Deputy seeks 'change' to cashless policy at Gov-run sports centres

Monday 26 February 2024

An Assistant Minister turned backbencher is looking to reinstate cash payments at Government-run sports facilities in a 'change' of tack from her time in charge.

Deputy Lucy Stephenson is calling for new Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan to reintroduce cash payments before June, and for Ministers to review current and planned government policies regarding cash payments across all departments.

However, just last month, while serving as a Minister delegated responsibility for sports facilities, the Deputy did not indicate that she had plans to alter the policy.

In the report accompanying her proposition, lodged today and due to be debated on 19 March, Deputy Stephenson highlighted a case first reported by Express last year of a "vulnerable Islander" who was prevented from using cash at Les Quennevais Sports Centre.

Pictured: Deputy Stephenson is now seeking to make a difference from the backbenches after losing her ministerial position due to the vote of no confidence in former Chief Minister Kristina Moore in January.

Deputy Stephenson said: "Government needs to take a pragmatic but compassionate approach to this issue.

"This proposition acknowledges that such cases have not been reported in high numbers and that in the increasingly digital world the vast majority of people have no problem with paying by card or on their phones.

"There are, however, still those in our community who need or want to use cash.

"This proposition does not seek to reintroduce layers of costly bureaucracy unnecessarily, but it does seek to ensure that no Islanders are prevented, or discouraged, from accessing important public services because of cashless policies introduced during a pandemic which has long since passed.

"In addition, making efficiencies, as this policy originally sought to do (around £30,000 a year in the case of sport facilities), should not be at the expense of fairness and accessibility, especially for vulnerable members of our community."

In January, as Assistant Infrastructure Minister with delegated responsibility for sports facilities, she apologised to islanders affected by a no-cash policy across public sports facilities after an autistic person was turned away from Les Quennevais, but did not indicate that the Government would change its stance.

Deputy Stephenson explained that the policy had been the case across Government sports centres, since before the pandemic in early 2020.

"The decision was made due to the decline in users paying with cash and to streamline the processes associated with that method of payment," she said previously.

Pictured: Islanders expressed concern that vulnerable or elderly people, who are more likely to pay cash, could be excluded from using these locations.

Although digital currency is often more convenient and secure for the individual than carrying around cash, a growing number of islanders are keen to highlight the risks of Jersey moving towards becoming a cashless society.

Charities FNHC and Age Concern have previously raised concerns about the impact of an increasingly digital society for older people in Jersey, while a group called 'JERSEY CI. Cash is King' has picked up thousands of members in recent months.