Transparency and Excellence in Annual Reporting

The purpose of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), fulfilled through the Jersey Audit Office (JAO), is to provide independent assurance to the people of Jersey on the extent to which public money is spent economically, efficiently and effectively and on whether the controls and governance arrangements in place within public bodies demonstrate value for money. The C&AG's remit includes the audit of financial statements and wider consideration of public funds, including internal financial control, value for money and corporate governance.

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Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General: 21 September 2026

This report has been prepared in accordance with Article 20 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Jersey) Law 2014.

Contents

Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 4 Key findings ................................................................................................................................. 5 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................... 7 Objectives and scope of the audit .................................................................................................... 8 Detailed findings ...................................................................................................................................10 The annual reporting landscape ........................................................................................10 Overarching principles for annual reporting .................................................................15 Content of annual reports ....................................................................................................20 Overall assessment of annual reports ..............................................................................27 Appendix One – Li st of 2025 annual reports reviewed ...........................................................29 Appendix Two – Follow up of previous recommendations ...................................................31 Appendix Three – Summary of Recommendations and Areas for consideration .........35

Summary

Introduction

1. An annual report is a key means by which an entity tells the story of its year. Public annual reporting, done well, enables stakeholders to understand – with trust and confidence – an entity's strategy and the risks it faces, how much money has been spent and on what, and what has been achieved as a result. It enables stakeholders to hold the entity to account effectively.
2. In each year since 2020 I have undertaken a review of annual reporting and have published a Good Practice Guide. I have also sought to encourage and to share best practice through delivery of workshops and the publication of Annual Reporting Self-Assessment Tools.
3. My Transparency and Excellence in Annual Reporting publications have been based on my review of the annual reports and, where available publicly, the annual accounts produced by the States of Jersey, States controlled entities and entities established by the States. My publications, events and awards considered the content of all the annual reports and accounts reviewed against an annually updated set of criteria that encompasses:

• minimum content that I consider to be best practice for accountability to public stakeholders

• essential elements of a good annual report; and

• over-arching principles for good public reporting.

4. This report sets out the findings from my review of the 2025 annual reports of the States of Jersey and 40 States controlled entities and States established entities.

Key findings

5. The annual reporting requirements placed on entities controlled or established by the States are inconsistent. The result is that:

• some parts of the States of Jersey are required to publish stand-alone annual reports in addition to their financial transactions, activities and performance being included in the States of Jersey annual report

• there is limited consistency as to the deadlines by which annual reports are required to be published; and

• some smaller States established entities have disproportionate accounts and audit requirements placed on them compared to some larger entities.

6. The majority of annual reports for larger and medium sized entities reviewed meet the minimum standards identified for each of the four overarching principles that demonstrate transparency and excellence in annual reports:

7. Many of these entities are also able to demonstrate enhanced and best practice in respect of the overarching principles.
8. I considered how annual reports met minimum standards, enhanced and best practice in the following areas:

9. Many larger and medium sized entities meet minimum standards in respect of the content of their annual reports and show elements of enhanced and best practice. There remain opportunities for entities to:

• more clearly articulate the thread between purpose, strategic objectives and key programmes and set out a balanced view of progress and plans to implement priorities

• identify and report key Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives in the context of a recognisable and relevant sustainability framework

• improve the reporting of risk appetite and risk treatment criteria (for example, tolerance or mitigation)

• improve the reporting of how the delivery model adopted by an entity achieves value for money and how capital investment (where relevant) achieves value for money

• improve staff and executive remuneration reporting; and

• enhance the use of benchmarking when reporting financial performance.

10. While some small entities have made significant improvements to their annual reports since 2020, I continue to observe that other small and very small entities fail to meet the minimum standards I expect from annual reports. Accountability, transparency and efficiency in reporting by the smaller entities whose financial transactions are included in the States of Jersey Annual Report but which are also are required to publish stand-alone annual reports would be improved by:

• better cross referencing between the entities' annual reports and the States of Jersey annual report; and

• the use of a consistent template or framework, establishing minimum requirements, for the production of the annual reports of smaller entities.

