Council of Ministers (Jersey)
The Council of Ministers is the collective decision-making body of the Government of Jersey, formed by the Ministers of the States of Jersey and the Chief Minister. 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.
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.
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. 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
Present composition
The current council of Ministers was elected after Kristina Moore lost a vote of no confidence on 16 January 2024 by 27 votes to 22. The Chief Minister is now Lyndon Farnham who was elected on 25 January 2024.The previous Council of Ministers was selected by the States Assembly on Monday 11 July 2022. All of the candidates nominated by newly-elected Chief Minister, Deputy Kristina Moore, were backed by States Members.
Only the International Development Minister, Deputy Carolyn Labey, retained her role from the previous government. Deputy Ian Gorst, who served as External Relations Minister under John Le Fondré's premiership, kept his place on the Council of Ministers but in a new role overseeing the Treasury.
Deputies Kristina Moore and Philip Ozouf both returned to the government after a four-year absence, while six of the 2022 cohort of Ministers were new to politics.
All of the Ministers and Assistant Ministers are independent politicians, apart from Assistant Social Security Minister, Deputy Malcolm Ferey, who is a member of the Jersey Liberal Conservatives.
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Appointment of ministers
The States Assembly elects a member for appointment as Chief Minister after every ordinary election of deputies and whenever the Chief Minister is not able to continue to fulfil 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. 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. 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.
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:
- to co-ordinate the discharge of common functions of the Council
- to conduct external relations with the common policy agreed by the Council
Operation
The minutes of Council meetings are drawn up and kept by the Office of the Greffier of the States.
Previous Councils
Frank Walker (2005–2008)
Jersey's first Ministers were appointed in 2005, with Frank Walker becoming the first Chief Minister of Jersey.Only one of the ten ministers he nominated to join his Council of Ministers failed to be elected, Senator Len Norman, whose position was filled by Deputy Guy de Faye.
- Chief Minister of Jersey: Senator Frank Walker
- Treasury Minister: Senator Terry Le Sueur
- Economic Development Minister: Senator Philip Ozouf
- Home Affairs Minister: Deputy Andrew Lewis
- Health and Social Services Minister: Senator Ben Shenton
- Education, Sport and Culture Minister: Senator Mike Vibert
- Planning and Environment Minister: Senator Freddie Cohen
- Housing Minister: Senator Terry Le Main
- Social Security Minister: Senator Paul Routier
- Transport and Technical Services Minister: Deputy Guy de Faye
Terry Le Sueur (2008–2011)
- Chief Minister of Jersey: Senator Terry Le Sueur
- Treasury Minister: Senator Philip Ozouf
- Economic Development Minister: Senator Alan Maclean
- Home Affairs Minister: Senator Ian Le Marquand
- Health and Social Services Minister: Deputy Anne Pryke. Her predecessor, Senator Jim Perchard resigned in April 2009 after controversy surrounding remarks he made in the chamber urging Senator Stuart Syvret to commit suicide.
- Education, Sport and Culture Minister: Deputy James Reed . 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. Senator Freddie Cohen, who was elected to the ministerial post unopposed in 2008, resigned in order to focus on his role as "foreign minister".
- Housing Minister: Deputy Andrew Green. 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". Power's predecessor had also resigned: Senator Terry Le Main, elected in 2008 with 27 votes, stood down as minister in June 2010, following unproven allegations, which he vigorously denied, about his relationship with a property developer.
- Social Security Minister: Deputy Ian Gorst
- Transport and Technical Services Minister: Constable Mike Jackson