Constable: Don't sell off the Weighbridge!

Monday 29 January 2018

Ministerial plans to sell off part of Weighbridge Square for £975,000 are to be challenged in the full States Assembly.

The Jersey Development Company (JDC) owns the Weighbridge Square, which has been on a 150-year lease from the Public of Jersey since 15 February 2008 - but they decided to part with the area currently used by the Royal Yacht Hotel for their alfresco zone.

Assistant Minister for Treasury and Resources, and St. Peter's constable, John Refault, signed a Ministerial Decision approving the sale on 5 January. But St. John's Constable, Chris Taylor, has now published a proposition to get the Treasury Minister to rescind the decision. If approved, the proposition, which will be debated on 6 March, would see the matter put before the States Assembly for approval. 

Constable Taylor told Express: "This is part of public space, it shouldn't be sold. I am upset it was approved. If the JDC don't want it, they should give it back to the States but don't go on and sell it."

The Constable also wants States Members to support amendments to Standing Order 168, which relates to the manner in which property transactions can be approved and reported to the States. The amendment would provide that "...any land transactions recommended by a body established by the States to manage land and buildings owned by the public of Jersey must be presented to the States at least 15 working days before any binding arrangement is made." 

Pictured: Constable Taylor doesn't want any public land, such as Jardins de la Mer, to be put for sale without States members being informed beforehand.

He explained: "What happens with Andium Homes, the JDC or Ports of Jersey is that they can sell States' assets which are in their keeping without States members being made aware. It is all done by Ministerial Decisions and we have to search the website to know about it. But with Jersey Property Holdings, all States Members receive a report before hand and can decide whether they agree with the decision or not.

"I would like this to be done by Andium, JDC and PoJ. I know some work needs to be done, which is why I am asking the Privileges and Procedures Committee to look into the amendment. If JDC is selling an apartment at College Gardens, this is a commercial decision so this is not something we should be told about. But if they decided to sell Les Jardins de la Mer or part of the Weighbdrige, which are public areas, then we should know."

In a report accompanying his proposition, Constable Taylor noted: "In the case of this particular property, the Weighbridge Square, SoJDC are selling part of a Public Square, which clearly is a significant part of the Island’s Public Realm, which should not be sold to speculative investors. On page 68 of P.73/2010, paragraph 1.12 makes it clear that any Public Realm handed back to Jersey Property Holdings must have a revenue stream so as to ensure no long-term operating costs of the property. So having sold the income-generating part of Weighbridge Square, how are the long-term costs of maintaining the Square going to be met?"

Pictured: The JDC owns the whole Weighbridge Square but want to part with the section currently used by the Royal Yacht for its al-fresco area for £975,000.

The Constable hopes that the proposition will help bring more transparency into the transactions. He explained that when the proposition to set up the JDC was adopted in 2010, it was decided that the Bus Station, the Waterfront Hotel (Radisson) freehold, the JEC sub-station and the Weighbridge Square should be returned to States’ ownership so "the Public of the Island could enjoy the income generated by these assets." A fifth property, the Waterfront car park, is due to be returned to States’ ownership once the new Esplanade Quarter car park is built. 

However Constable Taylor says those properties haven't been returned and some were sold without States Members knowing about it. He added: "It's time the Minister comes clean and tell us what they have been doing. Besides where is the money going? Those £975,000 are they going to subsidise JDC - or are they going back to the taxpayer to fund elderly care for example?"

Constable Refault explained that whether the States are informed of a transaction before a Ministerial Decision is made, depends on the ownership. He added that before the JDC put part of the Weighbridge area to sale, they offered it back to Jersey Property Holdings, who turned it down. "They didn't want it, they had no use for it and it would have cost them money to maintain."

The Assistant Minister for Treasury and Resources also assured that the JDC is "extremely well governed and constantly monitored." He said: "We challenge them on every single thing. If States Members have a question or any doubts about a transaction, they can come to us and we can demonstrate the whole process we go through. We are an open door, I just wish they would walk through it."