Conclusion

11. Annual reports are a key means by which an entity tells the story of its year. Good annual reporting enables stakeholders to hold the entity to account effectively.
12. My first report on Annual Reporting was published in August 2020. Since that time I have observed year on year improvements in the annual reports produced by most entities. Many entities, regardless of size, demonstrate aspects of enhanced and best practice reporting as well as meeting all, or the vast majority of, minimum standards.

Objectives and scope of the audit

Objectives

13. This audit has considered 2025 annual reports against updated criteria encompassing:

• minimum content that I consider enable stakeholders to hold the entity to account effectively

• enhanced practice elements of a good annual report; and

• best practice principles for excellent public reporting.

Scope

14. This audit has focussed on the 2025 annual reports of the States of Jersey, States controlled entities and entities established by the States, as available on or before 31 July 2026.
15. I have also followed up the status of previous recommendations I have made to the States of Jersey regarding annual reporting.

Approach

16. This audit has used a results oriented approach, assessing the extent to which annual reports meet the minimum standards, enhanced practice and best practice criteria I have identified and published.
17. In December 2025, I issued an updated Annual Reporting Best Practice Checklist – 2025 Reports. This checklist provides the criteria against which I

have assessed the transparency and excellence of the annual reports reviewed. The checklist can be found on the Jersey Audit Office website[1].

18. Exhibit 1 summarises the areas considered as part of my work. Exhibit 1: Key Elements of Annual Reporting

Supporting accountability Strategy Transparent

Efxatcetronrasl  Risks

Single

Annual

Financial  Report

performance Operations

Measures of

success Governance

Understandable Accessible

Source: Jersey Audit Office

19. The list of 2025 annual reports reviewed as part of my work can be found in Appendix One.

Detailed findings

The annual reporting landscape

20. The annual reporting requirements placed on entities controlled or established by the States are inconsistent. This is, in part, because the requirements have been set at the time each entity was formed rather than through the establishment and application of a coherent and proportionate framework.
21. The result is that:

• some parts of the States of Jersey are required to publish stand-alone annual reports in addition to their financial transactions, activities and performance being included in the States of Jersey annual report

• there is limited consistency as to the deadlines by which annual reports are required to be published; and

• some smaller States established entities have disproportionate accounts and audit requirements placed on them compared to some larger entities.

Requirements for stand-alone annual reports

22. The entities whose financial transactions are included in the States of Jersey Annual Report but are required to produce stand-alone annual reports include entities that operate on an independent or arm's length basis such as:

• Care Commission

• Charity Commissioner

• Commissioner for Children and Young People

• Director of Civil Aviation

• Jersey Appointments Commission

• Jersey Overseas Aid Commission: and

• Statistics Jersey.

23. Other entities whose financial transactions are included in the States of Jersey Annual Report but are required to publish stand-alone annual reports are entities within the civil and criminal justice systems, the States Assembly and some non-Ministerial departments and functions. Examples include:

• Charity Tribunal

• Complaints Panel

• Criminal Injury Compensation Board

• Employment and Discrimination Tribunal

• Independent Prison Monitoring Board

• Mental Health Tribunal

• Pan Island Commissioner for Standards

• Police Complaints Commission

• Probation and After-Care Service

• States Assembly

• States Employment Board; and

• States of Jersey Police and Police Authority.

24. The entities noted in paragraphs 22 and 23 clearly vary in terms of size and scale. I have however observed over the last seven years that many of the smaller entities of those listed fail to meet the minimum standards I expect from annual reports.
25. Accountability, transparency and efficiency in reporting by the smaller entities whose financial transactions are included in the States of Jersey Annual Report but are required to publish stand-alone annual reports would be improved by:

• better cross referencing between the entities' annual reports and the States of Jersey annual report; and

• the use of a consistent template or framework, establishing minimum requirements, for the production of the annual reports of smaller entities.

