BBC Radio Guernsey

A rising number of children being home schooled in Guernsey is not a cause for concern as long as children are being well educated, an education union representative has said.

Sean McManus, from the National Education Union in Guernsey, said he was "surprised" by the States of Guernsey figures, which show 31 youngsters are currently be educated at home this academic year, compared to 25 in 2017.

Guernsey's education law, external says parents have a legal duty to "cause their children who are between five and 16-years-old to receive efficient, full-time education suitable to the child's age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs he may have either by regular attendance at school or otherwise".

Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online

Couples wanting to get married in Jersey will need to give notice nearly a month before the day they plan to wed under changes to the island's marriage law.

Image source, Getty Images

The law is being changed from the 1 July to allow same-sex couples to marry and couples to wed in the open air for the first time.

As part of the change they are extending the notice period from 14 days to 25 days to give officials more time to ensure the marriage is legal and to check the immigration status of the couples getting married.

A spokeswoman for the superintendent registrar said they expect more couples to want to get married in Jersey from the UK and elsewhere so need the time to properly check people's legal status.

Euan Mahy
BBC Radio Guernsey

Patients waiting for scans and orthopaedic surgery in Guernsey have received an apology from the president of the island's health committee.

Deputy Heidi Soulsby says delays in the radiology department are due to staff sickness and problems with finding cover, combined with increased patient demand.

She claims this was also the cause of a £250,000 overspend by the MRI and ultrasound department.

Deputy Soulsby says she hopes orthopaedic waiting times will be back on track by September and health is working on the issue with the island's Medical Specialist Group.

She says the health department's budget must increase because of the amount of pressure on its services.

Guernsey Press

Prisoners in Guernsey will soon all have access to a computer terminal in their cells, external.

After delays to legislation, the new law comes into force on Sunday July 1.

Chris Rayner
BBC Radio Jersey Political Reporter

Plans to take over a care home run by a religious group in Jersey have begun following the announcement the current group would be leaving the island.

Little Sisters of the Poor, who have been in Jersey for 133 years, cannot find enough nuns to run the Jeanne Jugan Residence in St Helier, according to the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth.

The home currently looks after about 80 people, and the move came as a surprise to many, including the Catholic Dean of Jersey.

Monsignor Nicholas France said meetings were now being held to see if the Christian community could take over the running of the home, possibly working with other churches.

Sister Caroline Emmanuel said the Little Sisters of the Poor would also be trying to find a provider to take over the home.

"We want to find an organisation with values that respect the dignity of the residents and provide them with the highest quality of care," she said.

Euan Mahy
BBC Radio Guernsey

Deputy Peter Ferbrache has been elected President of the States Trading Supervisory Board.

Under States rules politicians should only vote on a candidate put forward by the Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) for the position at the head of the board that acts as shareholder of States owned companies and oversees the running of the States commercial interests.

It became a contested election after a 28- 10 vote in favour of an amendment placed by Mr Ferbrache calling for the associated rule to be suspended.

Then Mr Ferbrache - P&R's candidate - faced competition for the position from current board member Deputy Jeremy Smithies.

The first vote was 18-all with two abstentions and in the second Mr Ferbrache won 19-17 - again with two abstentions.

Rob England
BBC News Online

The tail of a "fairly large snake" was spotted by a dog walker in Guernsey, prompting a police search.

Officers said the sighting, at L'Ancresse Common in the Vale, was "unconfirmed" but if the measurements given by the dog walker are accurate experts have advised it may be a boa or python.

Police say they will be carrying out searches on the southern area of the common.

A spokesman said: "The dog walker reported the tail-end as being about a metre in length and several inches wide."

Police are liaising with John Knight from the GSPCA on the sighting and say it is "unlikely that such a snake would pose a threat to either dogs or humans".

Image source, Getty Images

Jersey Evening Post

Jersey's new health minister has admitted that waiting lists for some Hospital appointments are ‘unacceptable’ – and has pledged to publish waiting times in the interests of transparency, external.

Rob England
BBC News Online

A picture has been released of the man who died following a car crash in Jersey on Sunday.

Adrian Fowler, 50, was travelling up La Pulente Hill on Sunday morning when the crash happened.

