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4.12 The Connétable of St. Helier of the Chief Minister regarding the completion off the Millennium Town Park project by 2011:
Does the Chief Minister intend to honour his predecessor's pledge that the Millennium Town Park project should be completed by 2011, and, if so, will he undertake to work closely with the Ministers of Planning and Environment and Transport and Technical Services to identify and provide replacement parking for that which will be lost at Gas Place?
Senator T.A. Le Sueur (The Chief Minister):
I would very much like to honour my predecessor's pledge, but that will be subject to the decisions of this Assembly. The Council of Ministers commissioned a programme of work which would have provided the Town Park by 2011. The first phase of that work was the relocation of Ann Court and the subsequent car park development on that site to make the land available for the Town Park. The proposition from Deputy Martin not to provide a car park on Ann Court has led to the Planning and Environment Minister undertaking a master planning exercise for the whole of that area of town. This will inevitably slightly delay the project. Any subsequent States decision could have an effect on both the timescales and the ability to replace the parking and therefore deliver a Town Park of the size and scale previously committed. When the master plan is complete and the States Assembly has made a decision including relevant parking, I will ensure that Ministers do work closely to deliver it as soon as possible.
- The Connétable of St. Helier :
Would the Chief Minister tell us how important he feels it is that the Island is provided with a sustainable transport policy to enable us to fully address the parking needs as part of this project?
Senator T.A. Le Sueur :
We have a transport policy. We need to review it and update it, and it is a vital component of this, as is the town master plan.
- Deputy J.A. Martin:
I am saddened to hear the Chief Minister say that a proposition brought by me could possibly delay the Town Park. Would the Chief Minister not say it is due to his Council of Ministers and the previous Council of Ministers that have missed this whole area of town [Approbation], and there should have been a master plan done months, if not years, ago and we would not be in this position? [Approbation]
Senator T.A. Le Sueur :
When the States agreed to deliver a Town Park on the gasworks site, one of their requirements was to relocate the parking, and the decision was made as part of that plan and part of the costing of that plan to move the car park into Ann Court.
- The Connétable of St. Helier :
The Chief Minister will be aware that for many years the Transport and Technical Services Department had earmarked £15 million as part of the project, and yet we now hear that this figure has been substantially reduced. Can the Chief Minister comment on the funding problems that seem to be affecting the project? Would he also agree with me that the income from the private parking on the Telman site nearest to Bath Street should be applied to the Millennium Fund and should not be put into general States reserves?
Senator T.A. Le Sueur :
The reason that the funding for the car parking has been tried to be reduced is that that would have led to an increase in the hourly car parking rate which was felt, particularly in this economic time, to be to the detriment of the people of St. Helier, particularly those who are needing to park in that area. So, it is a question of balancing the costs for delivering that Town Park against the increased parking charges. It is not a question that T.T.S. or anyone else is running out of money. It is a question of delivering the best service to the public. As to the income from the gasworks land, that income is extant in relation to a private company. It does not form part of the funding stream.
- The Connétable of St. Helier :
The Minister will be aware that the private land is owned by the States and, therefore, that income should come to the States. It does seem to me that the Minister did not quite answer my question about the parking, the transport strategy. Will the Minister undertake to work closely with his Council of Ministers, and particularly the Minister for Transport and Technical Services, to come up with an updated transport policy that was promised to the States for the last 3 years and was never delivered?
Senator T.A. Le Sueur :
I am quite prepared to work with the Minister for Transport and Technical Services, and I do agree that the transport strategy needs to be debated by the States and I am sure it will be before too long.
- Senator B.E. Shenton:
Has the Chief Minister considered appointing Hopkins Architects to look at this part of St. Helier in order to get a speedier and more favourable response from the Minister for Planning and Environment?
Senator T.A. Le Sueur :
It would be for the Minister for Planning and Environment to decide who is appointed to carry out the master planning work, and I have every confidence that that Minister will choose the most suitable people to do it in the most appropriate time scale.
The Deputy Bailiff :
We move next to a question that the Deputy of St. Mary will ask, but the Deputy of
St. Mary is en défaut, so that will fall away. We then come to question 16, which Deputy Pitman will ask of the Minister for Treasury and Resources.