Deadlines for annual reports

26. Statutory deadlines are not in place for the publication of all States controlled and States established entities annual reports. Where they are in place they are inconsistent.
27. I have identified deadlines for 35 entities. These range from the descriptors as soon as possible / practicable', to dates between 31 March to 31 October following the year to which the annual report relates.
28. One entity failed to meet its statutory reporting deadline for the 2025 annual report. Three entities completed their annual reports in advance of their statutory deadline, but there was a delay in publication on the States Assembly website by the responsible Minister.
29. In order to support accountability, annual reports should be published as soon as practicable after the year end to which they relate. Where statutory deadlines are missed an explanation as to the reasons why should be included in the report.

Disproportionate accounts and audit requirements

30. There are different types of assurance that can be provided on financial statements and financial information published by an entity. An independent external audit of a set of financial statements published under a recognised accounting framework is the highest level of assurance that can be provided.
31. When an external audit is performed, the auditor will express a positive opinion as to whether the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the entity's affairs and performance for the year and whether the financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with the recognised accounting framework.
32. There are other forms of assurance that can be obtained over published financial information. These will provide more limited assurance than an external audit but can nevertheless still provide some form of independent

assurance. When providing limited assurance, the assurance provider will express their conclusion on a by exception' basis. For example, the assurance provider may state that nothing was found to suggest that the entity's accounts are materially wrong or inaccurate based on the limited work they have performed.

33. In England and Wales, some smaller charities may elect to be subject to an independent examination rather than an audit. Independent examiners do not report on the truth and fairness of financial statements. Instead they undertake a range of specified procedures and report by exception on matters that they identify in the course of their work.
34. In essence, an independent examination is a simple form of external scrutiny carried out by a suitably qualified independent person. The examiner will check whether the financial statements agree to the entity's underlying accounting records and whether applicable accounting rules and regulations have been followed in preparing the accounts.
35. By comparison, an audit is an in-depth scrutiny of the books, records and financial statements of an entity.
36. The States of Jersey have previously adapted the requirements for the level of assurance provided on financial statements. For example, I note that from 2023 the Minister agreed that the Jersey Consumer Council could be subject to a limited assurance review rather than fully audited accounts.
37. In the Isle of Man, the Government has introduced the Audit Act 2006 (Examination) Directions 2026. The effect of these Directions is to:

• make certain bodies previously subject to an audit or assurance review subject instead to an independent examination

• introduce three tiers of independent examination based on qualitative criteria – basic, intermediate and enhanced; and

• specify certain additional procedures for independent examiners to perform.

38. If the States adopted a regime similar to the Isle of Man, certain bodies including the Jersey Safety Council and Jersey Advisory and Conciliation Service would be subject to an independent examination regime, rather than a full audit.

Recommendation

R1  Establish a working group to improve the consistency, accountability and

transparency of reporting by smaller entities whose financial transactions are included in the States of Jersey Annual Report but which are also required to publish stand-alone annual reports.

Areas for consideration

A1  Introduce standardised deadlines across all relevant entities for the

publication of annual reports.

A2  For entities established or controlled by the States with expenditure not

exceeding defined thresholds based on annual expenditure, introduce requirements for an independent examination or an assurance review to be undertaken in accordance with Directions made by the C&AG. This will replace the requirement for an external audit where such a requirement currently exists.

Overarching principles for annual reporting

39. I have identified four overarching principles that demonstrate transparency and excellence in annual reports:

• supporting accountability

• transparent

• understandable; and

• accessible.

40. I have assessed the annual reports of the 28 entities listed in the first part of Appendix One. These are States established and States controlled entities that:

• were required to publish an annual report for 2025 and whose reports were available for review by 31 July 2026; and

• are not a very small entity.

41. Exhibit 2 summarises the extent to which the 2025 annual reports reviewed meet minimum standards, enhanced practice and best practice in relation to the four overarching principles.

