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PERSONAL STATEMENT TO BE MADE BY THE CONNETABLE OF ST. MARTIN
ON WEDNESDAY 25th JUNE 2025
I have been a member of PPC since the beginning of 2021 and have served as Chair since I was elected at the start of this Assembly in 2022.
Across this term, we have delivered a number of important initiatives. We are all aware that the electoral turnout in Jersey is shockingly low, and for an Island that speaks fondly of its democratic institutions and consensus-driven government, it is imperative that our words are met by delivering a more engaged and democratically-active electorate.
It has been the central focus of the Privileges and Procedures Committee throughout my time as Chair to make sure that this issue is addressed in a proactive, constructive and welcoming manner. Our work has been headlined by two key policies to make voting as easy as possible.
Our Election Day has been moved to a Sunday, and we are making registration to vote more straightforward for Islanders through the introduction of Automatic Voter Registration.
As Chair I was part of the appointment process for our Commissioner for Standards after we joined with Guernsey to create a Pan-Island role for the first time. PPC has also undertaken consultation with Members on revisions to the Code of Conduct, and those changes will be coming back to the Assembly for debate in the Autumn.
My Committee has been charged and challenged with bringing forward, in a short time, the legislation for the return of Senators to the Assembly. I am pleased to report that this newly-drafted legislation will be lodged before the summer recess for it to be debated in September.
Alongside our aims for greater turnout and democratic engagement and supporting the Assembly’s decisions on the composition of the Assembly, we have provided significant improvements in the support available for Members by establishing offices in Hill Street. This has been complemented by increased pastoral support through access to coaching and continued professional development, and the launch of our highly-valued Constituency Team, whose impact has been felt Islandwide.
I have been extremely privileged to have served as Chair of PPC through these last three years, and I am extremely proud of the way my Committee has met with turbulence and challenges.
As Chair I have always strived to be independent for the sake of the Assembly and for the good of the Assembly, making sure that this role becomes the focus of my duties in this chamber. It has been challenging, but it has also been deeply rewarding. The Chair of PPC is the Leader of this Assembly, this Parliament – the States – and I have worked hard on a daily basis to be available to all to provide both support and a listening ear.
After three years, I feel that it is now the right time to stand down.
I am extremely grateful to both my committees, those who were Members of PPC pre the VONC and those who are current Members. I am proud of all we have achieved and our ongoing work programme. The role is demanding in ways that are hard to define or explain, not only because of their scope and complexity, but the fact that this role deals with matters that cut to the heart of Members’ lives. It is, on occasion, exceptionally demanding.
It requires a daily level of care and discretion that must be coupled with a genuine love of this Assembly as a democratic institution, and a drive to offer the support Members need. It is essential that a Chair knows when they have offered what they can and that it is time to let somebody else take over. A core tenet of representative democracy is to be replaced. and I hope that my successor will benefit from the experience they will receive over the coming months, and the insights they will gain.
I must thank all Members of both PPC, and the Chairs and Members of PPC’s sub committees, who have allowed our successes to take root. I would also like to record my ever-grateful thanks to the Greffier, the Deputy Greffier and all those who support us in the Greffe. My thanks are also extended to the Bailiff and Deputy Bailiff , the Attorney General and the Solicitor General. I would also like to thank this Assembly.
As you will be aware, the procedure is that as soon as I resign, I am no longer the Chair. The PPC Committee still stands until the new Chair is elected, which will hopefully be at the next States sitting. Nothing will fall.
This is, in part, because PPC is neither government, nor scrutiny. It is a separate part of this Assembly, and it is vital that it stays this way so that it may represent the whole Assembly. It is an essential part of the continuity of representation, where public service for the public good should be pursued and championed.
PPC is not the place for egos, it is a place to help determine how we can maximise the effectiveness of this Assembly. It is where we manage our Island community. The Chair is just one part of a community that delivers through consensus, and the Committee must be able to live beyond the Chair.
Change may occasionally be slow, but it is because of this Committee’s commitment to get it right. A Chair must be open to new ideas and to building support across this Chamber, and I would not stand down without knowing how many Members embody these traits.
I wish my successor and committee the best of wishes. Chairing PPC is both challenging and fascinating in equal measure, and it is a unique honour and a privilege that should never be taken lightly. I hope my successor and committee will provide it with the energy, the commitment and success it deserves. I look forward to supporting them. Thank you.