Sark result upheld
SARK’S conseiller candidates were left waiting until last night to find who would get the final seat.
Nine seats were available in Wednesday's election, with 15 people standing for them.
Eight conseillers were duly elected – six new faces and two returning to office – and will take their place in Chief Pleas with Sark’s existing nine other conseillers after the biannual poll to elect half of the island's government.
But the remaining place was too close to call with four men separated by just four votes – prompting a recount last night.
Initially Frank Makepeace led those four, with 88 votes – one more than Tony Le Lievre.
And the result was confirmed after a recount last night.
A code of conduct complaint, concerning the renting out of a property owned by chief pleas, was successfully made by Conseiller Makepeace earlier this year, which led to recommendations that Conseiller Le Lievre be disbarred from the douzaine for three months.
Conseiller Paul Williams was also sanctioned at the time. He lost his seat after only polling 61 votes and coming fourteenth out of 15 candidates.
In April Conseiller Le Lievre had been one of those who had voted against Conseiller Makepeace in a vote of no confidence that saw him ousted from his position as douzaine chairman.
In total 240 Sarkees voted in the election – a 66% turnout.
Topping the polls was newcomer Mike Locke, with 179 votes.
Mr Locke only moved back to Sark permanently in 2021, but has a long association with the island, dating back to when his father first moved there in 1949.
‘Seeing the numbers, I was a little astonished,’ he said.
‘It is a big responsibility I hope I can live up to as a lot of people have put their faith in me. I love Sark and if I can help it I will, which is why I stood. I do believe people who benefit from a community should give something back.’
A marketing professional, he used to run a satellite internet company.
‘This brought the internet to rural communities and was before Elon Musk's Starlink system and without the money.’
He was keen to offer these skills to Chief Pleas and was keen to boost Sark's profile online.
‘Everything is done through the internet now and it’s vital for a tourism-based economy like ours,’ he said.
‘We are also looking to build infrastructure networks like our electricity system which I hope to help with.
‘Sark is such a beautiful place and the people make it what it is. I’ve never known anywhere with such a feeling of community.’