Exhibit 2: Percentage of entities meeting minimum standards, enhanced practice and best practice for the overarching principles of transparent and excellent annual reports

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Supporting accountability Transparent Understandable Accessible

Minimum standards Enhanced practice Best practice

Source: Jersey Audit Office analysis

Supporting Accountability

42. In order to support accountability, annual reports should meet the following minimum standards:

• be published by the required deadline

• be made available as legislation requires

• contain clear coverage of all required elements, typically a performance report, an accountability report and a finance report; and

• for entities required to produce financial statements, these should be prepared under a suitable framework and suitably assured.

43. It is pleasing to see that 25 of the 28 entities' 2025 annual reports reviewed meet all of these four requirements. Three medium and large entities reviewed however did not meet these minimum standards:

• one entity failed to publish its report by the required deadline; and

• two entities' annual reports did not contain all required elements as they did not contain clear coverage of an accountability report.

44. The annual reports for 12 entities demonstrated enhanced practices with links provided to supplementary information where appropriate to avoid reports being too long.
45. The greatest number of annual reports was published in April as shown in Exhibit 3.

Exhibit 3: Number of 2025 annual reports of medium and larger entities published or made available in each month

9 8 7 6 5 4 3

2 1 0

February March April May June July Source: Jersey Audit Office analysis

Transparent

46. In order to be transparent, annual reports should:

• comprise a frank and honest analysis of the entity's year

• include realistic consideration of challenges and opportunities

• use appropriate metrics and quality indicators to set out the story. This includes internal comparators to show relative position and performance over time; and

• be internally consistent.

47. The minimum standards expected for transparency were met by 20 out of the 28 annual reports reviewed. In addition to this, 19 of these 20 entities used presentational techniques to thread the narrative in a consistent way throughout the report.
48. Those that did not meet the minimum standards did not include appropriate metrics and quality indicators in their reports and did not show their relative position and performance over time.
49. For some entities there is further scope to improve their reporting of the challenges faced during the year in order to demonstrate a frank and honest analysis of performance in the year.
50. Five entities reviewed demonstrated best practice by including external comparators to show the entity's relative performance and position, over time.

Understandable

51. In order for annual reports to be understandable, the minimum standards are that the report:

• uses:

 plain language, including to explain complex concepts; and

 infographics and diagrams, especially to communicate important

messages; and

• structure is clearly integrated and logical, to take the reader through the story of the entity's year.

52. The majority of annual reports meet these standards. The annual reports for four entities reviewed could have demonstrated a more integrated and logical structure.
53. Many entities are now using navigation options (for example hyperlinks, icons or use of colour codes) within the report to help users find what they are looking for and to more easily follow threads.

54. Half of the entities reviewed had taken some best practice steps to use a variety of media to communicate the key messages within the annual report or to publish a summary or in brief version.

Accessible

55. As a minimum I would expect annual reports to be easy to find on an entity's website. I observed that the annual reports for five entities were not easy to find however and, in one instance, the last annual report included on the entity's website dated back to 2023.
56. Areas of enhanced and best practice observed included consideration of spacing and layout of text and use of easy to find multi-media messaging, including videos using subtitles and plain language.

Content of annual reports

57. I considered how the annual reports reviewed met minimum standards, enhanced and best practice in the following areas:

• strategy

• risks

• operations

• governance

• measures of success

• financial performance; and

• external factors.

58. Exhibit 4 summarises the extent to which the criteria I established have been met.

Exhibit 4: Percentage of entities meeting minimum standards, enhanced practice and best practice for the content of annual reports

100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0%

Strategy Risks Operations Governance Measures of Financial External success performance factors

Minimum standards Enhanced practice Best practice

Source: Jersey Audit Office analysis

Strategy

59. As a minimum I expect annual reports to set out the entity's purpose and goals, including strategic objectives. Only one 2025 annual report reviewed failed to do this clearly. In addition, 27 out of the 28 entities reviewed demonstrated that they are taking steps to implement enhanced practice (although only 46% demonstrated compliance with all aspects of enhanced practice).
60. For some entities there are opportunities to more clearly articulate the thread between purpose, strategic objectives and key programmes and set out a balanced view of progress and plans to implement priorities.
61. In 2022 I recommended that Government set out minimum requirements for sustainability reporting by States established and States controlled entities.
62. This recommendation was accepted but in 2023 the Government noted that this was not a priority.

