Deputy Taylor to stay as DPA vice-president

The DPA has been riven for nearly 10 weeks since a botched bid was launched to install John Dyke as its new number two.

Deputies Oliver and Dyke had since insisted that Deputy Taylor had been replaced as vice-president despite the Bailiff, Richard McMahon, and the senior law officer, HM Procureur Megan Pullum, repeatedly advising that the move was not allowed under States rules.

But they climbed down after the committee met yesterday and accepted Deputy Taylor could not be replaced.

‘DPA members have agreed that Deputy Taylor will continue as vice-president,’ said the committee.

‘Members discussed all the advice that had been previously received, recognising that there had been a lack of clarity in the rules, which contributed to the difficulties in resolving this matter sooner.

‘The committee considered advice in the meeting from HM Procureur and the States Assembly & Constitution Committee. In the interest of resolving the matter, it has been agreed that Deputy Taylor is the vice-president and this is accepted by all members of the committee.’

Prior to the meeting, Deputy Oliver admitted failing to tell her members about the advice from Mr McMahon and Ms Pullum for more than six weeks while she continued trying to oust Deputy Taylor.

He said after yesterday’s meeting that the whole saga should have been concluded two months ago when clear advice was received that the vote to replace him was not allowed.

‘All the relevant advice was available within a week of the initial vote,’ said Deputy Taylor.

‘It has taken far too long to answer a simple question, so it’s a relief this saga has been brought to a close.’

The Guernsey Press asked Deputy Oliver whether she regretted starting the attempt to remove Deputy Taylor at a meeting on 18 January.

She declined to comment.

Sacc president Carl Meerveld, who was invited to the DPA meeting as an adviser, has said his committee will propose a change to States rules to allow a committee to replace its vice-president in the future.

Sacc’s proposal is unlikely to go before the States until later in the year, although there is speculation that some deputies are considering trying to force a vote on the issue by submitting an amendment to an unrelated policy letter on States rules which is due to be debated when the Assembly meets this week.