GROUVILLE Constable Mark Labey will have to make savings in his budget for next year after parishioners voted against his recommended rate charges and chose to stick at 1.31p per quarter.
It was standing room only at the parish hall for an assembly that clearly demonstrated that democracy and debate is alive and well in Jersey’s south-eastern corner.
Towards the end of the evening, after the procureurs had quickly redone their sums to take account of a subtraction from next year’s estimated budget – after the assembly had voted against making a £10,000 donation to the Association of Jersey Charities – the Constable proposed a rate of 1.35p for this year.
However, parishioner and accounts committee member Mark Houzé – who had voiced concern about the Constable’s draft budget for next year several times during the evening – proposed sticking with the current rate of 1.31p, which, he argued, not only took account of the £10,000 deduction but also the £75,000 of underspend from this year.
A vote was held and parishioners approved that proposal by 58 votes to 20, leaving Mr Labey to comment that he would now have to make some difficult cuts.
“I really don’t know how we are going to do this,” he said.
It was an unpredictable end to an unpredictable meeting, but one which ended with everyone filing out in good spirits at its conclusion, as if meetings with a healthy dose of edge are de rigueur in Grouville. Which they are.
Other areas of healthy debate included a proposal from Mr Houzé that there should be no further expenditure made against any reserve fund until there were written governance rules around the use of those funds.
This led to a tied vote, which prompted another proposal, from Peter Hargreaves, that there should be a further meeting to discuss those governance rules around the use of reserve funds, which was carried.
This prompted one parishioner to argue that, as the reserves funds could not be spent until governance rules around them were agreed, the whole estimated budget was now beyond determination so the evening’s meeting could not proceed.
This was rejected by the Constable.
Parishioner Rod Amy, a retired accountant, argued that a reserve that is budgeted to be spent in the next financial year is not, therefore, a reserve and should be in the general account.
“A reserve is for the future; it is not a money tree to be plucked at will by the Constable,” he said.
Again, this was rejected by Mr Labey, who argued that the accounting policies had been agreed by an Assembly in April and they brought a new level of transparency to parish spending.
The vote not to proceed with the Association of Jersey Charities donation was proposed by Linda Houzé, who argued that it would be better if the parish gave funds to a charity with links to Grouville, or one which parishioners had agreed to support.
This was carried, with the intention that this new policy will come into force by next year’s rates assembly.
The subject of the bold red line marking a ‘virtual pavement’ in Rue de la Haye du Puits was raised by one parishioner, who said she had been against it at first but was now fully supportive.
“I was shocked at first but now the paint has dulled and the kids are using it. They are smiling and not afraid,” she said. “It is money well spent and far better than an injured child.”
The red line had been a divisive issue when painted and these comments prompted a round of applause from many in the assembly.
Parishioners also approved putting funds aside for an electric patrol car for the honorary police and parish van and pickup truck. Money to repair the parish church wall and redecorate the nave was also allocated.
The Grouville meeting was the last of the 12 parish rates assemblies to be held this year.
