Advocate Rose Colley English Português Polski

I understand the issues facing families in Jersey and I fight for a better life for them.

My Manifesto

Reaching Out and Reviving Our Democracy

The vast majority of the electorate are currently dissatisfied with the States. This dissatisfaction is serious and deeply held. It is therefore essential that the process of reconnection with the community by its elected representatives is seen as a priority.

It is generally accepted that the current system of government is not working and there are many questions that need to be answered about the alternatives. The composition of the States needs to be reformed. There is a huge amount of work for our government to do and we need to be careful before we automatically accept that there are too many States members (although there may be). What is crucial is that workable solutions are put forward as to how many elected representatives should represent each area of the Island. The role of the Constables should continue in order to foster democracy and participation at the Parish level.

Viable solutions to constitutional reform need to be found by the States and then put to the electorate in a referendum. Only then will there be a clear mandate for reform and the whole community will have an opportunity to have a say in the future composition of the States.

It is also essential that the States reform its own internal procedures. There is too much time wasting and petty argument in the current Chamber. This lowers the reputation of our government and ensures that the electorate do not have confidence in the decisions taken. Most importantly, the community feels unrepresented on issues that really matter to them. The current system of scrutiny does not work and this needs to be urgently reformed to allow for a responsive select committee type process that allows draft legislation to be properly examined. Currently, the scrutiny process appears to operate as an unofficial opposition to the Council of Ministers with little or no in-depth scrutiny of proposals taking place. In addition, the Council of Ministers needs to be seen to be acting far more cohesively than it currently does.

All to often the public see nothing more than States members backbiting about each other. At times this even descends to personal attacks. Too much time is taken up with certain members taking up hours of time putting forward personal hobbyhorses. All of this has to stop and a proper system of rules and procedures put into place, which incorporate a clear Code of Conduct for members.

Jersey is fortunate to have a vibrant parish system and this should be maintained and enhanced. States departments should be seen in each of the parishes and decentralise those functions that can be more appropriately carried out at a parish level. Consideration should be given as to whether or not day to day planning issues should be decided upon by those elected in the local area. Part of the constitutional debate should be to see how our parish system could be more effectively used.

Helping Create a Fair Population Policy

It is clear that people in Jersey wish to have a say in population policy. This can be an emotive issue but one which cannot be ignored. There clearly has to be a balance struck between the need for the population to grow to keep pace with the economy and the protection of our environment and way of life generally. Realistically population growth can only be controlled through access to employment and/or housing. A full and informed debate on options (including the possibility of work permits) needs to take place in the States after consultation with employers groups, those representing employees and other interest groups such as the Portuguese and Polish communities. As an Island, our population cannot keep growing. We do not want to become another Hong Kong but at the same time an increasingly older population will need the economy to remain healthy, stable and with appropriate growth.

Helping Strengthen Jersey’s Economy

Our Island is fortunate enough to have a stable economy. We have not suffered from the dire economic conditions that many have faced elsewhere including the UK. The finance industry is vital to our economy and the States must support it. However, there are other industries such as tourism, agriculture and fisheries that also play a key role in our economy and these too should be supported. These sectors help bring much needed diversity to the economy which is essential in the modern age. A clear economic development strategy is needed that not only looks to our existing industries to provide for future growth, but also considers new sectors such as green technologies. Jersey needs to be constantly finding new ways to maintain its competitiveness in an increasingly competitive world and elected politicians have a key role to play in this.

Unemployment is currently at an unacceptable level on the Island and the States should see job creation as a priority, particularly for school leavers, who are finding it more and more difficult to find their first job. The States should also be considering ways of encouraging Jersey graduates to come back to work in the Island after completing their degrees including the possibility of financial incentives.

Maintaining a Fair Taxation & Benefits System

The community quite rightly, demand high quality public services. Taxation is necessary in order to pay for these services. However, the government should always be accountable for the spending decisions that it makes. Currently, the electorate does not feel that all public money is properly spent and therefore often feel that taxation is unfair. Personal income tax must not rise above 20% but it must be seen as operating in a way that is fair to all taxpayers whether they be employed or self-employed.

It is accepted that GST in some form is here to stay. However, it is vital that GST is removed from food. Many in the community are suffering financially due to this decision, which appears to have been made without any real thought for its effect on family budgets. It is not sufficient to rely on protecting those on lower incomes through the Income Support system as thousands of ordinary families are struggling financially due to the extra 5% on their food bills.

Our benefits system must be fair and be seen to be fair. It must be the case that nobody should be better off by relying on benefits than by working. There is an argument to say that our current Income Support system too complicated, favours certain applicants over others and is now administered in an overly bureaucratic way. Payments of benefits form an increasingly large part of the Island’s budget and there must be more transparency and accountability of the system. Consideration should be given to whether or not the parishes should play a role once more in helping to administer benefits.

