Consensus government ‘back in play’ as States support Les Ozouets plan
New Policy & Resources president Lyndon Trott claimed yesterday that the States was learning how to make ‘consensus government’ work again.
The Assembly voted 35-3 in favour of his self-styled compromise amendment to fund a scaled down redevelopment of post-16 education facilities at Les Ozouets, after months of wrangling last year which left the project in limbo.
Construction of The Guernsey Institute should start in August with a budget of £75m., funded through a combination of existing reserves and additional borrowing. But the States agreed that a new Sixth Form Centre and indoor and outdoor sports facilities will be axed from phase one of the redevelopment to reduce costs by £25m. The new funding plan is worth a total of £88m. for education facilities.
‘This is all about consensus. It’s a classic Guernsey compromise. I make no apologies for that,’ said Deputy Trott.
‘Success is everyone leaving feeling that they didn’t quite get what they wanted. That is what compromise is all about. That is what our consensus system is all about – the art of the possible.
‘It is how I remember the Guernsey politics of yesteryear and it is great to see it back in play.’
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After its election last month, P&R made it a priority to negotiate a compromise with the Education Committee over funding for long-overdue new facilities for further education.
It was boosted by revised advice, received just days after taking office, which estimated that global company tax reforms will soon be worth an additional £30m. a year to the island, rather than £10m. as expected by the former P&R.
A few weeks earlier, the States had announced that it expected its operating surplus in 2023 to be nearly £20m. more than originally budgeted.
‘This amendment has been made possible through a strong economy, a degree of compromise and a pinch of good fortune,’ said Deputy Trott.
The States also voted to put in the foundations for a new sixth form centre at Les Ozouets as part of phase one of the project, at a cost of £1m., but its long-term funding will need to be decided by the next Assembly.
In the meantime, Education plans to relocate sixth form studies from Les Varendes to La Mare de Carteret from the summer of 2025.
Education president Andrea Dudley-Owen was relieved to secure funding to redevelop the Guernsey Institute following repeated failed attempts last year.
‘This was extremely important for the school communities to have the support of their government in pushing this project through. A lot of people have lost faith or are on the verge of losing faith – I hope the decision today will have restored a little bit of that in us.’
Full States coverage in Thursday’s Press
