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

Sark voters back seven new candidates in the island's first contested election in five years.

Del Crookes
BBC News Online

The first exports of processed waste are leaving Guernsey from a new £25m transfer station, which began operations last month.

Household rubbish and food is mechanically shredded at the facility at Longue Hougue, external, with some residual metal removed before is is compacted and made in to bales.

Those are then loaded on to trailers and shipped to Poole in England aboard Channel Seaways MV Valliant.

Image source, States of Guernsey

The bales then travel 40 miles (64km) to a treatment facility near Warminster, Wiltshire, where the material will undergo a process known as anaerobic digestion producing electricity, liquid fertiliser and compost.

From there the refuse derived fuel, or RDF, will be sent to Jonkoping, Sweden, where another plant will use it to produce heat and electricity.

Since last week, household waste has been diverted to the new facility from the Mont Cuet landfill site.

BBC Weather

Tonight looks set to be dry with a few clear spells, but often a good deal of cloud.

Staying windy with a fresh to strong south-easterly breeze. A chillier night than last night. Minimum temperature: 2 to 5°C (36 to 41°F)

Thursday will be a cold and blustery day, but staying largely dry. The morning will be mostly cloudy, but brighter skies should develop through the afternoon. Maximum temperature: 1 to 4°C (34 to 39°F).

Jersey:

Guernsey:

BBC Radio Jersey

Senator Tracey Vallois says the next head of the board which sets pay policy for Jersey's government workers should not be a Health or Education minister.

She has resigned from the States Employment Board and stepped down as deputy chief minister but will remain as Education minister.

The announcement comes less than a week after hundreds of civil servants marched on Liberation Square, in protest at their latest pay offer.

Senator Vallois also abstained from a vote in the States last week over plans to free up more money for public sector workers.

She told BBC Jersey that if she had voted in that debate, she would have backed the plans to free up money.

Guernsey Airport has advised passengers they will have to enter departures via its new entrance.

On Facebook, bosses said: "From this Friday (14th Dec 2018) passengers will need to enter departures via our new entrance opposite the ground floor lifts in the terminal.

"The contractors will be starting work in the old security search area. Please allow plenty of time to meet your flight."

Image source, Tyrrell Dowinton Associates

BBC Radio Guernsey

Guernsey Electricity is asking people to add their views to a review of pricing.

Researchers will be conducting face-to-face interviews over the next four days in St Peter Port, and representatives will be available to talk to from 09:00 until 17:00 at Guernsey Electricity's headquarters.

Results from the consultation will be made public in Spring 2019.

The number of nests found in Guernsey increased from two in 2017 to eight in 2018.

BBC Radio Guernsey

The price that farmers are paid for their milk will rise next year, but it's unclear whether the hike will also be passed on to shoppers.

The rise, plus an increase in Guernsey Dairy’s operating costs, will see the wholesale gate price rise by 6.5p a litre from 6 January.

Farmers will also share an extraordinary lump sum payment of £156,000 from Guernsey Dairy towards increased costs that were incurred due to the unusually wet conditions in the spring and extended dry summer, which resulted in reduced pasture being available.

This additional financial support for 2018 will be funded from Guernsey Dairy’s reserves.

Guernsey Dairy general manager Andrew Tabel said: "The latest settlement follows detailed negotiations with representatives from the Guernsey Farmers’ Association and included detailed analysis of production, processing and packaging costs."

The States said: "As the retail price of milk is no longer fixed, it will be for milk distributors and retail outlets to decide whether to absorb the increase, in part or in full, or pass it on to their customers."

Rob England
BBC News Online

The "onerous demands" of three senior government roles has prompted Jersey's Education minister to step down from two of her posts, according to the island's chief minister.

Senator Tracey Vallois was Education minister, a deputy chief minister and chairwoman of the States Employment Board.

The board, which manages public sector workers, is currently embroiled in chaotic pay negotiations.

Image source, States of Jersey

Chief Minister Senator John Le Fondre, said Ms Vallois had "made him aware" of the demands of her roles "during a significant period of change for the public sector".

"I have always known her first priority is to her Education portfolio," he said.

