States Minutes 21st June 1988

THE STATES assembled on Tuesday, 21st June 1988 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 Bernard Thomas Binnington – ill. Senator Terence John Le Main – absent.

Derek Ryder Maltwood, Deputy of St. Mary – out of the Island.

Graeme Ernest Rabet, Deputy of St. Helier – out of the Island.

____________

Prayers ____________

Subordinate legislation tabled.

The following enactments were laid before the States, namely –

1. Road  Traffic  (Saint  Martin)  (Amendment  No. 7) (Jersey) Order, 1988. R & O 7761.
2. Road  Traffic  (Saint  Clement)  (Amendment)  (Jersey) Order, 1988. R & O 7762.
3. Road  Traffic  (Public  Parking  Places)  (Amendment No. 5) (Jersey) Order, 1988. R & O 7763.

Etat Civil Committee: appointment of member.

THE STATES appointed Deputy Terence Augustine Le Sueur of St. Helier , as a member of the Etat Civil Committee.

205   Price : 75p

STATES MINUTES

Finance and Economics appointment.

21st June, 1988 Committee: resignation and

THE STATES noted the resignation of Senator Bernard Thomas Binnington from the Finance and Economics Committee and appointed Senator John William Ellis to serve in his place.

Oakfield Industries Limited: report and accounts for 1987. R.C.9.

The Social Security Committee by Act dated 26th May, 1988, presented to the States the Report and Accounts for 1987 of Oakfield Industries Limited.

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

Job Opportunity Scheme: report for 1987/1988. R.C.10.

The Education Committee by Act dated 1st June, 1988, presented to the States a Report on the Job Opportunity Scheme for 1987/1988.

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

Administrative Decisions (Review) (Jersey) Law, 1982: report regarding complaints received between 1st February, 1986 and 31st January, 1988. R.C.11.

The Special Committee to consider the relationship between Committees and the States by Act dated 14th June, 1988, presented to the States a report of the Panel of Members regarding complaints received under the Administrative Decisions (Review) (Jersey) Law, 1982, between 1st February, 1986 and 31st January, 1988.

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 13th June, 1988, showing that in pursuance of Standing Orders relating to certain transactions in land, the Committee had approved –

1. as recommended by the Public Health Committee, the leasing from Jersey Refrigeration Company Limited of four one-bedroomed flats at 53-55, Bath Street, St. Helier , for a period of three years, with effect from 1st June, 1988, at a weekly rent of £67.30 for each flat, with annual increases tied to the Jersey cost of living index, and an option to renew at the end of the three year period, required for occupation by employees of that Committee;
2. as recommended by the Resources Recovery Board, the purchase from Le Marquand (Properties) Limited of 3,665.75 square feet of land at Springside Poultry Farm, La Ville à l'Eveque, Trinity , as shown on Drawing No. ES721, required in connexion with the construction of a foul sewage pumping station as partof the first phase of the extension of foul sewers to serve the Trinity area, for a total consideration of £3,665.75, with the Board's being responsible for the payment of all scale legal fees;
3. as recommended by the Island Development Committee, and in accordance with an Act of the States dated 18th April, 1978, the purchase from Mr. John Leon Bazire, of Plot 33, measuring approximately one vergée and Plot 41, measuring approximately 1.8 vergées, Les Mielles, St. Ouen , for a consideration of £952 for Plot 33 and £2,241 for Plot 41, with the Committee's being responsible for the payment of all scale legal fees.

The Committee rescinded its Act No. 5(c) of 16th May, 1984 and Act No. 2(g) of 1st April, 1985, which were notified to the States on 22nd May, 1984 and 16th April, 1985, respectively.

Matter noted – financial transaction.

THE STATES noted an Act of the Finance and Economics Committee dated 13th June, 1988, showing that in pursuance of Rule 5 of the Public Finances (General) (Jersey) Rules, 1967, as amended, the Committee had noted that the Housing Committee had accepted the lowest of six tenders, namely that submitted by Trio Construction Limited, in the sum of £140,568.00 in a contract period of 26 weeks to provide four one-bedroom flats at Clos du Roncier, St. Clement .

Matters lodged.

