ISLANDERS could face new charges to help tackle Jersey’s ageing sewerage network, according to the Infrastructure Minister.
Constable Andy Jehan warned that the Island needed a “long-term solution” for the issue in a hearing with the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel.
And Mr Jehan declined to rule out charging domestic property owners in proposals due to be brought to the States during this government’s term.
The minister said his department did not yet have a fixed idea of what such a charging mechanism could look like.
But, questioned by panel member Constable David Johnson on whether domestic properties would be excluded from such a regime as previously suggested, the minister replied: “I wouldn’t give that same commitment today as I sit here, and I was on the other side of the argument when they were looking to introduce commercial waste charges. We all use the sewerage network [and] we need to find a fair and equitable way that we can continue to invest in this vital infrastructure.”
Last year, Mr Jehan’s predecessor at Infrastructure, Deputy Tom Binet, warned that taxpayers would have to provide “big sums of money” to upgrade the Island’s network, stating that inaction in the past meant that the Island was effectively “looking down the barrel of a gun”. But he told Scrutiny then that there were no immediate plans to introduce new charges for Islanders.
Mr Jehan was less circumspect when asked about plans to introduce legislation to permit waste charging.
“We’ve got significant finds in place to sort out the new houses that are coming on stream but the work doesn’t stop and we’ve got to continue to invest in existing infrastructure and improved infrastructure,” he said.
The minister told the panel that key programmes of work to bring on affordable homes and undertake “foreseen major upgrades” were under way and he said he was confident that the existing network could be maintained.
But he continued: “Is it fit for future purpose? That depends on how far you extend your view. We will have to continue investing long after this budget and this four years is over. Whatever we put in new today will need upgrading, replacing and repairing in five, ten 15 or 20 years’ time. It’s a bit like roads – you’ve got to keep maintaining.”
“I think we’ve got to look at it for the long term and we’ve got to find a solution that we can bring to the Assembly, where there is a new charging mechanism, whatever that looks like, and we haven’t got a fixed idea of what that is. There are different models that work in different jurisdictions, We need to see what’s best for the Island.”
