THE Island’s volunteer team of Asian-hornet hunters breathed a collective sigh of relief as States Members voted to restore the Environment Department’s funding by hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Jersey Asian Hornet Group member John de Carteret welcomed the Assembly’s decision yesterday to approve an amendment submitted by the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel, which called for the department’s head of expenditure to be increased by £656,000 for next year.
It was backed by 44 votes in favour to one vote against, with no abstentions.
The decision essentially reversed plans for the department’s spending to be reduced from this year’s figure of £11,763,000 to £11,107,000 in 2026.
Environment Minister Steve Luce had previously warned that reduced funding could result in “significant challenges” for his department, which he described as “under increasing pressure year on year”.
And Mr de Carteret had also suggested the proposed reduction would have impacted the Asian-hornet control programme, given the Invasive Species Officer also has responsibility for the many other invasive threats and is an already under-resourced position.
Speaking to the JEP after yesterday’s vote, Mr de Carteret said: “We are heartened by the fact that we’ve had the support of States Members.”
He continued: “They’ve seen that reducing the general Environment Department budget would have affected the monies available for the Asian-hornet campaign, because it involves consumables and paying professional pest-controllers.”
So far this year, 694 nests have been found – compared to 261 last year.
Mr de Carteret praised the support of the public in reporting nests, as well as the work of the volunteers in tracking them.
He added: “Hopefully working with the department we can move on and look at streamlining our methods of working and become more effective.”
