Summary

  • Nazi graffiti sparks police appeal

  • Swimmers call for 50m pool to keep pace with competitors

  • Charter flights from Germany to start next spring

  • Guernsey proposes raising minimum wage

  • Updates from Friday 16 August.

Live Reporting

  1. States to consider changes to divorce laws

    Adam Durbin
    BBC News Online

    A change to laws governing how couples divorce, legally separate and annul a marriage could be introduced under a new proposal.

    The amendment would increase the powers of the Royal Court to dictate the "division of assets" in cases of divorce, legal separation and annulment.

    According to a spokesman for the Policy and Resources committee the change would "to help to reduce some of the conflict and challenge" that comes with legal separation.

    "[The amendment] will ensure that the Court is further enabled to ensure fairness, and therefore justice, in matrimonial proceedings, in terms of how assets are shared between parties," he added.

    The proposals will be put before the States for consideration in September.

  2. Civil service strikes to go ahead

    BBC Radio Jersey

    Jersey's civil service union has said walk-outs are still planned for 23 and 27 August, despite a pay offer from the government.

    Members of the JCSA Prospect Union have two weeks to vote on the deal from 22 August, but planned strikes are still set to go ahead.

    Terry Renouf from the union described the proposed pay deal as the "lowest given to any group of States employees".

    "Bearing in mind that some of the civil servants are the lowest paid within the States, so the lowest paid have, in effect, had the lowest increase," he added.

    The States Employment Board removed a proposed increase to the working week of six minutes a day, which was linked to extra holiday entitlement, from their offer at the unions request.

    It also has committed to a guaranteed pay increase of 1.3% above cost of living from 1 January 2020, as well as a further increase to be identified jointly from "new savings and efficiencies".

    The board said it was "disappointed" that the unions are not recommending their members vote in favour of the offer.

  3. Guernsey proposes raising minimum wage

    Adam Durbin
    BBC News Online

    Guernsey's Committee for Employment & Social Security has proposed raising the adult minimum wage by 40p to £8.50 per hour from 1 January 2020.

    The changes would come as part of a five-year process to raise the island's minimum wage.

    If approved, the change will include a 55p raise to the minimum wage for 16 and 17-year-olds, putting their hourly rate at £8.05.

    The larger proportional increase to the young person's rate is part of the same plans, which would see the two wages become the same by 2023.

    Employment & Social Security have also proposed to increase the maximum "offsets" for accommodation and food that an employer can deduct from a person’s wages as part of their employment.

    The accommodation only offset would rise from £78 per week to £82, while the combined offset could increase from £109 per week to £114.

    We see [the proposals] as a positive step, assisting with the reduction of in-work poverty and ensuring that workers in low earning sectors are not exploited.

    Deputy Michelle Le Clerc, President, Committee for Employment & Social Security

  4. Numbers of islanders looking to foster and adopt doubles

    Hayley Westcott
    BBC News Online

    The number of islanders looking to foster or adopt a child has doubled in the last year, the Government of Jersey has said.

    New figures show 16 islanders contacted Fostering and Adoption Jersey as a result of a government campaign.

    Ten of those expressed an interest in fostering and six enquired about adoption.

    baby

    Thank you to each and every one of you who are prepared to open up your hearts and homes to children and offering many of them the experience of a stable, secure and caring home.

    Senator Sam Mézec, Children’s minister

  5. Boy, 17, arrested after crashing car into wall

    Hayley Westcott
    BBC News Online

    A 17-year-old boy was arrested for driving while over the prescribed limit and dangerous driving in Jersey, police have said.

    Officers were called to Springfield Road at about 02:30 after a red Peugeot 207 hit a wall - causing substantial damage to the car.

    The boy was uninjured and remains in police custody.

    It's believed before the crash on Springfield Road, he travelled along St Aubin’s Road and continued through Cheapside.

    Anyone who saw the car is asked to call police on 612 612.

  6. WW2 bunkers vandalised with Nazi symbols

    The graffiti is the second instance of racist imagery appearing on such buildings on the island.