Police said Mr Fowler's family are being supported by specially trained officers and the investigation into the crash continues.

Image source, States of Jersey Police

Julie Flanagan
BBC Channel Islands News

A Jersey man who has weeks to live after being diagnosed with an asbestos-related cancer - mesothelioma - is pleading for the States to offer compensation to people like him.

Unlike the UK, external and France, there is no government compensation scheme in Jersey for anyone who develops cancer after being exposed to asbestos fibres at work.

Brian Coutanche, 64, was exposed to asbestos working in the construction industry, which included work as a supervisor for the States of Jersey.

He says the States has to acknowledge its duty to former employees.

Another campaigner, June Summers Shaw, whose husband died of mesothelioma, says families suffering losses from the cancer in particular need the help, as it is fatal and acts in a very short space of time.

In a statement, the States of Jersey said while there is a survivor's benefit for people under pension age following the death of a spouse or civil partner from this disease, there is no additional benefit or compensation available from the government.

Brian Coutanche from Jersey wants other families to have the compensation he is unable to claim.

Rob England
BBC News Online

A light aircraft that burst a tyre whilst landing in Jersey has been towed to safety, a Ports of Jersey spokesman has said.

Flights in and out of the airport were suspended for about 10 minutes earlier today.

The spokesman added the airport has since fully re-opened.

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BBC Radio Jersey

Jersey police say they are "disappointed" to hear football fans in the island have been letting off flares and fireworks at the end of recent World Cup matches.

Before the tournament began the States of Jersey Police appealed for islanders to enjoy the tournament in a peaceful way.

Officers said: "Using these items comes with obvious risks and causes anxiety to those around."

Jersey has fans of a number of teams in the tournament including England, Portugal, Poland and France.

About 10% of Jersey's population is from Portugal or have parents from Portugal and 3% of the population is from Poland according to the States of Jersey statistics unit.

Guernsey Press

Guernsey should have equal treatment from the UK on student fees, NHS charges and access to financial markets if parliament is to live up to its pledge to look after the interests of the entire British family., external

BBC Radio Guernsey

The number of children being educated at home in Guernsey has risen by almost a quarter in the last academic year, figures from the States show.

This year 31 children are recorded as being home schooled compared to 25 in 2017, with about two thirds of those children at primary school age.

Lisa Newsom says her daughter was "not happy" in school for many years and wanted to be home schooled.

She says the only legal requirement for home schooling is that children are being educated to the correct standard for their age, and the education department conducts checks on her methods.

The Education Committee says factors leading to a decision of home education can include:

• Families moving to Guernsey from the UK who have been home educating and wish to continue
• Siblings of home educated students joining
• Parental choice

Euan Mahy
BBC Radio Guernsey

Sitting in the States Assembly, Guernsey deputies will meet to appoint a new president of the States Trading Supervisory Board. They'll also debate Economic Development's strategy, which contains a 12-year plan for growing Guernsey's economy.

The strategy looks to protect finance and tourism and make efforts to embrace renewable energy. It also wants wealthy business people to make Guernsey their home and create wealth in the island. Unsurprisingly, improved air and sea connectivity are at the heart of the plan.

In a surprise move, the Policy and Resources Committee recently announced it would be backing Deputy Peter Ferbrache to replace Charles Parkinson as the president of the board.

The session begins with a statement from the president of the Committee for Health and Social Care, Deputy Heidi Soulsby, and one from Gavin St Pier on probate.

Campaigners are calling for a review of probate procedures in Guernsey after concern at the amount of money it raises through the ecclesiastical court.

You can listen to live commentary on BBC Radio Guernsey.

Rob England
BBC News Online

The future for residents at a care home for older people in Jersey is uncertain after a religious organisation announced it will be withdrawing from the island.

A spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth said this was due to a lack of people coming forward to join the group and the "advancing ages of the sisters".

The Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic religious congregation, arrived in Jersey in 1886, and set up the Jeanne Jugan Residence in St Helier.

Sister Caroline Emmanuel said: "Our main priority is the well-being of the residents and our aim is to find a provider which will take over the home, if at all possible."

The diocese has not specified when the organisation will leave the island.

Image source, Google