Bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather for the Channel Islands

BBC Weather

Monday evening and overnight will remain breezy with a lot of cloud around and showers continuing to push in from the north-east. These could be frequent and heavy for a time.

Minimum temperature: 2 to 5C (36 to 41F).

Breezy at first on Tuesday, but the brisk winds will then ease. During the day there will be a lot of cloud around, as well as further showers, which could be heavy and perhaps frequent for a time.

Maximum temperature: 2 to 5C (36 to 41F).

Jersey:

Guernsey:

Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online

More than 18,000 Jersey driving licences need to be renewed by the end of January 2019, according to the island parishes.

Nearly 7,000 licences have already been renewed In the past six weeks across the 12 parishes but the bulk are still outstanding.

Jersey driving licences have to be renewed once every 10 years. It costs about £50 and there is a new online service for renewing, external licences, but online payments do not apply in St John.

St Lawrence Constable Deidre Mezbourian said about once every 10 years there was a bulk renewal where about a third of Jersey's driving licences needed renewing.

She said:"We’ve had some great feedback on our new online driving licence service.

"Parishioners say it's quick and really easy to use. The service works on your smartphone, tablet or computer - and you can take your photo with its camera."

She has urged drivers with a Jersey licence to check the back of the licence for the expiry date and, if it is due to expire before the end of January 2019, to renew it as soon as possible.

Constable Mezbourian reminded drivers it was an offence to drive on an expired licence.

BBC Radio Guernsey

Restrictions could be put in place in the car park at Vale Church in a bid to tackle the number of abandoned vehicles on the site.

Traffic and Highway Services is working with the Vale Commons Council to improve the car park and introduce limits on how long vehicles can be left there.

If passed, the area will be broken up into three types of parking:

• 14 three-hour spaces
• 25 spaces with a limit of 23 hours
• 15 resident permit spaces

There would also be two disabled spaces.

Image source, Churchofengland.org

Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online

A lack of qualified technicians is "one of the biggest issues" surrounding the introduction of MoT-style tests in Jersey, according to the Environment Scrutiny Panel.

The panel has reviewed plans to implement international standards for vehicle safety by Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis.

Deputy Lewis plans to introduce the new legislation, including bringing in the tests, from 2019 to allow island drivers to comply with legislation when driving in the EU.

The report goes into the pros and cons, external of the legislation and broadly supports the introduction of the tests beyond just allowing islanders to drive in Europe.

It said: "Whilst it is evident that Brexit has been the catalyst for these proposals, aside from the benefits of Jersey motorists being able to circulate across all of Europe post-Brexit, the panel heard of other potential benefits to the island, mainly improvements to road safety and environmental benefits."

As well as concerns over staffing, the panel said there were also questions over who would provide the testing and what the fees would be.

More on this story:

• MoT style tests proposed for Jersey vehicles
• Timeline for MOT style tests in Jersey
• MoT style test from 2019, external

Rory O'Reilly
BBC Radio Guernsey

Preparations for the general election in Guernsey in June 2020 are under way.

The newly formed States' Assembly and Constitution Committee met at the end of last week where Deputy Jennifer Merrett was unanimously elected as vice president of the committee.

The committee intends to publish an initial policy letter in early 2019 which will seek approval of the proposed date for the 2020 election.

The election will see 38 deputies elected in a single island-wide district.

BBC Radio Jersey

The UK minister responsible for managing the constitutional relationship with the Crown Dependencies, has written to Jersey offering support during and after Brexit.

Lord Keen wrote to the island's external relations minister, Senator Ian Gorst, to say the UK was committed to the existing and historic relationship it had with Jersey.

The letter also confirmed the UK government was pleased with negotiations on a strong customs union with the island.

Lord Keen added the country would take Jersey's interests into account when preparing for Brexit.

Senator Gorst said the letter was "timely and welcome".

Image source, Getty Images

Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online

Civil servants in Jersey have "voted overwhelmingly" for industrial action which could include going on strike, a spokesman for the Prospect union confirmed.

Of those balloted, 93% voted in favour of taking action over a pay dispute with the States of Jersey.

Union leader Terry Renouf said it was working with other unions whose informal ballot results reflected their own.

He said the union remained open to negotiations with the States to find a resolution.

BBC Radio Guernsey

A new yoga class in Guernsey is offering people with a disability, injury or confidence issues a chance to take part.

Seated yoga is similar to a regular yoga class, but people can use a chair to aid them.

Amy Falla is the instructor at Yoga with Amy and said she wants to encourage more and more people to take part...

BBC Radio Guernsey

Action is being taken to improve access to Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

A company from the UK has been commissioned to assess how travel to and from the hospital can be improved.

Hospital bosses said they recognised parking on the site had been the subject of frustration for many years - with people sometimes struggling to find spaces for appointments.

Bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather for the Channel Islands

BBC Radio Guernsey

Tax rules for UK residents who spend a significant part of their year in Guernsey are changing.

A new double taxation agreement has been signed by Guernsey and the UK and comes into force at the start of January 2019.

Under the current system, people who spend more than 90 days in the Bailiwick become a Guernsey tax resident - that's on top of being a resident in their home country.

They are referred to as "dual residents", and their income is taxed twice by both the UK and Guernsey.

The new treaty signed by the Guernsey and UK replaces this on all forms of income, with the only exceptions being employment, business and property income in Guernsey.

For the exemption to apply, the UK has to remain their "centre of interest".

This new agreement only applies to UK taxpayers. For people from other countries the 90-day rule still stands.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

There's currently an orange weather warning in place for wind across the islands, Jersey Met has said.

It added winds of force eight can be expected.

Image source, Jersey Met

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Sailings between Guernsey and Sark are disrupted on Monday due to the weather and tidal conditions, the Isle of Sark Shipping Company Ltd has said.

It added all morning sailings had been cancelled and afternoon's sailings were to be reviewed at 13:00 - for a possible 14:30 departing Guernsey and 15:30 departing Sark.

Josephine Baker
BBC Radio Jersey, Reporter

A Jersey Police campaign called "You will get caught" has launched.

It aims to prevent rape and sexual offences, and will feature advertising in clubs, pubs and on social media.

Image source, States of Jersey Police

The campaign will send out a message that rape is not about a misunderstanding of consent but about power, control and predatory behaviour.

It has been launched to coincide with the updated Sexual Offences Law, which comes into force later this month and provides greater protection for victims of any gender.

When the law comes into force, those accused of rape will have to show that they took steps to ensure consent was freely given.

Edward Rowe
BBC Radio Guernsey

Drivers using the North Beach car park at peak times this week are being told to expect delays, as the entrance route is being resurfaced.

It means that cars will enter and leave the car park using the White Rock exit road, which becomes two way for the week.

Guernsey Harbours said it had chosen this week to carry out resurfacing work because it was generally a quiet time.

Image source, States of Guernsey

Drivers using the temporary access and exit route, between the Weighbridge clock tower and the Liberation monument, are being told to "slow down and look both ways".

The car park itself is open as usual, as resurfacing is restricted to the access road off the QE2 marina.

During the first few days of the work, cyclists and pedestrians will not be able to use the pavement that goes through the top of the car park, as this will be fenced off.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

A dry and sunny start to Monday.

It will then be mainly fine through the morning. Cloud and showers are then expected to push in from the north-east during the afternoon.

The evening and overnight it will remain breezy, with a lot of cloud around and showers continuing to push in from the north-east. These could be frequent and heavy for a time.