Climate emergency proposer to stand for Grouville Constable

Sunday 17 April 2022

Grouville is set to have a contested election for Constable after the islander who successfully brought a climate emergency proposition to a parish assembly threw her hat into the ring.

Sarah Howard, who has lived in the Parish for 35 years, is hoping to take up the post when the incumbent, John Le Maistre, steps down.

Mr Le Maistre took up the role following a by-election in 2013, and was re-elected unopposed in 2014 and 2018.

Ms Howard has 30 years’ experience as a chartered accountant, working in both the private and public sector, including the Health Department. 

She has been active in her parish, having successfully brought a proposition to declare a climate emergency in Grouville, been a member of the Environmental Grouville group established in 2019 and shared wellbeing skills with the community via Les Grouvelles.

Ms Howard says her aims as Constable would revolve around the following four themes:

• reinvigorating democracy by holding more parish assemblies and improving accessibility in attending and voting;

• fiscal prudence, through the creation of a four-year strategy and annual planning;

• improving road safety by expanding the network of Green Lanes in the parish; and

• environmental protection, through annual carbon reporting, and safeguarding the wetlands.

On her website, Ms Howard says she believes there has been "a failure of accountability, transparency and trust in the political system", with "reliance... placed on bought in experts at great cost, with little sympathy for, or commitment to, the island."

"Politicians, civil servants and consultants must be held to account, both for what has happened in the immediate past, and on an ongoing basis. Solutions must place greater reliance on local ability, people and institutions," she argues.

She adds: "I am not standing as a member of a political party nor have ambitions to be a Minister. I am dedicated to represent the Parish community as a whole. In these times of crisis we need to work together and respond to the challenges we face."

The other candidate running for Constable in the Parish is Mark Labey.

Grouville’s Deputy, Carolyn Labey, is yet to declare her election intentions, but previously noted in the Parish magazine that she was considering standing as Constable.

The election is taking place in June.