Parishes can help government, says deputy chief minister

Deputy Heidi Soulsby (pictured), vice president of Policy and Resources, was updating a virtual meeting of the States on the committee's future strategy three months after the general election.

In a prepared statement, she said the States needed to be working more closely with external partners, including the third sector. "And talking about relationships, there is so much more we can do in supporting and working with our Douzaines," she told the Assembly.

New group
Deputies Sue Aldwell, Aiden Matthews and Nick Moakes have joined her on a new Douzaine Liaison Group to coordinate working with the parishes.

"We have already discussed potential areas of review and whilst we had intended to meet all parish representatives at a presentation last week to start things off, we will be making other arrangements so we can keep things moving," she said.

The meeting with douzeniers, scheduled for 28 January but postponed because of the latest Covid-19 lockdown, was expected to be well attended by parish officials interested in more details of the States' proposals for greater parochial involvement in island administration.

Deputy Soulsby's statement can be read here.