States Minutes 20th May 1986

THE STATES assembled on Tuesday, 20th May, 1986 at 10.15 a.m. under the Presidency of the Deputy Bailiff , Vernon Amy Tomes, Esquire. ____________

All members were present with the exception of –

Senator Ralph Vibert – out of the Island.

Senator Richard Joseph Shenton – out of the Island. Senator Pierre François Horsfall – out of the Island. Senator Terence John Le Main – absent.

____________

Prayers read by Deputy Greffier ____________

Tribute to the late Mr. C. Goodsman – former Member of the House.

The Deputy Bailiff paid tribute to the late Mr. Charles Goodsman, a former   Deputy  of   St. Helier .  The  States  observed  one  minute's silence as a mark of respect.

Connétable of St. Saviour – welcome.

The Deputy Bailiff , on behalf of Members of the States, welcomed to  the  Assembly  the  newly  appointed   Connétable  of   St. Saviour , Mr. Snowdon George Robins.

Subordinate legislation tabled.

The following enactments were laid before the States, namely –

1. Motor  Vehicles  (Driving  Licences)  (Amendment No. 13) (Jersey) Order, 1986. R & O 7501.

169   Price : 75p

2. Road Traffic (Twenty Miles an Hour Speed Limit) (Amendment No. 10) (Jersey) Order, 1986. R & O 7502.
3. Road Traffic (Saint Helier) (Amendment No. 13) (Jersey) Order, 1986. R & O 7503.
4. Road Traffic ( Grouville ) (Amendment No. 9) (Jersey) Order, 1986. R & O 7504.
5. Road Traffic (Public Parking Places) (Amendment) (Jersey) Order, 1986. R & O 7505.

Committee of Inquiry into the supply and distribution of fuel oil in Jersey: appointment of President.

There were nominated for appointment as President of the Committee of Inquiry into the supply and distribution of fuel oil in Jersey –

Senator Jane Patricia Sandeman –

proposed by Senator Reginald Robert Jeune .

Senator Richard Joseph Shenton –

proposed by Deputy Edgar John Becquet of Trinity .

THE STATES having proceeded to a secret ballot, the result of which was as follows –

Senator Shenton – 30 votes Senator Sandeman – 18 votes,

the Deputy Bailiff declared that Senator Shenton had been elected President of the Committee of Inquiry into the supply and distribution of fuel oil in Jersey.

Defence Committee: appointment of member.

THE STATES appointed Mr. Snowdon George Robins, Connétable of St. Saviour , as a member of the Defence Committee. Regulation of Undertakings and Development: Report for 1985. R.C.15.

The Finance and Economics Committee by Act dated 12th May, 1986, presented to the States a Report for 1985 on the Regulation of Undertakings and Development.

THE STATES ordered that the said Report be printed and distributed.

Matters noted – land transactions.

THE STATES noted an Act of the Finance and Economics Committee dated 12th May, 1986, showing that in pursuance of Standing Orders relating to certain transactions in land, the Committee had approved –

1. as recommended by the Harbours and Airport Committee, the leasing to St. Helier Port Services Limited of the following units of office accommodation on the Albert Pier, Portof St. Helier , for a period of three years, with effect from 1st January, 1986, at an annual rent of £2,512.75, representing a rate of £4.75 a square foot –

1. 100 square feet (Letting No. A.18), and
2. 429 square feet (Letting No. A.19);

2. as recommended by the Housing Committee, the sale to Mr. Robert Michael Hayes and Mrs. Anita Irene Hayes, née Lucas, of188 square feet of land adjoining their property 57, Le Clos Orange, La Moye, St. Brelade , for a consideration of £100, with the purchasers being responsible for the payment of all legal costs involved in the transaction. (The Committee rescinded paragraph (b) of Act No. 2 of 29th April, 1985, which was notified to the States on 14th May, 1985.)

Matters lodged.

The following subjects were lodged "au Greffe" –

1. Draft Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) (Jersey) Law, 1975 (Appointed Day) Act, 198 . (P.40/86): amendments. P.67/86.

Presented by the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee.

2. Draft Public Finances (Administration) (Amendment No. 2) (Jersey) Law, 198 . P.68/86. Presented by the Finance and Economics Committee. The States decided to take this subject into consideration on 10th June, 1986.
3. Draft Sea-Fisheries (Establishment and Regulation of Fisheries) (Jersey) Regulations, 198 (P.41/86): amendments. P.69/86.

