Latest news with #SteveLuce
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Views sought on Jersey planning service reforms
A public consultation has been launched into proposed reforms to Jersey's planning island's government has asked for people to share their views on changes earmarked for the system as part of plans to make it more efficient and government said the consultation, lasting for eight weeks, would explore potential changes to the legal framework of the current planning details about how people can take part will be available online on the government's consultations website. Officials said the consultation was setting out a number of possible options within three key themes - permitted development rights, the appeals system and how the Island Plan was developed and Minister Deputy Steve Luce said the consultation was an opportunity to explore how the rules could be simplified and improve decision making."Islanders rightly expect a planning system that is clear, consistent and capable of responding to change," he said.
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
More than 18,000 rented homes on Jersey licensing scheme
More than 18,000 rented homes were added to the government's licensing scheme in its first year, a report has Rented Dwelling Licensing Scheme was introduced in 2024. It legally requires landlords to hold a licence for each home they rent out in Jersey, as required under the Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Jersey) Law 2018.A government report found of the 44,583 houses in Jersey, 18,044 of the 20,713 rental properties had signed up to the Steve Luce, Minister for the Environment, said the figures had "set a strong foundation for the future". "Most rental homes are being well maintained, which speaks to the shared commitment we all have to improving housing quality," said Luce."This scheme is helping us raise standards while targeting interventions where they're needed most."
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Minister aims to define what a 'dangerous dog' is for Jersey law
A minister who is aiming to define what a "dangerous dog" is as part of updates to Jersey's dog laws has said the process is taking longer than Dogs (Jersey) Law 1961 aims to regulate dog ownership, including licensing pets and requiring dogs to wear contact information when in rules about owning XL bully dogs were introduced across the UK in March after a string of fatal attacks. Deputy Steve Luce, the environment minister, told a scrutiny panel that he did not want to see any incidents involving dangerous dogs while he was in charge. "Every day that goes by I am increasingly concerned that something might happen," he said."We do have some animals which we would like to designate as dangerous dogs on this island."That number is not reducing. We have introduced some measures." Chief vet at the JSPCA Susana Ramos said preventing the importation of dangerous dogs would be the first Luce said Jersey saw an increase in pets 10 years ago when rescues were was a further increase during the pandemic. Ms Ramos said the current law was "old and not fit for purpose anymore".She added: "The idea of the new law is to allow us to act."The law will give us a little substance to do better than we currently do."
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Minister warns regulations department at 'breaking point'
A minister has warned a team in his department is at "breaking point" and would struggle to implement new tenancy reforms if the States votes to approve them in principle next Steve Luce, the environment minister, said it would be up to his "fully stretched" department to enact parts of the changes put forward by housing minister Deputy Sam Mé proposals aim to increase protections for tenants and said a move to allow landlords to end the tenancy with seven days' notice if the tenant "has caused or permitted a repeated or serious nuisance" would require inspections by officers in the regulations team. He said: "The regulation department is fully stretched. We have a huge number, 39 different laws to administer, and every time a new law comes on it's more work for the same number of officers and we are really at breaking point."The minister was concerned at the additional workload the changes could have on his said: "Anything to do with getting a complaint together and putting it before a court requires a huge amount of time and effort visiting sites, creating the data and making sure all the different angles are covered so that when you present a case in court it stands up. "That's a huge amount of work every time you go to court." Luce said Mezec had spoken to officers in the regulation department "about how it would work".He added his team had regularly similar challenges every time a new law requires regulation."New laws require more work for us and we will need more resource," he said. 'A concern but not a surprise' The head of the environment scrutiny panel, Deputy Hilary Jeune said the Ministers comments were a concern but not a surprise."We constantly hear from the environment minister and from the department that there is a lot of pressure being put on them to carry out their functions and the regulation department is under a lot of pressure.""I think the whole council of ministers and the States Assembly at large need to understand the role of regulation, the importance of regulation so we can all ensure there is enough resource for it."The BBC has approached Housing Minister Sam Mezec for comment.
BBC News
26-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Jersey minister proposes 1mm increase to lobster catch size
A Jersey minister wants to increase the size a lobster can be caught and sold by 1mm to improve stock Minister Deputy Steve Luce proposed increasing the minimum size of catch from 88mm (3.46 inches) to 89mm (3.50 inches).Luce adopted the recommendation from the Lobster Working Group, which he said had worked to improve stock management over the last five the amendment is approved, the new minimum size would come into force from 16 September.
