St. Helier: What would you do with £642,130?

Wednesday 31 January 2018

St. Helier residents are being asked how the parish should spend hundreds of thousands gained following a row over the States paying parish rates.

It’s a battle that’s spanned two decades, but St. Helier’s Constable has finally got his hands on money that would have been paid by the States on public buildings - and now he’s wondering what to do with it.

Constable Simon Crowcroft received the largest cheque of all the parishes, after he won a move to receive unspent funds, allocated within the 2017 budget, which was put aside in case the States had to pay ‘parish rates’ on their own properties.

Pictured: Constable Simon Crowcroft won his battle to get 'parish rates' payments from States-owned buildings.  

The Assembly had agreed to start paying building taxes to the parishes in 2016, but the move fell at the last hurdle when the States narrowly voted against the proposal - despite the money already being accounted for.

But in a U-turn last November, Constable Simon Crowcroft finally won the war on States parish rates when his amendment to the 2018 Budget was backed by politicians, which saw each parish take home handsome sums from ex-gratia payments between £2,756 to St. Mary to £642,130 to St Helier.

Now St Helier residents are being asked how the money should be used. Should they save it to be carried forward to the 2018/2019 Rates Assembly in July, or should they spend it on various projects which have been shortlisted by the Constable and Procureurs de Bien Public?

These include:

• £155,000 for a feasibility study for the Havre des Pas Village Improvement scheme to give a safer, better quality of life for residents – similar to changes that have been made in St. Aubin.

• £250,000 for the refurbishment of Halkett Street to enhance the shopping environment in the centre of town, with repairs to pavements in the area and even a water fountain to discourage the use of plastic water bottles.

• £150,000 for pedestrian safety improvements in Tower Road for the walking route used by parents and pupils of First Tower School.

• £87,000 to widen the parish apprenticeship scheme to more people looking to learn skills and obtain qualifications in maintenance, vehicle workshops as well as the Parks and Gardens department. 

Pictured: St. Helier residents are being asked whether they want to spend £250,000 for the refurbishment of Halkett Street. (Google Maps)

These options are believed to produce “early wins” for St. Helier, with benefits being felt across the parish by shoppers, residents and traders - whilst also delivering skills to be used in future.

Parishioners can have their say on the ideas at the Town Hall tonight at 19:00. You can read more about the proposals here.