Presented by the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee.

Second Report of Special Committee to consider a request from the  United  Kingdom Government for a contribution towards defence and international representation. P.70/86.

The Special Committee to consider a request from the United Kingdom Government for a contribution towards defence and international representation, by Act dated 23rd April, 1986, presented to the States a Second Report.

THE STATES decided to discuss the Second Report in a Committee of the Whole House on 24th June, 1986.

Draft Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) (Jersey) Law, 1975 (Appointed Day) Act, 198 . P.40/86.

THE STATES acceded to the request of the Vice-President of the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee that the draft Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) (Jersey) Law, 1975 (Appointed Day) Act, 198 (lodged on 25th March, 1986) be considered on 3rd June, 1986. Draft Sea-Fisheries (Establishment and Regulation of Fisheries) (Jersey) Regulations, 198 . P.41/86.

THE STATES acceded to the request of the Vice-President of the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee that the draft Sea-Fisheries (Establishment and Regulation of Fisheries) (Jersey) Regulations, 198 (lodged on 25th March, 1986) be considered on 3rd June, 1986.

Broadcasting of States' Meetings: experiment. P.66/86.

THE STATES acceded to the request of the President of the Broadcasting Committee that the Proposition relating to the broadcasting of States' Meetings (lodged on 13th May, 1986) be considered on 3rd June, 1986.

Draft  Social Security (Amendment No. 6) (Jersey) Law, 198 . P.58/86.

THE STATES acceded to the request of the President of the Social Security Committee that the draft Social Security (Amendment No. 6) (Jersey) Law, 198 (lodged on 29th April, 1986) be considered on 3rd June, 1986.

Island emergency measures in event of accidents in nuclear installations. Statement.

The President of the Defence Committee made a statement in the following terms –

"A natural consequence of the Chernobyl disaster is to increase the people's anxiety with regard to the safety of the French installations, but whilst it confirms the view that no industrial enterprise can ever guarantee total immunity from accidents, it does not bring the likelihood of an accident in the French nuclear installations any closer. I think we should try and get Chernobyl into perspective. The French Nuclear Industry has a very fine record; they have poured billions of Francs into this field, the future of France's industrial growth rests on its continuing success and they, quite apart from us, cannot afford a catastrophe. French safety standards are amongst the highest in the world, and form the basis of the World Health Organisation's safety levels.

Of course we must make every effort to learn from this emergency, and we shall be reviewing our plans, in the light of recent events, to see where they can be improved. This will be done locally at a meeting to take place this afternoon 20th May and then further at the Channel Island Joint Advisory Council on Environmental Problems meeting to be held in Alderney on 6th June. This is necessary because the plan is common to all the Channel Islands and both Jersey and Guernsey have special responsibilities in it.

We have a special arrangement with France to notify us of impending danger arising at the French installations through a microwave link at the French Consulate; this I am satisfied works well.

We cannot approach the French Government direct concerning future developments in their nuclear industry. Any such approach, if the Islands felt this necessary, would have to go via the United Kingdom Home Office with whom we are covered under the Anglo French Exchange of Notes agreeing action to be taken in nuclear emergencies. At the present time we are not aware of any further extensions being considered to installations on the Cherbourg Peninsular, other than the completion of additional Reactors at Flamanville which we have known about for some time.

There are many aspects of the Island Emergency Measures Plan to be studied, and other relevant developments outside our area to be borne in mind, not least the outcome of the study being carried out by CEGB in conjunction with the National Radiological Protection Board to consider the possible need to extend the emergency evacuation zones outside the present 1½ miles radius of nuclear installations; this being the accepted distance up to now. (You will not be surprised that the possibility of evacuation does not feature in our present plans.)

I should be pleased to make a statement to the House albeit perhaps an interim one, following the joint Channel Islands meeting in Alderney on 6th June. I am sure that every effort will be made to reduce the understandable anxiety which people have on this subject.".

Teachers Salaries. Statement.

