The Council of Ministers is the collective decision-making body of the Government of Jersey. 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 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.
Constitution
The election for Chief Minister takes place as a majority vote in the States Assembly. The chief minister-elect then nominates nine people for the position of minister. Other candidates may be nominated from among the states members and a vote is taken for each ministerial post on a majority basis by the full membership of the States Assembly.
Operation
The Chief Minister acts as president of the council and matters may be brought for discussion by any minister. Legally ultimate responsibility for the policy decisions of a department rest solely with the minister, however in practice matters are decided by a unanimous or majority vote of the ten ministers.
Transport and Technical Services Minister: Deputy Eddie Noel
2011–2014
Elections for ministerial posts were held on 17 and 18 November 2011. The chief minister's nominations were all contested; two of his nominations were defeated, and five ministerial posts were decided by margins of between 1 and 3 votes. The chief minister's nomination of Senator Ian Le Marquand to the Treasury was defeated, and so the chief minister amended his nomination for Home Affairs to retain Senator Le Marquand on the council, by withdrawing his nomination of Senator Lyndon Farnham. The chief minister's nomination of Connétable John Refault to Transport and Technical Services was defeated, with Deputy Kevin Lewis, a former Assistant Minister for Transport and Technical Services, being elected.
Chief Minister of Jersey: Senator Ian Gorst
Treasury and Resources Minister: Senator Philip Ozouf
Economic Development Minister: Senator Alan Maclean
Home Affairs Minister and Deputy Chief Minister: Senator Ian Le Marquand
Health and Social Services Minister: Deputy Anne Pryke
Education, Sport and Culture Minister: Deputy Patrick Ryan
Planning and Environment Minister: Deputy Rob Duhamel
Transport and Technical Services Minister: Deputy Kevin Lewis
2008–2011
Elections for ministerial posts were held on 11 and 12 December 2008. The nominees of the Chief Minister were successful with the exception of Senator Routier, proposed successively for Health and Social Services and Education, Sport and Culture. Three ministers subsequently resigned as ministers in the face of criticisms of their personal conduct: Senator Jim Perchard, Deputy Terry Le Main and Deputy Sean Power, triggering further elections. One minister, Senator Freddie Cohen, exchanged the role of Planning and Environment Minister for that of "foreign minister" in 2011.
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
2005–2008
In 2005, only one of the ten ministers nominated by the Chief Minister failed to achieve election: Senator Len Norman, whose position was filled by Deputy Guy de Faye.
