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Jersey States have agreed to change...but perhaps not quite in the way anyone expected. And the changes may still be put to the public in a yes/no referendum. The changes keep Senators, retain Constables but cut the number of Deputies by 1.
After two days of debate, they agreed to change the current system of voting for Deputies by 17 Parish districts, and group voters into six 'super-constituencies' instead - a move which is intended to make sure each voter is more equally represented.
Those 'super-constituencies' would elect 28 Deputies, just one fewer than we have now. In addition, the Island will keep 12 Constables, and 8 Senators, exactly as they do now.
So the actual effect of the reform is simply to cut the number of States Members by just one Deputy, and to redraw the voting districts to more evenly spread the deputies according to the numbers electing them.
They got to that situation by agreeing a proposal from Senator Lyndon Farnham, who argued:
"The majority of Islanders wish to see a reduction in the number of Deputies and an equalisation of representation for this class of States Member. There have been many examples over the years of Deputies being elected with vastly differing mandates, and in many cases being elected to the States, for the first time, completely unopposed. Larger constituencies with fewer places available would provide for contested elections in all districts and improved voter equity."
States Members agreed with Senator Farnham's proposal by 28 votes to 16.
But they didn't want to go ahead with his idea of also having a referendum to make sure the public agree with them - that was withdrawn, for now.
The original reform proposals were brought by Deputy Andrew Lewis, but in the end, the reforms that were agreed were different from the ones he wanted, as Members agreed with Senator Farnham's ideas instead. At one point it even prompted Deputy Lewis to try and withdraw his proposals, but his colleagues didn't agree.
Essentially, Deputy Lewis wanted to get Members to agree to the ideas supported by the public in a referendum in 2013, albeit with the inclusion of more deputies in St Helier - but the politicians of the day voted against it. That prompted Deputy Lewis to sum up the last two days of debate, by saying: "We have listened...a bit."
The changes will be made in time for the 2018 General Election.
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