STATES OF JERSEY

Composition and Election of the States Assembly: election dates for Connétables (p.54/2007) – amendment

Lodged au Greffe on 22nd May 2007
by the Comité des Connétables

STATES GREFFE

COMPOSITION AND ELECTION OF THE STATES ASSEMBLY: ELECTION DATES FOR CONNÉTABLES (P.54/2007) – AMENDMENT

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In paragraph (a), sub-paragraph (iii), after the word “on” insert the words “the last Wednesday of September in 2008 and each subsequent election year, being”.

COMITÉ DES CONNÉTABLES

REPORT

The States considered propositions relating to the composition of the States Assembly at its meeting on 1st May 2007 and voted against changing the existing 3-year term of office for States Members. The Comité has considered amending its proposition, so as to retain a 3-year term of office for Connétables, but agreed that the States should have the option of debating a 4-year term given that there has been some public support for such a change. If a 4-year term does not find favour with the States, members may vote against this part of the proposition without rejecting the principle of a single election day for all Connétables.

The Comité has also considered an amendment similar to that put forward by the Privileges and Procedures Committee to P.145/2006. Such an amendment would avoid unnecessary and possibly lengthy disputes about the desirability of curtailing terms of office by legislation and would introduce a voluntary system so that any of the 12 Connétables who wished to do so would be permitted to resign from office and stand in the 2008 election of Connétables for a new full term of office.

However, the Comité has rejected such an amendment as the Connétables are unanimous that they will resign in 2008 so as to cause an election for a new term of office on a single day. The Comité recognises that the terms of office of five Connétables expire this year and those elected will, if they resign in 2008, have served less than 15 months. Nevertheless, the Comité considers that any person standing for election this year will do so in the full knowledge that the Connétables are seeking a single election day in 2008 and that his/her term should be curtailed accordingly.

The Comité has given further consideration to the timing of the single election day for Connétables. The Comité is proposing an amendment to (a)(iii) to provide that the first single election day will be on the last Wednesday of September 2008 and each subsequent election year (the nomination meeting would be in early September). The Comité does not consider this will adversely affect the timing of the election of Senators and Deputies (currently in October and November) although it may result in three public elections in close succession. The Comité considers the introduction of a single election day for Connétables is of paramount importance and is a step towards a ‘general election’ for all States members.

There are no financial or manpower consequences for the States arising from this proposition.

Note – the amended proposition would then read –

(a) to agree that the 12 parish Connétables should all be elected on a single election day –

(i) for a term of office of 4 years;

(ii) with the first such election to take place in the autumn of 2008;

(iii) on the last Wednesday of September in 2008 and each subsequent election year being a day that is neither an election day for Senators nor Deputies under the States of Jersey Law 2005;

(b) to request the Privileges and Procedures Committee to bring forward for approval the necessary legislation to give effect to the proposal including appropriate transitional arrangements to ensure that all 12 Connétables can be elected on a single election day by December 2008 at the latest.