Guernsey releases government work plan update

The States of Guernsey has released its government work plan update.

The plan proposes the priorities for the rest of the current political term and is due to be voted on in June.

It found the increasing cost of living and housing issues were the two most pressing problems to tackle.

Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) president Peter Ferbrache said "the pressure [on] housing" was an area that "we must address urgently".

In the update, future pressures on States finances were highlighted as one of the other key issues the government must tackle, with warnings of a "shortfall of £85m in funding" for public services.

Vice-president of P&R Heidi Soulsby said that, if new priorities for the States are added, "we must deprioritise something else".

She said: "We have limited resources and we have to be realistic about that if we're going to deliver outcomes that make any sort of difference in islanders' lives."

Additions to already-agreed priorities from different committees were also proposed in the plan.

New figures showed the average cost of a local market property had gone up by 12.4% in a year to £573,155.

Rebekka Martel is currently a homeowner looking to move into a bigger property to start a family.

She said the cost of housing was "genuinely heart-breaking", "scary" and "terrifying" at the moment and made her consider "leaving the island".

She said: "Our property was expensive, the repayments are fine, give the banks their dues; [but] it's the same as rental income, which I think is what's so irritating for most people.

"The next step is buying something in the £600,000 region and it's just not possible."

Deputy Ferbrache said: "The pressure on our housing market is one area that we must address urgently, as it creates challenges in many other areas, socially and economically.

"We have taken some important steps, but we must do more, quickly."

The States Trading Supervisory Board (STSB) has also proposed bringing forward plans to develop a new dairy as "the current dairy is no longer fit-for-purpose".

The board said it believed "the cost of maintaining the dairy is likely to be up to £8.7m over four years".

The STSB said it wanted to see a new dairy added to the list of projects which would be delivered by the States this political term.

Guernsey's next general election is due to be held in June 2025.

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