Budget transfer to fund consultancy of Climate Change Adapation Plan

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A decision made 15 December 2014:

Decision Reference: MD-PE-2014-0114
Decision Summary Title :	Request for the transfer of funds from the Central Environment Management Vote to the Department of the Environment to fund a piece of work, identified in Pathway 2050: An Energy Plan for Jersey, and to be carried out in 2014 and 2015		Date of Decision Summary:	12 December 2014
Decision Summary Author:	Finance Manager – Department of the Environment		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Request for transfer of funds from the Central Environment Vote to the Department of the Environment for Environmental Policy		Date of Written Report:	12 December 2014
Written Report Author:	Finance Manager – Department of the Environment		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Budget transfer from the Central Environmental Vote Capital Head of Expenditure (I0000C0014) of up to £25,000 over 2014 and 2015 to the Department of Environment (DoE) Revenue Head of Expenditure to fund the consultancy assistance required to carry out Phase 1 of a Climate Change Adaptation Plan.
Decision(s): The Minister approved an internal budget transfer of up to £25,000 from CEV Capital Head of Expenditure to the DoE Revenue Head of Expenditure over 2014 and 2015 to fund the consultancy assistance required to carry out Phase 1 of a Climate Change Adaptation Plan.
Reason(s) for Decision: This money will fund the consultancy assistance required to carry out Phase 1 of a Climate Change Adaptation Plan, which will be carried out in 2014 and 2015. This work was identified in section 1.3.6 on the report Pathway 2050: An Energy Plan for Jersey (R.37/2014 – Energy Plan: Pathway 2050). The Energy Plan for Jersey: Pathway 2050 was also debated and agreed by the States P.38/2014 on 22nd May 2014). Under Financial Direction 3.6 and the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005, the approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources is required for any variations to heads of expenditure.
Resource Implications: CEV Capital Head of Expenditure to decease by £25,000 and the DoE Revenue Head of Expenditure to increase by an identical amount.
Action required: The Minister for the Department of the Environment to seek approval from the Minister for Treasury and Resources for the budget transfer highlighted above. The Finance Director for the Department of the Environment will then action the budget transfers in conjunction with the Head of Financial Performance Reporting.
Signature:		Position: Minister for the Department of the Environment
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Budget transfer to fund consultancy of Climate Change Adapation Plan - Phase 1

Department of the Environment Ministerial Decision Report

Request for transfer of funds from the Central Environment Vote to the Department of the Environment for Environmental Policy

Purpose of Report

To enable the Minister to accept an internal budget transfer of up to £25,000 from the Central Environment Vote (CEV) Capital Head of Expenditure (one-off) (I0000C0014) to the Department of the Environment, Environmental Policy over 2014 and 2015. This money will fund the consultancy assistance required to carry out Phase 1 of a Climate Change Adaptation Plan, which will be carried out in 2014 and 2015. This work was identified in section 1.3.6 on the report Pathway 2050: An Energy Plan for Jersey (R.37/2014 – Energy Plan: Pathway 2050). The Energy Plan for Jersey: Pathway 2050 was also debated and agreed by the States P.38/2014 on the 22nd May 2014).

Discussion

It is proposed that the cost of this work on climate change is met from the CEV. The CEV was established initially to facilitate one-off investments for capital projects, particularly, but not only, those which improve energy efficiency. However, in addition to this, the fund can be used to:

Support scientific studies with long term implications for management of Jersey’s protected areas.
Support locally based non governmental organisations and develop the capacity within them.
Develop agri-environmental schemes, which will support alternative land-management options.
To develop partnerships with the business community and promote responsible stewardship and sustainable use within the corporate sector.

Thus the CEV has a broad mandate. Previously, the CEV has been used to fund, inter alia, a feasibility study on tidal power in 2010 and a study on the security of energy supply in 2013.

In this instance, the funding of up to £25,000 will be used by the Department to fund the consultancy assistance required to carry out Phase 1 of a Climate Change Adaptation Plan. This work will be carried out in 2014 and 2015 and will identify the risks and vulnerabilities of Jersey to projected climate change to enable the development of a sector-specific action plan.

Recommendation

For the CEV Capital Head of Expenditure (I0000C0014) to decrease by up to a total of £25,000 over 2014 and 2015 and the DoE Revenue Head of Expenditure to increase by the corresponding amount.

Reason for Decision

Under Financial Direction 3.6 and the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005, the approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources is required for any variations to heads of expenditure. Authority to approve non-contentious budget transfers under £1,000,000 has been delegated to the Treasurer of the States.

Resource Implications

Other than those detailed in the report there are no further financial or manpower implications.

Action Required

The Minister for DoE to seek approval from the Minister for Treasury and Resources for this budget transfer. The Finance Director for DoE will then action the budget transfer in conjunction with the Head of Financial Performance and Reporting.