Goodbye old school...hello new States?

Friday 26 February 2016

Ministers are trying to remove legal restrictions on the use of an old school just metres from the potential site of a new States headquarters.

Next month the Island's politicians will be asked to remove two covenants on La Motte Street school, which stipulate that it must be used for religious instruction and for the education of infants and primary school children, dating back to 1840 and 1926.

But the Infrastructure Minister, Deputy Eddie Noel, now wants them to be removed, as they are no longer relevant because there isn’t a school there any more, and he says it is a good time to get rid of them now that options for the property are being considered.

“It’s (the covenants) never been adhered to. When it was originally transferred to the parish decades ago, it was never adhered to. It had to be used for the primary school age group but when the States acquired it, the parish hadn’t complied with the covenant.”

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister, Ian Gorst, has said that the next-door La Motte Street headquarters of the Social Security Department is the front-runner for a new public sector "Whitehall", allowing various States operations to move out of 23 sites that they now operate from, and save money by all coming under the same roof. The other site under consideration is the current States building at Cyril Le Marquand House. 

Property Holdings is carrying out a £350,000 feasibility study on the plan. States members will decide whether to get rid of the covenants on 26 April.