Latest news with #HeidiSoulsby
BBC News
23-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Challenges' over Guernsey States' accounts reported £44m loss
The States of Guernsey is expected to have lost £44m in 2024, although not including commercial entities such as Guernsey Electricity and airline Aurigny, a report says. The losses include a £9m deficit in general revenue, £13m in social security funds and £22m of non-infrastructure project expenditure, such as IT report has been released as the next States seems set to revisit a taxation plan including a goods and services plan approved as a way of balancing the Heidi Soulsby, of the current Policy & Resources Committee, said the issue of funding local services "will need the collective attention of the incoming assembly". Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, Policy & Resources Committee Member, said: "What I don't want to see is flip-flop decision-making, particularly at this stage because we haven't got the time to do other things [other than a GST+ package]. "We know from the reviews we've had that they won't necessarily bring in the sorts of money we need in the time frame that we've got."Losses have been incurred as a result of a number of staff numbers have increased by 96 when comparing 2023 to 2024, with the most significant increase in health. This increase was focused on the nurses and medical consultants areas, including filling 112 vacant full-time roles, which meant some reduction in reliance on agency were also increases in staffing for teaching, IT and tax services. Additionally, the number of core staff costing more than £110,000 a year (including salary, overtime, social security costs, etc) increased by 48 up to 263. Some 54% of these staff work in front-line services in health, education, or home Tocq said: "It is clear from the 2024 accounts that significant challenges continue to exist, which is something the next Policy & Resources Committee – and the assembly as a whole – will need to focus on as a priority next term. "We must promptly find a consensus position on how best to address these challenges."Including entities, the operating deficit was £18.8m as it included the Guernsey Housing Association, Guernsey Electricity and Aurigny, etc. However, Policy and Resources is urging the focus of the island's financial position should be on the "core", at a £44m deficit, because entities did not contribute to paying for the public services provided by the State, politicians said. Soulsby said: "We are not raising enough through taxes to fund the services our community relies on. "It is clear that this will need the collective attention of the incoming assembly."
ITV News
13-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Guernsey's core government spending was £44 million in deficit in 2024
The States of Guernsey spent £44 million more on core day-to-day activities such as running public services and benefits than it made through income last year. That overspend includes a £22 million deficit in non-infrastructure projects such as IT changes and a £13 million deficit in social security funds. In better news, States' investments were collectively £130 million more valuable at the end of 2024 than 2023. However, this is a valuation rather than a guaranteed return and the funds remain invested in a portfolio that regularly changes value. Overall, the States ongoing financial position is an underlying annual deficit of around £56 million. Want the inside track on the key issues that will shape Guernsey's Election this June? Listen to Guernsey Votes, an ITV Channel podcast packed with expert guests, local insight and analysis you can trust... Guernsey's Chief Minister, Deputy Lyndon Trott, who is not standing in this month's election, says: "The States cannot continue to rely on reserves built up in the past to fund the services of today and tomorrow. "The new Assembly will need to immediately focus its attention on the issue of improving public finances. I cannot stress enough how important that is to the long-term prosperity of the island." The outgoing Vice President of Policy and Resources, Deputy Heidi Soulsby, adds: "We are not raising enough through taxes to fund the services our community relies on. "The value of investments is of course important ... but they don't impact the amount of money we have available to deliver public services and invest in much-needed infrastructure. "The decision for the next States will not be whether something needs to be done, but what should be done to balance the books."
