Letter - MJHA to CEHA - Scrutiny Review: Proposed Budget 2026-2029

Government of Jersey

Union Street | St Helier | Jersey | JE2 3DN

Deputy Catherine Curtis

Chair – Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel Scrutiny Office

States Greffe

Morier House

St Helier

JE1 1DD

Sent by email only 17 October 2025

Dear Chair,

Scrutiny Review: Proposed Budget 2026-2029

Thank you for your recent correspondence dated 9 October 2025 outlining the Panel's Review of the Proposed Budget 2026-2029. Please see the requested information outlined below.

A progress update in respect of any projects and / or workstreams agree by the States Assembly as part of the previous Budget, including:

• Where these are continuing in 2026;
• Where these have been delayed and the rationale for this; or
• Where these have been cancelled and the rationale for this.

Justice & Home Affairs (JHA) (excl. Police)

JHA Projects are detailed on pages 10 & 11 of JHA 2025 Business Plan. Of, these continuing into 2026 are the:

• Emergency Services Control Centre (ESCC) Programme

This will continue, and there is further investment in the ESCC proposed in the 2026 – 2029 Budget, as briefly described below and further set out in the Business Justification Case which has been provided to the panel. This will increase the number of Control Officers by 4 (one per team) and add an additional management post, whilst further work on the appropriate future operating structure is conducted in the first half of 2026. (Page 20 of the Budget; Page 43 of the Budget Annex). There is also £200,000 of capital investment in information technology for the ESCC (Page 62 of the Budget).

• New Army and Sea Cadets Headquarters

This project continues. Site selection discussions are still underway. (Pages 56 and 60 of the Budget Annex).

• New Ambulance and Fire & Rescue Headquarters

This is now two separate projects, following relevant Ministers determining that, in the absence of a suitable site for a joint facility, there should instead be separate new Headquarters developments for the States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service, and the States of Jersey Ambulance Service. These projects continue and feature in the Investing in Jersey programme. (Pages 56 and 60 of the Budget Annex for Fire & Rescue).

• Jersey Customs & Immigration Service (JCIS) Future Passports Services Programme

This project continues and is now moving into development and delivery. (Page 62 of the Budget Annex).

• Prison Masterplan

The development phases outlined in Section 4.2 of the States of Jersey Prison Service Annual Report 2024 (R.123/2025) are currently included within the long-term capital planning for the Prison Service. The intention is to apply for funding through the Government of Jersey Capital Programme, in line with the Investing in Jersey 2026–2050 strategy. No funding has been agreed to date, and all proposals remain subject to approval through the annual Budget (Government Plan) process.

States of Jersey Police (SoJP)

During 2025 the SoJP Firearms Range was completed and opened in September.

The Sexual Assault and Referral Centre (SARC) funded by the Criminal Confiscation Fund (CoCF) will continue into 2026, with delays relating to planning permission and budgetary factors. An additional £1.7m has been allocated in the proposed Budget 2026 to 2029 in relation to inflationary increases. (Pages 56 and 60 of the Budget Annex).

Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)

Implementation of the VAWG taskforce recommendations has progressed as detailed in R.88/2025 (Violence Against Women and Girls: Annual Progress Report), utilising the £375,000 allocated in 2025 to undertake a review of the criminal justice system, carry out publicity campaigns, undertake training, gather data and develop 5 pieces of legislation. A further £124,000 has been allocated for this project in 2026, which will be used to support a further review of the family courts system and provide the remainder of the scheduled training.

The Budget acknowledges that further investment relating to VAWG will be needed across the criminal justice system in the future: "It is also clear that the successful implementation of Violence Against Women and Girls legislation will require addition resources for the Police and other departments, who are already seeing increased demand in these areas. The financial implications will be considered as part of the proposition proposing the new legislation and will be included in Budget 2027" (Page 44/45 of the Budget).

An outline of any changes in policy direction or delivery for 2026 and the impact thereof. Justice & Home Affairs (excl. Police)

States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service

Investment totalling £413,000 per annum from 2026, rising to £1.3m a year from 2027 is proposed in the Budget; this is linked to the Business Justification Case developed by the Chief Fire Officer, for the period 2026 – 2029, which the panel will have seen. In some ways the new investment that is proposed represents a continuation of that sought in the business case agreed in 2022 and, largely, implemented. The principal aim of the second phase of investment is to seek, as much as possible, to address emerging risks associated with the need for resilience and a more capable emergency planning unit, new technology fire risk as well as building safety and fire risk challenges associated with the findings of the second phase of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, published in September 2024. (Pages 20, 44, 45 of the Budget; Page 42 of the Budget Annex).

