Latest news with #JonathanLeTocq
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
De Sausmarez to be Guernsey's first female chief minister
Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez has been elected as Guernsey's first female president of the Policy and Resources Committee (P&R). She beat Deputies Jonathan Le Tocq and Mark Helyar in the election after being proposed by Deputy Tina Bury and seconded by Deputy Marc Lainé. She received 22 votes from deputies in a secret ballot to become the island's new chief minister. As part of her pitch for the job she promised to review the island's tax system before the end of the year. De Sausmarez said when it came to issues like the island's population, there needed to be a better approach to policy co-ordination from the States' top committee."We need P&R to do some high level strategic planning, rather than constantly firefighting," she said. In his pitch for the job Deputy Jonathan le Tocq said: "I believe strongly in consensus, not combat and I believe the presidency of policy and resources should be held by someone who can unite, not divide." Former vice-president of P&R Mark Helyar received 11 votes, while Le Tocq got seven. Helyar said as P&R president he would ensure the introduction of GST to stabilise the island's economy. Last year the States agreed to introduce tax reforms including a 5% GST, lower income tax rates for earnings under £30,000 and social security reform, to start in 2027.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
How does Guernsey's top politician get elected?
Guernsey's top politician will be decided by a secret ballot of deputies on is expected that three people will stand for the role of president of the Policy and Resources Committee (P&R), although anyone can be nominated from the floor. Deputies Lindsay de Sausmarez, Mark Helyar and Jonathan Le Tocq have all expressed an interest in the role. Candidates need to be proposed and seconded by one of the 40 members of the States of Deliberation. All of the candidates will then go up to the top bench to make speeches and answer questions before the secret ballot. The proposer of each candidate can make a five-minute speech, while the candidates themselves can speak for 10 the speeches, candidates will face a series of questions from States members which will last for an hour, if there are four candidates for the position - 15 minutes per candidate. Who may be standing? Poll-topper Lindsay de Sausmarez said she was standing for the role after being encouraged by her said: "I think the electorate has sent a message loud and clear that they want to leave behind the factionalism and division which has characterised the the last couple of assemblies. "I am a candidate who can unite the assembly and deliver on that request." Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Jonathan Le Tocq has promised that, if he is elected, he will build a government of "all talents" by bringing deputies Parkinson, St Pier and Helyar onto P&R. Deputy Mark Helyar said his focus would be on controlling States spending and, if elected, he would want to keep Deputy Le Tocq on the board to deal with external relations, as he had during the last nine years. On Sunday, Deputy Charles Parkinson who had previously expressed interest in the roll, announced he was pulling out of the race and backing de Sausmarez.
ITV News
23-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Move to publish Guernsey States' accounts after election is 'severe blow to the democratic process'
One of the candidates vying to become Guernsey's next President of Policy and Resources says not seeing the full state of the island's finances ahead of the General Election has damaged the democratic process. Deputy Charles Parkinson, who finished third in the poll, says the complete States' accounts for last year should have been made a matter of public record before the election, so voters could have been better informed. He explains: "I think the States' finances are in much better health than we've been led to believe before the election. "We didn't see the 2024 accounts before the General Election, which was a severe blow to the democratic process." The States of Guernsey says deputies in the previous Assembly voted to publish the accounts on this date. The full details confirm a deficit in the day-to-day running of public services, amounting to £44 million across 2024, which was made public before Polling Day. They also show a number of other figures surrounding the state of public finances in the Bailiwick, including: The Government and all state entities, including water and Aurigny, went from an operating surplus of £37 million in 2023 to a deficit of £18 million in 2024. The overall amount of cash left over has fallen from £51 million to £21 million. Investments grew from £103 million to £129.8 million. Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, who is also aiming to become Guernsey's next Chief Minister, believes the £44 million number was the most important to understand the overall financial picture. He says: "That is the amount we need for business as usual. This includes the running of the hospital, schools and paying the salaries of teachers and nurses." Deputy-elect Andy Sloan, the former Chief Economist for the States of Guernsey and one of the 20 new States members, says that greater transparency is needed in the process of publishing accounts. He adds: "I haven't seen the exact figures yet, but they probably aren't as bad as they were claimed to be last November. "However, they're still not great and we've got to address that deficit one way or another."
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."
BBC News
21-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Race to become next Guernsey chief minister begins
The race to become Guernsey's top politician is under way, with deputies announcing their intention to chief minister Jonathan Le Tocq has said he would be willing to run for president of the Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) "to offer a degree of stability".Several candidates told the BBC they backed Le Tocq because of his experience in the role and ability to "bring people together".Deputy Mark Helyar said before the election campaign he would seek the top job, with the aim of controlling States spending, while Deputy Charles Parkinson confirmed he would make a tilt to advocate for a change to the island's corporate tax policy. Le Tocq said: "The culture needs to change right at the beginning of this term, I think I will do my best to try and work a coalition together of all types of people." Helyar became the vice-president of P&R in November 2022 after Deputy Heidi Soulsby resigned from the resigned ahead of a successful vote of no confidence in the committee in 2023. While expressing an intention to run before the election, Helyar did not answer when asked by the BBC on Friday whether he was still planning to vote of no confidence in P&R was led by Deputy Charles Parkinson, who finished third in the polls with 9,294 votes and said he felt he had a mandate to stand for for P&R president. Last year the States agreed a package of tax reforms including a 5% GST, a lower rate of income tax for earnings under £30,000 and reforms to social security contributions. Whether elected to P&R or not, Parkinson has said he would look to challenge the policy and attempt to get more money from local companies through reform to the coporate tax regime. Outgoing chief minister Lyndon Trott warned against changing the island's zero-10 regime, which means some companies pay no corporation tax and others pay 10%. Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez topped the polls with more than 10,000 votes, but she has not commented on whether she would stand for P&R Yvonne Burford, who came second in the polls, has said she wanted to be on P&R, but not as its the other possible contenders, 2020 poll-topper Deputy Gavin St Pier stood for P&R president, but lost out to Deputy Peter Ferbrache in Guernsey leader St Pier has already done the job between 2016 and 2020, but has not said whether he would seek it again, leaving the door open. After a short time on the Health and Social Care Committee (HSC) previously, some deputies the BBC has spoken suggested may seek a role as its has also been interest in that position from its vice-president Marc Leadbeater and deputy-elect Dr George Oswald.
