Government Plan 2021 Review - Government Plan Review Panel

​The Government Plan 2020-23 replaced the Medium-Term Financial Plan in 2019 and included a definitive plan for the first succeeding financial year (2020). It also detailed income and expenditure forecasts for the subsequent three financial years, following approval by the States Assembly. 

However, as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic outbreak and the Government's subsequent response to it, the projected revenue and other financial forecasts were substantially altered during 2020.  

The Government Plan 2021-24 and its accompanying annex has therefore been lodged to provide a definitive plan for the first succeeding financial year (2021); comprising of a 'recovery plan' and a 'rebalancing' (previously known as 'Efficiencies') programme. It also details income and expenditure forecasts for the subsequent three financial years (2022-2024).

Details of the plan include:

• Estimated income and expenditure of the Consolidated Fund;
• Amounts to be internally transferred between the States Funds;
• Other proposed financing;
• Major projects and their proposed costs;
• Amounts to be appropriated from the Consolidated and States trading operations funds for the next financial year;
• Estimated amounts in States Funds and the start and finish of each financial year; and 
• Proposed areas of efficiency and rebalancing of Public Finances for 2021.
  

Progress updates on the project approved by the States Assembly within the 2020 Government Plan can be found in the Government Plan 6 Month Progress Report, which was published in August 2020.

The Government Plan Review Panel is responsible for reviewing the overall impact and contents of the Government Plan 2021-24, and will be focusing on the following key themes: 

• Will the Government Plan meet the requirements of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019?
  
• Will the Government Plan meet the Common Strategic Priorities as agreed by the States Assembly?
• Is the expenditure appropriately apportioned to projects and departments?
• Does income balance with expenditure?
• Is the response to the impact to the Covid-19 pandemic appropriate?

1. To coordinate detailed scrutiny of the Government Plan 2021- 2024, including allocating cross-cutting Sections/projects of the Government Plan to the standing Scrutiny Panels and Review Panels, based on a 'best fit' approach [1];

2. To undertake an overarching review of the Government Plan 2021-24 in order to determine whether, overall, funded projects meet Ongoing Initiatives, Common Themes, and, ultimately, Common Strategic Priorities; 

3. To consider overall levels of resourcing, of all forms, allocated to projects, and whether this is sufficient or excessive to enable the Government Plan to meet its stated aims; and 

4. To facilitate consistency of approach across standing Panels, including that any proposed amendments to be lodged are consistent with the requirements of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 [2].