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JDA Policy, Aims and Objectives |
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views, news and stories from the point of view of younger people in the JDA
Election 2008
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Politics is about three things – people, policy and numbers. People generate the ideas that end up as policy. When we have enough numbers voting for policy, and for representatives in the States, then those policies will be turned into action. It really is that simple; that is the way party politics works.
The key to effective politics is the connection between your vote and actions done on your behalf. There is no connection between the vote and the actions under the current system of 53 independents. The key to making the connection is the manifesto; the set of key ideas on which actions can be based.
These are some of the ideas that we are currently considering for inclusion in the JDA manifesto to be launched in September. We are posting them here to get your feedback to help us develop them further. Some may fall by the wayside as being too difficult to implement or too expensive, but the best of them will make up our platform for the next election.
We are open to suggestions to improve and expand them: We want to hear from you, especially if you have expertise in any of the subjects covered. Is there something missing or just as important, should back off anything? We want to know The key to successful and sustainable Jersey is, after all, in people working together.
The JDA will not necessarily agree with everything we are told by way of your feedback, but we do promise to listen. When we disagree, it will be for good reason.
e-mail your thoughts on:
Economic Development
In the words of President Clinton: “It’s the economy stupid.”
Ignore the economy at your peril. The single most important factor in voting patterns is how they feel about the economy, both on the large scale and on the level of their own personal finances.
There can be no doubt that the worst thing to affect the economy in recent years has been the imposition of GST on the people of Jersey by a government who will not listen and do not care for their electorate.
With exemptions or without, GST remains a regressive tax – it inflicts the most damage on the least well off. It imposes needless costs on local business. It will be inflationary in the short and medium term. Sooner or later the rate will go up.
For a full debate on this nasty, evil tax and how we propose to get rid of it go to GST, where the cost to every household, is fully explored. For the moment, accept that the cost to the average Jersey family of GST at 3% is around £1,000 a year.
Financial Services: The JDA fully support the continued development of an ethical and well-regulated Finance Industry. Nevertheless, we believe that government must balance the benefits brought by the industry’s success with the demands on the island’s resources.
The continued drive to put all of our eggs in one basket is pure folly. Our dependence on a single industry for over 52% of our economy is frightening. Whilst talking up economic diversity, the government specialise further. The ED minister has allocated £5m to growth and only £250,000 to diversity in his 2008 business plan.
The “go for growth” policies of Philip Ozouf may well deliver more money, but when he says that he is delivering “sustainable” growth, he must surely be stretching the English language, not to say the laws of economics, well beyond their elastic limits. Do not forget “sustainable” growth is his target in the Strategic Plan. A massive 7% growth in the island economy, on the back of 12% growth in the finance sector, with 30% increase in profits in some sectors, cannot be described as sustainable. This is a runaway, uncontrollable, boom economy which relies on the importation of highly skilled and highly paid professionals into the finance sector.
For a fuller examination of the population/ immigration issues please go to population. Suffice it to say that whenever Jersey’s economy has grown, we have sucked in immigrants in order to grow. That is not to say that there is anything wrong with immigrants, Highly skilled or otherwise (the writer of this is one), but it does mean that population increases.
In the last 3 years (2005 – 2007) the population has grown by 700, 1,000 and 1,400; that is 3,100 in total. Is this level of population growth sustainable? We believe it is not. The import of permanent J-cats with the right to buy has been a significant factor in the runaway house price inflation we have seen recently resulting in the price of an average 3-bed semi now reaching £500,000.
The Council of Ministers claim that they are growing all sectors of the economy, but their advisors OXERA have warned that their migration and growth policies will shrink both tourism and agriculture. Past Economic Development Committee reports on both industries showed that they have been neglected in favour of finance. This is a situation that the JDA will seek to address as a key priority. We also contend that to adopt an ostrich-like 'head in the sand' approach to financial issues believing that Jersey can ignore a growing global awareness to the exploitation of developing countries can only lead to disaster. To quote the JDA Chairman "Our house must be in order - and it must be seen to be so." See Imagine Jersey 2035 a Critique
The JDA believes that we must maintain and nurture our tourist industry. In 2005 we campaigned for support to bring down the costs of getting to Jersey. We are glad to see that the Economic development minister has adopted our policy, with the result that tourism numbers are up once more, largely thanks to the subsidies now being given to low-cost carriers.
