Politicians reject plans to remove constables

Jersey's politicians have rejected plans to remove constables from the States Assembly.

Deputy Tom Coles brought forward the idea in response to Deputy Elaine Millar's plans to bring back senators – politicians who are elected on an island-wide basis.

He said removing constables was the only way to bring back senators while making sure as far as possible that everyone had an equal vote.

A total of 33 members voted against the amendment, which won 11 supporting votes.

Politicians voted to remove senators in 2021 as part of moves to simplify the electoral system.

Millar's plans would see a deputy in each of the nine voting districts replaced by a senator who would be elected on an island-wide basis.

However, Coles said losing a deputy in each district would mean some votes had less weight than others, so it would be better to replace constables with senators instead.

While deputies are elected in nine districts of roughly equal population size, constables are elected in the 12 parishes.

Coles said: "When we still use our parish systems and our parish boundaries, inequity starts to show its face a lot more clearly.

"With the constable of St Helier representing over 30,000 people and the constable of St Mary only representing 1,800, you can see straight away there is disparity in our boundaries."

However, other politicians said the role of constables should be preserved.

Deputy Helen Miles said: "Constables provide a direct link between parishes and assembly, ensuring grass roots issues can be raised in an effective and timely way."

Her views were shared by Constable Karen Shenton Stone, who said: "I still believe we need to keep the constables in because no other legislature successfully offers that connection between a small island government and its municipalities."

Coles is a member of the Reform Jersey party, which has come out against the reintroduction of senators but said removing constables from the assembly was "an alternative compromise".

After his amendment was rejected, Coles said: "My amendment was there to offer the alternative to keep the balance of voter equity if we wanted senators to be returned to assembly.

"Now that hasn't been accepted, I'm going to stick with my original guns and not vote for the senators."

Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [email protected].