Latest news with #deSausmarez
ITV News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Guernsey's Chief Minister consolidates power as top committee are elected unopposed
Following her historic election as Guernsey's first female Chief Minister, Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez has received another strong mandate from the States Assembly, as all four of her preferred candidates were elected onto the island's most powerful political committee. In a States' meeting that lasted just under an hour, de Sausmarez took her seat on the top bench and no speeches were needed as members did not challenge her nominations for Policy and Resources (P&R). It means Deputies Gavin St Pier, Charles Parkinson, Steve Falla, and Jonathan Le Tocq will join the top table. St Pier is a previous president of P&R and topped the poll in the 2020 General Election, he also backed de Sausmarez in Tuesday's vote for Chief Minister. Parkinson withdrew from that battle for the top job and says it seems to be a more cohesive start to the States after the last political term, which saw deputies often divided. He explains: "I think the States have indicated they want to move forward in a consensus style, given we were all elected unopposed. "I have a lot of experience to bring to P&R, so I will seek to help everywhere I can. "People think of me as a fiscal policy specialist, but actually my interests are very wide." Le Tocq is expected to continue in his role as Lead Member for External Relations - a job he has held for the past five years. Meanwhile, Falla, who was the fourth most popular candidate in last month's election, is in his second term as a deputy. All of de Sausmarez's nominations were seconded by Deputy Mark Helyar, who she defeated in the P&R presidency vote on Tuesday. Guernsey's Policy and Resources Committee: Lindsay de Sausmarez (President) Gavin St Pier Charles Parkinson Jonathan Le Tocq Steve Falla Their briefs, including who will serve as de Sausmarez's Vice President, have not yet been announced. Deputy Neil Inder lodged an amendment to allow politicians to question each of the candidates as part of a hustings. However, the motion failed, only receiving the backing of 11 deputies. Speaking after the States Meeting ended, Inder said: "We've effectively had a coronation today. We've had one member proposing all four. There were no speeches and no questions or answers. "At the moment, we are in a sort of love-in period where everything's fantastic. "We will get into far more scrutiny once people actually understand that their job is to scrutinise." If Tuesday was de Sausmarez's coronation, Wednesday saw the start of her consolidation of power. All of her nominations are, in some ways, political allies. They are fairly progressive and big political figures on the island who have lots of experience. They're also popular - each of them finished within the top ten of last month's election voting results. Right now, the respect for de Sausmarez, as well as the authority she carries, seems to know few bounds. However, there are contrasting views on some of the big policy areas within the new senior committee, especially fiscal policy which is the group's main mandate. For example, Parkinson will no doubt want to use his position to push ahead with a review into corporation tax policy, whereas Le Tocq was an architect of the GST+ package. So, it's not just in the Assembly where De Sausmarez's 'unity' status will be tested, but in the island's top political committee which she now leads. The P&R members can also no longer put themselves forward for other committee positions, so all eyes will be on the committee presidency elections, which will take place on Friday (4 July). There will be 13 to decide, including the newly formed Housing Committee, with many expected to be fiercely contested. The remaining members of each of these committees will then be decided on Monday 7 July.
BBC News
25-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Guernsey proposes 'more affordable' net zero approach
Guernsey could save money if a new approach for the island to reach net zero is approved, a government committee has and Infrastructure (E&I) said its new approach, which involved reviewing the pathway every seven years, was "pragmatic, realistic and significantly more affordable" than the current system.E&I president Lindsay de Sausmarez said Guernsey could "get close to net zero, but not reach it" by 2050 with existing added "there is a lot of innovation going on" and the proposal to review every seven years meant they could "make the most of advances that might benefit Guernsey". 'Readily actionable' The proposals would not need extra funding, de Sausmarez said.E&I said efficiency improvements from net zero could save the island £125m every year by 2050, as well as stimulating the economy and attracting green business to the approved, the first seven-year cycle would focus on "readily actionable" areas such as building and transport as well as introducing Energy Performance Certificates, it Sausmarez added: "We're keen to keep the momentum up so we can deliver savings and wider benefits as soon as possible."