The following subjects were lodged "au Greffe" –

1. Draft Motor Vehicle Duty (Amendment No. 6) (Jersey) Law, 198 . P.77/88.

Presented by the Finance and Economics Committee.

2. Jane Sandeman Court, St. Helier : purchase of adjoining roadway. P.78/88.

Presented by the Housing Committee.

3. Maternity Hospital premises, St. Helier : conversion. P.79/88.

Presented by the Public Health Committee.

The States decided to take the abovementioned subjects into consideration on 26th July, 1988.

The following subjects were lodged on 14th June, 1988 –

1. Health Insurance Exception: criteria for claims. P.74/88.

Presented by Senator Betty Brooke and referred to the Finance and Economics Committee.

2. Occupation and Liberation Committee: appointment. P.75/88.

Presented by Senator Richard Joseph Shenton. The States decided to take this subject into consideration on 28th June, 1988.

3. Territorial Army Royal Engineer Field Squadron Centre. P.76/88.

Presented by the Defence Committee. The States, having rejected a proposition of Deputy Sir Martin Le Quesne of St. Saviour that this subject be considered on 26th July, 1988,  decided  to  take this subject into consideration on 28th June, 1988.

Devonshire Mews, St. Helier : design and build scheme. P.80/88.

THE STATES acceded to the request of the President of the Housing Committee that the Proposition regarding the design and build scheme at Devonshire Mews, St. Helier be deferred from consideration at the present Sitting and lodged "au Greffe". The States decided to take this subject into consideration on 26th July, 1988.

Sea Cadets Unit – T.S. Undaunted. Questions and answers.

Senator John William Ellis asked Senator Dereck André Carter, President of the Fort Regent Development Committee, the following questions –

"Will the President please inform the House –

1. Was the future well-being of the Sea Cadets Unit, T.S. Undaunted, which is situated adjacent to the proposed new swimming pool, taken into consideration when arriving at the decision to site the new pool there?
2. Is the President aware that this development will result in the Sea Cadets possibly losing part of their classrooms, armoury, stores and galley if foundations have to be built for the pool?
3. Would the President agree that it would be in the best interests of both the Fort Regent Development Committee and the Sea Cadets Unit if the Fort Regent Development Committee provided a new site for the Sea Cadets, and will he undertake to do that?"

The President of the Fort Regent Development Committee replied as follows –

"1. Firstly, I must correct a mistaken impression given by

the question. No decision has yet been taken to site a leisure pool adjacent to the Sea Cadets Unit. My Committee is, however, planning a feasibility study to evaluate if a leisure pool can be built on this or other sites. Only after such site investigations will we be able to pick a site and bring a report to the States.

The answer to the question itself is yes. Not only was the Unit's well-being considered but the Corps Chairman was the very first person outside the Committee to be informed that the site was under consideration. The Corps was assured of full consultation at all times.

2. No. The only area which I am aware the Unit would lose is their parade ground – and my Committee has already earmarked an alternative area for this (an area, incidentally, which I believe would actually be more convenient for the Unit, being at ground level and adjacent to the Unit headquarters.)

As regards the facilities which Senator Ellis mentions, which are placed inside the south ramparts, on top of which is the site under consideration, I would have thought that they should not be affected. I am not, however, a structural engineer and neither is any member of my Committee – which is why we intend to hire one.

3. My Committee has not actually ever taken a view on this question, since, as yet, there has been no reason to do so. I am quite happy, however, to give the Senator my personal opinion, which is that in the long term I do not believe that the proper place for what is essentially a private building (by which I mean one which could not, and should not, be open to the public) is within an otherwise public facility. I am also aware, from my discussions with the Sea Cadets, that they would actually prefer to be located nearer the sea.

I am further aware that at least two other sites for the Unit have been considered, one of them being the R.E. Yard.

It would not, of course, be for my Committee to provide a site elsewhere, since we do not have responsibility for the Unit. This lies with the Defence Committee.

I have, therefore, written to the President of Defence to ask him whether, once his Committee had decided on the siting of the T.A. Unit, they would be considering rehousing the Sea Cadets at the R.E. Yard. I await his reply, which presumably will not be made until after the States have discussed his Committee's report on the siting of the T.A. Unit. Finally, may I say that the Jersey Sea Cadets is among the finest in the United Kingdom. It will always have my strong personal support."