We believe that the government can go further; by adopting modern commercial financial and accounting practices, the Airport could cut landing fees by up to £3.5m, and boost passenger arrivals whilst eliminating the need for States funding. We will make this one of our priority action areas.
Once travel costs are down, we can look to invest in tourism. This requires strategic use of the interest on the rainy-day fund, already suggested but not yet done, by none other than Senator Walker. Over the past 3 years, the realised interest has averaged over £12m annually. This interest could, and should be invested in our infrastructure. Our number one target would be the restoration and refurbishment of Fort Regent as a major tourist and conference centre. Lift access from Snow Hill is an essential investment priority to revive the Fort.
In the 2005 elections, virtually every candidate acknowledged the need for diversity in our economy, and the promotion of our Tourism Industry was seen as an obvious way to achieve this. One of the popular buzz-words was Event-led tourism. Curiously, there has been little or nothing done by those politicians to follow up this idea, perhaps because those who used it had no idea what it meant. Once again, this year we see the headlines: “Funding crisis for air display/ Battle of Flowers”. Where are those fine words now?
The JDA, however, believes that given the right encouragement, Tourism can once again be a viable secondary economy for Jersey. We are particularly keen to promote Eco-tourism, a market which has been booming internationally in recent years. With Jersey’s natural beauty, unique wildlife and world-class institutions such as Durrell with their new projects, there is no reason why Jersey cannot, once again, become a thriving tourist destination. |
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Agriculture: Of course every politician who stands for election supports the Jersey agricultural industry. We all believe in “Brown cows in green fields”. Not to do so would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it? Well, yes, apart from those ministers and others who voted (AGAIN) against the funding free school milk to the tune of £200,000. Philip Ozouf, who proposed the cut, one week later found a spare £500,000 to toss to Jersey Finance for more marketing. Would you believe it?
Thankfully, JDA Deputy Geoff Southern, managed to persuade the States that support for the dairy sector was worthwhile at least until the new Dairy is up and running.
The JDA believes that a wholistic approach must be taken to our economy. Finance, Tourism and Agriculture are all interdependent like a 3-legged milking stool. The three legs of the economy are agriculture, tourism and finance :Without farmers to maintain and protect the countryside, we will have no tourism; without the hoteliers and their conference managers, we shall have no facilities for business and finance visitors; without finance, we lose 50% of our economy. The current economic thinking in government is that ALL subsidy is wrong and that COMPETITION is the only God. Such a policy is wrong. Without the three legs of the stool, when we sit on it to try to milk the golden cow of finance, we shall fall on our faces (soit dans la boue). Subsidy will be required and must be delivered to our second and third industries if we are to keep any semblance of diversity in our economy. The JDA will work to ensure that this happens.
Small Businesses: We will find ways to support the neglected small business sector. Businesses on the island, apart from the finance sector, have suffered a double blow from the imposition of GST. Not only has GST made them less competitive with UK and internet companies but they have additional administrative costs of collecting the tax for the government. The solution is obvious; we must remove GST. The JDA is committed to doing just that.
Much has been made of the proposal to ensure that consumers know how much GST they are paying by having the tax paid clearly identified on any receipt. This measure of consumer protection also acts to protect the retailer. Transparent pricing enables the retailer to show that he has not been “rounding up” the tax and that it has not been used to disguise other price rises. We believe that although there will be additional costs attached to this measure, they can be accommodated in the timescale requested.
The massive development proposed on the Waterfront now poses a severe threat to businesses in the old town. The risks from displacement are huge. Measures must be put in place to protect the activity and the infrastructure of the traditional heart of St Helier.
Finally to the perennial issue of the application of The Regulation of Undertakings Law (RUDL) to small businesses; there can be no doubt that RUDL makes it far more difficult for small business to recruit and to grow. Big business appears to have far more clout. The JDA will seek ways to ensure greater equity in the application on RUDL.
The JDA believes that controlling immigration is the underlying key to bringing soaring house prices under control, and to put a stop to both the saturation of St. Helier with high-rise, high-density development and the creeping erosion of green and brown field land across the island. The driver of immigration is undoubtedly this government’s obsession with growth of the economy. This growth is now out of control at 7% in real terms overall, driven by a massive 12% in finance. As a consequence, the government have lost control of their so-called migration and population policies. (see Immigration for detailed analysis). Such growth is unsustainable.
