Lay member resigns from P&R’s savings sub-committee

Garage owner Dave Beausire quit the sub-committee after the election last week of a new senior committee, led by Deputy Lyndon Trott, which followed its predecessor committee, led by Deputy Peter Ferbrache, losing a vote of no confidence.

Mr Beausire said he could not continue under the new leadership.

‘While I was against GST, P&R gave me this opportunity to look at reducing costs, which I am grateful for, as I felt all avenues needed exploring before any tax increases come in.

‘I do not feel comfortable moving on with the new P&R and sitting with some on this committee who led the vote of no confidence, so I have made the decision to resign with immediate effect from the sub-committee.’

The sub-committee was previously led by Deputy David Mahoney, for whom Mr Beausire said he had ‘the greatest respect’, and will now be led by new P&R vice-president Heidi Soulsby.

‘I would like to thank Mr Beausire for his contribution to the sub-committee to date,’ said Deputy Soulsby.

‘As the newly-appointed chairwoman, I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with the sub-committee members, but I look forward to doing so and, after that, we will be able to provide further updates.’

She was remaining tight-lipped about the new P&R’s policies on containing public spending.

In November, the former P&R announced that its sub-committee had written to all States committees asking them to review hundreds of ideas to cut costs and report back by the second week of January ahead of a policy letter being submitted to the Assembly for debate early in 2024.

The newly-elected P&R declined to answer questions about when it would report to the Assembly or how confident it was of being able to recommend savings of up to £16m. a year, suggested at the conclusion of a debate about tax and spending earlier this year.

The previous P&R admitted recently that there was a high risk of the States failing to reduce costs even by the lower figure of £10m. a year.