Report - Environment, Housing & Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel Legacy Report 2022-2026 [S.R.9/2026] - 9 April 2026
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Contents
Chair’s Foreword ................................................................................................................................ 4 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 6 2022 – 2024 Panel Output ............................................................................................................ 8 Comments ..................................................................................................................... 8 Amendments .................................................................................................................. 8 2024 – 2026 Panel Output .......................................................................................................... 10 Reports ........................................................................................................................ 10 Comments ................................................................................................................... 10 Amendments ................................................................................................................ 12 Regulations .................................................................................................................. 14
Other methods of working ............................................................................................................. 15 Public Hearings............................................................................................................................... 15 Letters .............................................................................................................................................. 15 Briefings ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Advisers ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Public engagement ........................................................................................................................ 16 Visits ................................................................................................................................................. 16
Sub-Panel ........................................................................................................................................ 17 Other Work ...................................................................................................................................... 17 Suggestions for future work ......................................................................................................... 18 Environment .................................................................................................................................. 18 Rented Dwelling Licensing Scheme ............................................................................. 18 Marine Spatial Plan ...................................................................................................... 18 Climate Emergency ...................................................................................................... 19 PFAS ........................................................................................................................... 19 Planning & Building ...................................................................................................... 20 Animal Welfare & Control ............................................................................................. 21 Food (Jersey) Law ....................................................................................................... 21 Housing .......................................................................................................................................... 22 Residential Tenancy Law ............................................................................................. 22 Housing Strategy ......................................................................................................... 23 Infrastructure................................................................................................................................. 23 Active Travel ................................................................................................................ 23 Road Safety ................................................................................................................. 24 Liquid Waste ................................................................................................................ 25
Solid Waste.................................................................................................................. 25 Jersey Property Holdings ............................................................................................. 25 Revitalising Town ......................................................................................................... 26 Jersey Capital Investment Fund ................................................................................... 26 Appendix 1 – Panel Membership ................................................................................................. 28 Previous Panel (June 2022- January 2024) ................................................................. 28 Current Panel (February 2024 – April 2026)................................................................. 29
Chair’s Foreword
This report sets out the work of the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel over the 2022–2026 term: a period that included a Vote of No Confidence, resulting in the Panel being reconstituted partway through the term.
Over the course of this term, the Panel has played a central role in holding Government to account and improving legislation before it reaches the States Assembly. Through detailed examination, constructive challenge, and cross-assembly working, we have sought to ensure that decisions are transparent, properly evidenced, and in the long-term interests of Islanders.
The scale of the Panel’s work reflects both the breadth of its remit and the importance of the issues it has considered. Since I became Chair, from 2024, we have presented three major Scrutiny Reports, 16 sets of formal comments, and 15 amendments, many of which were adopted by the Assembly and have directly shaped legislation and policy outcomes. This includes amendments to the Government Budget, the Common Strategic Policy, and key areas of legislation such as the Residential Tenancy Law, livestock worrying and environmental protection.
However, scrutiny is not measured by outputs alone. Behind these figures sits a significant programme of engagement and evidence gathering. The Panel has held over 75 public hearings, issued 80 letters to Ministers, and received extensive briefings and expert advice. We have engaged with stakeholders across the Island, from parish representatives and industry bodies to charities and community groups, and have worked to ensure that public voices are reflected in our work.
Our approach has been to conduct scrutiny constructively. Where proposals were well- founded, we have supported them. Where gaps existed, we have identified them and worked with Ministers to improve outcomes through recommendations, amendments, and direct engagement. At all times, our focus has been on delivery: ensuring that policy is practical, affordable, and capable of implementation.
This report also highlights areas where further work is needed. Across key policy areas, including housing, climate, planning, infrastructure, waste (liquid and solid) and environmental protection, significant challenges remain. In many cases, progress has been made, but delivery is incomplete, and important decisions have been left to the next Assembly.
We therefore see this report not only as a record of work completed, but as a foundation for the future. It sets out clear areas for continued scrutiny and emphasises the importance of maintaining strong, independent oversight in the next term.
Finally, I would like to thank Panel Members, officers, advisers, and all those who contributed to our work. Effective scrutiny depends on collaboration, expertise, and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for Jersey.
Deputy Hilary Jeune , Chair
Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel
Introduction
The Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel (hereafter the Panel) is one of five Scrutiny Panels that work on behalf of the States Assembly to examine and investigate the work of the Government of Jersey. The role of Scrutiny within the States Assembly is to check, challenge and make recommendations to improve:
• policy
• new laws and regulations
• changes to existing legislation
• Government expenditure
As well as undertaking work on issues of public importance.
“There shall be a scrutiny panel which is assigned the topics of
environment, housing and infrastructure.”
Standing Order 135(1)(d)
The Panel is responsible for scrutinising policy and legislation brought forward by the Minister for Housing, the Minister for Infrastructure, and the Minister for the Environment.
Over the 2022-2026 term, the Panel:
Met 187 times
Held 75 public hearings
Sent & received 192 letters
In January 2024, the States Assembly’s adopted the P.1/2024 - Vote of No Confidence, which resulted in the establishment of a new Government mid-term.
Prior to P.1/2024, between June 2022 and 30th January 2024, the Panel was chaired by Deputy Steve Luce . Following the adoption of P.1/2024, Deputy Hilary Jeune was appointed as Panel Chair on 6th February 2024, followed by the constitution of the Panel on 29th February 2024.
A full list of members can be found in Appendix 1 to this report. The following chapters provide:
• An overview of the former Panel’s output from 2022 to 2024,
• An overview of the current Panel’s output from 2024 to 2026,
• A summary of the current Panel’s working methods, and
• Suggestions for topics or issues the successor Panel may wish to consider when developing its work programme.
