Guernsey Press

'Parachuted' conseillers provide a temporary fix

TWO conseillers have been temporarily 'parachuted' onto Sark's Road Traffic Committee following the latest resignations from Chief Pleas.

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TWO conseillers have been temporarily 'parachuted' onto Sark's Road Traffic Committee following the latest resignations from Chief Pleas.

Conseillers Elizabeth Dewe and Christine Audrain both volunteered their services at the meeting of Chief Pleas, following the recent resignation of two committee chairmen.

Conseillers John Hunt and Margaret Mallinson quit the chairmanship and resigned from Chief Pleas following two critical road traffic appeals tribunals.

They leave behind two of four vacancies at Chief Pleas, to be filled at an upcoming by-election, now scheduled for 4 December.

Conseiller Tony Ventress led the calls on behalf of the Road Traffic Committee for two conseillers to fill the void on its committee on an interim basis, until new members could join at the Christmas Chief Pleas (in January).

He was earlier among those at Chief Pleas who had expressed their thanks to the departed conseillers.

'The Road Traffic Committee firstly wishes to express its appreciation of John Hunt who has unselfishly given a vast amount of time and expertise to the extremely difficult and onerous task of drafting and bringing the consolidated Tractor Laws to Chief Pleas,' he said. 'It is with great regret that former Conseiller Hunt chose to resign after the decision by the first of the recent road traffic appeals tribunals which found that the committee had been unreasonable in its dealings with the appellant.

'Secondly, to express the committee's thanks to Margaret Mallinson who, at very short notice and having only been on the Road Traffic Committee for just a matter of months, was elected the chairman and immediately faced another tribunal.

'Despite her best efforts, that tribunal also found that the committee had been unreasonable with the appellant. It was the criticism she received in trying to find a way forward after these reverses that led to her resignation. That, too, is a matter of deep regret.'

Conseiller Ventress said the recruitment of interim replacements was a short-term measure to tide the committee over. But he also warned that the committee would not be able develop secondary legislation to bring in new laws they had been working on until a full committee was in place.

At the Chief Pleas meeting, further details were given of the upcoming by-election for the four conseiller vacancies.

This includes the electoral roll being closed on 6 November and nominations for the vacancies being welcomed between 11 November and noon on 15 November.

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