Tyler Allen
BBC Radio Guernsey

A new "political association" of deputies and grass roots members in Guernsey will aim to contest the island's general election in 2020, according to politicians.

Last night deputies Carl Meerveld, Joe Mooney and Peter Ferbrache called on islanders to sign up and donate to the association at a public meeting at Les Cotils.

They say the association will campaign in favour of "island-wide voting" and bring together members to cooperate on political issues.

Deputy Meerveld said he wanted the membership to be polled on matters before States debates in the future - so the association's deputies would be able to decide whether to follow the majority view of members.

Another meeting will be held next Thursday to name the association and launch a fundraising campaign, deputies said.

The founding of the association follows another recent move by politicians to form Charter 2018. Although the deputies stress it is not a political party.

More on this story:

• Politician defends new political alliances

Rob England
BBC News Online

Fire crews were called to a vehicle fire in the Guernsey Bowl car park on Victoria Avenue yesterday.

Officers were called to the blaze at about 18:15, and Guernsey Police believe the fire may have been started deliberately.

The Daily Express

Britain's Brexit trade deal could be solved by Jersey as the European Union and UK continue to thrash out a compromise over future agreements, the Daily Express reports., external

BBC Radio Jersey

Britain's biggest transport union is backing attempts by UK MPs to make Condor Ferries pay its staff higher wages.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) is supporting Labour MPs, Ian Mearns and Graham Morris in their attempt to make ships in UK waters pay the minimum wage.

A Commons motion mentions that in 2014 Condor Ferries paid Ukrainian stewards £2.46 per hour on lifeline ferry services from Portsmouth to Jersey and Guernsey.

Condor has previously said that they earn more than they would in their own country but the national secretary of the RMT Steve Todd says that's not a fair argument.

Condor has refused to comment.

Rob England
BBC News Online

Two bus routes in Guernsey will not run this morning after CT Plus reported "vehicle failures".

The company said due to a "shortage of available vehicles" the R91 07:06 from Grandes Roques and the P2 08:00 service from The Bridge, would not be operating.

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BBC Weather

Tonight looks set to remain mostly dry with clear spells.

However, it will often be cloudier during the early hours with the south-easterly breeze picking up too.

Minimum Temperature: 4-8C (39-46F).

A little hazy sunshine possible tomorrow morning, otherwise a cloudy and rather windy day with the chance of the odd spot of rain.

A fresh south-easterly wind.

Maximum Temperature: 8-12C (46-54F).

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BBC Radio Guernsey

The white console and two wireless controllers were taken from a property in the area of Les Pages, St Martin, sometime last night.

Guernsey Police are appealing for information and urge anyone buying second-hand items to be vigilant.

It is now illegal to feed wild birds in a way that means they become a nuisance.

BBC Radio Guernsey

The man was injured in "an incident involving a group of males... in the vicinity of Boots on the High Street, St Peter Port", say Guernsey Police.

They are asking anyone who was in the area at about 11:35 on Friday, 2 March who saw or heard anything to contact the station on 725111.

John Fernandez
BBC Radio Guernsey

There's been a "dramatic increase" in the number of wild ferrets in Guernsey, according to a local breeder.

Geoff Le Gallez captures feral ferrets to stop them from attacking livestock. He says in the past three months he's seen a big increase in the number on the loose.

Mr Le Gallez estimates there are hundreds of feral ferrets in the wild across the island. He said it has gone from being in a few areas to being an island-wide issue.

He said: "My biggest concern here, some of the ones I've caught aren't wild. There are ferrets out there that people have had in cages and they've let them go."

Mr Gallez says some of the increase could be down to a decline in the local rabbit population, reducing the number of people hunting with ferrets. He says former rabbit hunters could be letting them loose because they don't need them anymore.

BBC Radio Jersey

A number of car parking areas in St Helier are being turned into parking scratch card or smart payment zones to combat people abusing parking rules, according to the Infrastructure Minister, Deputy Eddie Noel.

The proposed changes cover Commercial Buildings, where drivers use a parking disc to park for up to six hours, Mount Bingham and Roseville Street.

Drivers will need to use parking scratch cards or the smart parking app to pay to park in those areas in future.

Deputy Noel says too many people are abusing the parking rules and changing the regulations "could mean spaces become available more often".

Jersey Evening Post

A series of adverts depicting how three young girls get sexually exploited by an older boy will air this week to mark a national awareness day., external

Guernsey Press

A traditional flag-raising at the Weighbridge roundabout marked Guernsey’s Commonwealth Day celebrations., external

BBC Radio Jersey

BBC Radio Jersey

There will be an independent inspection of the States of Jersey Police this autumn when officers from a national organisation are being called in to review the local force.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire & Rescue Services has been invited to review the force by the Jersey Police Authority.

It will look at how the force works and how it's coping with a reduced budget.

The chairman of the authority Jason Lane said it is an important process which will help to make policies for the future.

He said: "We will work alongside the chief officer and the senior management team to develop agreed terms of reference for the inspection, and we hope that the team will be able to conduct the inspection this autumn."

Guernsey Press

It is time for independently-minded States members to work together as a team, the latest deputy to affiliate himself with the Charter 2018 group has said., external

BBC Radio Jersey

Health officials in Jersey say e-cigarettes should only be used by those who want to give up normal cigarettes.

They're warning against people using e-cigarettes if they're not trying to stop smoking.

The advice was released as part of a new agreement between the health department and more than a dozen top health professionals and organisations in Jersey.

Tobacco is a common cause of death and disease in the island, with about 1,000 hospital admissions a year thought to be directly linked to smoking, a spokesman for the new agreement said.

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

With the warning of a change in law meaning the feeding of wild birds or animals in such a way that they become a nuisance is illegal in Jersey, advice has been issued to islanders.

The Department of the Environment and the Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said:

• Don’t scatter food on the ground where it is an easy source of food for rodents
• Bird tables can be accessible to rodents. Don’t overstock them or provide large quantities or unsuitable foods
• Use bird feeders with a catch tray to reduce debris falling on the ground
• Site your feeders with care. Suspending them from a metal wire is the only way to be certain rodents won’t get into them
• Ideally, place a small amount of food in feeders daily to ensure they are emptied daily
• Don’t use your garden as a dump for unwanted food waste, the birds may not want it but rats and mice probably will
• Seagulls are protected under the Jersey wildlife law and can only be moved by licensed pest controllers

The department said it had taken the action as some birds and rodents carry diseases that can be "very harmful to human health" and gulls were beginning to build their nests and are attracted to places with easily available food.

Anyone found to be feeding illegally would be served with an abatement notice to either stop or restrict their activity. If ignored it would be an offence and the person responsible could be prosecuted.