2022 – 2024 Panel Output
From 2022 to 2024, the former Panel produced a number of comments and amendments. Comments
In total, the Panel presented 5 Comments to the States Assembly:
Draft Food (Jersey) Law 202- (P.105/2022): P.105/2022(Com) comments
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.97/2022(Com)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.115/2022(Com)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.83/2023(Com)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.72/2023(Com)
Proposition date: Debate date:
01/11/2022 16/12/2022
Proposed Government Plan 2023-2026 (P.97/2022): comments
08/12/2022 13/12/2022
Draft Sea Fisheries (TCA – Licensing of Fishing Boats) (Amendment of Law and Regulations – No. 2) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.115/2022): Comments
03/02/2023 07/02/2023
Draft Planning and Building (Conservation Areas) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.83/2023): comments
24/11/2023 24/11/2023
Proposed Government Plan 2024-2027 (P.72/2023): comments
06/12/2023 04/01/2024
Amendments
The Panel lodged 11 amendments:
P.40/2023(Amd.2) WITHDRAWN
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.40/2023(Amd.3) WITHDRAWN
Proposition date: Debate date:
Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.40/2023): second amendment
23/10/2023 07/11/2023
Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.40/2023): third amendment
23/10/2023 07/11/2023
P.40/2024(Amd.4) WITHDRAWN
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.40/2024(Amd.5) WITHDRAWN
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.40/2024(Amd.6) WITHDRAWN
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.40/2024(Amd.7) WITHDRAWN
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.40/2024(Amd.8) WITHDRAWN
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.40/2024(Amd.9) WITHDRAWN
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.40/2024(Amd.10) WITHDRAWN
Proposition date: Debate date:
Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.40/2023): fourth amendment
23/10/2023 07/11/2023
Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.40/2023): fifth amendment
23/10/2023 07/11/2023
Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.40/2023): sixth amendment
23/10/2023 07/11/2023
Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.40/2023): seventh amendment
23/10/2023 07/11/2023
Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.40/2023): eighth amendment
23/10/2023 07/11/2023
Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.40/2023): ninth amendment
23/10/2023 07/11/2023
Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.40/2023): tenth amendment
23/10/2023 07/11/2023
P.40/2024(Amd.11)(Amd.) Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented REJECTED Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations
202- (P.40/2023): eleventh amendment (amendment)
Proposition date: 21/11/2023 Debate date: 28/11/2023
Proposition date: Debate date:
Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.40/2023): eleventh amendment (second amendment)
21/11/2023 28/11/2023
2024 – 2026 Panel Output
From 2024 to 2026, the current Panel produced reports, comments and amendments. Reports
The Panel presented 3 Scrutiny Reports (S.R.) to the States Assembly:
Report – Review of the Marine Spatial Plan – 17 October 2024 S.R.6/2024
Report – Draft Residential Tenancy (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- Review – 26 August 2025 S.R.3/2025
Report – Animal Welfare & Control (including the Draft Animal Welfare (Jersey) Law 202-) – 10 March 2026 S.R.7/2026
Comments
In total, the Panel presented 16 Comments to the States Assembly:
P.82/2023(Com) Proposition date: Debate date:
P.51/2024(Com)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.77/2024(Com)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.31/2025(Com)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.37/2025(Com)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.63/2025(Com) Proposition date:
P.57/2025(Com)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.63/2025(Com.2)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.63/2025(Com.3)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.70/2025(Com.4)
Proposition date: Debate date:
Offshore Wind (P.82/2023): comments 11/04/2024
16/04/2024
Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2025-2028 (P.51/2024): comments
21/11/2024 26/11/2024
Draft Single Use Plastics Etc. (Restrictions) (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- (P77/2024): comments
05/12/2024 10/12/2024
Draft Highways Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- (P.31/2025): comments
29/05/2025 03/06/2025
Draft Single-Use Plastics etc. (Restrictions) Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- (P.37/2025): comments
20/06/2025 24/06/2025
Draft Dogs Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- (P.63/2025): comments
29/09/2025
Draft Regulation of Care (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- (P.57/2025): comments
07/11/2025 11/11/2025
Draft Dogs Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- (P.63/2025): comments
07/11/2025 30/09/2025
Draft Dogs Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- (P.63/2025): comments
21/11/2025 25/11/2025
Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2026-2029 (P.70/2025): comments
04/12/2025 08/12/2025
P.113/2025(Com.) Proposition date: Debate date:
P.18/2026(Com.)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.22/2026(Com.)
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.21/2026(Com.)
Proposition date: Debate date:
Draft Food (Jersey) Regulations 202-: comments 24/02/2026
10/03/2026
Draft Sea Fisheries (Trawling, Netting and Dredging) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- (P.18/2026): comments
05/03/2026 10/03/2026
Draft Planning and Building (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- (P.22/2026): comments
19/03/2026 24/03/2026
Draft Sea Fisheries (Atlantic Bluefin Tuna) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.21/2026): comments
20/03/2026 24/03/2026
P.97/2025 Amd.(2)Com. Draft Animal Welfare (Jersey) Law 202- (P.97/2025):
second amendment (P.97/2025 Amd.(2)) – comments
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.26/2026 Com.
