Top civil servant admits fuel farm foul-up

Tuesday 13 September 2016

States Chief Executive John Richardson yesterday admitted confusion between three separate departments caused an embarrassing clanger.

Mr Richardson told the Public Accounts Committee that the fuel farm could have been brought and operated by the States four years ago - but it wasn’t, as nobody realised the lease was about to run its course.

The fuel farm at La Collette is run by French firm Rubis, who recently extended its lease of the States-owned site until 2025. 

But four years ago, the lease was up for grabs, meaning the States could have taken control of the Island’s fuel supply last year.

That opportunity was missed as Mr Richardson said three different States-run organisations had responsibility for checking on the lease - the Ports of Jersey, the Economic Development department and Property Holdings department. 

However, none of the three bodies flagged up the fact the lease for the fuel farm was running out in 2015. Four years ago, when States members should have been told the lease was ending, they were not informed, due to confusion amongst the three bodies.

Speaking at yesterday’s scrutiny panel, Deputy Judy Martin said: “Nobody was in charge of this. Nobody was in charge of securing this, or looking at the lease. You must accept opportunities were missed because nobody was doing their job. Nobody was in charge.” 

Mr Richardson replied: “The opportunity to invoke that clause was not taken. That option was not brought to anyone’s attention.”  

PAC chairman Deputy Andrew Lewis asked: “So was it missed, or not taken? I’ve asked Property Holdings the same question and they said I didn’t bring it to anyone’s attention because I was never asked. That’s a strange response. Without one single person with responsibility for one single department I suppose opportunities can sometimes be missed. Would you accept that is what happened here.”

Mr Richardson said: “Yes, I would accept that. There were a number of parties involved and it wasn’t picked up. It wasn’t invoked.”

Deputy Lewis asked: “Whose responsibility was it to look at that?” 

Mr Richardson replied: “All the players who were involved at the time. In those days it would have been Ports (of Jersey), Economic Development (department) and Public Holdings (department).

The move to ministerial Government many years ago was supposed to avoid confusion like this happening again.  

The fuel farm now comes under the Infrastructure department and Mr Richardson said if States members were interested in taking over the lease, they should make preparations in the next two years. 

He said: “I think Infrastructure (department) needs to come up with a plan in the next 12 to 24 months. They then need to start having discussions. It needs to be sorted out, well ahead.

“I do think it is the right thing to have separations, so you have got one department and one minister responsible for Infrastructure.”