EXCLUSIVE
EDUCATION Minister Rob Ward will give up his St Helier Deputy seat to stand as parish Constable – setting up a three-way fight for head of Jersey’s biggest parish.
Deputy Ward will be standing under the Reform Jersey banner and is aiming to become the party’s first Constable.
He is the third sitting States Member to declare for the seat after former Housing Minister and ‘Love Our Lido’ campaigner Deputy David Warr and Deputy Ward’s predecessor as Education Minister and current Public Accounts Committee chair Deputy Inna Gardiner.
It tees up an intriguing election contest for the Constable seat following the announcement last year from incumbent Simon Crowcroft that he would be stepping down from the role he has held since 2001.
A former teacher and union leader, Deputy Ward was first elected to the States in the 2018 election, before being returned once again four years later.
Deputy Ward said: “I am running for Constable to provide the leadership in the Town Hall that can take St Helier forward. As a Deputy, I have been a strong voice for town residents and effective in delivering policies aimed at improving their lives. Now I believe I can use those skills to run a parish administration that can help St Helier reach its potential.
“If elected, my priorities will be to provide stronger support for businesses and the local community, better services from the Town Hall, and a voice that stands up for St Helier in the States Assembly.”
As Education Minister, Deputy Ward led on government initiatives to introduce free nursery hours for two-to-three years old and proposals to develop a new youth and community centre at Ann Street. His proposition also established the student bus pass providing unlimited travel for young people.
He added that, if elected, he would want to deliver “more parks in densely populated part of town” and help push for better school provision in the parish to ensure “all children in St Helier are educated in fit-for-purpose facilities”.
“I also believe we can expand childcare provision provided by the parish, to support families with the cost of living,” he added.
“I will be a Constable with the initiative and drive to achieve these things, rather than oversee a continued managed decline.”
At the last election, Reform stormed St Helier – taking eight seats in the parish, and the entire St Helier Central district.
“The key thing that makes me stand apart from other candidates for this role is that, if elected, I will not be alone. If I am elected alongside a strong team of Reform Jersey Deputies in St Helier, we can be even more effective together in securing improvements in town.”
He becomes the third Reform Jersey member to declare for this summer’s election after party leader Sam Mézec, who is standing for Senator, and Deputy Raluca Kovacs, who will be bidding to retain her current St Saviour seat. Long-serving St Helier Deputy Geoff Southern has confirmed his will be retiring after this term of office.
Deputy Mézec said: “I am extremely excited to vote for Rob as Constable. He has been an outstanding Deputy for town and has exactly the vision and energy we need in the Town Hall to see St Helier reach its potential.”
The 2022 election was the first time that St Helier hosted a contested election in nearly two decades, when Mr Crowcroft defeated businessman Mark Le Chevalier.
Islanders will head to the polls on Sunday 7 June when all 49 seats in the Assembly will be up for grabs. It will be the first time a Jersey election has been held on a weekend.