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Guernsey: States report £44m annual deficit in core services
The States of Guernsey's financial position remains "parlous", with a £44m shortfall in core services in 2024, according to Policy and Resources (P&R) President Lyndon comprised of a £9m deficit in General Revenue, £13m in Social Security Funds and £22m in non-infrastructure project spends, such as IT transformation, elements of the revenue service programme and electronic patient Trott gave the update ahead of the General Election, with the total underlying structural annual deficit for 2024 said to be around £56m."In October when we published our 2025 Budget proposals I described the state of public finances as parlous and that remains the case," he said. He said the States "cannot continue to rely on reserves built up in the past to fund the services of today and tomorrow".Deputy Trott said the new Assembly needed to "immediately focus its attention on the issue of improving public finances" adding "I cannot stress enough how important that is to the long-term prosperity of the island".Deputy Heidi Soulsby, Vice President of the Policy and Resources Committee, said the message was that "we are not raising enough through taxes to fund the services our community relies on"."The decision for the next States will not be whether something needs to be done, but what should be done to balance the books," she said the value of investments was important, as was the financial performance of commercial entities under the wider States of Guernsey group, "but they don't impact the amount of money we have available to deliver public services and invest in much-needed infrastructure". "The bottom line is we had a significant deficit in General Revenue last year," she added. Deputy Soulsby said the work the States did earlier in the year "shows a looming need to invest in essential infrastructure projects with funds to pay for only a fraction of that". 'Investment growth higher' News of the deficit came as the States of Guernsey investments were valued £130m higher at the end of 2024 than the previous year. A spokesperson said this did not mean that the public purse received £130m in 2024, but rather their value had increased by 31 December 2024. The 2024 States of Guernsey Accounts were set to be published on 23 March, Deputy Trott said the provisional General Revenue results for 2024 gave a revenue deficit of £9m, which was a shortfall of £21m against the budget.A States spokesperson said the 2024 Accounts were the first to be fully compliant with International Public Sector Accounting Standards and to be given a "true and fair" view by the auditors.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Guernsey deputy chief minister laments island-wide voting system
Guernsey's deputy chief minister has described the current electoral system as "isolating". Voters backed the move to elect politicians from an entire island constituency, rather than the previous district system, at a referendum in 2020. Deputy Heidi Soulsby, who is standing down at the 2025 general election after 13 years in local politics, said she believed the system had cut voters off from politicians. "I don't like this system, you miss one-on-one conversations and that connection with the public," she told the BBC. "People have to come to you, in a way that's different to the parish system, you were going to them."At the first island-wide general election in 2020, she came second with 12,779 votes, while she topped the polls in the South East in 2012 with 2,061 votes. Soulsby said: "If I wanted to stand, it wouldn't have stopped me, but the thought of going through this really isolating existence wasn't ideal." A number of candidates and voters have said they would like to see the electoral system reviewed before the 2029 general election. However, defenders of the current system said it led to a record turnout at the 2020 general said of the previous system: "You were out knocking on doors, walking the streets having one-to-one conversations with people who could be really angry about what you said. "It was great - you found out what the issues were." A Scrutiny Management Report review of the 2020 election concluded there "remains significant support for the ability to vote for any candidate who stands" and did not recommend making a change to the system of island-wide voting for the 2025 said it was still hard to defend the current system despite the findings."I feel that sense of isolation of deputies, that lack of connection," she said."You feel more in a bubble."
ITV News
29-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Heading in the wrong direction and no power to change it: Channel Islanders' views on key decisions
Channel Islanders feel their lives are getting worse and they do not have the power to change it, according to a new survey. Two in three Jersey respondents believe their island is heading in the wrong direction, and none of the participants in Guernsey think politicians represent them "very well". More than 1,700 people from across the Channel Islands were surveyed by Island Global Research (IGR) and asked to share their views on key societal issues, as well as the extent to which they trust institutions and organisations which deliver essential services. What did the Jersey figures reveal? Respondents were asked to choose the five issues facing the island that should be prioritised from a list of 20. Seven in ten included the cost of living, while nearly half chose hospital waiting lists, and 43% highlighted the availability of affordable housing. Of those surveyed, 68% believe things are heading in the wrong direction, and the majority feel they have little to no influence over decisions made. Fewer than 20% of respondents believe those who have been elected represent their views and values either "quite well" or "very well". Just 1% of islanders questioned believe they influence decisions that are made. Moving on to voting intentions, 46% declared they will "definitely" cast their ballot in the next Jersey election, while 26% said they will "probably vote". Fewer than 20% of respondents say the people who have been elected to make decisions in their island represent their views and values either "quite well" or "very well". What did the Guernsey figures reveal? Participants in Guernsey highlighted the top concerns for their island, picking out the five issues that should be focused on from a list of 20. Affordable housing at 68% was the most common response, 61% included the cost of living, and 40% want more focus on improvements to infrastructure. More than three-quarters of those surveyed believe the island is heading in the wrong direction and 54% feel they do not influence the decisions made. Meanwhile, 56% said elected officials do not represent their views and values. Looking at the high cost of living, 4% said they could not afford what they spend, and 30% can cover only the essentials. However, more than half describe their financial situation as "comfortable" and 11% as "very comfortable". Reacting to the report, Deputy Chief Minister Heidi Soulsby says: "It's disappointing to read that, but not surprising. "I think there's a feeling of frustration that the States hasn't got very far and how it's acted and not made the important decisions." Lindsay Jefferies, Managing Director of Island Global Research, adds: "Two-thirds considered quality of life in the Channel Islands as higher than it would be in the UK. "So whilst there is a clear sense of frustration and things that people want to change, they also recognise that we have a good quality of life, so that is something encouraging coming out."
