a period not exceeding three years by the Policy and Resources Committee (now the Chief Minister) from persons nominated by interested bodies' (P.142/99).

2.2 In the report accompanying P.142/99 it was stated that 'the regular members of the Group should primarily comprise informed users of official statistics who are neither members nor officials of the States', and that 'the main representation would however be of the Island's business community, the labour force and the general public'. The report goes on to say that 'all interested bodies, for example the Chamber of Commerce, the T.G.W.U., the Consumer Council etc... would be invited to nominate up to two members of the Group, from whom the Policy and Resources Committee would invite a maximum of ten nominees to participate'.

2.3 The User Group has an independent chairman, Mr. Charles Clarke, and the members of the Group are listed below, together with the organisations they represent -

· Kevin Keen, Chamber of Commerce

· Peter Surcouf, Concern

· Rozanne Thomas, Jersey Consumer Council

· Steve Duquemin, Family Nursing and Home Care

· Peggy Gielen, Jersey Finance Limited

· Michael Picot, Methodist Homes for the Aged

· Simon Radford, Institute of Directors

· Marie-Louise Backhurst, Société Jersiaise

· Mary Friswell, Soroptimists

· Nick Hutchinson, Community Relations Trust

2.4 A vacancy has now arisen because Kevin Keen has retired as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber has nominated Mr. Ray Shead, Chairman of the Chamber’s Retail Sub-Committee, to succeed him as its representative on the Group.

2.5 It is considered that this appointment would help to ensure a broad range of membership in the Group, as well as maintaining the representation of one of the Island's key business organisations.

2.6 The Appointments Commission has been consulted in connection with this proposed appointment and has indicated that it does not raise any objection to the proposal.

3. Resource implications

3.1 This proposal does not have any resource implications, as confirmed below –

Financial: Nil

Manpower: Nil

Property: Nil

ICT: Nil

Law Drafting: Nil

4. Recommendation

4.1 It is recommended that Mr. Shead should be appointed to replace Mr. Keen as a member of the User Group. Subject to your approval, the appointment would take immediate effect and would run for a period of three years.

Jeremy Harris,

Policy Adviser

31st May 2007