63. Most entities are not identifying and reporting key Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives in the context of a recognisable and relevant sustainability framework. There remain opportunities to integrate ESG goals with strategic objectives and operating models and to report on this more clearly. In addition, few entities set out how they have considered whether their strategic objectives and contribution to wider objectives are best met by their delivery model.

Risks

64. Only one of the 28 annual reports reviewed failed to comment in any meaningful way on risks and therefore failed to meet minimum standards expected. The remaining 27 entities demonstrated some elements of enhanced practice in risk reporting although few met all elements as few entities quantify their risks in their annual reports. There are also opportunities to improve the reporting of:

• how risks and opportunities are taken into account in setting strategic objectives

• the direction of travel of key risks and risk profile; and

• risk appetite and risk treatment criteria (for example, tolerance or mitigation).

Operations

65. Most entities report clearly on how they deliver their activities - for example through in-house teams, contractors, volunteers. Where an entity has significant capital expenditure I would also, as a minimum, expect the entity to set out the approach to capital investment and why it has chosen that approach. Fewer entities meet this minimum standard where it is relevant to them.
66. Many entities demonstrate elements of enhanced practice reporting by including narrative on how business operations support better Island Outcomes and wider States' objectives. There remain however opportunities to improve the reporting of:

• how the delivery model adopted by an entity achieves value for money

• how capital investment (where relevant) achieves value for money; and

• where relevant, how significant contracted-out services are awarded, managed and evaluated.

Governance

67. The minimum standards I consider should be adopted by all entities in their governance reporting are:

• the accountability and performance sections of the annual report are owned at a senior level and are endorsed by the Chief Executive (or equivalent)

• information (*or links to online information) includes:  the entity's corporate governance structure

 names of accountable individuals

 a statement of their responsibilities

 the composition of the board of directors (or equivalent)

 the board (or equivalent) committee structure and responsibilities, or a

statement that there are no committees

 *attendance records for board (or equivalent) meetings and, where

relevant, committee meetings

 *details of directorships / other significant interests held by members

of the board (or equivalent) which may, or may be perceived to, conflict with management responsibilities, or a statement that there are none; and

 information on personal data related incidents that have been formally

reported to the Jersey Office of the Information Commissioner, or confirmation that no incidents have been reported.

• key board committee (or equivalent) activities in year are highlighted, for example audit, risk and remuneration committees

• clear information on board and executive remuneration is set out including:

 the level of remuneration of board members (or equivalent)

 the level of remuneration of senior (for example board level) staff; and

 the policy on the remuneration of directors (or equivalent) for the

current and future years

• staff information that includes:

 number of staff (headcount and full time equivalent)  overall staff costs

 staff policies applied during the year, for example in respect of disabled

persons, diversity, equality of opportunities; and

 exit packages – summary data on the use of exit packages agreed in

year (or a note that there have not been any); or

• for entities that do not employ staff the annual report states:  that the entity does not employ staff; and

 how activities are delivered - for example by board members, staff provided by the Government, contractors, affiliates, volunteers.

68. While the 2025 annual reports for 17 entities met these minimum standards 11 did not. Two entities failed to include any governance reporting in their annual reports. The elements that were missing from the annual reports of the remaining nine entities' reports were: staff reporting (five entities), executive remuneration reporting (three entities), and highlights of board activities (one entity).
69. The annual reports of 25 entities demonstrated some elements of enhanced practice for governance reporting and 23 entities demonstrated some

elements of best practice reporting. No entity had chosen early adoption of the latest UK Corporate Governance Code provisions relating to the inclusion of a description of any material controls which have not operated effectively as at the balance sheet date, the action taken, or proposed, to improve them and any action taken to address previously reported issues.

