BBC Radio Jersey

Unions representing healthcare workers in Jersey will meet with the government weekly until the end of May to discuss an ongoing pay dispute.

Senior civil servants met with nurses and midwives on Wednesday in the hope of reaching an agreement on how to reform pay and working conditions. They hope to resolve the pay dispute by the end of next month.

It forms part of a wider dispute over public sector pay that has seen teachers and civil servants threaten industrial action over an imposed 2% increase.

Kenny McNeil from the Royal College of Nursing says his members are feeling let down by the process and the States will have to go a long way to rebuild trust.

States of Jersey Chief Executive, Charlie Parker, announced on Wednesday that an independent review of nursing jobs will be held.

BBC Radio Guernsey

A major high street bank has renewed its sponsorship of the Island Games for when Guernsey hosts the competition in 2021.

Natwest has sponsored the competition since 1998 and has now committed to continue funding for the 2021 games.

Guernsey has hosted the sporting competition for small islands twice before, in 1987 and again in 2003.

The last games were held in Gotland where more than 2,300 athletes from 23 islands competed in 14 sports.

BBC Radio Jersey

A Jersey parish could have a new constable by the end of today after one of the two candidates for the role pulled out of the race.

It follows claims that Reform Jersey candidate for St Brelade Constable, Marilyn Carre didn't declare she was a party member on her nomination form before her 10 nominators signed it.

The party says it was an honest mistake made while there was a rush to get her form filled in.

Former constable Mike Jackson is the only other candidate in the election and the Royal Court will decide later whether or not he is to be elected unopposed.

The court could also declare the poll void and say it must be rescheduled for another date.

More on this story:

• Election candidate quits poll after 'honest mistake'
• Marilyn Carre drops out of St Brelade election race
• Reform Jersey candidate withdraws from election
• Jersey general election 2018: St Brelade nominations

BBC Radio Guernsey

Guernsey politicians will continue a debate in the States today on how much islanders will have to pay to throw away bags of rubbish, external.

The proposals politicians will vote on range from a minimum of £2.50 per bag up to £4.80 per bag and forms part of the new waste strategy that is due to be implemented later this year.

The price will help pay for the £32m cost of building and operating the waste infrastructure, and it's hoped it will encourage people to cut down the amount of waste they produce.

BBC Radio Guernsey

Jersey's first children's commissioner says she is prepared to work across the Channel Islands if asked.

Deborah McMillan visited Guernsey on Wednesday to meet representatives of Health and Social Care to discuss working with Jersey.

Ms McMillan said: "In Jersey services seem to sit and wait until things go wrong for families then try and fix it for families, but it is far better to intervene at an early age and an early stage."

She was appointed to the new role following the recommendations of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.

BBC Weather

Today will be a fine and sunny day for most with only gentle winds. However, it may occasionally turn rather misty, most likely near the coast. Maximum temperature: 16 to 19°C (61 to 66°F).

Jersey

Guernsey

Guernsey Press

An Alderney resident is taking part in the London Marathon and will have access to an exclusive celebrity section of the race because of her previous fundraising efforts., external

Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online

The Channel Islands Co-Operative Society worked with Autism Jersey and other groups when designing a new public artwork running alongside their Charing Cross development in St Helier.

The "River of Light" features words engraved into stone showcasing the island's history and it's potential future as told by children from Rouge Bouillon School.

The "river" will run along Pitt Street and feature pulsing lights to suggest the movement of water to reflect the stream that once ran through the area called Le Grand Douet.

Colin Macleod, chief executive of the Channel Islands Co-op said they had been working with Autism Jersey to ensure the frequency would not cause a problem for people on the Autism spectrum.

The new Co-operative Locale at Charing Cross opens on Thursday.

BBC Weather

A dry night to come with long clear spells. Winds will be light, allowing for a few mist patches to develop. Staying mild.

Minimum temperature: 9 to 13C (48 to 55F).

It will be generally dry and fine on Thursday, with plenty of warm sunshine and just patches of cloud.

There will be a gentle breeze with temperatures remaining above average for the time of year.

Maximum temperature: 14 to 17C (57 to 63F)

BBC Channel Islands News

The original His Master's Voice mural painted on the side of a building in Charing Cross, St Helier has been restored to its former glory.

It features Nipper the Dog and was on the side of the Foot Building, a former music shop owned by Francis Foot.

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

The panel that will decide on the official campaign groups for Guernsey's first referendum has been chosen.

States members agreed to the appointment of former Bailiff Sir de Vic Carey, Jurat Stephen Jones and Graham Daldry, the creative director of Specsavers.

There are five options due to be considered in the poll on 10 October and each official campaign group is entitled to a £5,000 grant but must declare and comply with limits on expenditure.

The referendum will consider options for electoral reform, including island-wide voting and a mixture of island-wide and district or parish-based elections.