Creating Opportunities for All Our Young People

There must be educational equality for all our children and young people. Pupils in all our schools should reach an adequate standard of educational achievement and results from our schools should be transparent to both pupils and parents alike.

Consideration should be given to the existing school curriculum in order to better prepare young people for the world of work. Schools should work in partnership with employers to achieve this.

The current mix of private and state education in the Island allows the vast majority of our young people to end their school career as well educated and balanced individuals. This mix should therefore continue to be supported but there does need to be a full and honest debate about the future funding of the colleges and whether or not the education department needs to do more to ensure that some children and young people do not drastically underachieve. This debate may also wish to consider the current 14 plus system and the possibility of an Island 6th Form Centre.

Decisions about our schools should never again be taken without full consultation with all the stakeholders including parents.

Highlands College provides an essential service for preparing young people for work. Highlands should be able to adapt to an increasingly diverse economy where employers will demand different skills. Consideration should be given to the viability (perhaps with Guernsey) of setting up a university that specialises in skills needed in an offshore jurisdiction.

The Island needs to encourage its graduates back to the Island and consideration should be given to financial incentives being offered to those that do return in order to take up employment in the Island.

The Youth Service plays a vital role in helping younger people in the Island and this service should be protected, as the work that it needs to do is more crucial in the current climate of higher than normal unemployment amongst young people.

Fighting for a Fair Deal for All Our Older People

The population of Jersey is getting older as more and more of us are living longer. It is therefore vital that the States responds to the needs of the older community. Many are desperately worried about the value of their States of Jersey old age pension as against the cost of living and therefore full consideration should be given as to whether or not it would be more equitable to peg pension increases to the cost of living rather than average wage increases in future years.

The States can also play a part in ensuring that older people are not discriminated against in the employment market. Discrimination against older people can be as profound other types of discrimination e.g. sex or race.

Older people should be encouraged to play an ongoing role in their local communities.

Taking Real Action to Protect Our Environment

Jersey is an amazingly beautiful place to live and all steps should be taken to protect our countryside and coast. Local communities should play a part in making decisions on the use of land within their parishes. No further decisions should be taken that allow development of schemes such as the one at Portelet unless the local community supports such a scheme.

There needs to be continuing debate on the remainder of the Waterfront sites. Consideration should be given to whether or not it is financially viable to use some of the sites for public use e.g. a new hospital site or affordable housing for first time buyers.

The planning system needs to be responsive to the needs both of business and local residents. Uses must be matched to the right places in the overall Island planning strategy.

More and faster action is needed on recycling and renewable energy.

Helping to Protect and Improve Our Health Service

With an increasingly older population there will be more and more demands on our health service. There is an urgent need to maintain clinical standards and keep pace with new technologies. There needs to be an informed debate over whether or not Jersey itself can deliver the full range of specialist care that is necessary and innovative ways need to be found e.g. joint specialist units with the UK, Guernsey or France.

Our hospital is outgrowing its buildings and a future States will need to fully consider whether a new hospital for the modern age should be built, how it should be funded and which services it can provide.

Jersey has excellent GP services and consideration should be given to the possibility of strengthening the link between the care provided at primary and secondary level.

Future strategic planning needs to focus on all aspects of health, including mental health and involve all the stakeholders in our health service in this debate.

Creating Quality and Diversity In Housing

There is a shortage of quality housing in the Island. There needs to be a clear strategy on how to provide good quality housing for our diverse population. Too many in our community live in expensive sub-standard housing and this impacts on our well being as a society. No one in Jersey should be forced to live in housing that is damp or overcrowded.

An urgent strategy is needed for providing sufficient and affordable 1st time buyer housing as well as more shared equity schemes. Steps should be taken to encourage more young couples to live in St Helier, for example.

Helping to Improve Transport

Transport links both by air and sea are vital to maintain a healthy economy for Islanders, businesses and tourists alike. It is essential that the States continually supports and adapts to the need for external links from the Island.

Many local people need a viable bus service all year round. The current bus services to the country parishes are poor particularly in the winter months and Connex needs to be continually challenged about the service it provides. A good public transport system is essential if there is to less use of cars in the Island. Consideration should be given to a park and ride scheme, for example, to encourage Islanders not to bring their cars into St Helier as often. There also needs to be a consideration of how to encourage cycling particualrly into St Helier.

Encouraging Sport & Culture

Sport is incredibly important to many thousands of people who live in Jersey and has a vital role in providing meaningful leisure time to our young people. Funding for sport in the Island therefore should be protected where this is economically viable.

The arts are also flourishing in Jersey and innovative steps that involve private/public partnership should be encouraged. I would support, for example, as such an initiative a National Galley in Jersey. I would also encourage private initiatives that will provide an independent cinema in the Island.

A clear plan is urgently needed for Fort Regent before it becomes a complete white elephant and deteriorates even further. Fort Regent is potentially a project that could bring together a new model of private/public partnership in order to provide excellent facilities for both sport and the arts.

Back home...