logo
Guernsey States members urged to set pension example

Guernsey States members urged to set pension example

BBC News17-02-2025

States members could see a reduction in their pay if they choose not to save it in a pension scheme.Deputy Peter Roffey is proposing they lose 2% of their pay if they do not invest part of it into a Your Island Pension account.Currently States members do not get a pension, instead receiving a 15% uplift in pay.The incentive to save has been suggested to encourage States members to set an example to the rest of the island.
Deputy Peter Roffey has put forward an amendment to recommendations which followed an independent review of States' members' pay.The panel had recommended States members continued to have a 15% uplift in pay instead of receiving a formal pension.But Deputy Roffey is suggesting 5% of this uplift be paid into a Your Island Pension account, with States members who opt out receiving only a 13% uplift.In the amendment, Deputy Roffey said that while the States was encouraging islanders to save for a pension "it seems very odd for the States not to be leading by example in this area."The amendment will be debated in March.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Slashed tyres raises Guernsey deputy's fear for politicians
Slashed tyres raises Guernsey deputy's fear for politicians

BBC News

time2 days ago

  • BBC News

Slashed tyres raises Guernsey deputy's fear for politicians

A Guernsey politician has been targeted by vandals who slashed the tyres of his motorbike, e-bike and his grandson's car while they were parked at his the motive behind the attack remains unknown, Deputy Peter Roffey suspects it may have been politically said they were investigating the attack after Roffey discovered the damage on Sunday after returning to his St Andrews home from a family who is standing down at the general election on 18 June after decades of service in the States of Guernsey, said: "At first, I thought it was just bad luck, but when I found all three vehicles had been targeted, it became clear this was deliberate." He added: "There hasn't been a spate of vandalism in the area, and my property seems to have been specifically targeted."Roffey, who was the youngest ever elected deputy in 1982, said the attack has left a "dusty taste" at the end of his political career. "There's no excuse for this kind of behaviour," he told BBC Radio Guernsey."In Guernsey, politicians are very accessible, if someone is upset with a decision, they can just talk to us."This kind of mindless vandalism is not what our community is about." 'Worst thing' Roffey said he had faced hostility throughout his political career. He recalled receiving threats, particularly during his campaign to introduce public smoking restrictions nearly 20 years he said this was the first time threats had escalated into physical damage."This is probably the worst thing that's actually happened to me," he said. "It's one thing to receive threats, but another to come home and find your property attacked." Roffey also expressed concern about the message this sends to prospective candidates. "I hope it doesn't put people off standing for election, but I wouldn't blame them if it did," he said. "We need people willing to make tough decisions, and this kind of intimidation narrows the field."

Guernsey politicians request £10m QE2 marina gate replacement
Guernsey politicians request £10m QE2 marina gate replacement

BBC News

time26-05-2025

  • BBC News

Guernsey politicians request £10m QE2 marina gate replacement

Replacing the gates of Guernsey's Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) Marina could cost about £10m according to the president of the States Trading Supervisory Board (STSB). STSB has approached Policy and Resources (P&R) to discuss how the project could be funded. Deputy Peter Roffey said the best way to fund the project would be through a loan from the States as this was a "a key bit of infrastructure" that was coming to the end of its life.P&R said it had only recently been made aware of the STSB proposal and had expressed its concerns to the board. Roffey admitted it was an expensive project for the States. Non-States member of the STSB and Chair of the Guernsey Ports board Simon Thornton led the delegation to P&R to request the funds. Some of the marina users said they hoped the new gate would be 2m, rather than the current 1m gate. Head of infrastructure delivery at Guernsey Ports, Jenny Giles said: "The QEII gates and surrounding infrastructure are coming to the end of their useful life."Due to their age, the constant use and the exposure to weather and tide conditions all year round, the gates and the surrounding infrastructure are showing considerable signs of wear with repairs being required more frequently."The gates are constantly monitored by Guernsey Ports' team and more recent surveys have established that it would be more cost effective to replace the gates rather than continue with the substantial repairs which are likely to increase year on year." The QE2 marina was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1989, although it first opened in 1987 and the gates have operated 26,280 would be the first time the main gates have been replaced since the facility was year, two new pontoons were installed at the QE2 Marina at a cost of £1.4m. Politicians also clashed with boat owners in 2024 after they increased the cost of moorings in St Peter Port alongside promises these increases would lead to further investments in Guernsey's of Guernsey's general election at one of BBC Guernsey's roadshows, chair of the Guernsey Development Agency Peter Watson criticised the lack of spending on infrastructure. Mr Watson said: "I really want to see some strategic working, I think they need to be brave, Guernsey has some big issues which need resolving. "We need infrastructure, we haven't spent on it in years."We really just have to build some infrastructure and move Guernsey forward."BBC Guernsey's next election roadshow is on 28 May at Vistas café.

Cost of electricity in Guernsey rises as fixed-price deals end
Cost of electricity in Guernsey rises as fixed-price deals end

BBC News

time23-05-2025

  • BBC News

Cost of electricity in Guernsey rises as fixed-price deals end

The price of electricity in Guernsey is to rise from 1 States' Trading Supervisory Board (STSB) granted Guernsey Electricity (GEL) an increase of 8% to be split between the charge per unit of electricity and the fixed standing STSB has also approved a 2.5% increase in quarterly standing charges from 12.5% to 15%.The decision comes after Guernsey Electricity (GEL) applied to the government for an increase of 9.5% because its long-term fixed price agreements for the import of electricity are due to end. The STSB said the quarterly standing charges for households would rise from £68.25 to £86.75, the equivalent of about 95p per said this rebalancing would protect customers who were unable to install their own renewable electricity generation. It said customers generating renewable electricity paid less in unit charges as the amount they bought decreased, but they remained connected to the mains network to supplement their generation president deputy Peter Roffey said while the bills had been kept "artificially low" GEL had been unable to adequately invest in the network. He said GEL had spent more than £30m in maintaining and upgrading the local network but much of this had been financed through borrowing. The STSB said it was "not commercially sustainable" for GEL to continue borrowing to maintain its current electricity firm said it planned to invest about £12m in 2025 and £10m in 2026 as well as a contribution of around £10m towards the replacement of the Normandie 2 cable between France and Jersey between now and board said GEL would be expected to make efficiency savings of about £1.8m by the end of 2027 to reduce the need for future tariff benefit would be passed on to customers, the board added.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store