Measures of success

70. As a minimum, annual reports should include:

• the story of the entity's year making it clear how the entity has performed. The report should set out a balanced view of overall progress in achieving purpose and goals

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) used to evaluate progress against strategic objectives

• a statement from the lead Minister, Accountable Officer, Chief Executive or equivalent setting out in clear terms their perspective on how the entity has performed; and

• clear action plans to improve ESG performance.

71. The annual reports of 15 entities met all of these minimum standards. The reports of nine entities met three elements with four entities failing to use KPIs to evaluate progress against strategic objectives and five entities failing to report clear action plans to improve ESG performance.
72. In my review of 2025 annual reports, 25 entities included elements of enhanced practice with five reports including all aspects of enhanced practice. In addition, the annual reports of 15 entities included some elements of best practice with two reports including all aspects of best practice.

Financial performance

73. As a minimum I expect annual reports to contain an understandable and fair reflection of financial performance that is consistent with the underlying financial statements. I found this to be the case in 27 of the 28 annual reports reviewed. The remaining entity did not include any financial performance information in its annual report.

74. The reports for 20 entities included elements of enhanced and best practice in respect of financial performance. Three reports included all aspects of enhanced and best practice reporting as well as meeting minimum standards.
75. For many entities there are opportunities to enhance the use of benchmarking when reporting financial performance.

External factors

76. Reporting on performance set out the context of the overall external operating environment for 24 entities, which is the minimum standard I would expect. Of these entities, 14 built on this reporting by clearly distinguishing between external and internal factors affecting performance against targets.
77. Eight entities included future scenario analysis of external factors likely to have an impact on performance.

Area for consideration

A3  Introduce a set of minimum expectations for Environmental, Social and

Governance reporting by States established and States controlled entities using a recognised framework.  

Overall assessment of annual reports

78. Annual reports are a key means by which an entity tells the story of its year. A good Annual Report is a key opportunity for entities to:

• engage with key stakeholders in telling their story in a clear and accessible way

• outline how they have achieved their objectives and the challenges they face; and

• explain how they have used public money and fees charged and what outcomes they have achieved as a result.

79. Good annual reporting enables stakeholders to hold the entity to account effectively.
80. Exhibit 5 summarises my overall assessment of the transparency and excellence of the 2025 annual reports of the 28 entities reviewed. The Exhibit shows the percentage scores achieved for each element of minimum standards, enhanced practice and best practice. The Exhibit categorises entities by size based on net revenue expenditure:

• Very Large – entities with net revenue expenditure greater than £100 million

• Large – entities with net revenue expenditure between £10 million and £100 million

• Medium - entities with net revenue expenditure between £1 million and £10 million; and

• Small - entities with net revenue expenditure less than £1 million.

81. The Exhibit shows that many entities, regardless of size, demonstrate aspects of enhanced and best practice reporting as well as meeting all, or the vast majority of, minimum standards (with each element of minimum standards, enhanced and best practice scored out of 100%).

Exhibit 5: Overall assessment of the transparency and excellence of 2025 annual reports

300% 250% 200% 150% 100% 50% 0%

Minimum standards Enhanced Practice Best Practice Source: Jersey Audit Office analysis

82. My first report on Annual Reporting was published in August 2020. Since that time I have observed year on year improvements in the annual reports produced by most entities.
83. Appendix Two sets out my assessment of the status of previous recommendations I have made to the States of Jersey regarding annual reporting. In following up the recommendations from my reports in 2022 and 2023, all of which were accepted by Government, I have concluded that two recommendations are complete, two are in progress and three are now superseded by recommendations or areas for consideration I have set out in this report.
84. It is clear that setting minimum content and reporting requirements remains work in progress. However, it is pleasing that so many Jersey entities have engaged directly with my reports, feedback and workshops, and chosen to implement improvements. Entities, regardless of size, have challenged themselves to be ever more open and transparent.

