Outgoing Jersey politicians get budget vote

New members will not take up their seats in the States chamber until 6 December

Nine current States members will get to vote on the 2012 budget and a range of other issues even though they failed to retain their seats.

There are also nine members who are leaving the states for other reasons.

Due to the nature of Jersey's system the outgoing members will sit twice more, and in those two sittings they will vote on some important issues.

They include the 2012 budget with tax increases, and millions of pounds of spending.

The newly elected members will take their seats on 6 December.

Outgoing chief minister, Senator Terry Le Sueur, said it was better than having inexperienced states members voting on such important subjects.

'fresh and unaware'

He said: "It is becoming a bit of an anomaly. When there were three separate elections there was less of an urgency to change it.

"The alternative is you have someone coming in totally fresh and unaware of all the implications, trying to make decisions in their first sitting in the house. It is no-win either way."

Issues they will debate include whether to introduce a commemorative £100 note and whether to increase states members' expense allowances.

They will also vote on whether to alter the change in people's pockets by adding nickel-plated steel coins to the list of legal tender.

Outgoing members will also be involved in a decision over whether people should have to take their driving theory test before getting a provisional licence.

Political Analyst Professor Adrian Lee said this post-election system was an "unusual" set-up, and he could not think of any other place it happened.