P&R has draft proposals for "regeneration board" for east coast

Thursday 16 December 2021

The Policy & Resources Committee looks set to ask the States to form a “regeneration board” to develop the future of the east coast from The Bridge to La Vallette.

Deputy Mark Helyar, a member of the Committee, told the States’ Assembly that a policy letter with the proposal “has been completed” but not yet signed off by the Policy & Resources Committee for submission to the States.

“It will include – it should rightfully include – a process by which States’ members will have the opportunity to choose the membership of what I think will be proposed as a regeneration board,” said Deputy Helyar.

“It’s not just about the seafront. It’s about the whole of the eastern seaboard from The Bridge down to La Vallette swimming pools.”

Pictured: Deputy Mark Helyar, Treasury Lead for the Policy & Resources Committee, told States' members that they would have the decisive votes on the form and membership of an "eastern seaboard regeneration board".

Speaking further about a "regeneration board", Deputy Helyar said that States’ members would have “a complete opportunity to choose its membership and its form of operation”.

Deputy Heidi Soulsby, Vice-President of the Policy & Resources Committee, later referred to the body which looks set to be proposed as a “development board”.

She was answering questions from other deputies having provided the States with an update on the Government Work Plan, which the Assembly approved earlier this year as a framework for its priorities and actions until the end of its term in June 2025.

The exchange about the east coast followed a question from Deputy Yvonne Burford, President of the Scrutiny Management Committee. She asked Deputy Soulsby for the names of members of a group set up by the Policy & Resources Committee to consider the enhancement of the seafront in Town.

Deputy Soulsby said she was not a member of the group and could not recall all of its members, though she understood that they included Deputy Helyar and former States’ member Stuart Falla, who is now a member of the States’ Trading Supervisory Board.

Pictured: Stuart Falla, a member of the States' Trading Supervisory Board, also sits alongside Deputy Mark Helyar as a member of a temporary group considering the enhancement of the Town seafront which may soon be replaced by an "eastern seaboard regeneration board".

It is understood that the group considering the enhancement of the seafront in Town has been set up by the Policy & Resources Committee temporarily until the States debate its policy letter for a “regeneration board” or “development board”.

In other questions following Deputy Soulsby’s statement on the Government Work Plan, Deputy Lyndon Trott asked about inflation and labour constraints.

Deputy Trott said: “Deputy Soulsby spoke of regenerating our economy. Real terms growth of 2% per annum will now require nominal growth of over 6.5% due to the inflationary pressures our economy faces. With significant inflation in wages, construction costs and property…what does the Policy & Resources Committee believe should be done to alleviate material labour constraints across the care sector, hospitality, construction and financial services in particular in the short term?”

In reply, Deputy Soulsby said: “Very much a cross-States approach is the way to do it. It’s not just for the Policy & Resources Committee. I hope I’ve set out within my update what is going on in terms of how we can move things forward through the Housing Action Group, immediate changes that they’re making, and the population management review that is being undertaken.

“[Deputy Trott] is right – there’s pressure all over the place - because of that we have to look at how we can do things differently. They say necessity is the mother of invention and I think we’re probably in a phase where we need to do just that.”

Pictured: Deputy Adrian Gabriel asked questions about the powers of the Policy & Resources Committee to agree to hundreds of millions of pounds of spending on capital projects without further reference to the States' Assembly. 

Deputy Adrian Gabriel asked how much scrutiny there would be over the Policy & Resources Committee, including by the States’ Assembly, when the Committee is approving capital expenditure up to £500million under delegated authority set up by the Assembly earlier this year.

In reply, Deputy Soulsby acknowledged that some members of the States are concerned about the level of authority to approve expenditure which has been delegated to the Committee.

“It’s about a balance, isn’t it,” said Deputy Soulsby. “We’ve had a whole process for years and years where nothing got built. Now we try to have a process where we can do that while making sure we’ve got the scrutiny within the Policy & Resources Committee through our Treasury team, the capital team – there are enough people checking. We’ve got a Scrutiny committee.”

Deputy Soulsby said that capital projects which require policy direction also still require the approval of the States’ Assembly.

Pictured: Deputy Heidi Soulsby tried to reassure the States that there is appropriate scrutiny over the Policy & Resources Committee's authority to approve spending of up to £500million on capital projects.

Deputy Neil Inder raised concerns about the States’ programme for developing digital services and requested a separate statement to the Assembly at a future meeting.

In reply, Deputy Soulsby said she would be happy to provide an update on that work and assured Deputy Inder that the Policy & Resources Committee is rigorously overseeing officials carrying out the work.

“I don’t know if holding their feet to the fire is the right term, but we’re not forgetting about it and hoping it goes away”, said Deputy Soulsby.

Deputy Steve Falla raised concerns about whether there was sufficient flexibility in the Government Work Plan to address the island’s housing challenges. He said he wanted to challenge, contribute to and debate the work of an action group on housing which includes the presidents of several States’ committees.