The JDA condemns the recent ‘Imagine Jersey 2035’ consultation as an exercise in opinion management. The information given to the participating public in this ‘consultation’ was both incomplete and deliberately misleading. The purpose of the Council of Ministers in structuring this event was quite clearly intended to ensure the public response fitted in perfectly with that promoted and required by the Council; the acceptance of large-scale immigration. (A detailed critique can be found at Immigration.)
The problem is that this major propaganda exercise is already producing results within government. The recent projections by Transport and Technical Services (TTS) of waste volumes to justify the oversized incinerator use the IJ 2035 figure of 250 plus net growth in heads of household. That is net population growth of 550 plus. In assessing the impact of a third supermarket, the consultants DTZ employed by the Environment Minister have been asked to use the immigration projections of Imagine Jersey.
The JDA strongly supports ESC’s commitment to high quality early years learning. We believe that it is in the long-term interest of the island’s economy to allow all parents who wish to do so to take up gainful employment. The JDA will ensure this by bringing new proposals to the States in the summer of 2008, to create a level playing field in nursery provision for 3 – 5 year olds. We will make the extension of the wrap-around child care provision a priority.
The JDA proposes the re-instatement of the pound-for-pound grant scheme, which supported individual competitors at national and international events and enabled sports clubs to improve facilities. We will promote Jersey as an offshore training centre for the 2012 Olympics.
Early Years Learning & Care : The JDA is committed to high quality Early Years education and care. In doing so we will work towards establishing a level playing field for all parents to access free provision; a provision which currently does not exist.
To achieve an overall clear and equitable ‘Early Years Strategy’ we will work closely in partnership with the private and parish sectors, parents, and the JCCT to take a robust multi-agency approach with all relevant States Departments to resolve the ways and means to deliver the best possible service for the children and families who use these facilities. We would also stop the construction of pre-school provision onto primary schools; a policy that the current Minister has pursued despite the pressure that it has put onto private providers, to the extent where some have had to close down.
The JDA also supports the extension of ‘wrap-around’ care as part of an Early Years Strategy.
University Fees & Higher EducationThe JDA do not believe that the Minister has given adequate consideration to the views of parents and potential students. We do not support the use of ‘Student Loans’ to substitute for the fees of university course. Although the UK charges for Channel Island students (studying in the UK) have significantly increased, with the latest States under-spend of £38 million we do not believe that it is now necessary for our students to have to rely on Student Loans.
We further believe that condemning students to begin their working life with a significant debt running into many thousands of pounds can only lead to a gradual decline in the numbers pursuing higher quality academic qualifications; thus ultimately having a negative ‘knock on’ effect onto the islands available ‘skilled’ work force.
The JDA further believes that in line with our manifesto of 2005 we must simultaneously place a greater emphasis on the value of apprenticeships and vocational training to offer young people. This will, in turn, help reduce the strain on resources by encouraging more young people to consider training within the island.
We will also explore creating a fund specifically for ‘non-criteria’ students currently unable to access normal grants, but keen to qualify and bring back their expertise to benefit the island.
The Youth Service & Provision of Informal Education
The JDA strongly supports the recent increased investment in the island’s Youth Service. We will further strive to ensure that any necessary additional funding is made available to allow skilled informal educators to focus on service delivery, rather than on tasks that should be undertaken by administrators, support staff and caretakers.
We believe that the continued provision of high quality, purpose-built youth facilities is absolutely essential in support of young people’s social, personal and educational development. We will thus oppose any attempts sell off youth facilities to pursue the development of low quality ‘on site’ youth provision built on to schools.
The JDA will work in tandem with the Connétable’s to ensure the development of partnerships with ESC to deliver youth work becomes the norm for all the island’s parishes.
Hospital: As an island community, we must continue to maximise the medical resources available locally. Private sector resources should be encouraged to supplement and enhance provision, but must not undermine the public facilities by direct and aggressive competition.
The JDA recognises the
valuable role of the Parish Hall inquiry as part of our criminal justice
system. We also
The JDA support increased community policing, particularly in St. Helier: A visible police presence on the streets is a proven deterrent to public disorder and anti-social behaviour.
The JDA welcomes the long overdue introduction of anti-discrimination law. We remain committed to the extension of human rights to bring us into line with the world’s leading democracies. We shall extend the right of anonymity for other witnesses, in cases involving sexual offences, to the unconvicted accused. There is a clear injustice in unknown accusers being able to successfully destroy the reputation of an accused, without being able to substantiate their accusations to the satisfaction of a court.