Jersey Electricity Company Limited: resignation of Senator B.T. Binnington as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Statement.

The President of the Finance and Economics Committee made a statement in the following terms –

"I wish to notify the States that, for health reasons, Senator Bernard Thomas Binnington has resigned as a States' nominated Director of the Jersey Electricity Company Limited.

I also wish to pay tribute to the work undertaken by Senator Binnington, who was appointed to the Board on 10th February, 1976, and was appointed Chairman on 1st April, 1982."

Wesley Street, St. Helier : No. 8 – housing depôt.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Housing Committee –

1. approved the leasing from Mrs. Clara Alstadt, née Mayer, of No. 8 Wesley Street, St. Helier , measuring approximately 4,500 square feet in area, for a further period of one year from 25th December, 1988, at an annual rent of £14,123.60 to be increased in line with the cost of living index to be calculated as at December 1988, the lessor to be responsible for external and internal repairs and the payment of the foncier rates and basic insurance;

2. authorised the Greffier of the States to sign the necessary agreement with Mrs. Alstadt;
3. authorised the Treasurer of the States to pay the rent as it becomes due.

Manual Workers' Joint Council Employers' Side Membership.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Establishment Committee and in accordance with an Act of the States dated 9th November, 1961, concerning the membership of the Manual Workers' Joint Council, approved the nomination of the six representatives of the States to serve as members of the Employers' Side, as follows –

Senator R.J. Shenton Senator R.R. Jeune , O.B.E. Senator J.S. Rothwell Deputy R.E.R. Rumboll Deputy Mrs. Corrie Stein Deputy Leonard Norman.

House Committee: appointment. P.66/88.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Special Committee on the review of machinery of government, appointed a Committee of the States to be called the House Committee, the principal functions of which will be to –

1. review and keep under review the practices and procedures of the States and Committees;
2. present amendments to the Standing Orders when necessary;

3. deal generally with all matters relating to the States Chamber and the services and facilities available to Members and officers of the House.

Le Squez Youth Club: further development. P.67/88.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Education Committee, approved in principle the proposals to develop further the youth facilities at Le Squez Youth Club.

Howard Davis Farm: further development. P.68/88.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee, approved in principle the further development of the Howard Davis Farm by the extension of the existing machinery stores and the replacement of the existing farm stores and office/computer block.

Telecommunications Board: capital proposals for 1989 to 1993. P.69/88.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Telecommunications Board –

1. noted the Board's report for the years 1989 to 1993;
2. approved in principle the capital proposals by the Board for the years 1989 and 1990 as follows –

1. the replacement and extension of existing telephone exchanges;
2. the replacement, extension and development of the network;

3. the replacement and provision of customer apparatus;
4. the replacement and provision of support services;
5. the extension of the Jersey-France microwave link;
6. the making good and refurbishment of equipment rooms in Telephone House as office and staff welfare accommodation, and resurfacing at South Exchange.

Public Health Committee: capital projects for 1989. P.70/88.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Public Health Committee, approved in principle –

1. the alterations to the Ambulance Station and Transport Department and improvements to the radiocommunications system;
2. the replacement of the windows in the Nurses' Home, School of Nursing and administration offices at the General Hospital;
3. the acquisition, conversion and equipping of suitable properties within the Island for single units of staff accommodation.

Housing Committee: development proposals, etc. for 1989. P.71/88.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Housing Committee, approved in principle –

1. the Committee's development proposals for 1989, as follows –

Building, purchase and rehabilitation of dwellings.

1. developments –

Gas Works Site

Field 817, St. Lawrence

Mal Assis, Grands Vaux

51 Garden Lane

Highbury Court Phase II

17 Trinity Road

Les Cinq Chênes, modernisation;

2. design fees for future developments;
3. landscaping of older estates;

2. the installation of heating systems on older estates.

Draft Census (Jersey) Regulations, 198 . P.73/88.

THE STATES commenced consideration of the draft Census (Jersey) Regulations, 198 (lodged on 7th June, 1988) and adopted the Preamble.

After further discussion the Regulations were referred back to the Etat Civil Committee.

THE STATES rose at 12.20 p.m.

E.J.M. POTTER, Greffier of the States.