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The Transforming Education Programme has been “essentially defunded” after deputies voted against several amendments which attempted to save it.
Deputies threatened to tie themselves in knots during an extended debate on the future of education, with various attempts at keeping the Transforming Education Programme in the capital portfolio.
Despite a prior debate on the Funding and Investment Plan leading to the States prioritising the second phase of the Hospital Modernisation Project over the Transforming Education Programme, the decision left a sour taste in the mouths of the public and the politicians themselves.
It was an impossible decision, but Guernsey is in an impossible place. Without a firm plan for new taxation, the island doesn’t have the money to fund both.
Attempts to increase borrowing limits to fund the programme were thrown out and a delaying amendment from Deputy Gavin St Pier failed to give Education, Sport and Culture any rope.
His amendment - amendment 21 - would've directed Policy and Resources to submit new funding options for the entire capital portfolio, including the inclusion of the TEP.
Immediate actions for the Programme would be funded through the General Revenue Reserve.
Deputy Gavin St Pier explained that it "may not be a perfect solution, but we're in a far from perfect place".
While much was made about the inability of this particular States body of making any difficult decision, many in the assembly supported the idea of keeping the TEP in play.
"This is the sad situation we are in, but it feels like there is no other hope, because if there is any further delay, it is getting beyond a crisis and beyond repair,” said Deputy Sasha Kazantseva-Miller.
"I literally think [this amendment] is the only hope we have, because this Assembly in this current position cannot make the difficult decisions.”
Deputy Peter Ferbrache echoed the concerns, suggesting that throwing out the amendment would be the “death knell” for the education project while also announcing that he would abstain from the vote.
Deputy St Pier’s amendment lost 13/19 with eight deputies abstaining.
The spiralling debate culminated in an amendment lodged by Deputy Charles Parkinson, an amendment which he referred to as a “last chance saloon”.
Amendment 20 did not seek to add the TEP back into the capital portfolio – instead it simply asked for P&R to go away and devise a report on funding options for the TEP specifically.
"It's not binding the States to much more than just revisiting the funding of the Transforming Education Programme," said Deputy Parkinson.
"This is the last chance saloon - if this amendment loses, the education programme is essentially defunded."
It lost 18 votes to 20, leaving the Transforming Education Programme with no assigned funding.
The budget debate continues and you can follow it LIVE ONLINE.
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