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Landlords raise concerns about new housing laws
There are concerns from landlords that new minimum housing standards laws on Guernsey are not meeting the Island's needs. Changes included a new Director of Housing Standards and giving the committee regulatory powers on hazards and minimum standards of homes. President of the Landlords Association, Jeff Guilbert said: "I think this will just tip quite a few more over the edge and they're just going to leave the industry. The President of the Environment and Infrastructure said that "modernisation of the legislation has been needed for sometime." Mr Guilbert said: "We haven't got new blood coming into it. It's not a financially advantageous business to be in at the present time." As of 3 March 2024, The Landlords Association represented 317 landlords with 2,412 units of accommodation plus 38 houses in multiple occupancy (HMOs) with 204 beds. Despite concerns, Deputy CEO of Citizen's Advice Guernsey, Annie Ashmead said: "The people who come to us are reporting living in sub-standard accommodation, properties poorly maintained, damp, mould, ingress of water. "Although they may represent a small minority of the number of people who rent on this Island - they are still people. "We have on average around 40 people a year reporting issues with the housing conditions they live in and it needs to be addressed." The President of the Environment and Infrastructure, Lindsay de Sausmarez said: "This modernisation of the legislation has been needed for sometime." Some people have raised concerns online about the scope of the new legislation. One user said they felt a landlord "now has the legal right to rifle through your personal belongings anytime to see if any of your possessions might be hazardous to you." Deputy de Sausmarez responded by saying: "I don't know what to say about this one. It's just not right. There's nothing right about that at all." Islanders had questions about the powers the new director would have to enter their property, what work they could request them do to their property and the right to go through tenants' belongings. Deputy de Sausmarez said: "The Director or Inspectors can only take reasonable actions where they can prove, they can demonstrate to the satisfaction of a court that the action is entirely necessary and appropriate." The draft law needs to get royal assent and go through procedural processes before it can be fully introduced in Guernsey law. Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to States approves more regulation of landlords 'My landlord's going to have to take us to court' Islanders invited to have say on renters rights States of Guernsey - Housing Standards Legislation
BBC News
13-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Guernsey's E&I President busts myths about new housing law
There are concerns from landlords that new minimum housing standards laws on Guernsey are not meeting the Island's included a new Director of Housing Standards and giving the committee regulatory powers on hazards and minimum standards of of the Landlords Association, Jeff Guilbert said: "I think this will just tip quite a few more over the edge and they're just going to leave the industry. The President of the Environment and Infrastructure said that "modernisation of the legislation has been needed for sometime." Mr Guilbert said: "We haven't got new blood coming into it. It's not a financially advantageous business to be in at the present time."As of 3 March 2024, The Landlords Association represented 317 landlords with 2,412 units of accommodation plus 38 houses in multiple occupancy (HMOs) with 204 beds. Despite concerns, Deputy CEO of Citizen's Advice Guernsey, Annie Ashmead said: "The people who come to us are reporting living in sub-standard accommodation, properties poorly maintained, damp, mould, ingress of water. "Although they may represent a small minority of the number of people who rent on this Island - they are still people. "We have on average around 40 people a year reporting issues with the housing conditions they live in and it needs to be addressed." The President of the Environment and Infrastructure, Lindsay de Sausmarez said: "This modernisation of the legislation has been needed for sometime."Some people have raised concerns online about the scope of the new user said they felt a landlord "now has the legal right to rifle through your personal belongings anytime to see if any of your possessions might be hazardous to you." Deputy de Sausmarez responded by saying: "I don't know what to say about this one. It's just not right. There's nothing right about that at all." 'Reasonable actions' Islanders had questions about the powers the new director would have to enter their property, what work they could request them do to their property and the right to go through tenants' belongings. Deputy de Sausmarez said: "The Director or Inspectors can only take reasonable actions where they can prove, they can demonstrate to the satisfaction of a court that the action is entirely necessary and appropriate." The draft law needs to get royal assent and go through procedural processes before it can be fully introduced in Guernsey law.
BBC News
05-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Guernsey deputies seek solution to save bathing pool diving board
Deputies are investigating the potential to deepen a bathing pool in Guernsey to save a public diving board that had to close for safety Health and Safety Executive (HSE) last month served a prohibition notice in relation to the board at La Vallette Bathing Pools, following reports of incidents and near said the depth of the water under the platform fell below international standards and should be and Infrastructure President Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez said: "The committee is in the process of assessing the extent of work required, which may lead to a financial bid to deliver works to further improve the pool." On top of deepening the pool, de Sausmarez said other measures being investigated included doing work on the walls and adding additional safety measures such as equipment and Sausmarez said she was hopeful the work would mean "this much-loved swimming facility can continue to be safely used by locals and visitors alike".HSE said the maximum depth of the water below the diving platform was 2.75m (9ft) which did not meet the 3.2m (10.5ft) minimum depth required by the World Aquatics and British the diving board was supposed to be removed within a week but plans were halted after hundreds of islanders turned out to demonstrate the public's "strength of feeling" about keeping the diving board. De Sausmarez said: "I can't commit to any time frames at the moment because there are a few variables that we still don't yet know but I can say that we are not hanging around. "So we are not delaying, we are getting on with this as soon as we possibly can." She added even if work was completed the diving board still may not be able to reopen.
