St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft has regularly raised the issue of the States paying rates on its buildings – with his parish set to be the main beneficiary if any charges are introduced.
In the States this evening, Members agreed by 38 votes to four to divvy up the funds that were due to be paid as part of the 2017 Budget. Only Constables Juliette Gallichan and John Le Maistre and Deputies Carolyn Labey and Anne Pryke rejected the proposal.
The money was left unspent after Members blocked a previously agreed proposal for the States to pay rates on its buildings at the eleventh hour last year due to concerns about the wording of the law that would have enable the States to make the payments.
Mr Crowcroft instead opted to stake the claim for the parish to receive the one-off ex gratia payment for 2017 and is expected to bring further proposals to later this year as part of the Budget debate to make the States pay rates on an annual basis.
