Council of Ministers (Jersey)

The Council of Ministers (Jèrriais: Lé Conseil des Minnistres; French: Le Conseil des Ministres) is the collective decision-making body of the Government of Jersey,[1] formed by the Ministers of the States of Jersey and the Chief Minister.[2] The council co-ordinates policies and administration, especially policy affecting two or more ministers, prioritises executive and legislative proposals, and presents a "Strategic Plan for Jersey" for approval by the States Assembly.

Council of Ministers
of Jersey
Lé Conseil des Minnistres
Agency overview
Formed2005
JurisdictionGovernment of Jersey
Employees12 members
Agency executives
Jersey
This article is part of a series on the
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External relations

The Government of Jersey is the executive and administrative arm of the States of Jersey and the identity used by the Council of Ministers for these purposes. All ministers in the Council are appointed by, and must be, members of the States. The council does not represent a parliamentary majority as ministers may be elected on a variety of manifestos. The executive is prevented from constituting a majority of the 51 elected members by the States of Jersey Law 2005, which places a legal cap of 22 on the number of states' members who may hold office as chief minister, minister and assistant ministers.[3]

The first Council of Ministers was established in December 2005. Before then, the executive powers of the States of Jersey were managed by a committee-based system of States members.

Constitution

The ministerial system of government in Jersey was established by the States of Jersey Law 2005.[2] Part 4 establishes the role and election of Ministers.

There are at least 8 members of the Council - the Chief Minister and 7 other ministers.

The functions of the Council is:

  • to co-ordinate the policies and administration for which they are responsible as Ministers
  • to discuss and agree policy which affects 2 or more of them
  • to discuss and agree their common policy regarding external relations
  • to prioritise executive and legislative proposals
  • to agree and, within 4 months of their appointment, lodge for referral to one or more Scrutiny Panels, a statement of their common strategic policy
  • such other matters as the Chief Minister or the Council of Ministers may determine

Ministers provide policy direction to Government officers, having given fair considering to those officers' informed and impartial advice.[2]

Present composition
Council of Ministers of Jersey[4]
Portfolio Minister Term
Council members
Chief Minister of Jersey John Le Fondre Senator 2018–present
Deputy Chief Minister

Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture

 Lyndon Farnham Senator 2018–present
Minister for External Relations Ian Gorst Senator 2018–present
Minister for International Development Carolyn Labey Deputy 2018–present
Minister for Infrastructure Kevin Lewis Deputy 2018–present
Minister for Social Security Judy Martin Deputy 2018–present
Minister for Housing and Children Jeremy Maçon Deputy 2020–present
Minister for Home Affairs Len Norman Connétable 2018–present
Minister for Treasury and Resources Susie Pinel Deputy 2018–present
Minister for Health and Social Services Richard Renouf Deputy 2018–present
Minister for Education Jeremy Maçon Deputy (acting minister) 2021-present
Minister for the Environment John Young Deputy 2018–present

Changes
  • Tracey Vallois resigned from her post as Minister for Education on 11 January 2021.[5]
  • Sam Mézec resigned from his post as Minister for Housing and Children on 9 November 2020.[6]

Appointment of ministers

The States Assembly elects a member for appointment as Chief Minister after every ordinary election of deputies and wheneber the Chief Minister is not able to continue to fulfill their role. The Chief Minister, or any other States member, then may nominate members for appointment as Ministers. From those nominations, States members then elect members into each ministerial office.[2] The Chief Minister or a Minister are in office until the next appointment to their role, or until they resign or are dismissed by the Chief Minister.

The States Assembly can hold a vote of no confidence in the Government and the Chief Minister, or any individual Minister.[2] This happened in December 2020, when Senator Kristina Moore lodged a vote of no confidence in the Chief Minister over a controversy involving the Chief Executive of the Government, Charlie Parker. The proposition was lost 29 votes contre, 19 votes pour, with the Education Minister abstaining.[7]

Chief Minister

The Chief Minister acts as president of the council and matters may be brought for discussion by any minister. The Chief Minister may not be a Minister or Assistant Minister.

The functions of the Chief Minister with regard to the Council are:[2]

  • to co-ordinate the discharge of common functions of the Council
  • to conduct external relations with the common policy agreed by the Council

Operation

Legally ultimate responsibility for the policy decisions of a department rest solely with the minister, however in practice matters are decided by a unanimous or majority vote of all the ministers.[8] The Council of Ministers may require an individual minister to follow directs if a policy falls within the functions of the Council and is in the public interest.