States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service

Work originally planned in the SJFRS Community Risk Management Plan, therefore described in the Justice and Home Affairs Business Plan, to review and replace Jersey Fire precautions legislation, was not prioritised as part of the Council of Ministers work to ensure the legislative pipeline was deliverable. Nevertheless, policy and law drafting capacity has been secured to address some specific work in relation to fire safety in tall residential buildings, so that some of the recommendations from Phase 1 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, published in 2019, can be addressed in Jersey's context. It is hoped that the wider reform of fire precautions law can be considered in the next administration. I hope that the Assembly will be able to consider and debate the Fire Precautions (Tall Residential Buildings) (Jersey) Regulations early in 2026.

States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service (Emergency Planning) – Resilience Law

This work falls within the responsibilities of the Chief Minister, but it is my officers, in the Emergency Planning team, who have led the development of the resilience policy work to date. Following the prioritisation exercise for policy and law drafting, this work will continue, as planned, in 2026.

Emergency Services Control Centre (ESCC)

Investment is proposed, within the budget, to take initial steps in working toward compliance with national professional practice in the provision of Control Centre functions both for the States of Jersey Ambulance Service and the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service. Again, the panel will have sight of the full Business Justification Case which sets out the longer-term intent. The proposed investment stages that work and so builds in an interval to review progress. (Page 20 of the Budget; Page 43 of the Budget Annex).  

States of Jersey Police

During 2025/26 the Police Terms and Conditions will be reviewed. An interim agreement was agreed by SEB in September 2025, affecting 2026 newly recruited police probationary officers, reducing the number of incremental increases, in their initial 2 years of service.

An outline of any changes to staff posts and restructuring within your department and the anticipated resultant savings and impact on service delivery; and  

Justice and Home Affairs (excl. Police)

To achieve the 2025 savings targets, two posts have been removed from the structure:

• Senior Manager at Jersey Customs & Immigration Service

• Physical Education Manager at Prison

Savings proposals for 2026 are currently being considered by the Senior Leadership team. States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service

The investment planned for 2023-2027, set out in the first business case in 2022, was reduced as part of the Service's response to meeting savings targets in 2023 as well as further, smaller targets set in 2024. Two firefighter (Crew Commander rank) posts were not recruited to and have, effectively, been deleted from the organisation. Some of the impact of this, predominantly in the operational policy and training areas, could be managed from 2027 if the Budget 2026-2029 investment is passed.

States of Jersey Police

As part of the 2026 savings proposals the SOJP have removed 2.7 x FTE (£187,000), Civilian Investigators who were instated as part of the Moneyval growth. With the associated Moneyval work decreasing, outstanding actions will be undertaken by Police Officers within the Joint Financial Crimes Unit (JFCU).

Further restructuring is currently being considered in terms of police officer headcount and operational allocation of those officers, which could result in changes in 2026.

Details about the efficiencies and other savings made in 2025 and how these were achieved.

The 2025 savings target of £244,000 was achieved by:

• Removal of 1 Senior Manager at JCIS

• Removal of PE Manager at Prison

• Reduction of rent for Jersey Field Squadron residential properties

Reduction of £90,000 in 2024 investment across the following services (delivered in 2024):

• States of Jersey Ambulance Service

• States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service

• Jersey Field Squadron

• JHA Directorate – Business Support Unit

The decision was made in 2024 to reduce new investment by 20% in-year but was reflected for the first time in the Budget 2025 savings proposals.

States of Jersey Police

2025 savings target of £125,000 achieved by removing 2 x FTE police staff posts within Business Support unit.

Reduction of £47,000 in 2024 investment in relation to the Digital Forensics Unit (delivered in 2024). The decision was made in 2024 to reduce new investment by 20% in-year but was reflected for the first time in the Budget 2025 savings proposals.

Various other activities have taken place to ensure that the SoJP deliver against the allocated budget including, to address ongoing pressures for non-pay and pay pressures: -

Vacancy management, including holding police staff posts in line with the recruitment freeze and additional internal governance.

Disbanded the Resolve policing unit (1 Sergeant & 6 Police Constables), directing Grade 3-4 calls to the Response Unit. Existing officers were transferred within the force.

Enhanced overtime scrutiny, requiring additional sign off for spontaneous events

Civilianisation of a police officer post within our Force Planning Team

Reducing hours of operating in the Visitor Reception Centre, eliminating shift allowance and redeploying staff to undertake roles within the Business Support Unit

Removed the SoJP Dog Unit to collaborate with other JHA resources

Reduction in fleet leased and extending life of low-risk vehicles

Increased scrutiny to demand reduction for forensic work

Disbanded inhouse transcription service

Full review undertaken of existing staff resourcing model, aligning to demand (including VAWG pressures)

Income  review  increasing  current  charges  for  services  with  NPCC  rates  e.g.  fingerprint, disclosure.

I look forward to discussing further with you when we meet on Tuesday 28 October. Yours sincerely,

Deputy Mary Le Hegarat

Minister for Justice and Home Affairs