The 'boomerang' issues and what was decided

March 2015

Last week we touched on the GST decision which came out of the tax, pensions and benefits review debate.

While States members shook their collective heads and rejected that tax, they did not hesitate to order a review into the possibility of green taxes as they looked for others ways to diversify the tax base.

A report on environmental taxes was due before the election, but Treasury did not deliver that in time.

How they voted on the Burford amendment for Treasury to put proposals to the States by March 2016 for increasing current environmental taxes or introducing new ones and that an energy efficiency programme should form part of the measures:

For: Deputies St Pier, Ogier, Fallaize, Laurie Queripel, Le Lievre, Duquemin, Green, Dorey, Adam, Perrot, WIlkie, Burford, Inglis, Soulsby, Luxon, Hadley, Harwood, Kuttelwascher, Brehaut, Domaille, Langlois, R. Jones, Le Clerc, Gollop, Sherbourne, Conder, Bebb. 27

Against: Deputies Stewart, Gillson, Le Pelley, Trott, D. Jones, Lowe, Spruce, Collins, Paint, Brouard, De Lisle, Sillars, O'Hara, Quin, Lester Queripel and Alderney representatives Jean and McKinley. 17

Absent: Deputies Le Tocq, James, Storey.

May 2015

The saga surrounding a decision on rebuilding La Mare de Carteret continued to drag on in May.

Education returned with its report following an independent review of its plans with the hope of getting the States to support the £60m.-plus rebuild.

In the end, mid-debate it drew up a compromise amendment which meant it could carry on spending money getting all the plans in place for a new school, but would have to return next year with a report on the future of the 11-plus before the final decision was made.

Just one deputy voted against that compromise, Barry Paint, with five absent – deputies Brouard, Inglis, Storey, Bebb and Spruce.

July 2015

How to fund the new transport strategy was a problem that plagued this States.

Having passed the minority report, they spent subsequent debates changing some of its most fundamental elements.

First registration duty was watered down, free buses fell, paid parking went out of the window.

A bid by Environment to use a fuel duty hike was also rejected.

How they voted on proposals to use a first registration duty, bus fares and an increased bus subsidy from Treasury to fund the transport strategy:

For: Deputies Harwood, Kuttelwascher, Brehaut, Domaille, Langlois, R. Jones, Le Clerc, Gollop, Sherbourne, Conder, Bebb, Lester Queripel, Stewart, Gillson, Ogier, Fallaize, D. Jones, Laurie Queripel, Le Lievre, Duquemin, Green, Dorey, Le Tocq, Adam, Wilkie, De Lisle, Burford, Inglis, Soulsby, Sillars, Luxon, Quin, Hadley. 33

Against: Deputies St Pier, Le Pelley, Spruce, Collins, Paint, James, Perrot, Brouard. 8

Abstained: Alderney representatives Jean and McKinley.

Absent: Deputies Trott, Lowe, O'Hara.

September 2015

One of those boomerang issues, perhaps this time it won't be coming back?

This was the vote that finally led to the full deregulation of Sunday trading, members having already rejected the chance earlier in the term.

Views were polarised between those who favoured shops and shoppers having the choice and those who wanted to keep Sunday as a family day.

How they voted on the Commerce and Employment Department proposals to allow all shops to open on a Sunday:

For: Deputies Kuttelwascher, Brehaut, Domaille, Langlois,

R. Jones, Le Clerc, Sherbourne, Conder, St Pier, Stewart, Trott, Fallaize, Lowe, Le Lievre, Collins, Green, James, Wilkie, Inglis, Soulsby, Sillars, Luxon, Quin, Hadley and Alderney representative Jean. 25

Against: Deputies Harwood, Gollop, Bebb, Lester Queripel, Gillson, Le Pelley, Ogier, Laurie Queripel, Spruce, Duquemin, Dorey, Paint, Adam, Perrot, Brouard, De Lisle, Burford, O'Hara and Alderney representative McKinley. 19

Absent: Deputies D. Jones and Le Tocq.

First-time buyers

What the States does or doesn't do to help people get on the housing ladder became an increasingly prominent issue as the term moved on. The average house price is now 15 times the average salary.

Treasury and Housing were ordered by the States to investigate a first-time buyer assistance scheme. They reviewed the options, such as deposit assistance, deciding that none of the options were suitable.

States members ordered the department to do a wide-ranging review of the housing market.

How they voted on the Soulsby amendment to produce a broad-based review of the operation of the housing market by the end of July 2016:

For: Deputies Harwood, Brehaut, Domaille, Langlois, R. Jones, Le Clerc, Gollop, Conder, Bebb, Lester Queripel, Stewart, Gillson, Ogier, Trott, Fallaize, Laurie Queripel, Lowe, Le Lievre, Collins, Duquemin, Green, Dorey, James, Brouard, Wilkie, De Lisle, Burford, Inglis, Soulsby, Sillars, Luxon, O'Hara, Quin and Alderney representatives Jean and McKinley. 35

Against: Deputies Kuttelwascher, Sherbourne, St Pier, Le Pelley, Spruce, Paint, Le Tocq, Adam, Perrot, Hadley. 10

Absent: Deputy D. Jones.

September 2015

Replacing the Leopardess

COMMERCE AND EMPLOYMENT has been adamant throughout this term that the Leopardess needed to be replaced with a new sea fisheries vessel, but in cash-strapped times members and the public have been sensitive to the plans.

When it came to the crunch, deputies were sceptical that the department had proposed the best option at £2.6m., fearing both that local companies had been excluded by a tender process that was too tight or that refurbishment would be better.

In the end they ordered an independent survey of the current vessel and told C&E to reopen the tender process if it decided a replacement was still needed.

How they voted on the Soulsby amendment which sent Commerce and Employment away to do more work on the future of the Leopardess:

For: Deputies Harwood, Kuttelwascher, Brehaut, Domaille, Le Clerc, Gollop, Sherbourne, Lester Queripel, St Pier, Laurie Queripel, Lowe, Spruce, Green, Dorey, Paint, Adam, Perrot, Burford, Inglis, Soulsby, Sillars, Luxon, O'Hara and Alderney representatives Jean and McKinley. 25.

Against: Langlois, R. Jones, Bebb, Stewart, Gillson, Le Pelley, Ogier, Trott, Fallaize, Le Lievre, Collins, Duquemin, Le Tocq, Brouard, Wilkie, De Lisle, Quin, Hadley. 18.

Absent: Conder, D. Jones and James.

• In last week’s column, the text detailing those who were absent from votes was mistakenly changed to say they had abstained. The Guernsey Press would like to apologise for the error.