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The Newsletter summarises publications and other activity by the Policy Centre in the previous month.

On 20 June the Policy Centre held a discussion meeting on voter turnout. Sir Mark Boleat, the Centre’s Senior Adviser, summarised the available data based on the Centre’s Research Report Election turnout in Jersey. Comments were then made by - Constable Karen Shenton Stone, Chair of the States Privileges and Procedures Committee Kevin Keen OBE, Founder of Leadership Jersey Cassie Graham, a recent participant in the Jersey Youth Parliament. This was followed by an open discussion.

The Newsletter summarises publications and other activity by the Policy Centre in the previous month.

Voter turnout is a critical issue as Jersey is bottom of the international league table. Turnout in the 2022 election was 42%, but there were huge variations between different groups. Turnout was highest among the elderly, those living in country areas and owner-occupiers. Surveys show that people don’t vote because they don’t want to, not because it is difficult.These issues will be discussed at a Policy Centre discussion meeting on the morning of 20 June at the offices of BDO.

On 3 June the Government published the official report on Jersey’s carbon emissions in 2023. This showed a mere 0.2% reduction in emissions from 2022. This is further evidence that the 2030 target of a 68% reduction on the 1990 baseline figure cannot be achieved.The Policy Centre has updated its Policy Brief on the Carbon Neutral Roadmap to include and analyse the new data.

The Policy Centre has updated its Policy Brief on Alcohol Licensing to include the Government summary of, and response to, the responses to its consultation exercise, published on 20 May.

The Centre’s Policy Brief Economic Trends has been updated to include the analysis in the Jersey’s Fiscal Policy Panel Economic Outlook, published on 19 May.

The Policy Centre has published a comprehensive brief on the 2026 General Election. The Brief explains election law, reviews initiatives to increase turnout and describes the arrangements for the elections of 12 constables, 9 senators and 28 deputies. The Brief notes that the necessary legislation to provide for the reinstatement of senators has not yet been drafted. The Brief will be updated when new information becomes available.

The Newsletter summarises publications and other activity by the Policy Centre in the previous month.

The Policy Centre has published a new Knowledge Centre paper - on Jersey's heritage. The Island's heritage is shaped by its geography and history.Jersey has its own distinctive political and legal systems which have their origins over 1,000 years ago when Jersey was part of the Duchy of Normandy. The key features, which are interconnected, are the Bailiff, the States Assembly, the 12 parishes and a legal system based on Norman customary law.

The Newsletter summarises publications and other activity by the Policy Centre in the previous month.

The Policy Centre has published a think piece on improving education outcomes in Jersey, written by education expert Rachael Williams. It explores key factors in ensuring that the substantial investment in education by Government and parents delivers maximum value.

The Policy Centre has published a summary of the discussion at a meeting on 7 March on top issues for islanders as identified in a survey commissioned by the Centre. Cost of living, housing, healthcare/hospital and faith in government were identified as top issues. It was recognised that polling usefully complemented other means of gauging public views.

The Policy Centre has released the findings of a survey, identifying the key issues that matter most to islanders. The results, based on data collected in January 2025, provide crucial insights into public opinion and highlight the areas that policymakers should prioritise. The survey, conducted by market research company 4Insight, builds on a similar study commissioned by the Government in 2024. It reveals that the cost of living remains the top concern among islanders, although its significance has slightly declined compared to the previous year. Housing, faith in government and population levels also rank high on the list of pressing issues.

Building on the success of last year, Policy Centre Jersey’s ambitious programme for 2025 is already underway. There have been two excellent discussion sessions so far: On 11 th February, Restoring Trust in Politics with input from Lord Gus O’Donnell, former Head of the UK Civil Service, and more recently, an in depth round table discussion on Secondary Education with input from Deputy Catherine Curtis, Chair of the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel.