Currently, States Members sit roughly every two weeks, although the gap is occasionally longer to accommodate school holidays.
The Privileges and Procedures Committee has lodged a proposition which, if approved, would mean that there would be a three-week gap between States sittings, initially on a trial basis with the view to making the move permanent next year should the trial prove successful.
In July, Members attended a virtual meeting during which the proposed tri-weekly sittings were discussed and an indicative vote was cast, with 25 in favour of the shift and 20 against.
In the proposition, the PPC states that it now seeks to ‘ratify that decision formally’ and that must be done before the end of September, when the committee is required to present the meeting list for 2021. A further proposition would be brought in September 2021 to ask whether Members wanted to make the move permanent.
The proposition is due to be debated during the sitting beginning on Tuesday 22 September.
Meanwhile, plans are being formed for States Members to return to the Chamber for sittings after the summer recess.
Members began conducting States sittings virtually when lockdown and Covid-19 measures prevented them from meeting in person.
And while the first sitting after the recess – due to begin on Tuesday 8 September – will continue to be held on Microsoft Teams, there are tentative plans being formed for a return to the States Chamber at the following sitting on 22 September.
Current government guidance still prevents groups of more than 40 meeting, meaning that some of the 46-strong States Assembly may still be required to access the sitting from their homes while some Members are in the Chamber.
Deputy States Greffier Lisa Hart said: ‘We do need to regulate the use of the Chamber while social-distancing rules remain and we also need to ensure that we are treating all Members equally.
‘We have to adhere to the guidelines – every workplace is required to have a plan which ensures those guidelines are followed and we are no different. I know that Members miss the camaraderie of the Chamber but we are working hard behind the scenes to get us to a point where we can meet those standards, particularly as we are conscious that they will be in the public spotlight.
‘Teams has been fantastic and enabled us to be one of the few places in the Commonwealth to have a fully operational virtual sitting of elected members.’
The indicative vote
FOR: Senators Ferguson, Vallois and Le Fondré; Constables: Crowcroft, Norman, Mezbourian, Taylor, Le Sueur, Le Bailly, Buchanan and Vibert; Deputies: Martin, Maçon, C Labey, Pinel, Luce, Truscott, R Labey, Renouf, Wickenden, Raymond, Alves, Huelin, Pointon and Gardiner. (25)
AGAINST: Senators Moore, Pallett and Mézec; Constables Le Sueur-Rennard, Le Maistre, Jackson and Shenton-Stone; Deputies Southern, Higgins, Lewis, Johnson, Doublet, Young, Ward, Ahier, Le Hegarat, Pamplin, Morel, Ash and Perchard. (20)
DID NOT VOTE: Senators Farnham and Gorst; Deputies: Tadier and Guida. (4)
