Five year term for deputies?

Friday 19 October 2018

Guernsey could see general elections every five years, rather than every four in future.

Deputy Gavin St Pier, supported by Deputy Peter Ferbrache, wants to ask the States to consider shifting back the next election after 2020, to 2025.

The pair have placed an amendment against the States' Rules of Procedure, which comes under the remit of the States Assembly and Constitution Committee.

SACC already has its work cut out, as it has to deliver a system of island wide voting ahead of the next scheduled election, which is due to be held in June 2020.

That is already later than planned, with elections usually being held during the Spring. 

Now, Deputies St Pier and Ferbrache have released their plans publicly, saying that elections should be held every five yeas.

If enough deputies agree then SACC would have to come up with plans for bringing the five year terms of office in by the end of April 2019, so it can be brought in as soon as possible, meaning that those deputies elected island wide in 2020 will all serve five year terms.

Deputies St Pier and Ferbrache said this would fall in line with the Isle of Man which already has five year terms. 

Pictured: Deputies Gavin St Pier and Heidi Soulsby.

Deputy St Pier has also placed another amendment, in conjunction with Health and Social Care President, Deputy Heidi Soulsby, prompting a debate on the size of Guernsey's political committees.

They're suggesting the principal committees including Policy and Resources, Economic Development, HSC and others have three members made up of a President and two other deputies.

They currently have a President and four other members with many of Guernsey's 38 deputies sitting on more than one committee.

Both amendments will be debated later this year or early in 2019.

Pictured: Deputies Gavin St Pier and Peter Ferbrache.