Last month it emerged that the cost of a fire safety certificate for many properties in the Island is due to rise from the current price of £80 to £400 by 2020.
The move sparked a backlash from the likes of the Jersey Hospitality Association, which said it could ‘greatly impact’ on businesses in an already negative economic climate.
During a hearing of the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel yesterday, Home Affairs Minister Kristina Moore was asked by Deputy Louise Doublet whether she thought that the price hikes, which will take place incrementally over the next three years, were ‘reasonable’.
Answering on Deputy Moore’s behalf, her assistant minister, Constable Deidre Mezbourian, said: ‘I think that it is reasonable because we started from a very low baseline.
‘The Fire Service have sent out about 1,000 letters advising of the new charges and there have been very few negative comments.
‘It’s probably because people realise that they have been on a very good thing for a very long time and we are not introducing this immediately.
‘The cost also only covers about half of the cost of the department to deal with the certificates’.
Premises which require fire safety certificates in Jersey include hospitals, care homes, ports, hostels, hotels, certain schools that provide accommodation and, since 2013, houses in multiple occupation.
To be awarded a fire safety certificate a property will be assessed by the Fire Service on what prevention measures it has in place, such as smoke alarms, sprinklers and fire escapes, in relation to the size and occupancy of the building.
During the hearing, Deputy Doublet also asked Community and Constitutional Affairs chief officer Tom Walker what role his department intended to play in implementing the recommendations of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.
Mr Walker said that an ‘inquiry response group’ had been put together.
He added that two recommendations they would prioritise would be tackling the negative perception of the ‘Jersey Way’ [how the Island is run] and considering reform of the structure of Jersey’s government, in line with the recommendations of reports produced by Sir Cecil Clothier in 2000 and Lord Carswell in 2010.
‘[The group] is formed by senior public servants who are leading the response working on behalf of their departmental ministers [who fall under Community and Constitutional Affairs],’ said Mr Walker.
The hearing was also attended by panel member Deputy Tracey Vallois.
