Jersey minister says community fund idea 'would not work'

Jersey States departments are best placed to allocate community grants, according to the treasury minister.

Senator Philip Ozouf was responding to calls by the head of the public accounts committee for the funding decisions to be taken away from departments.

Deputy Tracey Vallois has called for a community fund to pay for events such as World War One commemorations.

But, Senator Ozouf said he would not support the move.

Removing control

"The idea of one single fund is possibly challenging because so many departments do so many different things," he said.

"The decision-making is better devolved to departments themselves."

The States pay out more than £38m per year in grants, with departments allocating money in different ways.

Deputy Vallois said funding schemes from one pot could make it clearer how money was being allocated.

She gave plans to spend nearly £500,000 on commemorating WW1 as an example of something a community fund could manage.

"We should set up a community fund for projects like World War One where you have money so people can come forward and say we need this to do this for this special occasion in the island," she said.

Funding for small arts projects and businesses are available through the Jersey Arts Trust and the Innovation Fund.

Deputy Vallois said her proposed community fund would be for projects that did not immediately qualify for grants currently.