The JDA firmly believes that it is a key role of the States to provide and maintain social rental housing that is secure, affordable and to a reasonable standard. Selling off social housing stock rather than maintaining it is not a solution. The JDA will reverse this trend ensuring assistance with social housing is given where it is genuinely needed.
The JDA supports, as a priority of policy, to investigate all potential avenues by which to provide first-time buyers the opportunity to purchase their own home at a reasonable cost. The JDA nevertheless currently holds substantial reservations about the proposed Jersey Homebuyer Scheme. In its present form this scheme will result in most buyers never being able to progress to a position in which they can afford to sell their starter home and move up the property ladder.
For example, we are concerned anyone buying a house under the new shared equity scheme will be tied a property they no longer want, but cannot afford to sell; provisions need to be made to accommodate people’s changing circumstances. If someone suddenly finds themselves in a position to pay off the remaining 35% of the house value, we would hope that this would be accommodated in the agreement. Likewise, we would not want such homeowners to feel that they would be financially disadvantaged for making improvements to their property.
Further still, the JDA believes that, quite contrary to the Housing Minister’s stated intention, due to the significant timescales involved the current proposals are unlikely to provide the government with any substantial funding with which to support much needed development of identified sites. The JDA will investigate ways by which the ethos of this scheme can be made workable, benefiting both the buyers themselves and in terms of generating funding to allow further government investment in quality housing development.
We shall introduce legislation to compel landlords to provide all tenants and lodgers with written contracts, including receipts for deposits. The law would also stipulate a clear and simple procedure for the resolution of disputes regarding the return of deposits.
We remain opposed to more large-scale development on the Waterfront, which would blight the Town Centre as well as making the “gateway” to the Island visually unwelcoming, and would like to see a return to the original vision of mixed small-scale development and public open space, with due allowance for rising sea level. The JDA oppose any further major developments on low-lying coastal land, due to the certainty of flooding within a few decades.
We also back the overdue creation of the “Millenium” Town Park.
The JDA believe that all new buildings should be embracing the latest energy saving design features. Energy waste from existing homes is the fastest growing source of CO2 emissions in the UK and Jersey will be no different.
The JDA believe that reducing energy consumption is desirable and achievable in the short term. The JDA propose, as a practical solution, proven in the UK, that grants be made available towards the insulation of buildings, e. g. loft insulation and draught-proofing. In particular, we will encourage the reduction in energy use by offering grants for energy efficient improvements to the home. We also would encourage the installation of solar panels and small wind turbines, with contributory grants also available for these purposes.
In order to expedite the planning process an reduce building costs, we will propose the introduction of a Pre-Planning Officer to provide definitive advice on planning applications. Click here to read Sustainability Versus a New Incinerator A stark warning from a local environmentalist
The JDA opposes the massive, high-rise development currently being promoted. Not only are the latest schemes wholly out of character with Jersey’s environment, but the proposed new finance/office/commerce centre will rip the heart out of the existing town. The JDA believes passionately that local businesses here in St. Helier must be protected. We fully support the call for local architects to be commissioned to ensure an understanding of Jersey’s structural character and heritage is incorporated into all designs.
The JDA continue to hold to our original belief that inclusion of facilities for young people must be central to waterfront planning. We fully support the development of both the long overdue skateboard park and the construction of a purpose-built youth centre with café facilities within the former Public Works warehouse on the old North Quay.
The Elderly: The JDA support Senator Syvret’s provision for a Social Insurance scheme like that in Guernsey to pay for residential care. We will also make it a priority to examine ways to help with the burden of rates on the elderly. We believe that all too regularly pensioners end up “asset-rich, but income poor”, when a £400 rates bill becomes a serious problem.
Income Support: The JDA note the fact that the many flaws identified in the new Income Support Scheme by the Scrutiny process were not acted upon by the States. We will ensure this scheme is modified to protect those who need it most. Where help is needed it must be given. Because HIE has been scrapped and substituted as a component of IS. this component has proven to be less conducive to people who were on HIE and as a consequence, these recipients are using A&E. Predicted by Deputies Judy Martin and Geoff Southern. Furthermore, it is questionable as to whether the system is helping those who are on the bottom of the income level, as was acclaimed by the Minister. The subject of Income Support and the lack of effective delivery of support to the needy will be a major topic on this website soon.
