Treasury and Resources
Ministerial Decision Report
Contingency Funding to the Treasury and RESOURCES DEPARTMENT for review and reorganisation of Public Finances Law and structure
- Purpose of Report
To enable the Minister for Treasury and Resources to approve the transfer, to the Chief Minister’s Department revenue head of expenditure in 2018, of up to £372,000 from the £10.4 million of unspent budgets in 2017 that were transferred to Central Contingencies, to fund review and reorganisation of Public Finances Law and structure.
- Background
Implementing a new structure for the Finance Function will be an enabler to changing the role of finance professionals to reduce the level of transactional activity, and focus on more strategic decision support. External resource will be engaged to help develop a structure and role profiles based on best practice, to ensure that any new structure will facilitate reform.
Finance reform will be supported by a fundamental review of the Public Finances Law and the overall statutory accountability framework against best practice, and the updating of the public finances law in line with findings of this review. In particular, it will focus on accountability for public finances and the administration of public services, and accountability of public servants to the public, the States Assembly and Ministers.
This supports the next stage of implementing the vision for a modern, customer-focused, value-for-money and joined up public service.
- Recommendation
The Treasury and Resources Minister is recommended to approve the transfer, to the Chief Minister’s Department revenue head of expenditure in 2018 of up to £372,000 from the £10.4 million of unspent budgets in 2017 that were transferred to Central Contingencies, to fund review and reorganisation of Public Finances Law and structure.
- 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 or the insurance fund of amounts not exceeding, in total, the amount available for contingency expenditure in a financial year.
- Resource Implications
The Chief Minister’s Department revenue head of expenditure to increase by up to £372,000 in 2018 and Central Contingencies to decrease by an identical amount. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2016 to 2019.
The £372,000 in total is proposed to be drawn down in 2018, but unspent amounts will be available in 2019.
Report author : Head of Decision Support | Document date : 25th April 2018 |
Quality Assurance / Review : Director of Financial Planning and Performance | |
MD sponsor : Treasurer of the States |