The President of the Education Committee made a statement in the following terms –

"1. As I reported to the States last week, the Education

Committee has, for some months, been engaged in negotiation with representatives of local teachers in order to agree a more appropriate salary scale for teachers employed by the Committee. On Tuesday, 29th April, agreement was reached with the teachers' representatives and the proposals were put before teachers on Thursday, 8th May when they decided to bring officers of their national unions to the Island for consultations. Following the visit of the national officers last week and clarification of the proposals between the representatives and the Committee, they were again put to teachers on Friday, 16th May and approved. Copies of the agreement have been supplied to all members of the House and will be published today.

2. Throughout the negotiations the Committee has sought to ensure that the final agreement should reflect the importance of the actual work of teaching; that it should be based on a clear definition of the nature of teachers' work and duties and relate teachers' salaries to those paid to other public employees in the Island. These objectives have been achieved. The salaries payable from 15th April provide greater increases for classroom teachers and, following an evaluation exercise, stand comparison with those paid to other public employees. The statement of the Teacher's Task identifies not only the wide range of work involved in delivering the school curriculum but also defines individual and collective responsibility for pupils' safety and welfare.

3. These factors make this agreement especially significant and warrant the exceptional action in introducing these new pay scales outside the normal annual pay negotiations. The process of negotiation has been intense, the pace of discussions and the frequency of meetings determined by the problems over lunchtime supervision, which was one of the key factors.
4. It is particularly pleasing that these changes, which are fundamental to the life and work of the schools, have been introduced in Jersey without the destructive tensions that have caused so much damage to education in the United Kingdom. I pay tribute to the teachers and to the members of my Committee for this signal achievement which lays sound foundations for the future of our education system. The outcome is a salary scale that puts teaching on a par with other professions requiring similar periods of training; an agreed job definition that gives room for professional responsibility and makes it clear that teaching is a very demanding and full-time occupation, and a commitment by the teachers to appraisal as a means of improving the quality of the local education service. It is also clear evidence that by careful examination and discussion we can find our own local solutions to problems that elsewhere appear so intractable.
5. In due course I shall be presenting a Report and Proposition for the approval of the States, but I believe that I should give the House this earlier information. Our local education system is good. There is evidence of its quality in the reports of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, notably so in the Report published last week on Le Squez School. What makes a good school and a good education is good teaching. The new salary scales and the other agreements recognise the quality of our local teachers and will ensure that in future they will be appropriately rewarded for their work.".

St. Luke's Vicarage: transfer of administration.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Education Committee, approved the transfer of the administration of St. Luke's Vicarage from that Committee to the Housing Committee.

Airport Freight Terminal Building: lease of accommodation.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Harbours and Airport Committee –

1. approved the renewal of the lease to Hi-Speed Freight Services Limited of office and warehouse accommodation and storage space in the Airport Freight Terminal Building for a period of 3 years with effect from 1st April, 1986, at an annual rent of £7,820.00;
2. authorised the Greffier of the States to sign the necessary agreement with the company; and
3. authorised the Treasurer of the States to receive the payments as they became due.

Driftwood Café, Archirondel: lease.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Tourism Committee –

1. approved the renewal of the lease of the Driftwood Café, Archirondel, to Mr. Bertrand Pilz and Mrs. Jill Pilz, née Mackee, for a further period of three years from  25th  December,  1985, at  annually  increasing rents as follows –

1986  £2,000 1987  £3,000 1988  £4,300

2. authorised  the  Greffier  of the  States  to  sign  the necessary lease;
3. authorised the Treasurer of the States to receive the rent as it became due.

Gorey Village Development: Phase II – approval of drawings. P.61/86.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Housing Committee –

1. approved Drawings Nos. 2693-11/ 12/13/100/101/102/103/104/105/200/201/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/210/211/212/213/214/215/239/301 showing the development at Gorey Village, Phase II to provide States' rental accommodation;
2. authorised the Greffier of the States to sign the said Drawings on behalf of the States.

Airport Departure Hall : buffet area. P.62/86.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Harbours and Airport Committee,  approved  in  principle  the  extension  of  the  Airport Departure Hall buffet area and the provision of permanent in-flight catering facilities.

Airport Fire Service: foam tender replacement. P.63/86.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Harbours and Airport Committee, approved in principle the replacement of an Airport Fire Service foam tender.

Air Traffic Control: communications system replacement. P.64/86.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Harbours and Airport Committee, approved in principle the replacement of the Air Traffic Control communications system.

THE STATES rose at 11.35 a.m.

R.S. GRAY, Deputy Greffier of the States.