ST HELIER’S Constable has pulled plans to rename a street after Jersey’s first female politician following concerns from retailers.
The renaming of Halkett Street to ‘Rue Ivy Forster’ was part of a wider plan to transform an area of town into a thriving new spot with fresh paving, benches – and a new archway celebrating the first woman to serve in the States Assembly.
The St Helier Roads Committee originally proposed the renaming to mark the centenary of women obtaining the right to vote in Jersey.
At the same time, a portrait of Ivy Forster was unveiled on the main staircase of the Town Hall.
Following a meeting of the committee earlier this month, it was agreed that the name change would be debated at a Parish Assembly meeting on Wednesday 30 August.
However, Constable Simon Crowcroft announced this morning that the parish would no longer be going ahead with that element of the plan.
‘There’s been a remarkable consistency in the responses that have been provided,’ he said. ‘I have received letters and emails from retailers and others who simply don’t like the idea for lots of different reasons.
‘I haven’t had a single person get in touch to say they liked the idea.’
‘We had thought that the refurbishment of Halkett Street would be an ideal opportunity to rebrand this important part of the town centre whilst also removing any confusion between Halkett Place and Halkett Street,’ the Constable further explained.
‘However, I recognise that there is little support for a name change at the moment, and the refurbishment of Halkett Street is too important a project for it to be sidetracked by the renaming proposal.’
‘It’s unhelpful to have the debate wholly focused on the renaming and risks taking away from the fact that we are proposing a major urban renewal scheme, for which we will need government funding, and that’s essentially very good news.’
Constable Crowcroft continued: ‘Both Ivy Forster and Caroline Trachy before her took important steps towards the States Assembly we see today, with almost 50% female representation.’
