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Review: Proposed Budget 2026-2029 - Economic and International Affairs Panel

Committee/Panel: Economic and International Affairs Panel
Launch Date: 16 October 2025
Review Status: Comments published Submissions Deadline: 17 November 2025
Review Report: Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2026-2029 (P.70/2025): Comments

About

The Proposed Budget 2026-29 [P.70/2025] was lodged and its Financial Annex [R.139/2025] presented on 16th September 2025. The debate on the Proposed Budget was scheduled for 9th December 2025.

The Proposed Budget (previously entitled ‘Government Plan’), the Common Strategic Policy 2024-2026 [R.115/2024]  and Departments’ Business Plans  aim to link the Council of Ministers’ high-level priorities with their delivery.

The Common Strategic Policy 2024-2026, which was approved by the States Assembly on 21st May 2024 defines thirteen strategic priorities for delivery over the next two years. This is aligned with the long-term vision set out in the Future Jersey Report and the ten Island Outcomes arising from it.
The thirteen priorities are: 

  1. Extend nursery and childcare provision 
  2. Provide nutritious school meals for every child in all States primary schools 
  3. Increase the provision of lifelong learning and skills development 
  4. Start building a new hospital at Overdale 
  5. Reduce GP fees 
  6. Implement the recommendations from the Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce report 
  7. Transition to a living wage 
  8. Provide more affordable homes for Islanders and more confidence for the rented sector 
  9. Keep Government fees, duties, and charges as low as possible to help Islanders with the cost of living in 2025 
  10. Reduce red tape, enhance opportunities for business and strengthen Jersey’s international reputation 
  11. Deliver a plan to revitalise Town 
  12. Reform the planning service to enable sustainable development in Jersey 
  13. Meet the Island’s commitments to address the climate emergency through the implementation of Cabon Neutral Roadmap 

The Budget
 
Part 3 of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 sets out the statutory content and scope for the Government Plan. The Law requires certain specific information to be included within the Government Plan and also requires the Council of Ministers to provide any other information that it believes the States may reasonably expect to need in order to consider the matters required to be set out in the Government Plan. This information is set out in Appendix 3 of the Proposed Budget 2026-2029.

Details of the Proposed Budget include:
  • Estimated income and expenditure of the Consolidated Fund. 
  • Amounts to be internally transferred between States Funds. 
  • Any other proposed financing. 
  • Revenue Expenditure Growth and Projects and their proposed costs. 
  • Estimated income and expenditure from States Trading Operations to be paid into the States Trading Operations Fund. 
  • Amounts to be appropriated from the Consolidated and States Trading Operations Funds for the next financial year. 
  • Estimated amounts in States Funds at the start and finish of each financial year. 
  • Borrowing and Debt Management Framework. 
Key Issues
  • Whether the Proposed Budget meets the requirements of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019.
  • Whether the Proposed Budget is fiscally sound and economically sustainable.
  • Whether the Proposed Budget follows the advice of the Fiscal Policy Panel and Income Forecasting Group.
  • The impact of the Proposed Budget proposals on departmental budgets and staffing levels. 
  • Whether the Proposed Budget aligns with the objectives of the Common Strategic Policy to deliver on the priorities and aligns with Departments’ Business Plans.
  • Whether the proposed Revenue Expenditure Growth and Projects are appropriate and deliverable within the timeframes specified. 
  • Whether the resources allocated to Revenue Expenditure Growth and Projects are sufficient and demonstrate the best use of public funds.
The main Funds under the Panel’s remit which the Budget 2026-29 is seeking approval for are:
  • Technology Accelerator Fund
  • Agricultural Loans Fund
  • Dormant Bank Accounts Fund
  • Tourism Development Fund
  • CI Lottery (Jersey) Fund
  • The Jersey Innovation Fund

Terms of reference

 

  1. To review components of the Proposed Budget 2026-2029 Proposition [P.70/2025] which are relevant to the Economics and International Affairs Panel to determine the following: 
  1. The impact of the Budget proposals on departmental budgets, savings and staffing levels.
  2. Whether the revenue expenditure growth, capital and other projects are appropriate and likely to have a positive impact on Islanders and Island life. 
  3. How the proposed revenue expenditure growth, capital and other projects align with the Common Strategic Policy to deliver on the priorities, and in line with the Departments’ Business Plans. 
  4. Whether the resources allocated to revenue expenditure growth and capital and other projects are sufficient, ensure value for money and demonstrate the best use of public funds. 
  1. To assess the impact of the Budget proposals relevant to the Economic and International Affairs Panel including but not limited to the technology Accelerator Fund, Agricultural Loans Fund, Dormant Bank Accounts Fund, Tourism Development Fund, CI Lottery (Jersey) Fund and the Jersey Innovation Fund.