    Read More

  7. Les Amarreurs boats to be moved to improve grass quality

    Hayley Westcott
    BBC News Online

    Boat owners using Les Amarreurs are asked to contact Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services (ACLMS) if they have boats stored on grassland near the slipway.

    Any unclaimed boats or kayaks remaining after Friday 13 September will be stored off site and may be offered to the public if not claimed.

    The clearance is being undertaken to allow the worn grass behind the beach to regenerate, the States of Guernsey said.

    It added the improved covering of grass and other maritime plants there will help to bind and protect the sand and soil, reducing the loss of sand on to the footpath and road surface.

  8. Charter flights from Germany to start next spring

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    Guernsey Airport

    Charter flights from Germany to Guernsey will start next spring.

    Tour company Globalis Erlebnisreisen will offer specialist Channel Island hopping packages, flying from sixteen German airports from April until October.

    Visit Guernsey, which is tasked with promoting the island, has been working to secure the route for nearly two years.

  9. Winds of force seven expected across the islands

    Hayley Westcott
    BBC News Online

    Jersey Met has issued a yellow weather warning for wind.

    weather warningJersey Met

  10. Nurse pay row: 'Our voices aren't being listened to'

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    A senior nurse in Guernsey says the fight for equal pay will continue for as long as it takes for the States to listen to their demands.

    More than 4,000 people have signed a petition urging Guernsey's politicians to debate the ongoing pay dispute in the September States meeting.

    Debbie Harris, a ward sister, says it sometimes feels "our voices aren't being listened to".

    "We're going to keep going until we get some results," she said.

    "Please listen to us, we're not going to go away. We will continue with this."

    nurses

    From our point of view, we'd like to see equal pay for work of equal value. We'd like to see things sorted out as soon as possible to get that certainty for all concerned.

    Deputy Heidi Soulsby, President of Guernsey's Health and Social Care Committee

  11. Swimmers call for 50m pool to keep pace with competitors

    BBC Radio Guernsey

    Guernsey's swimmers are calling for a 50m pool to be installed in the island in time for the 2021 Island Games.

    The pool at Beau Sejour is 25m long and has six lanes compared to the 50m pool swimmers used in Gibraltar for the Island Games.

    The swimming club says a longer pool would make training for the Commonwealth Games, and other national events, easier.

    Sarah Parfitt, Guernsey's swimming coach, says it's "important" to improve the facilities if the island is to keep pace with competitors.

    Beau Sejour pool

    As with everything, we have to move forward. We have to keep thinking about how we raise our game. How do we continue to compete with the likes of England, Scotland, Ireland who have way better facilities than us?

    Sarah Parfitt, Guernsey's swimming coach

  12. Alderney's Wombles to go on display

    BBC Radio Jersey

    Wombles

    Wombles owned by the creator of the book and TV series are set go on display in the Alderney Museum.

    Elizabeth Beresford - known as Liza - lived on the island for a number of years and, when she died, the wombles were donated to Cancer Research.

    Jan Walker from the charity says they plan to display them in a case with a scrapbook of people's memories.

    It's part of people's childhood. A lot of people who are now in their twenties and thirties would go to Liza's house and she'd read them stories and give them squash and biscuits and cheese straws, which were one of her favourite things to make. She was part of the community and the Wombles here are part of the community, and that's why we'd like them to stay here."

    Jan Walker, Cancer Research, Alderney

  13. Nazi graffiti sparks police appeal

    BBC Radio Jersey

    Swastikas have been spray painted on bunkers at Corbiere and Elizabeth Castle, according to Jersey Police.

    Both sites were vandalised, with the letters 'HH' and 'SS' also written in black pen.

    Officers believe the damage at Elizabeth Castle happened between 09:00 and 13:00 on Wednesday, and at Corbiere at around 19:00.

    Police want to speak to two young men who were parked near Corbiere around the time the damage is thought to have happened.

    The driver is described as having bushy ginger or blonde hair.

  14. Channel Islands weather: A dry start with rain later

    Dan Downs
    Weather Forecaster

    A largely dry and cloudy start, but rain will spread from the west later in the day, perhaps with some heavy and thundery outbreaks.

    It will turn rather breezy.

    Maximum temperature: 20C (68F)

    weather map