Composition of the States: Reduction in Number of Deputies

STATES OF JERSEY

COMPOSITION OF THE STATES: REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF DEPUTIES

Lodged au Greffe on 4th January 2011 by Deputy E.J. Noel of St. Lawrence

STATES GREFFE

2011   Price code: B  P.2

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

to agree that with effect from the ordinary elections for Deputies to be held in October 2011 –

1. the number of Deputies should be reduced from 29 to 21;
2. the 21 Deputies should be elected in 5 new large electoral districts shown in the proposed revised Schedule 1 to the States of Jersey Law 2005 as set out in the Appendix 1.

DEPUTY E.J. NOEL OF ST. LAWRENCE

Note:  If this proposition is adopted, Deputy E.J. Noel will propose the amendments

he  has  lodged  to  the  Draft  States  of  Jersey  (Miscellaneous  Provisions) Law 201- (P.176/2010) so that the proposals, if adopted, can be incorporated as part of that legislation.

REPORT

Overall the people of Jersey, in my mind, have made the following points clear –

1. They wish to keep the Senators in the States with their respective Island wide mandates.
2. They wish for the Connétable s to remain in the States to represent each Parish as the respective heads of each Parish.
3. They want to reduce the number of States members from the current level of

53. I believe a more appropriate a number would be in the low to middle 40s.

In my opinion Islanders have clearly indicated time and time again that they wish to have  fewer  States  members.  To  achieve  this  will  mean  that,  in  addition  to  the reduction already agreed (P.118/2010 – 13th October 2010) in the number of Senators from 12 to 8, further reductions in the numbers of States members overall is still required. I believe that any such reductions should come from the Deputies and it is with this in mind that I am bringing forward this proposal to reduce the number of Deputies from the current 29 to 21 in the October 2011 elections.

Where  this  proposition  differs  to  Privileges  and  Procedures  Committee's  (PPC) P.72/2009 is that I am not suggesting that we remove Senators from the States and I am seeking less States members overall.

I am also suggesting 5 electoral districts where P.72/2009 suggested 6. To do this St. Helier is treated as one electoral district with the other 4 electoral districts being as per PPC's P.72/2009 recommendation.

By dividing up the Island into 5 areas, as detail in the attached proposed schedule, I believe  that  we  can  reduce  the  number  of  States  members  down  to  41  overall (8 Senators, 12 Connétable s and 21 Deputies) without reducing individual Islanders representations more than we already have done in passing and adopting P.118/2010.

Under my proposal an individual, be they living in a country Parish or an urban district will actually have either the same number of Members dedicated to their part of the Island, or as in the vast majority of cases, actually more dedicated Members assigned to their particular Parish or district.

For example, if I take my own Parish, currently we have 2 Deputies, under this proposal, and if adopted, St. Lawrence residents will have 4 Deputies to call upon.

Similarly, Grouville will have 3 instead of their current one.

Those living in St. Helier No. 3 district will have 7 representatives instead of the current four, and so on.

So we can reduce the overall number of Deputies, by combining areas of the Island, we  can  maintain,  and  in  most  cases  enhance,  individual  Islanders'  political representation.

Admittedly this will increase the constituent based work for some Deputies, but more importantly, it will create a more evenly distributed commitment amongst all of the Islands' Deputies in a more appropriate way in that each individual Deputy will represent a similar number of constituents, unlike the current arrangements whereby some Deputies represent smaller communities and other much larger communities.

I will be asking the States to debate this proposition before the debate on the Draft States  of  Jersey  (Miscellaneous  Provisions)  Law  201-  (P.176/2010),  so  that  the principle of reduction in the number of Deputies can be debated separately. If this proposition is adopted I will propose the amendments to P.176/2010 that I have lodged alongside this proposition to give legal effect to the proposal.

Financial and manpower implications

There would be no manpower implications. Financially, by reducing the number of States members from 29 to 21 some £376,000 per annum could be saved with effect from October 2011. Although not a material sum in the overall spending of the States it is significant as it will indicate to the Island that the States Assembly as a whole is willing to reduce the cost of Government.

APPENDIX 1

PROPOSED REVISED SCHEDULE 1 TO THE STATES OF JERSEY LAW 2005

DEPUTIES' CONSTITUENCIES

APPENDIX 2

PROPOSED CONSTITUENCIES

1. In relation to overall parish population (2001 census figures)

2. In relation to the number of registered electors (2008)