Latest news with #StatesOfJersey
BBC News
06-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Jersey firearms law to be updated to reduce risk to public safety
The government is planning changes to Jersey's firearms law, following recommendations from a review committee of constables and States of Jersey Richard Honeycombe, head of the review panel, said the changes were about "reducing risk" to public safety and ensuring all gun owners had "good reason" to hold changes are likely to be enacted using ministerial orders after the Justice and Home Affairs Minister Deputy Mary Le Hegarat previously postponed a complete review of the 25-year-old Hegarat told a scrutiny hearing the planned review was put on hold in 2024 to prioritise changes to legislation preventing violence against women and girls. What changes are planned? Applications for firearms and ammunition will become a separate processPreviously, 5,000 rounds of ammunition were automatically applied to a firearms licence. Honeycombe said there were people on the island who had not shot for years but had a considerable amount of ammunition stored at people will have to apply for both a firearms licence and an ammunition licence. These will be considered by the parish constable - who has the authority to grant firearms licences - and assessed on their own merits. Honeycombe said this should mean a "huge reduction" in the amount of ammunition on the island, but also help officials know much was actually being Hegarat said the change would "mitigate the risk of certificate holders having easy access to firearms and ammunition outside of a club environment".To contain ammunition to the club shooting environment, Le Hegarat said she planned to change the law so clubs could become registered firearms dealers, although only with the right to buy and sell ammunition, not import it. The cost of a firearms licence is to increase Honeycombe said it had been agreed with the minister the cost of a firearms licence would increase, as would the cost of varying an aspect of your firearms licence - such as adding or removing a gun. The number and type of guns an applicant can ask for will decreaseAt present, people applying for a firearms licence can have an authorised "wish list" where they request a variety of guns, of different types and approved, each applicant only has to notify the constable when they purchase a new firearm, instead of requiring Hegarat said there were currently examples of individuals who had the right to buy in excess of 25 different future, constables would be asked to make amendments to these types of licences to ensure each applicant genuinely had good reason to own each type of said the review committee was also considering making a request to have certain types of large calibre rifles, especially those that have been converted from a fully automatic, military grade firearm, added to the list of prohibited items. Honeycombe said he would like to see the changes introduced in added the review panel had more work to do and would be suggesting further legal amendments.
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Jersey's colleges request new facilities as old ones 'outdated'
Jerseys only further and higher education college has written a letter to the States of Jersey to request new facilities. The letter from Jo Terry-Marchant, principal at Highlands College and University College Jersey, said the current college estate was "outdated, inflexible, and no longer fit for purpose in many areas."It added due to limited capacity in workshop areas it wasn't able to meet the demands of 14 to 16-year-olds from local schools. It said a "new, modern campus is a strategic necessity". The letter added the existing site presented additional barriers as the facilities were not fully compliant in relation to disability access. This affected learners who needed opportunities from Life Skills (students with complex needs) and inclusion programmes. The letter stated in order to support the development of the workforce it must move beyond "reactive repairs" and "incremental fixes."It said: "A new, modern campus is a strategic necessity, being central to the education eco-system, delivering a sustainable, future-ready education system that can support industry needs, social mobility, and the Island's long-term economic resilience." It understood that the maintenance requirements would wipe out most of the Jersey Property Holdings (JPH) maintenance budget for it's wider portfolio and the pressure on the public purse. It said unless a study into a partial rebuild, "focusing on modern workshops is conducted, we will be constrained in our ability to meet government aspirations without capital investment."
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Rainfall sparks 'hazardous' driving conditions and crashes
Islanders are being warned to take care while driving after several crashes which police are blaming on "hazardous driving conditions".The States of Jersey Police (SOJP) said prolonged dry weather followed by recent rainfall had made the roads slippery due to a build-up of oil and injuries were reported but emergency crews are reminding drivers that even light rain can significantly reduce traction and increase stopping Lawrence Courtness, from SOJP, said road users should "drive to the conditions". "After a dry period, the first rain can lift oil and grime to the surface, making roads slick and unpredictable," he added."We're asking all road users to slow down, allow extra space, and drive to the conditions."
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Jersey States says road safer without central white line
Removing the central white line from one of the island's narrows roads will make it safer, the States has comes as the government carried out a six month trial removing the line on the recently-resurfaced Route de Andy Jehan, the minister for infrastructure, argued that the move would make drivers slow down and "pay more attention to the environment".He was responding to a written question from H.M. Miles of Brelade who requested evidence for the claims, and whether the trial had been approved by the States of Jersey Police beforehand. Space for pedestrians Constable Jehan cited several studies, including the UK's Manual for Streets, as examples of how the removal of the centre line can reduce the amount of risk drivers are willing to said the decision not to repaint the white line after the resurfacing was also in order to create space for pedestrians and to "mitigate a likely increase in vehicle speeds due to the road's resurfacing".In response to the question about whether it was approved by the police, Constable Jehan said: "The Department for Infrastructure is the competent authority in traffic and highway engineering matters."It would not be in line with normal practice to consult the States of Jersey Police about a specific operational matter such as a road traffic trial."Throughout the trial there will be speed checks and site visits, and at the end officials will ask for feedback from the public.
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Greenhouse gases cut by almost half since 1990, say government
Jersey's greenhouse gas emissions fell by 48% between 1990 and 2023, according to a new from the States said the island produced 357,626 tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2023, compared with nearly 700,000 in States said emissions had dropped due to a reduction in gases produced by the energy supplies themselves, but that overall levels were stagnant between 2022 and government's Carbon Neutral Roadmap aims to make Jersey net zero by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement, and was marked by a public commitment to spend £23m on measures between 2022 and 2025. According to the report the biggest causes of the island's total emissions were transport (43%) and heating buildings (33%).However it stated that emissions in the transport sector decreased by 23% since from the residential sector also accounted for 14% of the 2023 total and had dropped by 55% since report said "almost all" emissions were from the burning of fuels in homes, mainly for heating and c added: "Switching from fossil fuel powered heating systems to low carbon alternatives has a significant impact on emissions."
