Jersey States members' pay to be reviewed

States Members in Jersey will have their salaries independently reviewed from 2022, the Assembly has agreed.

All politicians in the island are currently paid £46,600 per year by the States of Jersey.

Calls to see some positions paid more than others were rejected by members at Thursday's sitting.

The new system will see politicians' pay attached to an index, which will be assessed each political term by an independent body.

The States Members' Remuneration Review Body (SMRRB) is currently in charge of making impartial recommendations on members' salaries.

Its latest proposals stated all States members should be paid £50,000 from June 2022, with elected ministers earning £57,500 and the chief minister paid £65,000 per year.

However Thursday's vote saw those plans thrown out and members agreed the SMRRB should be disbanded.

Deputy Russell Labey, who supported higher pay for senior positions, said the chief minister's current salary was "absolutely ridiculous and harmful for our democracy".

However others such as Deputy Mike Higgins argued the workload of those higher up was compensated for by the assistance of civil servants.

"In a number of cases their speeches are being written for them, all the background work is being done for them, whereas individual States members have none of that support," he said.

Deputy Mary Le Hegarat, who chairs the Health Scrutiny Panel, said she should not earn more than those who "work as hard as I do".

The changes will be subject to a final vote from members in the coming months.

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