Proposed Government Plan 2023-2026 (P.97/2022): twenty-fourth amendment St. Helier Urban Renewal Programme, including Havre des Pas

STATES OF JERSEY

PROPOSED GOVERNMENT PLAN 2023- 2026 (P.97/2022): TWENTY-FOURTH AMENDMENT

ST. HELIER URBAN RENEWAL PROGRAMME, INCLUDING HAVRE DES PAS

Lodged au Greffe on 28th November 2022 by the Connétable of St. Helier

Earliest date for debate: 13th December 2022

STATES GREFFE

2022  P.97 Amd.(24)(re-issue)

PROPOSED GOVERNMENT PLAN 2023-2026 (P.97/2022): TWENTY- THIRD AMENDMENT

____________

PAGE 2, PARAGRAPH (e) –

After the words "Summary Tables 5(i) and (ii) of the Report" insert the words – ", except that in Summary Table 5(ii) –

1. the 2023 estimate figure showing against Reserve for Central Risk and Inflation should be reduced by £1,000,000; and
2. there should be inserted a new line in the Infrastructure section entitled " St. Helier Urban Renewal Programme, including Havre des Pas" and the figure of £1,000,000 inserted in the column for the 2023 estimate for that line"

CONNÉTABLE OF ST. HELIER

Note:  After this amendment, the proposition would read as follows –

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

to receive the Government Plan 2023–2026 specified in Article 9(1) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 ("the Law") and specifically –

1. to approve the estimate of total States income to be paid into the Consolidated Fund in 2023 as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 1 to the Report, which is inclusive of the proposed taxation and impôts duties changes outlined in the Government Plan, in line with Article 9(2)(a) of the Law;
2. to  approve  the  proposed  Changes  to  Approval  for financing/borrowing for 2023, as shown in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 2 to the Report, which may be obtained by the Minister for Treasury and Resources, as and when required, in line with Article 9 (2)(c) of the Law, of up to those revised approvals;
3. to approve the transfers from one States fund to another for 2023 of up to and including the amounts set in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 3 in line with Article 9(2)(b) of the Law;
4. to approve each major project that is to be started or continued in 2023 and the total cost of each such project and any amendments to the  proposed  total  cost  of  a  major  project  under  a  previously approved Government Plan, in line with Article 9(2)(d), (e) and (f) of the Law and as set out in Appendix 2 - Summary Table 4 to the Report;
5. to  approve  the  proposed  amount  to  be  appropriated  from  the Consolidated Fund for 2023, for each Head of Expenditure, being

gross  expenditure  less  estimated  income  (if  any),  in  line  with Articles  9(2)(g),  10(1)  and  10(2)  of  the  Law,  and  set  out  in Appendix 2 – Summary Tables 5(i) and (ii) of the Report, except that in Summary Table 5(ii) –

1. the 2023 estimate figure showing against Reserve for Central Risk and Inflation should be reduced by £1,000,000; and
2. there should be inserted a new line in the Infrastructure sectionentitled  "St.  Helier  Urban  Renewal  Programme,  includingHavre des Pas" and the figure of £1,000,000 inserted in the column for the 2023 estimate for that line;

6. to approve the estimated income, being estimated gross income less expenditure, that each States trading operation will pay into its trading fund in 2023 in line with Article 9(2)(h) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 6 to the Report;
7. to approve the proposed amount to be appropriated from each States trading  operation's  trading  fund  for  2023  for  each  head  of expenditure in line with Article 9(2)(i) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 7 to the Report;
8. to approve the estimated income and expenditure proposals for the Climate Emergency Fund for 2023 as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 8 to the Report; and
9. to  approve,  in  accordance  with  Article  9(1)  of  the  Law,  the Government  Plan  2023-2026,  as set out  at  Appendix 3 to the Report.

REPORT

Last month the States Assembly approved the Government's Common Strategic Policy (P.98/2022). In the Health and Wellbeing section it was agreed to amend the Policy with the following pledge: We will increase our investment in the public realm.'

Investment in the public realm is a vital component of improving the quality of life of Islanders, especially for those who live in, work in, play in or visit the town of St Helier.

The Island's capital has benefited from a great deal of private sector investment in the built environment, with multi-million pound refurbishments being completed on a regular basis and several more in the pipeline; some of these have included significant private investment in the public realm, such as in the creation by Le Masurier's of a pedestrian connection between Halkett Place and Bath Street via Moneypenny Lane.

The level of Government spending on States' administered areas of the public realm has, however, been disappointing: the only significant project carried out during the time of the previous government was the delivery of the North of Town Masterplan, phase 1, pavement widening in Midvale Road (funded out of proceeds of the Jersey Development Company); while this was an excellent scheme it was more than a decade overdue, the approved funding for the project having been reallocated by a previous Minister of IHE. With nearly 1000 new homes planned for the North of St Helier alone, there is no time to waste in developing an urban renewal programme with some dedicated funding to complement such expenditure as will be allocated from existing IHE budgets.

Meanwhile, although the promenade at Havre des Pas has been resurfaced and some traffic calming introduced, most of the public realm improvements recommended following the Village Improvement Scheme project, funded by the Parish of St Helier in 2018, have yet to be delivered; these include the trialling of a one-way scheme which, if successful, would allow for wider pavements; improved pedestrian and cycling facilities, provision of seating, planting and improved street lighting, provision of public parking and the regeneration of South Hill Park and La Collette Gardens.

In St Helier itself there are several Government administered public areas which require refurbishment, especially the lower section of New Street, where the roadway has become a maze of trench reinstatements, and which would benefit from being paved from St Paul's Church and de Gruchy's down to New Cut. Snow Hill, Colomberie, La Motte Street, Liberation Square and Castle Street are all ripe for renewal.

Following the Parish of St Helier's annual Rates Assembly last July, the first of several Neighbourhood Improvement Areas is being developed in the residential streets of the Parish, to be funded by ratepayers. It is surely reasonable to expect the Government to contribute to the cost of improvements of the public realm in the central areas which it administers, and to work with the Parish of St Helier on implementing an ambitious programme of urban renewal which will enhance the Island's capital and improve the quality of life of everyone who lives, works or visits there.

Financial and manpower implications

Page 64 of the plan refers to a 2023 reserve of £8m for capital risk and inflation: "Most projects in general do not carry a contingency for future increased inflation, therefore a

central reserve Head of Expenditure exists to accommodate the need for projects to incur inflationary cost increases. The increased provision for inflation reflects the volatility in general and specific inflation. Inflation is likely to be a significant issue over the life of this plan. Building costs are expected to rise significantly over the period of the plan, driven by both increasing material costs (mostly due to supply-chain constraints) and by shortages in the skilled workforce of the construction industry. On that basis, this Government Plan proposes that there should be an increased allocation in 2023. If not required for inflation, the reserve would be available to cover other risks." If adopted this amendment would reduce this allocation by £1m.

Re-issue Note

This projet has been re-issued to remove the word unanimously' from the first line of the report.