Deputy Roffey could join new ESC Committee

Tuesday 06 February 2018

Deputy Peter Roffey is to be nominated to join the new Education, Sport and Culture Committee, which is likely to be predominately made up of the so-called "gang of four".

Deputy Matt Fallaize is to be formally nominated for the vacant President's role tomorrow morning and says he will nominate deputies Mark Dorey, Richard Graham and Rhian Tooley to join him along with Deputy Roffey.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow's States meeting which will see the new ESC committee elected, Deputy Matt Fallaize told Express:

"The four members who proposed what was then the Alternative Model, which is now States' policy, are offering ourselves for election for several reasons. We are eager for the opportunity to lead the further development and then the implementation of the secondary and post-16 policy. Indeed, having carried the argument in the States three weeks ago, we recognise that we have a duty to step up to lead this work.

"We also believe we can make a positive contribution to the other areas of the committee's mandate, including sport and culture."

Pictured: above, Deputy Matt Fallaize and top, Deputy Peter Roffey

Deputy Fallaize accepts he and the other three members of the "gang of four" lack experience leading political committees which is why he wants Deputy Roffey to join them on the ESC committee:

"What the four members lack, however, is sustained experience leading one of the two or three major committees of the States. Deputy Roffey has such experience in spades. He led the old Agriculture & Countryside Committee through the foot and mouth crisis and led Health & Social Care during a time when its budget was beginning to be squeezed and it had to make contentious decisions which were not universally popular. 

"This experience would be invaluable to the new Committee for Education, Sport and Culture. He is also, by his own admission, a recent convert to the idea of two 11-18 schools and so is well-placed to understand the reservations and concerns of those people who we recognise remain to be persuaded."

This week's States meeting which will see the election of the new ESC committee to drive forward the newly adopted States policy for a new model of secondary education will come days after a protest against the "two-school model". 

Deputy Fallaize says he respects the right of those people who attended the protest on Sunday to assemble and make their views known:

"I am sure this who marched have good intentions and believe in their views as sincerely as those of us who favour two 11-18 schools. Only the protestors could tell you whether they achieved their objectives My responsibility, if elected as Committee President, is to deliver the policies agreed by the States to the benefit of students.

"As a parent of children at States' primary school I understand the concerns held by some parents. I also understand the need to establish greater certainty as soon as possible. I fully accept that there is a need to do more to inform our community about the benefits of the future structure of secondary and post-16 education and this is a task for the new committee once elected."