Deputies set to debate their code of conduct again in May

Monday 14 February 2022

The States could soon move a step closer to reforming the system for handling complaints of misconduct against deputies.

The President of the States' Assembly & Constitution Committee, Deputy Carl Meerveld, says his Committee is aiming for a States' debate in May on proposals to appoint a joint Channel Islands' Commissioner for Standards to lead the misconduct system.

And he said his Committee's plan is that the Commissioner will not be restricted to looking into complaints of misconduct only if they are made by others. In addition, the Commissioner will have the powers to initiate investigations if he or she has reason to believe that a deputy may have broken the Code of Conduct. 

In 2020, the States agreed "that the position of Commissioner for Standards should be established...to investigate alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members of the States of Deliberation, replacing the States Members' Conduct Panel".

In April last year, Deputy Meerveld revealed a plan to share a Commissioner with Jersey. He says that remains the plan and that his Committee is now on the verge of submitting a policy letter to the States' Assembly seeking deputies' approval to start the process of amending legislation to introduce the role of Commissioner.

Pictured (inset): The current chairman of the Code of Conduct Panel is The Very Reverend John Guille.

A policy letter to be debated by the States at their meeting on 25 May would normally need to be submitted by mid-April.

Jersey's Commissioner for Standards is currently Paul Kernaghan. Even if he is appointed to a new Channel Islands' role, Guernsey will retain its own Code of Conduct rules and will not automatically follow the rules used in Jersey.

At present in Guernsey, an alleged breach of the Code of Conduct is considered by a Panel appointed by the Presiding Officer - the Bailiff - and chaired by The Very Reverend John Guille. The other members are former Deputies Allister Langlois, Sandra James and Scott Ogier, Advocate Russell Clark, Dame Mary Perkins, Barbara Steer, Advocate Louise Hall, Stephen Trevor and Mick Fooks.