Proposition date: Debate date:
20/03/2026 24/03/2026
Draft Water Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- (P.26/2026): comments
24/03/2026 24/03/2026
Amendments
The Panel lodged 15 amendments:
P.21/2024 Amd. Common Strategic Policy 2024-2026 ADOPTED (P.21/2024): amendment
Proposition date: 07/05/2024 Debate date: 21/05/2024
P.21/2024 Amd.(Amd.2) Common Strategic Policy 2024-2026 ADOPTED (P.21/2024): second amendment
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.44/2024 Amd. REJECTED
20/05/2024 21/05/2024
Marine Spatial Plan (P.44/2024): amendment
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.44/2024 Amd.2 ADOPTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.51/2024 Amd.11 (re- issue)
ADOPTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.51/2024 Amd.19 ADOPTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.72/202 Amd. ADOPTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.24/2024 Amd. ADOPTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.24/2024 Amd.4 ADOPTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.70/2025 Amd.9(re- issue)
ADOPTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.70/2025 Amd.31 ADOPTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
08/10/2024 22/10/2024
Marine Spatial Plan (P.44/2024): second amendment
08/10/2024 22/10/2024
Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2025- 2028 (P.51/2024): eleventh amendment. Vehicle Emissions Duty
11/11/2024 26/11/2024
Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2025- 2028 (P.51/2024): eleventh amendment. Fort Regent Development
11/11/2024 26/11/2024
Draft Finance (2025 Budget) (Jersey) Law 202- (P.72/2024): amendment
11/11/2024 26/11/2024
Draft Residential Tenancy (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- (P.24/2025): amendment (P.24/2025): amendment
26/08/2025 09/09/2025
Draft Residential Tenancy (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- (P.24/2025): fourth amendment
26/08/2025 09/09/2025
Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2026- 2029 (P.70/2025): ninth amendment. Climate Emergency
21/11/2025 09/12/2024
Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2026- 2029 (P.70/2025): thirty-first amendment. Empty Residential Properties
24/11/2025
P.70/2025 Amd.32 ADOPTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.113/2025 Amd. REJECTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.97/2025 Amd.3 REJECTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
P.97/2025 Amd.3 REGULATIONS WITHDRAWN
Proposition date: Debate date:
Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2026- 2029 (P.70/2025): thirty-second amendment. Environment Department Funding
24/11/2025 09/12/2024
Draft Food (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.113/2026): amendment
24/02/2026 10/03/2026
Draft Animal Welfare (Jersey) Law 202- (P.97/2025): third amendment
10/03/2026 24/03/2026
Draft Road Traffic Law (Drug Driving) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- (P.32/2026): amendment
11/03/2026 N/A
Regulations
The Panel lodged 1 set of regulations:
P.97/2025 Amd.(3). ADOPTED
Proposition date: Debate date:
Draft Dogs Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-
12/02/2026 24/03/2026
Other methods of working
Public Hearings
The Panel held rolling quarterly public hearings with the Minister for Housing, Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for the Environment, wherein the Panel’s questioning covered a wide variety of topics. These ranged from current affairs to new and ongoing policy work, as well as the proposal of new legislation and updating of existing legislation.
The Panel also conducted a number of public hearings specifically for gathering evidence as part of its review processes. Question areas for these hearings focus on the topic of the review, as defined by its Terms of Reference, and were held with Ministers, Comite des Connetables and other key stakeholders.
In total, the Panel over the 2022-2026 period held 38 quarterly public hearings. The Panel also held 37 other public hearings in relation to specific reviews, or standalone topics, over the course of the electoral term.
The stand-alone topic based public hearings held this term were:
• Engagement and Consultation on Traffic Changes on 9th April 2025,
• Bridging Island Plan on 23rd July 2025, and
• Jersey Property Holdings on 7th October 2025,
Letters
The Panel sent 80 letters to Ministers during its term of office, which sought to hold Ministers to account on various matters of importance. Information was requested in relation to updates on policy and/or legislation, to follow-up on items from public hearings that required further clarification or requesting the Minister to take action on important policy matters.
All letters are published on the States Assembly website as a matter of improved transparency, unless a justifiable exemption under the Freedom of Information Act can be demonstrated by the respective Minister or Government Officials.
Briefings
During its term of office, the Panel received numerous briefings from Ministers and Government Officials on a variety of matters relevant to its remit.
Briefings have often been provided at the start of a review, to discuss ongoing policy and legislation development, or for one-off matters of importance.
The Panel has received regular ongoing briefing updates, particularly, in relation to larger workstreams such as the Marine Spatial Plan and Fort Regent.
Advisers
The Panel’s review of the Marine Spatial Plan was informed by the independent expertise of Howell Marine Consulting, who were engaged as advisers due to their extensive experience in marine spatial planning, international bestpractice evaluation and crossjurisdictional policy review. HMC’s work included a comprehensive assessment of the MSP against global
MSP standards, analysis of stakeholder engagement processes, and scrutiny of the evidence base underpinning the proposed Marine Protected Areas.
The Panel’s review of the Draft Residential Tenancy (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- was informed by the engagement of expert adviser Rt. Hon Michael Tomlinson who was engaged due to his extensive legal and parliamentary expertise as a senior barrister (King’s Counsel), former Solicitor General for England & Wales for the Conservative Party at the time the UK Government introduced the Renters (Reform) Bill to Parliament in May 2023 and a member of the UK Privy Council.
Public engagement
The Panel has sought to engage with the public through various channels of engagement, some of which have included:
• Sponsored social media posts and polls
• Publication of interactive digital summary versions for each of its scrutiny reports
• Summaries of key issues raised and outcomes from public hearings posted on social media
• A targeted approach to requesting submissions from key stakeholders to its reviews, which has included pop-up stalls in Town and online surveys advertised through social media.
• Public hearings held with stakeholders as part of specific reviews, like Caritas Jersey as part of the Draft Residential Tenancy Law Review and the Comite des Chef de Police as part of the Animal Welfare & Control Review
• Meetings held with stakeholders such as the Fisherman’s Mission and the Homelessness Cluster to learn about their work
• Inclusion of questions raised by members of the public in its question plans for quarterly public hearings with Ministers.
The Panel advocates the continued use of multiple methods of public engagement to its successor Panel. Particularly, in relation to targeted stakeholder engagement and requesting submissions from key individuals or organisations on specific review topics. It also recommends that the extent of any Government-led consultation and engagement with stakeholders is also closely monitored by our successor Panel and that Ministers are challenged where appropriate stakeholder engagement and/or consultation has not been sought or considered.
Visits
The Panel conducted a number of visits during the term, including (but not limited) to the following:
• Jersey Water Treatment and Desalination Plant
• Energy Recovery Facility
• The Cavern
• Andium Homes properties
• Fishing Patrol Vessel
Sub-Panel
The Panel also set-up one sub-panel during the term: the Regulation of Care Review Panel chaired by Deputy Tom Coles , which examined the Draft Regulation of Care (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- (P.57/2025). The Review Panel’s evidence included targeted written submissions and three Public Hearings held with the Jersey Care Commission, the Minister for the Environment, and the Minister for Health and Social Services. Its final Comments set out three formal recommendations relating to stakeholder engagement, a timeframe for further regulation of clinicbased services and preparing staff for the duty of candour.[1]
Other Work
Offshore Wind
The Panel conducted preliminary work on offshore wind before the formation of the Offshore Wind Review Panel, which included attendance at a joint briefing with the Economic & International Affairs Scrutiny Panel and the presentation of Comments to the Council of Minister’s proposition intended to establish at the earliest stage, a clear process for a robust debate on the principle of, and preferred approach to, developing a windfarm (P.82/2023).
Sports
Deputy David Warr represented the Panel at a public hearing held by the Economic & International Affairs Scrutiny Panel in June 2025, during its review of sport in Jersey. The session included detailed questioning on the future of Fort Regent, the Government’s plans for sports facilities, and the wider strategic approach to supporting the Island’s sporting infrastructure and community needs.
Climate Council
Jersey’s independent Climate Council was created after the former Panel successfully amended the draft Carbon Neutral Roadmap in 2022 to require an external body to scrutinise the Island’s progress on emissions reduction and advise on future climatemitigation measures (P.74/2022 Amd.). The Council was formally approved by the States Assembly in 2023, with its establishment and subsequent decisions subject to joint approval by the Chair of the Panel and the Minister for the Environment.
Suggestions for future work
Environment
Rented Dwelling Licensing Scheme
The previous Panel’s review of the Draft Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Licensing) Regulations identified major gaps in clarity, enforcement, and guidance.[2] The current Panel has since followed up through its quarterly hearings, scrutinising the delayed publication of the Code of Practice, the consistency of inspection processes, accessibility of guidance, and the rollout of over 17,500 licences during the transitional period. While progress has been made, several risks remain, particularly around enforcement capacity, data transparency, and ensuring consistent decisionmaking. The next Panel should continue to monitor implementation closely, pressing for regular performance reporting, robust and accessible guidance, and a fully resourced and consistent regulatory regime.
Marine Spatial Plan
The Jersey Marine Spatial Plan (P.44/2024) was published in July 2024 as a nonstatutory framework intended to guide the longterm management of Jersey’s marine environment and inform the next Island Plan. The Panel undertook a full review of the MSP and identified 34 findings and 17 recommendations in its final Scrutiny Report (S.R.6/2024).
In 2026, the Minister for the Environment lodged the Draft Sea Fisheries (Trawling, Netting and Dredging) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202 (P.18/2026) to give legal effect to the first phase of the Marine Protected Areas network. In its comments, the Panel found that although the States Assembly had approved immediate protection of 23% of territorial waters in 2024, the Regulations instead phased in protection from 6.5% to 21.7% in 2026, reaching 23.5% only by 2030, contrary to Scrutiny’s earlier recommendation for urgent designation of confirmed MPAs.[3]
The Panel also raised concerns that several areas identified through 2025 seabed surveys as containing sensitive habitats with highdensity maerl beds were scheduled for delayed or partial protection without a clear rationale consistent with the precautionary approach set out in the MSP.[4]
The next Panel may wish to assess whether the phased approach to MPA designation is compatible with Jersey’s obligations under the OSPAR Convention and the “30 by 30” global biodiversity target, review the robustness of the habitatassessment and Economic Impact Assessment methodologies underpinning the revised MPA boundaries, and examine whether the Government has established sufficiently clear monitoring structures and fisheriesmanagement mechanisms to support a sustainable transition for affected fleets.
The next Panel should also monitor delivery of the MSP’s action framework, noting that 80 of the 91 actions remain outstanding, and ensure that progress is transparently tracked and reported.
Climate Emergency
The Carbon Neutral Roadmap (CNR), approved by the States Assembly in April 2022, established the Island’s pathway to meet its legally binding commitments under the Paris Agreement, including achieving netzero emissions by 2050 and substantial reductions by 2030 and 2035. Due to earlier Scrutiny amendments designed to improve accountability (P.74/2022(Amd)), Jersey’s first Climate Council was established in 2024, whose mandate includes reviewing progress and advising on future climate policy.
The Panel notes that the Climate Council’s March 2026 report provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of Jersey’s performance against the CNR, concluding that Jersey is not currently on track to meet its 2030 climate targets, and that the window for corrective action is narrowing.[5]
During the Panel’s final quarterly public hearing, the Minister for the Environment acknowledged that, although progress had been made during the term, the pace of change must accelerate if Jersey is to meet its emissionsreduction commitments. He also confirmed that the second CNR delivery plan (2026–2030) will need to respond directly to the Climate Council’s findings and set a clearer, more deliverable pathway for the next government.[6]
As such, the next Panel may wish to examine whether the Government’s forthcoming 2026– 2030 delivery plan responds adequately to the Council’s finding that the Island is offtrack and whether climate governance, funding arrangements and regulatory levers are sufficient to support the accelerated action required.
Furthermore, ensuring the independent oversight of the Climate Council continues to drive transparent, evidencebased climate governance will be essential throughout the next political term. The next Panel should actively monitor the Government’s delivery against the Climate Council’s recommendations to ensure sustained progress on Jersey’s climate commitments.
PFAS
At the time of writing, the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel has published three final reports, with Report 4 (covering environmental impacts and drinkingwater standards) issued in draft form for public feedback, ahead of its final publication. Draft Report 4 recommends introducing a statutory limit of 4 ng/L for the sum of four PFAS compounds, to be achieved within five years, reflecting the Panel’s assessment of health risks and international evidence.[7]
To achieve this, the Minister for the Environment lodged the Draft Water Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202 (P.26/2026) to introduce Jersey’s first statutory PFAS drinkingwater standard. The Panel reviewed the proposition and issued formal comments, identifying major uncertainties relating to scientific interpretation, treatment technology, timelines, infrastructure requirements, and funding responsibility. Due to the complexity of the issue, the level of community concern, and the significant divergence between
Government and Jersey Water on feasibility, cost and delivery timeframes, the Panel ultimately decided to call in the Regulations.[8]
Given that the regulatory proposals are being advanced before the Independent Panel’s work is complete, Jersey Water have estimated a cost ranging from £140–£210 million for a new Island-wide treatment facility,9 whereas the Minister estimates costs to be approximately £20 million for treatment works on two existing sites10 and that there is disagreement on whether the 4 ng/L standard can be met within the proposed timeframe. As such, the Panel considers the evidence base incomplete and insufficiently scrutinised.11
The next Panel should therefore establish a dedicated review panel to provide structured oversight of PFAS policy, reflecting the scientific uncertainty, public sensitivity, and the scale of longterm infrastructure, funding, and healthprotection decisions involved. The next Panel should also ensure full parliamentary scrutiny of the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel’s final Report 4, evaluate the robustness of costed treatment options, and examine whether clear governance, funding mechanisms and regulatory pathways have been established before any new PFAS limits are brought back to the Assembly for approval.
Planning & Building
The Panel maintained oversight of the Island’s planning and building system throughout the term, with scrutiny spanning the Bridging Island Plan, amendments to planning legislation, the Minister’s reform programme, and wider cross government planning initiatives.
The Minister for the Environment lodged P.22/2026 in March 2026 to introduce legal provisions enabling partial reviews of the Island Plan. While the Panel recognised the value of greater flexibility, it noted that the proposition could allow a future Minister to implement certain changes without returning to the States Assembly, depending on the regulations made under the amended Law. The Panel therefore stresses that any such regulations must include robust democratic safeguards and recommends that the next Panel maintain close oversight of their development.12
The Government’s consultation on planning services reform signalled forthcoming updates to General Development Orders (GDOs), but no GDO amendments had been lodged by the end of the term. The Panel considers this an important area of reform and recommends that future scrutiny monitors the introduction of GDO changes, ensuring they are balanced, proportionate, and supported by appropriate environmental and community protections.
Alongside GDOs, the Panel notes that planned reforms to the planning appeals system remain outstanding, with Government indicating they will not be progressed until later in 2026. The next Panel should ensure these reforms are taken forward in a timely and transparent manner.
Operational improvements within the planning service were welcomed, including stronger industry engagement, increased determination rates, enhanced digital systems, and improved case management processes. The Panel recommends that successor scrutiny
continues to monitor service performance, digital modernisation, and customer experience to ensure these gains are sustained.
The Panel held a public dedicated hearing on the Bridging Island Plan in July 2025, which highlighted a significant volume of outstanding work that could not be completed within this term. Of the 40 proposals in the Plan, only 8 were complete, 17 were in progress, 12 had yet to commence, and 3 had been deferred. The Minister acknowledged that many proposals could not be completed before the next Island Plan cycle because of substantial resource constraints.13
Key strategic proposals also remain outstanding, including the longterm planning assumption for population and housing, updated evidence on minerals and waste, and the finalisation of the West of Island Planning Framework. Officers stated that some of this work is strategically essential for the next Island Plan, particularly minerals and waste capacity, which must be addressed before the next plan is debated.14
Finally, the Panel notes that the next Government will begin preparations for the next Island Plan. Successor scrutiny should ensure early, transparent engagement and a robust evidence base, including updated housing need analysis, longterm infrastructure requirements, and climate resilience measures. The volume of outstanding work identified during the Bridging Island Plan public hearing demonstrates that the next Panel will inherit a substantial and urgent portfolio of preparatory tasks.
Animal Welfare & Control
The Panel scrutinised the dangerous dog- amendments brought forward by the Comité des Connétable s in 2025 (P.63/2025), identifying significant gaps in consultation, enforcement capability and operational readiness. These issues remained unresolved when the legislation was adopted, with the Comité confirming in January 2026 that specialist dog seizure- arrangements via the National Police Coordination Centre are being progressed.15 The next Panel will need to ensure these arrangements are fully established before the legislation is relied upon operationally and should also evaluate how effectively the provisions function in practice.
Through its Animal Welfare & Control Review (S.R.7/2026), the Panel identified a series of legislative, operational and governance matters requiring follow up in the next term. A Ministerial response is due at the end of the term, meaning the next Panel will need to monitor delivery of accepted recommendations.
The newly adopted Dogs Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202 (P.43/2026) will also require implementation oversight, including the Panel’s recommendations for a public awareness campaign and the installation of clear signage in grazing areas to ensure dog owners understand lead requirements around livestock.
Food (Jersey) Law
The Panel conducted a review into the Draft Food (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.113/2025) which resulted in the publication of Comments (P.113/2025 Com.) and an Amendment (P.113/2025 Amd.). The Amendment was adopted in part by the States Assembly, removing the fixed commencement date of 1st October 2026 from the Regulations. This means that
13 2025-07-23-Transcript-Environment,-Housing-and-Infrastructure-Panel-Bridging-Island-Plan-Hearing.pdf 14 2025-07-23-Transcript-Environment,-Housing-and-Infrastructure-Panel-Bridging-Island-Plan-Hearing.pdf 15 2026-01-27-Letter-Comite-des-Connetable-Animal-Welfare-and-Control-Review.pdf
the Minister will need to return with proposals for a revised commencement mechanism once implementation readiness can be demonstrated. Ongoing scrutiny may therefore be required to monitor progress and ensure that any future commencement is supported by sufficient clarity and preparedness across the sector.
The Panel’s Comments also identified the proposed food licensing fees as a key area requiring further scrutiny. Significant concern was raised about the principle and proportionality of a businesspays model, particularly its potential impact on small, micro and communitybased food operators, and the absence of a clear and transparent methodology for how fees would be calculated. The Minister committed to returning to the Assembly with clearer proposals on the licensing fee model closer to implementation, and the Panel noted that further Assembly consideration and scrutiny would therefore be required once a revised and fully articulated fee structure is brought forward.
Housing
Residential Tenancy Law
The Panel conducted an in-depth review into the proposed changes to Jersey’s residential tenancy framework through the Draft Residential Tenancy (Jersey) Amendment Law 202 (P.24/2025) which resulted in a final report that contained and 18 recommendations and nine changes to the legislation (S.R.3/2025), of which eight were adopted and one fell away.
With the amended Law due to commence on 15th April 2026, the next Panel will need to oversee its early rollout, ensuring that the new tenancy types, notice procedures, and rentincrease rules are understood and applied consistently. Early implementation may highlight areas of uncertainty for landlords, tenants, or letting agents, and the Panel may need to consider whether further clarification or refinement is required.
The new Rent Tribunal represents a major structural change, and its accessibility, workload, and efficiency will require evaluation once operational. The next Panel may also review whether tenants understand how to use the Tribunal and whether further guidance is needed to support rentchallenge processes.
Updated public guidance and the new Model Residential Tenancy Agreement, published in March 2026, deliver key Scrutiny recommendations. The next Panel may wish to assess their accuracy, uptake, and effectiveness after a period of use and determine whether any further updates or communication efforts are required.
The outgoing Panel received assurances that recommendations scheduled for completion in Q2 2026 were on track.[9] The next Panel will need to confirm delivery, identify any outstanding actions, and determine whether further scrutiny or followup is necessary.
Finally, the next Panel may wish to assess the early impact of the reforms on the rental market, including whether they are improving tenant security, landlord standards, and overall clarity in the system. Ongoing engagement with stakeholders, including those involved in the April 2026 information events, will help identify any areas requiring additional support or policy development.
Housing Strategy
The Panel notes that there is currently no overarching housing strategy in Jersey, and that policy during this term has continued to develop in a piecemeal manner. This has included the amendments to the Residential Tenancy Law, progress on the Homelessness Strategy, updates to socialhousing eligibility, and work on empty homes. While each of these strands represents important activity, they are not joined by a unified strategic framework.
During the term, the Minister published R.3/2026, updating progress on the Jersey Homelessness Strategy. The next Panel may wish to follow up on the strategic direction of this work, including how homelessness prevention, supply pressures, socialhousing access and tenancy protections are coordinated.
The Panel’s successful amendment to the proposed Budget 2026-2029 (P.70/2025(Amd.31)) as amended, resulted in the adoption of an empty homes policy, but funding was removed. The next Panel will need to monitor how this commitment can be resourced and progressed, particularly given the ongoing public and political concern about longterm vacant properties.
The Panel also notes that the Minister published an addendum to the Roadmap for improving access to social housing in Jersey,which resulted in the widening of access to social housing, including lowering the minimum age for applicants without children from 25 to 18 and introducing a generalneeds band. These changes expand eligibility, but their longterm impact on demand, supply and allocations policy remains to be evaluated.
Overall, while important work has taken place across different areas of housing policy, the absence of a single, coordinated housing strategy remains a significant gap, and the Panel believes there is merit in the next Government developing a comprehensive Housing Strategy, bringing together homelessness policy, socialhousing access, housing supply, tenancy reform and the management of empty homes within a single, resourced and measurable framework.
Infrastructure
Active Travel
Throughout this term, the Panel scrutinised the Government’s progress on active travel as a core component of Jersey’s Carbon Neutral Roadmap.
The Sustainable Transport Policy: Next Steps report was published in December 2023 and included a commitment to the publication of a Road Safety Strategy, a Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Strategy in 2024 and to identify a programme of strategic corridors for cycling and key walking zones across the Island.
In this context, the Panel examined the Minister for Infrastructure’s programme of incremental improvements, including new cycle parking, safer crossings, and the rollout of school street schemes. However, the absence of the promised Islandwide Cycling and Walking Infrastructure strategy, with delays resulting from landownership constraints, and the need for stronger coordination with parish Roads Committees identified as key barriers to delivering a coherent, emissionsreducing active travel network.[10]
Looking ahead, sustained scrutiny will be required to ensure delivery of the Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Strategy, stable longterm funding for active travel infrastructure, and accelerated implementation of measures essential for meeting Jersey’s netzero transport commitments.
Road Safety
Across the term, the Panel monitored a range of roadsafety matters, noting that progress was delivered mainly through incremental measures rather than through an Islandwide Road Safety Strategy, which remains outstanding at the time of writing. The Panel questioned the Minister on the expansion of schooltravel safety schemes, including the permanent school street at St Luke’s and the extended trial at College Hill, as well as pedestrian improvements such as the new crossing near JCG. Evidence highlighted several persistent safety risks, particularly vehicle speed, identified by the Minister as one of the top contributors to collisions.[11] Continued scrutiny will be required to ensure coordinated Islandwide action, stronger enforcement, and the eventual delivery of the formal Road Safety Strategy, which remains outstanding.
Draft Road Traffic Law (Drug Driving) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-
As part of the work to improve road safety, the Minister for Infrastructure lodged the Draft Road Traffic Law (Drug Driving) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202 (P.32/2026) to introduce road-side drug testing and legal limits for THC. However, due to significant stakeholder contention and the limited time available to the Panel to undertake a full examination of the scientific evidence linking THC levels to impairment, the Minister withdrew the Regulations from debate.
Within the timeframe available the Panel’s review collected a substantial volume of submissions from stakeholders, raising concern about the evidential basis for prescribed THC limits, the absence of a medical defence, and the wider implications for medicinalcannabis patients, enforcement, and public health.[12] The Panel also lodged an amendment (P.32/2026 Amd.) to ensure that any future changes to prescribed drug limits or the list of specified drugs must return to the States Assembly, rather than being made by ministerial order.
As the evidence base is contested and the implications for road safety, public health and criminal justice are substantial, the next Panel should undertake a full review of the scientific, legal and policy foundations of the proposed drugdriving framework, including whether THC thresholds are an appropriate and reliable measure of impairment and whether an explicit medical defence should be included.
Importantly, the Panel notes that this proposed amendment represents only one part of a wider programme of legislative reform. Throughout the term, the Minister repeatedly advised that the Road Traffic (Jersey) Law 1956 requires substantial modernisation, describing it as a major, multiyear undertaking that would take years to complete, with preparatory work on drafting instructions only just commencing during the Panel’s term.20 Accordingly, the next Panel should maintain oversight of the broader, longterm Road Traffic Law review, ensuring that changes improve road safety in a coherent, evidencebased and systemwide manner.
Liquid Waste
The previous Panel undertook a substantial review of the Bridging Liquid Waste Strategy 2023-2026 (R.71/2023), publishing a Scrutiny Report (S.R.1/2024) containing 23 recommendations, of which, 19 were accepted by the Minister for Infrastructure and other Ministers, where relevant. The next Panel should monitor delivery closely to ensure that all accepted recommendations are fully implemented and that progress against the Strategy continues on schedule, given its critical importance for the Island’s wastewater infrastructure and longterm resilience.
In the proposed Budget 2026-2029, the Minister for Infrastructure identified the delivery of the Liquid Waste Key Infrastructure Project as essential to supporting Islandwide capacity upgrades and future housing growth, with £43 million allocated and a future
liquid- waste- charging mechanism proposed to help fund the system from 2028. However, the Panel found that this charging proposal was insufficiently developed, with unclear revenue assumptions and no detail on the model’s structure or implementation.[13]
At the last quarterly public hearing, the Minister confirmed that terms of reference for liquid -waste charging were now drafted but were delayed due to competing workstreams and confirmed that consultation and further development would fall to the next Minister, noting the financial need for a user pays- model and ongoing investment pressures across the wastewater network.22
Given the underdeveloped state of the charging proposals and their importance to long term infrastructure funding, the next Panel should review the draft terms of reference, scrutinise the financial and distributional impacts of any charging model, and ensure a robust evidence base before the policy proceeds.
Solid Waste
The Panel received an initial briefing on the emerging Solid Waste Strategy on 16th December 2025 and has since been provided with the draft document: the final strategy is expected to be published in the coming months.
The Panel highlights the importance of reviewing the final strategy alongside the Climate Council’s report, which comments directly on the current status and future challenges of Jersey’s waste management- system.23 Considering both documents together will be essential to understanding whether the forthcoming strategy aligns with Jersey’s climate commitments, meets resilience needs, and addresses the environmental impacts highlighted by the Council.
Jersey Property Holdings
The Panel’s stand-alone hearing on Jersey Property Holdings in October 2025 highlighted that several of the structural problems Jersey Property Holdings was created to resolve,
such as inconsistent leasing practices, siloed departmental behaviours, and slow progress toward a genuine corporate landlord model, continue to persist 20 years later.[14]
At the last quarterly public hearing, the Minister reported steady progress in moving leases onto a fair and consistent basis as they expire, noting that varied legacy leases mean this work will take time. Moreover, formal Service Level Agreements are now in place between Jersey Property Holdings and schools, clarifying responsibility for daytoday maintenance and management of the school estate. However, the Panel remains concerned about whether sufficient and sustainable funding is available to meet maintenance needs in practice, and how compliance with these agreements will be monitored over time.
The Panel also heard lessons learned from recent tendering exercises, including the Lido and Les Creux processes, where stricter eligibility checks and earlier external support would have avoided delays. The Minister recognised ongoing challenges and suggested that an Assistant Chief Minister should hold political responsibility for the public estate to strengthen coordination across.[15]
Looking ahead, the next Panel should monitor progress toward a consistent leasing framework, oversee the operation of Service Level Agreements between Jersey Property Holdings and schools to ensure maintenance responsibilities are clear and being delivered, and scrutinise whether governance reforms, such as a change in political responsibility, would improve delivery, transparency and strategic use of the public estate.
Revitalising Town
Revitalising town was identified in the Common Strategic Policy 2024-2026 as a core Government priority, with Infrastructure expected to play a key role through public realm investment, active travel, accessibility and the stewardship of major town assets. While the Panel heard evidence of progress through individual projects and initiatives, delivery to date has been incremental and constrained by funding pressures and competing infrastructure demands,[16] and has not yet achieved the level of sustained, strategic impact envisaged by the CSP.27 A number of key elements remain in development or subject to future decisions, including longerterm funding certainty, the sequencing and delivery of major assets such as Fort Regent, and alignment with wider economic and placeshaping strategies.28 The Panel therefore concludes that revitalising town remains an unfinished priority and considers it essential that delivery against this CSP objective continues to be actively monitored in the next term to ensure that shortterm interventions are translated into a coherent, funded and deliverable longterm programme.
Jersey Capital Investment Fund
The Investing in Jersey framework, examined by the Panel during its proposed Budget 2026- 2029 review, set out Government’s intention to create a long term, ringfenced capital fund to protect infrastructure spending from short- -term political pressures.29
In March 2026, the States Assembly approved the establishment of the Jersey Capital Investment Fund, which will retain capital underspends and is intended to provide stable, long term financing for priority areas such as housing, education, drainage expansion, and road renewal.
During its Budget 2026–2029 Review, the Panel also heard consistent evidence from the Minister on the need for a more strategic, longterm approach to capital planning, with particular reference to the Fort Regent redevelopment. The Minister repeatedly cited Fort Regent as a significant, multiphase infrastructure project that cannot be delivered within single budget cycles and which requires both longterm capital certainty and a sustainable operational model once completed.30
While the Panel welcomes the establishment of the Fund as an important structural reform, key details remain outstanding, including how projects will be prioritised, how competing capital pressures will be managed, and how the Fund will interact with existing departmental allocations. In the absence of this clarity, there remains a risk that the Fund will not fully deliver the longterm certainty required to support projects of the scale and complexity described in evidence, such as Fort Regent. The Panel therefore recommends that these issues are fully considered and resolved in the next term.
In addition, given the scale, complexity and public profile of the Fort Regent redevelopment, the Panel recommends that the next Scrutiny Panel maintains active oversight of the project, including its funding arrangements, delivery milestones and transition to a sustainable operational model, to ensure that the project remains deliverable and affordable.
30 2025-11-03-Transcript-Minister-for-Infrastructure-Proposed-Budget-2026-2029-Review-Hearing_2.pdf
Appendix 1 – Panel Membership
Previous Panel (June 2022- January 2024)
Deputy Steve Luce (Chair)
Deputy Mary Le Hegarat (Member)
Connétable Mike Jackson (Vice-Chair)
Connétable David Johnson
(Member)
Current Panel (February 2024 – April 2026)
Deputy Hilary Jeune (Chair)
Deputy Alex Curtis (Member)
Deputy Tom Coles
(Vice-Chair)
Connétable David Johnson
(Member)
Deputy David Warr (Member)
[1] P-57-2025-Com_1.pdf
[2] P-40-2023-Com-EHI-Panel.pdf
[3] States Assembly | P.18/2026 Com.
[4] States Assembly | P.18/2026 Com.
[5] Climate Council Report March 2026.pdf
[6] Jersey-EHI-Minister-for-the-Environment-03-03-2026.pdf
[7] gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Planning and building/Draft Fourth Report of the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel for Jersey.pdf
[8] P-26-2026-Com.pdf
9 2026-03-18-Jersey-Water-Response-Proposition-P-26-2026-–-PFAS-limits-under-the-Water-(Jersey)-Law- 1972.pdf
10 Jersey-EHI-Public-Hearing-PFAS-20-03-2026.pdf, pg. 23
11 P-26-2026-Com.pdf
12 States Assembly | P.22/2026 Com.
[9] Jersey-EHI-Minister-for-Housing-11-02-(002).pdf
[10] States Assembly | Transcript - Quarterly Hearing - Minister for Infrastructure - 24 September 2025
[11] States Assembly | Transcript - Quarterly Hearing - Minister for Infrastructure - 24 September 2025
[12] States Assembly | Search
20 2024-11-20-MINF-Transcript-Quarterly-Hearing-with-the-Minister-for-Infrastructure.pdf
[13] P-70-2025-Com-(4)-EHI.pdf
22 2026-03-05-Transcript-Public-Quarterly-Hearing-Minister-for-Infrastructure_1.pdf
23 gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Environment and greener living/Climate Council Report March 2026.pdf
[14] Transcript-Public-Hearing-Jersey-Property-Holdings-07-October-2025.pdf
[15] [Transcript...tober 2025 | PDF]
[16] States Assembly | Transcript - Quarterly Hearing with the Minister for Infrastructure - 20 November 2024 27 2025-03-05-Transcript-Quarterly-Hearing-Minister-for-Infrastructure.pdf
28 States Assembly | Transcript - Quarterly Hearing with the Minister for Infrastructure - 20 November 2024 29 P-70-2025-Com-(4)-EHI.pdf