“£50m will have been spent by September, yet we have no specific plans”

Thursday 17 June 2021

Scrutineers have hit out at the Government as it hurtles towards spending £50m on the new hospital project by September – around £460 per islander – before any plans have been approved.

The Future Hospital Review Panel was reacting to a Treasury report outlining moves to take around £17m from other initiatives – including work on the future of Rouge Bouillon (£1.5m), school improvements (£1.6m), and refurbishment of the island’s sports centres (£500,000) - to keep the project running, as it fell three months behind schedule.

It came in addition to £20m in the Government Plan and £11m pulled from central coffers in March to assist with purchasing homes and land in the area.

The three-month delay means that the £800m funding plan – originally due to be approved next month – will now not face a vote until September.

“According to the figures contained in this report, we are at a point where £50m will have been spent by September, yet we have no specific plans or a planning application,” Panel Chair Senator Kristina Moore said.

Pictured: A concept design for the future hospital at Overdale, which is expected to cost in excess of £800m.

Treasury’s report blamed delays on the “unplanned States Assembly debate on the preferred access route” to Overdale – a claim Senator Moore challenged.

“The Future Hospital Review Panel understands the political time pressure that the Our Hospital Project Team is under. However, the amendments to the proposition were approved by the States Assembly in order to ensure appropriate information is provided prior to committing the island to progressing this major project. Neither Members or Scrutiny should be criticised for, or discouraged from, political challenge. It is our role to hold the minister to account,” she explained. 

“Scrutiny is reminded often by Ministerial colleagues of the time constraints which have been imposed on this project. It remains crucial that robust scrutiny takes place and that States Members bring forward changes and commentary which reflect the views of their constituents.

“It is always the intention of Scrutiny to play a constructive part in a process to ensure the best results for the Island. The Council of Ministers, and by extension the OH Political Oversight Group, is accountable to the States Assembly and, ultimately, to the Jersey Public.”

Their comments follow revelations from Express yesterday that £12m had been spent on buying up properties and land around Overdale so far, despite no planning applications having been lodged.

According to the official project timeline, a planning application to demolish existing buildings at Overdale should be submitted next month, with a decision made by October.

CLICK TO ENLARGE: A birds' eye view of the new hospital 'masterplan'. 

An application should also be submitted this summer to transfer some of Overdale’s current services to Les Quennevais, which is expected to have been decided by winter 2021.

The main application will then be submitted in the winter, with a full Public Inquiry expected in spring 2022, and planning permission received by summer.

Despite the three-month delay, the project’s political lead, Deputy Chief Minister Senator Lyndon Farnham, told Express earlier this week that he still believed the project was “on track” for the new hospital to be opened in 2026.

He is due to be questioned by the Future Hospital Review Panel later today.