Waterfront Enterprise Board - appointment of Chairman and directors

STATES OF JERSEY

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WATERFRONT ENTERPRISE BOARD: APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTORS

Lodged au Greffe on 4th July 2006 by the Chief Minister

STATES GREFFE

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

(a ) to appoint Mr. Francis Gerald Voisin for a period of 3 years expiring on 20th August 2009 as a

non-States Director and Chairman of the Waterfront Enterprise Board Limited;

( b ) t o re-appoint Jurat John Claude Tibbo and Mr. Peter Joseph Crespel for a period of 3 years

expiring on 20th August 2009 as non-States Directors of the Waterfront Enterprise Board Limited;

(c ) to request the Greffier of the States to notify the company of the States' decision.

CHIEF MINISTER

REPORT

The States established the Waterfront Enterprise Board (WEB) Limited in 1995 as a separate legal entity to act as a development agency of the States for an initial period of 10  years. This initial period was extended for a further 10  years by the States on 14th September 2005.The WEB Memorandum and Articles of Association provide that, unless and until determined by the company by ordinary resolution, the number of Directors shall be 7, with 3 States Directors, 3 non-States Directors and the Managing Director. All States Directors and non-States Directors are appointed by the States, and the Managing Director is appointed by the Board. The States also appoints the Chairman who must be a non-States Director.

The current States' Directors are Senator P.F. Routier, Deputy J.J. Huet, and Senator J.L. Perchard, who were appointed on 28th March 2006 for a 3-year period expiring on 31st March 2009. The current non-States Directors are Mr. P.F. Horsfall, C.B.E. (Chairman), Jurat J.C. Tibbo, and Mr. P.J. Crespel, and their terms of office are due to expire on 20th August 2006.

The role of the Waterfront Enterprise Board has been to promote, coordinate and implement a comprehensive strategy for the development of the St. Helier Waterfront, with a particular focus on the area known asWest of Albert'. This work is still very much in progress, and it is planned that the majority of the project will be completed by 2011.

In the meantime, consideration has been given to the possibility of establishing a new development company to act as the lead agency in the development of States property assets. This development company, which has the provisional title of Jersey Property Holdings (Developments) Limited (JPHDL), would subsume WEB and would take on responsibility for future waterfront development and the development of other major assets. The company would work alongside the Property Holdings Department, and in partnership with Planning. It is envisaged that this would create a vehicle to unify the development of all Waterfront assets and improve co-ordination with the wider regeneration of St.  Helier. It would receive and develop major States property assets that have been authorised for redevelopment.

More detailed proposals in respect of JPHDL are currently being developed and will be presented to the States in September in the form of a report and proposition. It is envisaged that these proposals will include new Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company and the establishment of a new Board, which will include States members and will include one or more individuals who are high-level experts in property development and commerce.

Unfortunately it has not proved possible to finalise the proposals for the new company sufficiently early to allow the appointment of the new Board to coincide with the end of period of office of the existing non-States Directors. Therefore in the meantime, and pending a States decision on the formation of such a company, it is necessary to appoint non-States Directors to WEB on an interim basis to ensure the continued operation of the Board. In accordance with WEB's Memorandum and Articles of Association, these appointments must be made for a period of 3  years. However it is anticipated that these appointments will run for a considerably shorter period. As soon as the States has decided upon the form and structure of the successor to WEB the new Board will be appointed by means of a transparent process overseen by the Appointments Commission.

Jurat John Tibbo and Mr. Peter Crespel both have an excellent record of service as non-States Directors to the Waterfront Enterprise Board, and I am pleased that they are willing to allow their names to go forward for nomination for a further term of office, pending a States decision on the establishment of JPHDL. I am also pleased to be able to nominate Mr. Francis Gerald Voisin as Chairman of the Board. Mr Voisin will bring considerable experience and continuity to WEB. He had been a States Director until his replacement earlier this year following his decision not to seek re-election in 2005. He is already well-known to States members and the public in his former role as a States Deputy , as the President of the Economic Development Committee, and as an experienced businessman I know that he will bring a wide range of relevant experience to the post.

The interim Board will work with the Chief Minister and Chief Executive to appoint a new Managing Director, and to manage an orderly transition to the successor company once that has been agreed by the States.

Finally, I would like to place on record my thanks to Mr. Pierre Horsfall CBE for his service as Chairman of the Board. During his period as Chairman, Mr.  Horsfall has overseen an intense period of activity, and I am greatly indebted to him for the contribution that he has made to the development of the St.  Helier Waterfront.

There are no financial and manpower implications arising from this proposition