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More details have been revealed about the costs of an ongoing 32-month independent investigation into alleged foul play in Jersey’s Planning Department, which includes over £10,000 of police officer overtime.
Norfolk Police have been reviewing accusations against individuals in the department responsible for approving planning applications and building regulation since they were sworn in as investigators in September 2018.
The Norfolk force, which has previously investigated Jersey complaints, were brought in from the UK in order to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.
At the time of the probe's launch, Jersey Police said that the investigation was prompted in relation to alleged "corruption" and declined to name any specific laws alleged to have been broken. Express understands that some of the allegations made include misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice, and date back to 2010.
No prosecutions have been brought since the probe began, and no explanation has been provided for the its length. In February, Norfolk Constabulary said the probe was still “ongoing” and that they were “not in a position to provide any timescales.”
Express revealed in March that the overall cost of the investigation now totalled £41,000 - a rise of around £24,000 since the last update was provided by the Home Affairs Minister, Constable Len Norman, 22 months ago.
Broken down, the £16,837.44 spend between September 2018 and May 2019 was made up of:
Following a request under the Freedom of Information law from Express, more details have been released about the staffing costs which are now totalling £17,507.
According to the data provided, the number of officers involved in the investigation has varied over the course of the 32 months of the operation but, on average, two officers have been working on the case, totalling 428 hours of overtime, at a cost of £24.20 per hour, making a total of £10,347.14.
Non-police staff were also involved in the operation and worked a total of 261 hours - 67 standard hours and 94 overtime hours – at a cost of £5,029.
The payroll costs also include £2,000 to fund the difference between a Sergeant and Police Constable during the last quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021.
More details have also been revealed about the accommodation costs. 96 nights in hotel have so far been booked in the island, at a cost of £9,634, in addition to 10 nights in the UK, which cost a total of £953.
In Jersey, the majority of stays (58) were booked with The Club Hotel and Spa at a cost of £92 a night and the Radisson Blu Waterfront (22) at cost of £119.
Eight nights were booked at the Best Western Royal Hotel and Hotel de France at a cost of £826 and £874 respectively.
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