Ms Vallois said the first six months of the new government had been "challenging", and now priorities for the States had been set out in the "Common Strategic Policy, external" she wanted to devote her efforts to Education only.

Freddie Miller
BBC Jersey political reporter

Jersey's Education Minister, Senator Tracey Vallois, has stepped down as Deputy Chief Minister and resigned as Chairwoman of the States Employment Board, according to the island's government.

The move is in order for her to "focus on her education portfolio".

Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondre, has appointed Senator Lyndon Farnham as Deputy Chief Minister.

Mr Farnham is currently the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture.

Rob England
BBC News Online

One of Jersey's largest pub companies has said a blanket ban on smoking in al fresco areas would infringe on drinker's human rights.

At the St Helier Roads Committee the motion to adopt the ban was rejected.

Members expressed concerns over how it would be policed, and how it would affect the town's image.

Image source, Getty Images

Christine Oxford, from the Liberation Group, said smoking "was not illegal" and businesses with al fresco licenses should not be forced to impose a total ban.

However, she said the group was not opposed to "non-smoking areas".

"We need to do everything we can to enable people to enjoy eating outside in St Helier," she said, claiming the smoking ban could affect the town's vibrancy.

The committee said it wanted to gather more research on other options, including partial bans and exceptions for businesses who did not offer food.

A similar ban was proposed and rejected in the UK in 2017.

BBC Radio Guernsey

The president of Guernsey's Health and Social Care Committee has apologised for the waiting times for orthopaedic surgery.

Image source, Getty Images

Deputy Heidi Soulsby said demand for services had grown significantly.

She told States members: "Part of the demand is due to an ageing population, increasingly complex medical issues and obesity is also a factor."

Rob England
BBC News Online

A ban on smoking in al fresco drinking and dining areas around St Helier has been rejected.

Questions were raised by members of the parish’s roads committee over whether a blanket ban was appropriate.

Others suggested further research was needed and plans could be put forward in the future to allow businesses to participate in an optional smoking ban for the areas.

A survey put out by the parish to the public, which received 113 responses, found 58% in favour of smoke free al fresco areas, 39% against and 3% were unsure.

But when asked, only 31% of existing al fresco license holders were in favour of smoke free zones.

Rob Byrne
BBC News Online

Some say the bike is king in Sark.

It is certainly the favoured mode of transport on the car-less island when it comes to voting in the election.

Polls opened at 10:00, with the first voter going through the door three minutes later.

It is the first contested election in the island for five years, with 15 candidates vying for nine seats in Chief Pleas, Sark's parliament.

More than 100 workers will return to old pay grades but will not have to pay back extra wages.

BBC Radio Jersey

A Jersey scrutiny leader has urged the States to get on with building a new hospital before it's too late.

Speaking six months after the new Council of Ministers was formed, health scrutiny chair, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat, said there should be no more delays.

She said she'd seen no evidence to support it going on to a different site and there was a risk the existing facility wouldn't be fit for purpose for much longer.

She also dismissed concerns about the noise and disruption that would be caused by rebuilding on the current site.

Health Minister, Deputy Richard Renouf, agreed and said work should begin as soon as possible.

BBC Radio Guernsey

The last States of Guernsey meeting of the year has started.

The presidents of Environment and Infrastructure and Health and Social Care will provide general updates on the work of their committees.

There'll also be a statement from the vice-president of Policy & Resources about the review of air and sea links infrastructure.

Also on the agenda are the funding for medical drugs and the potential acquisition of new aircraft for Aurigny.

Rob Byrne
BBC News Online

Voters in Sark go to the polls in the island's first contested election for five years.

There are 15 candidates vying for nine seats in Chief Pleas, the island's parliament.

Polls open at 10:00 at the Island Hall and close at 18:00.

Rob Byrne
BBC News Online

Voters in Sark go to the polls on Wednesday in the island's first contested election in five years.

Polls open at 10:00 at the Island Hall.

The island's parliament has been reduced in size to 18, with half of the seats being contested. There are 15 candidates vying for nine positions in Chief Pleas.

The last time Sarkees had a choice of candidates was back in a December 2013 by-election.

Polls close at 18:00, with 363 eligible voters on the island's electoral roll.