• Option A: One island-wide district, elections held every four years. All 38 deputies elected at the same time
• Option B: Seven electoral districts, elections every four years. Each district elects five or six deputies
• Option C: One island-wide district to elect 10 island-wide deputies and seven districts to elect remaining 28. Elections every four years with island-wide held before district
• Option D: Four electoral districts, with elections every four years. Each district elects nine, 10 or 11 deputies
• Option E: One island-wide district with successful candidates serving six years. Elections held every two years for a third of deputies, so 12 or 13 elected each time

One Guernsey resident on why she's supporting the call for assisted dying to be legalised in the island.

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

Guernsey's politicians have approved a mid-term review of their own pay.

It will also look at the money given to the non-political members of States committees.

It follows calls for a reduction in pay of the president of the States Assembly and Constitution Committee, and the introduction of a pay level between that of most committee presidents and other deputies.

Both these specific proposals were not supported by the States in favour of the wider review.

Current arrangements:

• President of the Policy and Resources Committee: £63,315-£66,164
• Presidents of the principal committees, Scrutiny Management Committee, States Assembly and Constitution Committee, and members of the Policy and Resources Committee: £48,648-£50,837
• All other deputies: £36,009-£37,629
• Non-States member with a seat on the States Trading Supervisory Board: £8,000
• Any other non-States member: £2,000
• Pay for the two Alderney representatives , externalcan range between £11,759 and £43,392

BBC Channel Islands News

A Jersey charity says it is concerned that people with disabilities are finding it hard to get about in St Helier because of its uneven roads and pavements.

Enable Jersey said older people were also being put off going into town because they found it hard to walk on sloping paths and raised kerbs.

Shopper Sally Langham said she sprained her ankle several times while out in in town.

Constable Simon Crowcroft, who has been re-elected unopposed, said he was looking into the problem.

BBC Radio Jersey

The chief executive of the States of Jersey says he wants to restore trust between nurses and the government by having an independent review of nursing jobs before the next pay deal.

Charlie Parker has invited health staff to meetings to explain the current situation on pay negotiations which have seen many public sector staff threaten industrial action.

After talking to unions, he said a thorough review of all affected health jobs would be a fair way forward.

The findings of the review would be used to influence next year's pay discussions, he added.

BBC Radio Guernsey

A group representing charities in Guernsey says it is "disappointed" at a drop in funding available for charities from the annual Channel Islands Christmas lottery.

Takings were down in 2017, compared to the previous year, with the total available to charities dropping by just under £23,000 to just over £190,000.

The Association of Guernsey Charities (AGC) is in talks with the States of Guernsey to find a way to boost income from lotteries and increase the amount of money available to local charities.

AGC Chairman Malcolm Woodhams said they were in discussions with the States on ways to encourage future sales. He said it was still a lot of money available to local good causes.

He said: "It is up to the States, our government, to decide who to increase money from that lottery. If by altering the game to increase proceeds, that can only be a good thing for causes in our island."

Deputy Charles Parkinson said the States was in the hands of the company it worked with on the Channel Islands Christmas lottery when it comes to changing its mechanism.

Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live

Political party Reform Jersey says an election candidate having to pull out was because of an "innocent administration error" and "honest mistake".

Marilyn Carre was standing to become Constable of St Brelade against former Constable Mike Jackson, having decided to run two days prior to the nomination deadline.

Reform Jersey said she decided to withdraw after being referred to the Royal Court because of a "discrepancy surrounding her nomination" forms that was raised by the St Brelade parish secretary.

The party said the situation was being handled in a "heavy-handed way" after admitting it was rushing to complete the nomination process "in a short period of time", and that any error on forms could have been investigated without the parish secretary choosing to contact the Royal Court "as the first port of call".

Mike Jackson is the only other candidate in the election being held on 16 May.

Chris Rayner
BBC Radio Jersey Political Reporter

Marilyn Carre has pulled out of the race to become Constable of St Brelade against former Constable Mike Jackson.

She was standing for Reform Jersey, making her the first candidate in a constables election from a political party. Now her political dreams appear to be over.

The BBC understands she had been summoned to the Royal Court along with those who signed her nomination form and others involved in the election, including Mr Jackson.

She told the BBC the decision to withdraw was "very upsetting" and it was "still very fresh and raw".

Mike Jackson is the only other candidate in the election which is being held on 16 May.

BBC Radio Jersey

One of the candidates for Constable of St Brelade has pulled out of next month's race, leaving a single candidate for the one post.

Reform Jersey candidate Marilyn Carre said the decision had had a "devastating effect" on her and left her very upset.

Former Constable Mike Jackson is the only other candidate for the poll.

BBC Radio Jersey

Companies which offer sea based activities in Jersey are being encouraged to take a new course to make sure they know how to minimise their effects on marine wildlife.

Courses which teach people how to interact safely with Jersey's sea creatures while out on the water will begin next week.

Francis Binney, Department of the Environment marine scientist, says people are generally respectful and conscientus.

He said: "When there are problems it is usually due to a lack of knowledge over people deliberately trying to scare the wildlife.

"There was an incident in Guernsey recently where someone flew a drone over a seal colony to get a look at them and it scared a number of the seals into the sea."