Politician calls it time after a decade in St Sampson’s
ST SAMPSON’S constable Paul Le Pelley is stepping down after manhy years in parish and island politics, including spells as a douzenier, constable and deputy.
Before becoming St Sampson’s constable in 2011, Mr Le Pelley had been a constable and douzenier for St Peter’s in the 1970s, was the curator at the Guernsey Folk and Costume Museum at Saumarez Park, and spent 33 years as a teacher.
As constable, Mr Le Pelley said he enjoyed being able to make decisions to help the parish and to get involved with the community.
‘My favourite thing was celebrating parish events and representing the people,’ he said.
During his eight years as a deputy in the States – he stepped down at the 2020 election – Mr Le Pelley rose to the office of Education minister, but stepped down during the controversial debate over the future of secondary education, when his committee’s three-school model was overturned in favour of a two-school option – which itself was subsequently overturned. He said this was the major issue of his time in island politics.
‘My biggest regret is that I couldn’t resolve the issue,’ he said.
Mr Le Pelley said that he would like to see more young islanders getting involved in local politics to shape Guernsey’s future
‘It’s the younger generation’s turn, the island is going to need to be led into the 2030s and 2040s,’ he said.
Working for needs of island and parish is something that Mr Le Pelley has loved, and he said he would like to think he left the places he worked at in a better place than when he started.
‘I thoroughly enjoyed what I’ve done,’ he said.
Mr Le Pelley said he would continue to keep an interest in parish and island matters.
