Seating plan encourages group dynamic

It was an addendum that could have lasting implications for future Assemblies.

In essence, party members will sit in their political groups while the top bench will be focused on committee presidents rather than Policy & Resources members.

On a practical level the changes make sense. Members of The Guernsey Party were elected on a single platform. During marginal debates where a series of late but crucial amendments come into play they may wish to confer before voting.

Instead of frantic looks around the Chamber and passing notes back and forth the six party deputies should be able to come to a speedy conclusion and vote en bloc.

For the Guernsey Partnership of Independents it makes less sense. The ‘party that isn’t a party’ now contains nine deputies from a broad political spectrum.

There is no pledge to vote together on any issue and little need to sit together or confer.

The new system therefore fits the needs of just 15% of the Assembly.

So what? Deputies have to sit somewhere.

But as has been seen from previous Assemblies, it does matter where people sit. The Royal Court Chamber, with its raised bench, creates a ‘them and us’ feel. In previous terms it contributed to the friction between conseillers and ‘ordinary’ deputies.

And, as is only natural, deputies do form friendships with those they sit near. Familiarity helps conversations to flow more easily and such alliances can turn political.

In that light, seating deputies in parties for the next four years rather than, say, alphabetically, could bake in the fledgling party system.

Some of the more bizarre votes in the committee elections have shown there is already a strong group dynamic to this Assembly.

Seating The Guernsey Party together may reinforce their image as a voting bloc. It could even encourage the Partnership of Independents to become more of a genuine party.

And other deputies voted in as ‘independents’ may choose to sit together and do likewise.

A seemingly innocuous decision could have a far-reaching effect.