States agrees to spend up to £7m. on castle bridge

The States has backed spending a maximum of £7m. to replace the crumbling 1950s structure, which links the head of the Havelet wall to the Castle Breakwater with a side span to the entrance of the castle.

States’ Trading Supervisory Board president Peter Roffey tried to reassure the Assembly that like-for-like replacement was the lowest-cost option of several investigated and that £7m. was a budget cap, not a final cost estimate.

But many deputies remained concerned about the expense of the project and five, including former Policy & Resources members David Mahoney and Deputy Mark Helyar, voted against it.

‘Many previous speakers have expressed their shock and horror at the cost but followed that by saying “I guess we’ve got to support it”,’ said Deputy Mahoney

‘That’s the problem – we don’t have to support it. Voting for things with big numbers just ensures that the next time something is put before us it will also have big numbers in it.’

Deputy Simon Vermeulen was ‘astounded’ by the figure of £7m. and offered to work with the board to look for efficiencies.

Deputy Neil Inder wanted a commitment that the project would return to the Assembly if the maximum budget needed to be increased. P & R president Lyndon Trott said he would recommend that course of action to his committee.

‘But this is clearly a must-do project. Depriving access to Castle Cornet is and will remain unthinkable,’ said Deputy Trott.

Deputy Marc Leadbeater was concerned about ‘incredible and unsustainable’ project management fees on States capital projects and urged that they be ‘reined in to save a considerable amount of money’.

The castle is the responsibility of Education, Sport & Culture.

Its president, Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, said that replacing the bridge was important to maintain land access to the castle, breakwater and lighthouse. She criticised the ‘arrogance’ of some deputies who she believed were too willing to dispute expert advice in highly technical matters.

Deputy Roffey reminded the States of the present condition of the bridge.

‘We already don’t have vehicular access. Before very long at all, we will not be allowed pedestrian access,’ he said.

‘Guernsey wants this done. We will do it as cost-effectively as we can. If we can get it done for less than £7m., we will, but Guernsey won’t forgive us if we don’t allow access to continue to this crucial part of our heritage.’

How they voted... on STSB’s proposal to spend up to £7m. replacing the Castle Cornet bridge:

For: Deputies Aldwell, Blin, Bury, Cameron, de Sausmarez, Dudley-Owen, Dyke, Fairclough, Falla, Ferbrache, Gabriel, Gollop, Haskins, Inder, Kazantseva-Miller, Le Tissier, Le Tocq, Leadbeater, McKenna, Meerveld, Moakes, Murray, Oliver, Parkinson, Prow, Roffey, Soulsby, St Pier, Taylor, Trott and Vermeulen. Total: 31

Against: Deputies De Lisle, Helyar, Mahoney, Matthews, and Queripel. Total: 5

Absent: Deputies Brouard and Burford and Alderney representatives Roberts and Snowdon. Total: 4