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2.13 Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier of the Chairman of the Privileges and Procedures Committee regarding the effectiveness of the pre-election notices published by the Judicial Greffe: Does the Chairman regard the pre-election notices published by the Judicial Greffe as effective? What is the cost of these notices for this year to date and for 2005 and 2006, and what improvements, if any, would he suggest?
Connétable D.F. Gray of St. Clement (Chairman of the Privileges and Procedures
Committee):
The Public Election (Jersey) Law 2002 places a statutory duty on the Judicial Greffier to place certain notices in the Jersey Gazette relating to public elections. The Judicial Greffier is a non-
ministerial department of the judiciary. PPC (Privileges and Procedures Committee) has no
involvement with the work of the Judicial Greffe and no authority to interfere with the operation of that department. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment on the manner in which the Judicial Greffe undertakes its statutory duty to publish these notices. An examination of the recent notices published for the election of the Connétable of Grouville , for example, nevertheless shows that they contain all the required statutory information. PPC is keen to do everything it can to encourage voter turnout. The Committee agreed last week to set up a small working group under the chairmanship of the vice-chairman, the Deputy of St. Mary, to look at how the Public Elections (Jersey) Law 2002 could be amended to improve electoral registration process and address other concerns within the law. As part of this review it is likely stakeholders, such as the Connétable s, the Jurats and the Judicial Greffier will be consulted. It is likely that this will include the manner in which matters are brought to the attention of the public through official notices. Current notices are not the responsibility for PPC and are not funded through the Committee's budget. To assist members, the Judicial Greffe have indicated the cost of the notices for 2005 are £1,108.36, for 2006 £2,773.70 and for 2007 to date, £1,680.75.
2.13.1 Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
Notwithstanding the apparent abdication of direct responsibility, would the Chairman not agree that this is an area where highly bureaucratic and legalistic looking advertisements are having absolutely no impact whatsoever? If he is, indeed, as part of an overall thrust interested in improving turnout, radical reform is required in this particular instance?
The Connétable of St. Clement :
I think I have answered the question when I said that we have no means of interfering with how the Judicial Greffier operates. The sub-Committee will look at these issues for sure.