Chief minister backs three-year charity funding

Jersey's chief minister wants the government to be able to give charities funding for up to three years, instead of annually.

The government is already using money from dormant bank accounts to fund charities, but Deputy Lyndon Farnham said it is difficult to continue giving them additional top-up funds.

Earlier this month, Jersey Employment Trust (JET) said it was reviewing its services after ministers said it would no longer receive additional grants above its agreed budget.

The charity, which helps people with disabilities and long term health conditions, has since secured new funding to keep its services running.

At the time, the government cited "considerable overspends" as to why the initial decision had been taken.

On Friday, Farnham told BBC Radio Jersey longer term planning could "help charities feel more secure".

"We now have a plan in place for everybody," he said, referring to the new agreement with JET.

"I think this situation showed us that we need to keep an eye on the future, and giving three-year funding to charities would give them more certainty," he said.

"That might be something that we could do with our own budgeting just to provide more certainty and discipline around our spending."

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