Use of Common to be discussed at Habitants' meeting
Mon 17 Feb 2020
The annual meeting of Les Habitants du Clos du Valle – individuals broadly living to the north of a line from the Bridge to the Vale Church – will be held on March 6 at 7.30pm at the Vale Douzaine Room and items for debate need to be given to the secretary c/o Vale Douzaine by 5pm on Monday February 24.
A key part of the AGM will be to elect a new member to the Vale Commons Council (VCC) to replace Noel Duquemin, whose term of office has expired. Under a 1932 Ordinance of the Royal Court, a minimum of two of the five-person council have to be Douzeniers and is expected to be discussed at the forthcoming February douzaine meeting.
Important
Although a lesser-known part of the island's history and heritage, the VCC's role is very important as, by law, its members have a responsibility “to regulate and supervise the use of the Commons not only as a place for the exercise of the rights of common pasture, but also as a place of public resort and recreation and this in such a way as to ensure as far as possible to every person the opportunity to enjoy the amenities of the place for those purposes and to prevent any use which would be harmful to the general interest.”
More information can be found on the VCC's website here but those elected to the council manage what is Guernsey's largest area of recreational land: all 740 vergees of it, plus two football pitches, a golf course, 16 car parks, various roads and tracks and Occupation and historic remains.
Updated in 1932
The 1932 Ordinance guiding the council, while old, is itself an updated version of the legislation designed to meet the then changing use of the Common – more for recreation (place of "public resort") and less for pasturing animals and controlling what were then termed grande betes or cattle, horses, mules and donkeys.
A previous meeting – following submissions from Habitants – enabled the riding of cycles on paths which is why it's important for parishioners living in the Clos du Valle to be aware of the annual meeting and, if they have thoughts or suggestions on the use or management of the Common, to ensure they get on the agenda for discussion.
- Below is a translation of the original French Ordinance with the Douzaine had prepared for the benefit of all Habitants and users of the Common.