The JDA are committed to finding funding for enhanced respite care and co-ordinated home care for the elderly. We will also develop provision for supervised access facilities for divorced/separated parents.
Transport & Technical Services
Town Bus Service: The JDA call for investment in a greatly improved bus service on principal commuter routes and around Town, including the reintroduction of a “Hoppa” type service, as the only realistic solution to the present congestion and pollution. We feel that cheaper fares are the way forward, and believe that it is unfortunate that the terms of Connex's present agreement do not encourage them.
Traffic: We would like traffic management policies to become more focussed on the purpose of efficiently moving people and goods in and out of Town. We are also concerned about the volume of vehicles on the island’s roads, which puts a strain on both our infrastructure and on the environment. Whilst expanding the road-network might be appealing to some as a way to solve congestion, we believe this to be short-sighted and prefer moves that will ultimately encourage people out of their cars and onto more sustainable, greener forms of transport i.e. cycles and buses.
We believe that the current recycling target has been set too low and we will seek to achieve higher rates of recycling. In the longer term, the introduction of the Continental system of returning packaging to suppliers for recycling would be beneficial. Levying a duty on excess packaging may also be a helpful measure in discouraging waste. The JDA backs calls for the reduction and ultimate cessation of the use of plastic carrier bags in Jersey. The JDA believe that, while the rest of Europe is moving away from archaic incineration technology, we should not be proposing to increase our own use of it. The JDA strongly oppose the planned replacement of the Bellozanne incinerator by a larger one at la Collette. This project is oversized, overpriced, a bad neighbour and a source of pollution.
Pressure reactors, or other modular plants, providing the possibility of a recycling rate of up to 99%, such as used in Cardiff, currently under consideration in Alderney, and widely used in USA, must surely be the way forward. They are cheaper – £20 million rather than £80 million, cleaner, produce more useful residues, such as “recycled plastic timber”, and are suitable to install on the Bellozanne site, where St. Helier residents may continue to benefit from the historic covenant. One could also be operational in just 18 months. We call for this option to be pursued in earnest, if necessary bringing in other consultants without vested interests in incinerator construction.
We suggest that consideration be given to upgrading our very inefficient street lights with designs that shine downwards instead of all around, to give the same level of illumination where it is required without wasting electricity to light the sky.
GST: The JDA has always opposed the imposition of a Goods and Services Tax (GST) as the means to raise 45m to fill the so-called black hole caused by the zero/ten policy. This tax is regressive and will have greatest impact upon the least well off in our community; pensioners and low earners. It will cause hardship for many. The £2 million compensation offered to the poorest is not enough. GST will raise prices and damage businesses on the island especially those in tourism and hospitality.
See GST a Litany of Shame and GST How Much are you Paying?
The JDA continues to investigate all practical alternative taxation measures to produce equitable and progressive long-term solutions to provide stable funding for our essential pubic services based on measures outlined by Deputy Southern in 2004. Once complete these proposals will form a key aspect of our 2008 election manifesto.
The JDA believe that a modest Development Tax should be introduced on the sale of property, excluding principal residences, ring-fenced to fund environmental measures, especially as most development is by non-local companies that will pay no tax
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recognise that this system must be updated to ensure it
is more efficient and Human Rights compliant. We will encourage greater
cooperation and sharing of resources between the Parish Honorary Police
Forces. We support the introduction of proper sentence planning and the
use of restorative justice and community service orders contained in the
Criminal Justice Policy. 
The
JDA is concerned about the poor state of repair of much of the States
rental housing stock, which two years on into Ministerial government
still requires an estimated ￡75 million of essential repairs to make it
fit to live in. In examples of this unacceptable situation, such as the
long-term neglect and subsequent decision to demolish and re-build much
of Le Squez Estate, we hold the Housing Minister and his immediate
predecessors wholly responsible. 
The JDA generally support
the protection of our countryside and heritage as a core value. In
particular, we would defend the remaining unspoilt coast as both a
tourist attraction and an important contribution to local quality of
life. We do, however, endorse the judicious redevelopment of
“brown-field” sites to provide our requirements for residential and
commercial premises, especially improved provision of family houses. We
also would encourage the avoidance of environmentally
unfriendly materials e.g. UPVC.
Waterfront:
20/20
Taxation: