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Review: Review of Electoral Reform 2017

Committee/Panel: Corporate Services Panel
Launch Date: 8 May 2017 Close Date: To be advised
Submissions Deadline: To be advised Ministerial Response Date: To be advised
Review Status: Report published

About

A review to examine the impact of proposed electoral changes, which are due to be debated and decided upon by the States on 6th June 2017.

A Public call for evidence has been announced. The closing date for submissions is Thursday 25th May 2017. Submissions can be sent to scrutiny@gov.je or by post to: Scrutiny Office, Morier House, JE1 1DD

A MORI poll has been comissioned to ask 1,000 islanders about their views on electoral reform. The Poll will be conducted from Thursday 18th May - Thursday 25th May. All calls will come from MORI's Edinburgh office (from the number 0131 561 4532).

A number of public meetings have been held in order for Panel to hear the views of Islanders on the proposed changes. Members of the public are invited to attend any of the public meetings, although preference will be given at each meeting for residents of the relevant parishes to speak first.

Public Meetings:

  • 16th May - Public Meeting St Martin/ St Saviour, 7pm St Saviour's Parish Hall
  • 17th May - Public Meeting St Helier, 7pm, the Town Hall
  • 22nd May - Public Meeting Grouville/ St Clement, 7pm Grouville Parish Hall
  • 23rd May - Public Meeting St Lawrence/ St John/ St Mary/ Trinity, 7pm, St John Parish Hall
  • 24th May - Public Meting St Brelade/ St Ouen/ St Mary, 7pm, St Ouen Parish Hall

A number of Public Hearings with key stakeholders have also been arranged.

Public Hearings:

  • 15th May - Senator Lyndon Farnham
  • 17th May - Deputy Andrew Lewis
  • 18th May - Public Hearing with Mr Derek Maltwood
  • 19th May - Public Hearing with Constable Len Norman, Chairman of PPC
  • 19th May - Public Hearing with Sir Philip Bailhache

Detail of the Proposed changes

The proposed changes, brought forward by the Privileges and Procedures Committee, seek to create six "super-constituencies" to replace the current system for electing Deputies. Instead of each Parish electing their own Deputy or Deputies, new boundaries and the corresponding numbers of Deputies would be designated as follows:

1. St Helier North – 6 Deputies

2. St Helier South – 6 Deputies

3. South-East District (St Clement and Grouville) – 4 Deputies

4. East Central District (St Martin and St Saviour) – 4 Deputies

5. North Central District (St John, St Lawrence, St Mary and Trinity) – 4 Deputies

6. West District (St Brelade, St Ouen and St Peter) – 4 Deputies

Two additional amendments have been lodged by another Member that would alter the above proposed districts (and numbers) and these too are due to be debated on the 6th June.

Members of the Corporate Services Sub Panel are:

Deputy John Le Fondré

Terms of reference

  1. To examine whether the proposed changes to the States of Jersey Law implement the decision of the States Assembly in approving P.133/2016 (Composition and Election of the States Assembly), as amended.
  2. To understand public knowledge of and attitude to the proposed changes.
     
  3. To examine the proposed changes to electoral districts and to the number of elected deputies.
     
  4. To assess the financial costs of implementing electoral reform.