Constable Simon Crowcroft has written to Deputy Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham, who is political lead for the hospital project, following a specially convened parish meeting during which residents voted on a requête – an ancient legal device to call an assembly.
Parishioners were asked to decide whether the parish should temporarily block the sale of its land and prohibit any ongoing construction work in relation to Westmount Road, which is the approved access route for the hospital project, until further details are provided. Both clauses were overwhelmingly backed by those who attended and voted.
The parish was instructed to prevent ‘any further interference’ with its land by those involved in the hospital project – a move approved by 175 votes to 30. And, if necessary, the parish will take legal action to ‘resist any attempt by the public to acquire the land’ before it has been able to evaluate the details of the acquisition. That move was approved by 167 votes to 38.
The Constable’s letter to Senator Farnham, sent yesterday morning, says: ‘I am, therefore, informing you that until such time as I formally notify you otherwise, any existing permission from the parish to undertake works of any nature connected with the future hospital on parish land of any sort is withdrawn, and I would ask that you and your agents,
contractors and advisers respect the
position of the parish and refrain from interfering with any area of parish
land connected with the hospital project until such time as I notify you otherwise.’
It was said to be the largest parish assembly in decades and the Constable described it as ‘the first of its kind’ as it included online voting.
Speaking to the JEP, he said: ‘Although it was an encouraging evening in respect of the mechanics of the parish assembly, it has only fortified my resolve to get the parish assembly law changed. I do think there are issues about validation of online voting.’
On the results of the requête, he added: ‘Nobody really wants a legal battle over this. I don’t think the proposer of the requête wants one, either. The government doesn’t want it – the only people that will make money will be lawyers.
‘So for me the ideal scenario would be for the government to come forward as quickly as possible with very detailed images and assurances that the environment is not going to be harmed to the extent that people fear.’
Advocate Olaf Blakeley, who lodged the requête and encouraged parishioners to vote in favour of it, said: ‘I was so impressed by it – hats off to the parish. I know they had some trial runs and it was really well done.
‘I did anticipate that it [the requête] would be successful because I didn’t think it was an outrageous request. What I was really pleased about was that there was a real variety of expressions vocalised – it’s really concerning if you just get people who are all in favour, moaning and groaning, and it wasn’t like that at all.’
He added that he was glad there had been opposing votes cast, as it showed there had been ‘different views and a proper democratic vote’.
