Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

A change in law making feeding wild birds or animals that become a nuisance illegal could reduce the number of gulls seen in Jersey's urban areas.

Mr Petrie said: "We get a lot of calls from householders and businesses fed up with the noise, damage from faeces, building damage, spread of disease and other concerns that could be avoided.

"We definitely don’t want to discourage people from feeding wintering birds, but it’s important to do it in a way that doesn’t attract feral chickens, cockerels, pigeons, rats, mice and seagulls."

The Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says the best solution is to take steps to avoid gulls nesting on roofs in the first place and that if they do nest, householders should call pest controllers to tackle the problem early, rather than in May or June when eggs or chicks are in the nest.

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

It may now be illegal to leave out food for wild birds in Jersey.

The law has been changed in a bid to "discourage people from feeding gulls and other wild animals which can cause problems for people living nearby".

"Under the Statutory Nuisances (Jersey) Regulations 2017, it’s against the law to feed wild birds or other creatures in a way that means they become a nuisance or harmful to health," says the island's Department of the Environment.

Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online

Jersey's Infrastructure Minister, Deputy Eddie Noel, has combined the taxi driver knowledge test with the public service vehicle driving test.

In future prospective taxi drivers will take a new combined test rather than take the knowledge and practical tests separately.

Currently, applicants take two separate tests, one to demonstrate that they are a competent driver (out in a car with an examiner), and the other, that they have an adequate knowledge of the island (test in an office).

A spokesman for the Infrastructure Department said incorporating the two tests will modernise the format and be "less onerous for applicants". He said the knowledge test will be carried out in the car during the practical driving assessment.

Deputy Noel said: "The new format makes it more like real life, by mirroring the request for a driver to take a passenger to specific addresses."

Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online

More than 2,000 people have responded to Jersey's new Children's Commissioner, Deborah McMillan, who launched a consultation to get the views of young people and adults on the care of children in the island.

She was appointed after the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry published its report into decades of abuse in the care system.

Jersey Evening Post

Several boulders made from material which formed more than 580 million years ago have been stolen from a Site of Special Interest in St Ouen., external

BBC Radio Guernsey

A letter will be sent to the parents of all primary, secondary and post-16 students next week updating them on the progress of plans for secondary education in Guernsey.

Plans are also being developed to engage directly with students after the Easter holidays.

Deputy Richard Graham, Vice President of the Education, Sport and Culture Committee, said the committee is determined to "get this right".

"Communications staff will be working with head teachers to develop a new marketing plan in the coming months."

Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online

Jersey's new hospital will still come within the £466m budget agreed by politicians despite the Health Department having to revise its plans, according to the health minister.

The original plans, for a taller building on the site of the existing hospital were rejected by the planning department, forcing the planners to come up with new proposals.

The new design, which is currently on show to the public, will cover the same surface area but instead of being tall will be shorter and wider.

Senator Andrew Green, Health Minister, said there would be initial savings as the new plans don't require temporary buildings to be constructed, which would have cost about £12m.

He said the overall cost will be the same though as there will now be an "extensive basement" built.

Image source, States of Jersey

Guernsey Press

Pet shops and dog trainers have supported calls to ban shock collars for dogs, which are set to be banned in England., external

BBC Radio Jersey

BBC Radio Jersey

Plans for Jersey's new hospital have been rushed through and have missed the chance to create a modern and efficient facility, according to qualified surveyor Andrew Le Quesne.

He said he has been looking at the revised plans, which are on public display.

Image source, States of Jersey

He says designers have altered the scheme very quickly after the original one was rejected - and instead of doing something imaginative they have reduced the height.

He said: "Ministers have missed the opportunity to revisit the whole process of designing a hospital. The whole process hasn't been reviewed at all, it's just bulldozering on."

But Health Minister, Senator Andrew Green says the new design for the hospital means they can save money as the process is more cost effective.

BBC Radio Jersey

Jersey police are still trying to identify a man who threatened a shop worker with a knife on Friday evening.

Image source, States of Jersey Police

It happened at 17:50 on Friday evening at Samares Stores in St Clement.

The shop worker chased the man off with a water bottle. She was not injured and returned to work the following day.

Insp Craig Jackson says the attempted robbery was carried out in daylight with lots of people around.

He has reassured people knife crime is "incredibly rare" in Jersey and they are taking the incident "very seriously".

Jersey Evening Post

A States decision to ban landlords from advertising for tenants without children will force up rents and reduce the number of properties available for families, critics of the move warn., external

BBC Radio Guernsey

The Seigneur of Sark hopes opening up his home to visitors will help give the island's tourist industry "a shot in the arm".

From May for the first time tourists will be able to look inside the island's 17th Century Seigneurie, with guided tours of the manor house hosted by the Seigneur himself.

The grounds are also being renovated to include an amphitheatre, which will form a new venue for entertainers visiting the island.

BBC Radio Jersey

An extra tax on Jersey retailers could be reduced, if a backbencher's plans are approved.

Former minister, Senator Philip Ozouf says the 20% tax, approved in the 2018 budget, will harm the island's shops and is asking politicians to vote to halve it., external

The 20% tax applies to large retailers who make profits over £500,000 a year but there has been strong opposition to the move.

Business leaders say the rate threatens future investment in training, premises and services.

The Chamber of Commerce said if a tax was needed then it could support a rate of 10%.

Senator Ozouf says retail conditions have worsened since the decision and the tax will damage the islands shops.

Treasury Minister, Senator Alan Maclean said he's not likely to reverse the decision but it is up to States members to decide in the April debate.

BBC Radio Guernsey

The legacy of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry in the island is to be set in stone with a granite memorial in St Peter Port.

The memorial stone will be made of Guernsey granite and will be be erected in St Peter Port's Sunken Gardens in April.

It will commemorate the Battle of the Lys, the final battle that soldiers from the RGLI fought during World War One in Flanders in 1918.

Previous stories:

• Departure of Guernsey WW1 troops recreated
• Guernsey's WW1 sacrifice and bravery of RGLI remembered
• Granite stone to mark Guernsey's WW1 fallen

Jersey Evening Post

The use of electric-shock dog collars are the ‘best disciplinary tools available’ and should not be banned, according to a professional dog walker who uses them on his and his clients' pets., external

BBC Weather

Today will be dry and fine with some lengthy spells of sunshine. There may be just a few patches of cloud around from time to time.

A moderate westerly breeze. Maximum temperature: 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F).

Jersey

Guernsey

BBC Weather

A fair amount of dry weather tonight with some clear periods.

However, thicker areas of cloud may still give one or two showers. Remaining breezy.

Minimum Temperature: 6-10C (43-50F).

An occasional shower is possible tomorrow, most likely during the morning.

However, in general there will be plenty of dry weather with spells of sunshine at times.

Maximum Temperature: 7-10C (45-50F).

Lynne French
BBC News Online

Police in Jersey are appealing for information about a crash in St Saviour last month.

The incident happened at about 23:00 on Saturday, 24 February, when a car crashed into a house on Bagatelle Road, causing a "great deal of damage" to the property near the Five Oaks roundabout.

Anyone who saw or was involved in the incident is asked to contact Jersey Police.

Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online

Jersey's Infrastructure Minister, Deputy Eddie Noel, praised the Future Hospital project team for working to release new plans for the island's £466m hospital.