The minutes of Council meetings are drawn up and kept by the Office of the Greffier of the States.[2]

Previous councils

2014–2018

2011–2014
Senator Ian Gorst the Chief Minister of Jersey

Elections for ministerial posts were held on 17 and 18 November 2011. The chief minister's nominations were all contested; two of his nominations were defeated, and five ministerial posts were decided by margins of between 1 and 3 votes. The chief minister's nomination of Senator Ian Le Marquand to the Treasury was defeated, and so the chief minister amended his nomination for Home Affairs to retain Senator Le Marquand on the council, by withdrawing his nomination of Senator Lyndon Farnham. The chief minister's nomination of Connétable John Refault to Transport and Technical Services was defeated, with Deputy Kevin Lewis, a former Assistant Minister for Transport and Technical Services, being elected.[9]

2008–2011
Former Senator Terry Le Sueur was Chief Minister of Jersey

Elections for ministerial posts were held on 11 and 12 December 2008.[10] The nominees of the Chief Minister were successful with the exception of Senator Routier, proposed successively for Health and Social Services and Education, Sport and Culture. Three ministers subsequently resigned as ministers (but remained as States members) in the face of criticisms of their personal conduct: Senator Jim Perchard (2009), Deputy Terry Le Main (2010) and Deputy Sean Power (2011), triggering further elections. One minister, Senator Freddie Cohen, exchanged the role of Planning and Environment Minister for that of "foreign minister" in 2011.

  • Chief Minister of Jersey: Senator Terry Le Sueur
  • Treasury Minister: Senator Philip Ozouf (elected with 38 votes; Deputy Geoff Southern received 13 votes)
  • Economic Development Minister: Senator Alan Maclean (elected with 32 votes; Deputy Mike Higgins received 20 votes)
  • Home Affairs Minister: Senator Ian Le Marquand (elected with 34 votes; Senator Stuart Syvret received 18 votes)
  • Health and Social Services Minister: Deputy Anne Pryke (from April 2009). Her predecessor, Senator Jim Perchard (elected in 2008 with 31 votes; Senator Paul Routier receiving 21 votes) resigned in April 2009 after controversy surrounding remarks he made in the chamber urging Senator Stuart Syvret to commit suicide.[11]
  • Education, Sport and Culture Minister: Deputy James Reed (elected on the fourth round with 31 votes). Deputy Reed was the Chief Minister's initial candidate for the post. However, when his nomination of Senator Routier for Health and Social Services was defeated, he withdrew Deputy Reed's name and nominated Senator Routier in his place. Deputies Reed, Judy Martin and Roy Le Hérissier were also nominated. In the first round of voting Senator Routier received 16 votes, Deputy Reed 13 votes, Deputy Le Hérissier 12 votes and Deputy Martin 11 votes. With Deputy Martin eliminated, in the second round Deputy Le Hérissier received 20 votes while Senator Routier and Deputy Reed both received 16 votes. In the tie-breaking third round Deputy Reed received 29 votes and Senator Routier was eliminated with 23 votes. In the final round Deputy Reed was elected with 31 votes and Deputy Le Hérissier received 22 votes.
  • Planning and Environment Minister: Deputy Rob Duhamel (from July 2011).[12] Senator Freddie Cohen, who was elected to the ministerial post unopposed in 2008, resigned in order to focus on his role as "foreign minister" (formally, as an assistant minister to the Chief Minister).
  • Housing Minister: Deputy Andrew Green (from February 2011).[13] He replaced Deputy Sean Power, in post since June 2010, was resigned after he was "found to have broken the Data Protection Law by sending a confidential and personal email to a States colleague on to a third party".[14] Power's predecessor had also resigned: Senator Terry Le Main, elected in 2008 with 27 votes (Senator Alan Breckon receiving 25 votes), stood down as minister in June 2010, following unproven allegations, which he vigorously denied, about his relationship with a property developer.[15]
  • Social Security Minister: Deputy Ian Gorst (elected with 36 votes; Deputy Geoff Southern received 16 votes)
  • Transport and Technical Services Minister: Constable Mike Jackson (elected with 33 votes; Deputy Rob Duhamel received 19 votes)

2005–2008

In 2005, only one of the ten ministers nominated by the Chief Minister failed to achieve election: Senator Len Norman, whose position was filled by Deputy Guy de Faye.

References
  1. Jersey, States of. "Council of Ministers adopts 'Government of Jersey' identity". www.gov.je. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
  2. "States of Jersey Law 2005". Law of Jersey. 1 January 2019. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  3. "States of Jersey Law 2005, Article 25" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
  4. Jersey, States of. "Government of Jersey". gov.je. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  5. "Jersey's Education Minister quits over reopening of schools". ITV News. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  6. "Two Jersey Ministers resign in fall out over the Chief Executive's second job". ITV News. 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  7. Heath, Richard. "Jersey's Chief Minister survives vote of no confidence". jerseyeveningpost.com. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  8. Senator Philip Ozouf, BBC Radio Jersey Talkback June 24th 2007
  9. "Deputy Anne Pryke wins a four-way battle for Health". Jersey Evening Post. 19 November 2011.
  10. Anon (2011). "Inside the States – Council of Ministers election". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  11. Editorial (2011). "A minister falls on his sword". thisisjersey.com. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  12. Anon (2011). "New Environment Minister elected". thisisjersey.com. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  13. Anon (2011). "New Housing Minister elected". thisisjersey.com. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  14. Anon (2011). "Minister resigns over email data breach". thisisjersey.com. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  15. Quérée, Ben (2011). "Minister resigns". thisisjersey.com. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
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