I am very proud to have represented you as your Parish Deputy for the last three years. I have enjoyed both the Parish work and the States’ work and feel that I have made contributions to both. I still have issues which I am pursuing in order to benefit parishioners and islanders as a whole.
Planning issues are something that I have had to contend with all my life in my building business.We need to have a consistent approach to understand the practicalities. Many issues still revolve around renovation work especially when attempting to improve properties with cost savings thermal efficiency and maintenance, notably replacement windows.
St Mary still lacks basic infrastructure in some large areas of the Parish – main drainage and mains water is non existent to many properties people who have to rely on spring water for drinking constantly face a pollution problem.
Political and Constitutional reform and any decision to alter our present structure should be discussed with Parishioners at a Parish Assembly – taking propositions to the States to alter our Parish system and boundary by amalgamating St. Mary with another Parish for voting purposes should not be done without Parishioners’ approval – if at all.
I have been active within the States having been elected to the States Employment Board at the start of my term and since being made a member of the Housing and Immigration and also Environment Scrutiny panels .
Within the Parish I have been instrumental in bringing about the 20 mph speed restrictions along Rue des Buttes – through what was nothing more than a motorway to those residents who had to live in constant danger of speeding traffic. Subsequently the traffic calming project which is to be implemented by Transport and Technical Services should make St. Mary a more pleasant experience for everyone when completed . However signage could still be improved to make drivers more aware by adopting the well proven system as used in St. Peter. The parish infrastructure is constantly an item for maintenance and I realise how important it is in order to avoid costly remedial work in the future that we do not neglect these areas.
I have decided to stand for Constable instead of Deputy because I feel that I would be able to achieve more for the Parish than is possible at present as a Deputy, but I believe that Parish issues should come first.
As Constables Officer and Centenier for nine years, plus Road Inspector my interest has always been towards preserving the parish interest. A strong working relationship between Constable and Deputy is important in order to achieve that.
It is also essential that our Parish Officials and administration, combined with a close working relationship between Constable and Deputy, work cohesively in the interest of our parish, as a team. Should I be successful in becoming your Constable, one of my prime objectives would be to establish that team concept.