Alderney to test opening committee meetings to the public

Details of where meetings will be held and public seating are due to be announced in due course

Alderney is undertaking a trial to open some of its States committee meetings to the public.

Currently the Building and Development Control Committee and the full States meetings are open to islanders.

From next month residents and members of the media can attend meetings of the Policy and Finance (P&F) and General Services Committees (GSC).

The move is part of a commitment to open government made in the Island Plan.

Those attending will be asked to follow the same "observation without participation" guidelines as those going to the States meetings and will be asked to leave for confidential issues.

In a further change, how committee members vote in split decisions will be recorded.

Ian Carter, P&F Deputy Chairman, said: "It should be emphasised that placing an item into the confidential part of the meeting would be the exception rather than the rule."

He described the changes as "a move towards greater transparency of decision making and local democracy".

GSC Chairman Boyd Kelly said: "I strongly support the proposals as hopefully these issues will in some way assist to inform [the public], sharpen the pencils of Members and allow the people of Alderney to hear what their elected members discuss."

He said it may not be easy "particularly in the early stages", but "as we all apparently espouse open government this pilot scheme must be trialled".

The move was also seen as a way for prospective States members to get an understanding of the work of the committees.

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