WHAT to do with mounds of hazardous waste at La Collette and an empty café and car park at Grève de Lecq?
These are two thorny issues that the States Assembly will be tackling next week during its last sitting before the summer break.
Arguably the most important item on the agenda is a proposal by Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet, who is after political support for his plan to deal with Jersey’s mounting toxic waste, including asbestos and soils contaminated with heavy metals.
His answer – at least in the short to medium term – is to largely carry on as before: that is, to bury it under huge man-made headlands on reclaimed land south of the incinerator.
Unfortunately, this has been going on for 20 years without planning permission – a problem which came to a head in March when a retrospective application was rejected by the Planning Committee.
Later given a lifeline when the committee deferred its decision by six months, Deputy Binet hopes that political support for his plan to increase the height of these headlands and create new ones around La Collette will help him get planning approval.
The development of the Waterfront also hinges on the ability of La Collette to be able to take the 240,000m3 of contaminated soil that that project expects to generate.
Another proposition to be debated this week is a licensing scheme for rented homes. However, it is understood that this could be ‘called in’ by Scrutiny for further analysis. That is likely to happen if Members first agree the broad principles of the scheme, which is being put forward by Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf.
A debate which is set to prompt a healthy discussion around the ‘privatisation’ of the Island’s coastline will be initiated by Deputy Lyndon Farnham, who is calling on the Assembly to back a negotiated purchase of the former Seaside Café and car park site at Grève de Lecq ‘for a use that will be of benefit to the public’.
Other debates scheduled for the sitting, which begins today, includes the introduction of a law to protect whistleblowers exposing malpractice within an organisation, and a call to loosen the rules governing those with Entitled to Work status.
When it comes to questions without notice, the Environment, International Development and Chief Ministers will be in the ‘hot seat’ for 15 minutes each.
Oral questions tackle topics including the teaching of French in schools, sewage in St Aubin’s Bay and vacant properties.
The next States sitting after this one will be 12 September.
