Sark government to look at relaxing marriage laws

Sark's government has decided to commission a report on liberalising the island's marriage laws.

The General Purposes and Advisory Committee was instructed by Chief Pleas on Wednesday to formulate a plan to update Sark's 1919 legislation.

Charles Maitland, the committee's chairman, said he wanted to make the process easier for visiting couples.

"It would be good to be able to have a civil wedding in a hotel or even in the Seigneurie Gardens," he said.

Mr Maitland also said the current requirement that couples be resident on the island for at least two weeks prior to the ceremony was restrictive.

At their Michaelmas meeting, Chief Pleas also approved the island's £1.3m budget for 2012.

This will include £50,000 for repairs to the road surface of La Coupee and £5,000 to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.