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BBC Radio Guernsey

A move to delay debate in the States of Guernsey about the future of secondary education in the island has failed.

Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen placed a sursis to defer debate to November so the education committee could come back with more detailed plans and a more detailed business case.

She feels the plan is currently lacking enough information, however, the education committee said changing the timetable was "unrealistic and unmanageable".

After a successful guillotine motion (after two unsuccessful attempts) to try to end debate and jump to a vote, the sursis failed by 13 votes to 26.

Debate now continues on the plans proposed by the Education, Sport and Culture Committee.

BBC Radio Guernsey

The head of Education has told the States the timeline for delaying the debate around the future model of secondary schools is unrealistic.

President Matt Fallaize was responding to a request for a sursis, a delay to debate about the new education model, put forward by Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen.

She has asked for the debate to be extended until November so a new business case can be put forward and looked at, objecting to the "comparators" used in the current costing of the model.

Deputy Peter Roffey from the education committee described those who object to the proposals as having "sat on their hands".

He said the sursis was an attempt to bring about a "complete policy U-turn" and reintroduce alternative models previously rejected by the States.

Deputy Dudley-Owen denied this claim, arguing the purpose of the sursis was to ensure that the business case could be further examined and an "objective appraisal" reached.

BBC Radio Jersey

Drawing up Jersey's next Island Plan, the government's land use strategy, is likely to cost more than twice as much as the previous one.

The government is currently reviewing the document with the help of £350,000 signed off in November 2018 by the treasury minister.

The States Assembly is considering giving the project team an additional £650,000 of funding, taking the total cost of drafting the plan to £1m.

Ministers say the extra money will ensure the work is completed more quickly and help hit the government's target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

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Guernsey's scrutiny president says his committee will meet to look at the "options on the table" after losing a vote in the States on Wednesday.

Deputy Chris Green wanted a full tribunal into appointments at education, which would have come at a cost of £250,000.

The island's government rejected that proposal and one for a review led by scrutiny, but the Scrutiny Management Committee has the power to pursue other avenues.

BBC Radio Jersey

A panel which deals with complaints against Jersey States' departments says it is concerned islanders do not trust that it will deal with them fairly.

In its annual report, the Complaints Panel is critical of the way some departments have dealt with people who are unhappy at the way they have been treated.

The panel described the eight hearings that took place in 2018 as as an "unprecedented" volume.

Chairman of the panel Geoffrey Crill said the States needed to make sure islanders could expect fair treatment from the civil service and that any complaints would be treated properly.

BBC Radio Guernsey

The president of Guernsey's Scrutiny Committee has been left dumbfounded after States members took the decision to have no review into the education committee's handling of staff appointments.

Speaking in the States of Deliberation on Thursday, Deputy Chris Green described the decision as a "massive misjudgment", saying his committee would have to "consider the position" of any review.

"There seems to be quite a lot of confidence and faith in the membership of Scrutiny to do a review of this sort," he added.

The debate on Wednesday became a discussion about how to carry out a review, rather than whether one should take place and the lack of agreement over means led to no decision being taken.

Jersey Reds chairman Mark Morgan says the Championship club's finances have improved since their struggles three years ago.

Cameron Chalmers hopes his appearance at this year's World Athletics Championships can help get him to the 2020 Olympics.

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Oscar Pearson
BBC Radio Guernsey

It was an odd day in the States of Guernsey on Wednesday.

Most of it was taken up by a proposal from Guernsey's Scrutiny Committee to set up a tribunal into the way the education committee has appointed staff members, to see if there's any wrongdoing and political interference.

It all relates to this story here.

It seemed everyone wanted a review into the education committee, but no-one could agree how to do it.

Scrutiny's president, Chris Green, said we should spend £250,000 on an independent tribunal, so that people could be compelled to give evidence - but other members didn't want to spend the money.

Then, Deputy Emilie Yerby tabled an official amendment to make the Scrutiny Committee do the review themselves, and the States voted - narrowly - in favour of her amendment.

But when it came to approving the final proposals, which now only consisted of Deputy Yerby's amendment, the States voted against it and the whole thing collapsed.

Deputy Green told me after the debate that it was a massive misjudgment by the States, but I expect that he'll talk with his colleagues on Scrutiny about potentially carrying out a review anyway.

BBC Radio Jersey

The result of the latest ballot on a deal on civil servant's pay should be known next week.

Members of the Prospect and Unite unions have been voting on the latest offer from the employment board.

Last month, civil servants held two half-day strikes, meaning some people had to reschedule their hospital appointments and the tax and population offices had to close.

The latest offer includes previous backdated improvements in pay for 2018 and 2019, as well as a forecast 4.1% rise in 2020 - based on current predicted inflation levels.

The results of the two polls will be added together before they're announced.

If a majority opts to reject the pay deal, there could be more industrial action.

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BBC Radio Jersey

A poll of doctors in Jersey suggests that more than half of them are in favour of allowing someone to take their own life if they are terminally ill.

The data from 4insight shows 60% of the surveyed doctors felt helping someone to die was sometimes or always acceptable, and that they would be willing to give that assistance, given professional and legal protection.

The percentage dropped to 45% if the illness caused unbearable suffering but was not terminal.

In May 2018, Guernsey's government rejected proposals that could have seen assisted dying legalised.

Had it been approved, the island could have become the first place in the British Isles to allow assisted dying.

BBC Weather

Areas of morning cloud will tend to thin and break leaving plenty of sunshine.

It should remain dry, with a moderate breeze - a slightly cooler day to come.

A dry evening and overnight period will follow with lengthy clear spells.

Generally gentle winds.

Jersey

Guernsey