Dispute over Jersey police office report

Jersey's government watchdog has rejected a call to take out part of a report on a failed deal to buy a new office building for the police.

<link> <caption>The report</caption> <url href="http://www.auditorgeneral-jersey.org/pdf/LIME_GROVE_HOUSE-REPORT.pdf" platform="highweb"/> </link> said former Interim Treasurer Hugh McGarel-Groves suggested a way to remove a civil servant was to threaten his professional reputation.

Mr McGarel-Groves said the section was "far-fetched".

Comptroller and Auditor General Chris Swinson said he was confident about the evidence in the report.

New plans

Mr McGarel-Groves described the process used to write a report on the failure to buy Lime Grove House as "flawed".

In an e-mail to Mr Swinson, he described the section in the report where it is alleged he suggested the States of Jersey remove a senior civil servant by threatening to damage his reputation as "far fetched".

Mr Swinson responded: "I am confident of the evidence which formed the basis for the report."

He said he was "not aware of any reason to amend the report" and added that a draft of the report had been e-mailed to Mr McGarel-Groves before it was published, but there had been no response.

The owner of the proposed office site decided to lease it to a finance firm, so instead there are plans to build a new police office on part of Green Street car park.