ELECTION weekend is upon us. As crunch time nears, with polling stations opening at 14 different sites across the Island between 8am and 8pm tomorrow, it’s the perfect time to revisit Jersey Sports Council’s (JSC’s) Manifesto for Sport.
This year’s election marks the first time JSC has got involved, so what spurred it to d step into this territory?
I interviewed JSC chair Ian Cuming last month upon release of the manifesto and he outlined his reasoning for why this has occurred.
“Every election is important, but the government doesn’t really seem to engage in sport – it’s just not seen as important by some,” he said. “We referred back to the report published by Simon Cooper in 2023 reviewing sport and physical activity in Jersey.
“On page six of that report, it stated that consultation found that sport is not a priority for the government of Jersey, which is something we’ve witnessed firsthand recently.
“There’s been a real lack of engagement here, so with an election coming up, we saw this as an opportunity to go out to the candidates and really make our case for why sport is important for the community with this manifesto, which covers all the main topics.”
Cuming reinforced the council’s intentions with the manifesto, adding: “We are not trying to tell anyone how to vote – and indeed personal decisions will be made by voters taking into consideration factors such as Health, Education, Cost of Living, Employment etc and what candidates promise to champion in their constituencies.
“What we have done is brought sport into the political debate and once we know who are elected we hope to have positive conversations how to improve the sporting landscape in Jersey.”
Jersey Sports Council’s Manifesto
The Jersey Sports Council’s ‘Manifesto for Sport’ was sent out to all 92 of the Island’s electoral candidates, giving them a chance to respond publicly and show where they stand.
The Manifesto for Sport consisted of 20 commitments for candidates to respond either with ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘abstain’ (Y, N, A), including:
I recognise the Jersey Sports Council (JSC) as the independent voice of 42 sports bodies representing over 23,000 participants, and I accept that Sport’s interests must be properly heard and reflected in public policy.
I would consider supporting the creation and delivery of a clear, island‑wide Government Policy for Sport that treats Sport as integral to health, education, community development and the economy, and not simply as an afterthought.
I would consider supporting the continuation of a dedicated Minister for Sport, and seek to ensure that this role is held by someone who understands and champions Sport’s social, health and economic value.
I would consider supporting structured, regular consultation between Government, Jersey Sport and individual clubs/associations, recognising them as experts in their own sports and listening to each sport’s specific needs.
I would consider supporting a long‑term facilities strategy that delivers more, better and more affordable indoor and outdoor sports facilities, including use of the schools’ estate, protects existing sports sites, and maximises community access.
I would consider supporting long‑term, consistent funding for Sport development, including coach, referee and official education, equipment, and where appropriate, paid development officer roles within sports.
I would consider supporting the principle that facility hire charges for community sport should be kept at affordable levels, covering basic upkeep but not used as a profit centre, so that cost is not a barrier to participation.
I acknowledge that travel costs and connectivity now significantly limit Sport’s development. I would consider supporting a substantial increase in the Sports Travel Grant budget (towards £1m per year) and better‑targeted financial support for off‑island competition and training.
I would consider supporting stronger Government engagement with airlines and ferry operators to improve schedules, fare transparency, group discounts, “one‑ticket” options, and free carriage of sports equipment, and to ensure inter‑island and regional links work for Sport.
I would consider supporting the development of a Sports Tourism Strategy, including an Assistant Minister for Tourism with explicit responsibility for the creation of a Tourism Strategy founded on Sport, Culture and Heritage, and the creation of a small joint Visit Jersey/Jersey Sport team to market and “concierge” sports events.
I would consider supporting measures that help local clubs host visiting teams and major events, including marketing and PR support, logistical help (facilities, permissions, travel, accommodation) and modest grant funding where events deliver clear community and economic benefits.
I would consider promoting stronger links between schools and sports clubs, including taster sessions, extra‑curricular activity and a wider range of sports in and around the curriculum, supported by qualified coaches.
I would consider supporting the re‑establishment and growth of regular inter‑school sport (including Saturday mornings where appropriate), and encourage collaboration so that club coaches can help deliver school sport safely and effectively.
I would consider supporting clearer, better‑resourced talent pathways for athletes, coaches and officials in all sports, including multi‑year funding plans, increased travel assistance, and opportunities to bring elite coaches to Jersey.
I support the Jersey Sport Performance Sport Programme (PSP) and would consider increased, predictable funding, clear criteria and multi‑year certainty for athletes, coaches and officials so they can plan long‑term.
I would consider supporting a phased but substantial capital investment programme in community sports facilities (including multi‑sport halls, pools, pitches, cycle and pump tracks, indoor cricket, upgraded athletics, and specialist/covered spaces), targeting around £80–100m over several years, with co‑funding where possible.
I would consider supporting proper, ring‑fenced maintenance budgets for public sports facilities and the introduction of a simple, public online maintenance register so that issues can be reported, tracked and resolved transparently.
I would consider supporting the waiver of planning application fees for facility projects brought forward by sports that are registered charities or not‑for‑profit organisations, and consider user‑managed maintenance models where they are more efficient and cost‑effective.
I recognise the heavy administrative burden on volunteer‑run clubs. I would consider supporting Jersey Sport and Government in providing standard governance templates, central compliance databases (e.g. DBS, safeguarding), an island‑wide online facility booking system, and stronger administrative support for clubs.
I recognise the strong evidence that sport and physical activity generate major health and social value, including an estimated £18–20m in annual health savings and over £4 in wider return for every £1 invested. I therefore consider that investment in community sport is a core, evidence‑based public investment in Jersey’s future.How have the candidates responded?
How have candidates responded?
At the time of writing, 45 of the standing 92 candidates have completed and submitted their “Candidate’s Commitment” to the ‘Manifesto for Sport’, with their submissions available for the public to see through their website.
12 of the 17 senatorial candidates, five of the 23 individuals standing for Connétable and 28 of the 52 deputy candidates have showed where they stand on sport in Jersey, and the responses look pretty positive, with zero ‘No’s’ in sight.
Although there may be a few abstains here and there, support looks strong for the Jersey Sports Council’s proposals, with the ‘Y’s’ strongly overwhelming the ‘A’s’.
It’s certainly worth a look to scan over, so go give it a look through this link: https://jerseysportscouncil.com/manifest-for-sport-candidates-commitments/
As well as being afforded the opportunity to complete the “Candidate’s Commitment”, those standing for election also had the chance to share their own personal thoughts and comments – whether they chose to sign on to the manifesto or not, all the candidates acknowledged the importance of sport to the Island and it’s community and
However, as you’d expect, opinions differed – some believed in the need for a Sports Minister, others didn’t, many stated the need to address Jersey’s facilities, with upgrades and more provision for Islanders in the east among the key concerns, as well as the attention needed for netball facilities.
Many of the candidates also expressed that sport and exercise were included in their own personal manifestos –showing that sport certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed in this election.
Others also took advantage to show why they didn’t complete the commitment, either stating that there were more pressing matters at hand, just sticking to their own manifesto or for other reasons.
A big theme among the comments – especially when it came to financial proposals – showed that a number of the candidates wanted to seek further information before pledging their allegiance to some of the proposals.
Once again, this would definitely be worth a read, get to know your candidates! Check out the comments through this link: https://jerseysportscouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Candidate-Comments-310526.pdf
