Sppech at a recetn CPA Conference regarding engaging the public in the political process

1240/5(1925)

QUESTION TO BE ASKED OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY, 22nd JULY 2003 BY SENATOR E.P. VIBERT

Question

1. Would the President confirm that whenspeaking at the recent Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Regional Conference held inWestminster and Cambridge, he told the Conference that Jersey was making a real effort to engage the community more closely in the political process'?
2. Would heinformmemberswhat this real effort' involves andhowitis manifested?
3. Would he also inform memberswhat proposals he has putto the States to develop this concept duringhis years in the Assembly and when will he,for instance, inform members if he has made a submission to the Legislation Committee to improve our electoral Law?
4. Are membersto regard his statementas implying that the States has, in past years, failed to develop a culture ofengagement'?

Answer

1. I am grateful toSenator Vibert for drawing attention tomyspeech;itwason a subject aboutwhich I feel very strongly. I washonouredtobe invited bytheCommonwealthParliamentaryAssociation to address their recent conference onthe topic of Engaging the Communityin the Political Process'. It is true that in my speech I did say that  Jerseyismaking a real effort to engage the community and weintendtodevelop a culture of engagement', in which the community can, and will,feelmuch more involved in the political process.' I explained that a gaphasopenedbetween the States and the public. This is an unhealthy picture for democracy. Over the coming years wemust address this otherwisewewillnotbe able toensure the Islandis governed with the assent andsupportofthe public. EveryCPAmemberwhoattendedmypresentation reported similar problems.
2. In my speech I set out a numberof actions whichCommitteesandmembers have taken to try to engagethe public better. Theseincludedamongstothers –

p an e l s of interested people with real and precise terms of reference;

n u m erous public meetings to discuss and consult upon specific issues and policies; email and computer

discussion groups to promote debate;

o n -l in e surgeries giving the Public the opportunity to directly question States members;

ad v i sory bodies that make a clear contribution to the political process.

3. In asking this questionitisclear that the Senator has misunderstoodthecontent and thrust of my speech. My speech wasnotabout what I have done,or intend to do. I wasspeakingas a representative of the Island and myspeechwas related to what the States of Jersey has doneand intends to do. I have not put anyproposals to the States, or the Legislation Committeeon this concept,nor do I have any intention ofdoing so. I believe that the measures takenby that Committee,and to which I referred inmy speech, have already significantly improved the Electoral Law.

M  embers will recall that at the briefing in May I outlined the process for developing the States Strategic Plan. This will include a proper process of public engagement during the autumn and beyond. We have all accepted the need to develop a real sense of direction for the whole of the States and really involving the public in setting this direction is a very clear commitment to listening and responding to them. Members will also recall that when I was President of Finance and Economics we launched the largest series of public

consultation processes inviting everyone to have their say on our future fiscal strategy. In terms of electoral

turnout I can do no better than reiterate any speech.

W  e  a r e moving the principal elections from the autumn to the spring in the hope that better weather will

encourage voters to turn out at the poll stations we have extended polling station opening hours we have introduced much easier more widely available postal voting and we are making strenuous efforts to improve our voter registration procedures.'

4. I do believe that theStatesgenerallyhasnotengaged with the public to theextent it should and, as I said at the outset, a gap has opened up between the States and the publicwhichisnot healthy for democracy. I believe we must take firm action to try to close that gap and the Policy and Resources Committee is committedto taking a lead in this respect.