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STATES OF JERSEY
JERSEY CONSUMER COUNCIL: RE-
APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN
Lodged au Greffe on 15th October 2021
by the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture Earliest date for debate: 14th December 2021
STATES GREFFE
2021 P.97
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion
to refer to their Act dated 2nd February 2011 regarding the Jersey Consumer Council and, in accordance with paragraph (b)(ii) of Jersey Consumer Council – future mandate' (P.182/2010), to approve the re-appointment of Mr. Carl Walker as Chairman of the Jersey Consumer Council for a further term of 3 years with effect from 14th April 2021.
MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, SPORT AND CULTURE
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P.97/2021
REPORT
The Jersey Consumer Council ("JCC") was originally established by Act of the States in 1995. In February 2011 the Assembly adopted P.182/2010, which set out a new mandate for the Consumer Council. This included a fundamental change to the previous position, in that the role of Chairman was no longer restricted to being undertaken only by a Member of the States. The decision was also taken to provide an honorarium payment of £10,000 per annum to the new Chairman for a minimum of 10 hours per week spent on JCC business.
Following a recruitment process overseen by the Jersey Appointments Commission, the Minister requested that the States approve the appointment of Mr. Carl Walker to succeed Advocate Rose Colley as Chair of the Jersey Consumer Council (P.67/2018 refers). That approval was given and Mr Walker took on the role with effect from 14th April 2018.
Biography
A former radio and broadcast journalist of some 22 years in both Jersey and the UK, Mr Carl Walker settled in the Island in January 2000 to take up a position with the Jersey Evening Post. Mr Walker served as Deputy Editor for three years before being appointed as Chair of the Consumer Council in 2018. Consumer journalism featured heavily in his work, most notably the prominent Fair Play' consumer column. Fair Play had previously been cited in the States Assembly as having helped drive down the price of petrol and other consumables.
Since moving on from journalism, and alongside his role with the Jersey Consumer Council, Mr Walker has established his own media training and communications consultancy business. He also came to the Consumer Council having demonstrated significant commitment to the community and charitable sector.
The Minister considers that Mr. Walker committed himself wholeheartedly to the role during his first term and was effective in ensuring that consumers' voices were heard across a range of issues and cases, particularly during the unprecedented early months of the COVID pandemic, which included working with the Island's major supermarkets to calm panic-buying behaviours, the establishment of the 'Bag of Basics' scheme for those Islanders unable to attend supermarkets, and the price comparison website and app.
On that basis, the Minister considers that it would be appropriate for Mr Walker to continue in the role for a second three-year term.
Financial and manpower implications
There are no specific financial and manpower implications arising from this proposition. Jersey Consumer Council currently receives grant funding in the sum of £87,000 per annum to fund the cost of delivering its Business Plan objectives, which in turn align with the terms of the Council's constitution.
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