Appendix One

Li st of 2025 annual reports reviewed

The audit undertook a full review of the 2025 annual reports of the following 28 entities against minimum standards, enhanced practice and best practice:

• Andium Homes

• Care Commission

• Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman

• Children's Commissioner

• Data Protection Authority

• Digital Jersey

• Jersey Advisory and Conciliation Service

• Jersey Bank Depositors Scheme

• Jersey Business

• Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority

• Jersey Consumer Council

• Jersey Electricity

• Jersey Finance

• Jersey Financial Services Commission

• Jersey Overseas Aid

• Jersey Post

• Jersey Resolution Authority

• Jersey Safety Council

• Jersey Sport

• Jersey Teachers' Superannuation Fund

• Jersey Water

• JT Group

• Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General

• Ports of Jersey

• Public Employees' Pension Fund

• States of Jersey Development Company

• States of Jersey; and

• Visit Jersey.

My work also considered the 2025 annual reports of the following entities:

• Charity Tribunal

• Complaints Panel

• Director of Civil Aviation

• Employment and Discrimination Tribunal

• Independent Prison Monitoring Board

• Jersey Appointments Commission

• Pan Islands Commissioner for Standards

• Police Complaints Commission

• Prison Service

• Probation and After-Care Service

• States Assembly

• States Employment Board; and

• States of Jersey Police and Police Authority.

Appendix Two

Follow up of previous recommendations – 2022 report

Recommendation

R5 Continue to improve annual reporting. In doing so, consider:

Current Status

The recommendation was accepted and closed.

Evaluation

Superseded by a recommendation in this report (R1)

• any minimum requirements set out by the States of Jersey

• how to improve reporting

on performance, accountability (including director and staff remuneration) and finances

• how to use an appropriate

framework to improve sustainability reporting; and

• other good practice

identified in this report and my Good Practice Guide.

Source: Jersey Audit Office analysis

Follow up of previous recommendations – 2023 report

Recommendation

R1 Set out a project plan and timetable for the preparation and publication of full consolidated States of Jersey Group accounts.

Current Status

The Government response was set out in the Ministerial Decision to issue the Jersey Financial Reporting Manual 2024 with a change in accounting policy to adopt a statistical accounting boundary. As a result the States of Jersey Development Company, Andium Homes Li mited and Ports of Jersey Li mited are no longer consolidated in the States of Jersey accounts.

Evaluation Completed

Recommendation  Current Status  Evaluation R2 Set out minimum  Further guidance has been  Completed

requirements for more  issued to departments as part

granular financial reporting in  of year end procedures, but

Government department  the impact has not yet been

annual reports.  formally assessed. Changes

are expected to provide

greater focus on

departmental performance

and annual results, while

strengthening the integration

of financial reporting and

performance management. I

am informed that future work

will focus on ensuring

consistency in commentary

and narrative across all

reports.

Source: Jersey Audit Office analysis

Appendix Three

Summary of Recommendation and Areas for consideration

Recommendation

R1  Establish a working group to improve the consistency, accountability and

transparency of reporting by smaller entities whose financial transactions are included in the States of Jersey Annual Report but which are also required to publish stand-alone annual reports.

Areas for consideration

A1  Introduce standardised deadlines across all relevant entities for the

publication of annual reports.

A2  For entities established or controlled by the States with expenditure not

exceeding defined thresholds based on expenditure per year, introduce requirements for an independent examination or an assurance review to be undertaken in accordance with Directions made by the C&AG. This will replace the requirement for an external audit where such a requirement currently exists.

A3  Introduce a set of minimum expectations for Environmental, Social and

Governance reporting by States established and States controlled entities using a recognised framework.  

LYNN PAMMENT CBE
Comptroller and Auditor General

Jersey Audit Office, Jubilee Wharf, 24 The Esplanade, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3QA T: +44 1534 716800 E: [email protected]

W: http://www.jerseyauditoffice.je

[1] Annual Reporting Best Practice Checklist - 2025 reports | Jersey Audit Office