Latest News

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.

On 18 February the Policy Centre held a roundtable discussion on secondary education, with the recent Scrutiny Panel report as the starting point. Two key issues were identified - *The lack of ambition and vision for education in Jersey. *Inadequate data and therefore no transparency, particularly in respect of attainment. There is reluctance to identify what needs to be published and then getting on with it.

The Policy Centre has updated its Policy Brief on Housing to include the data from the latest Statistics Jersey report on housing costs.

The Policy Centre held a discussion meeting on 11 February on trust in the political system, based on a think piece, Restoring trust in Jersey politics, by the Centre’s Senior Adviser, Sir Mark Boleat. 50 people participated - members of the Centre’s Advisory Council, representatives of business, charities and government and people interested in the subject. Opening comments were made by Sir Mark Boleat, Lord Gus O’Donnell, former Head of the UK Civil Service, Alan Maclean, former Government minister, and Jennifer Carnegie, COO Amicus and former President of the Chamber of Commerce. There was then an open discussion.

Deputy Elaine Millar has introduced a proposition to reinstate the position of senator to come into effect for the 2026 election. A new Policy Brief describes the history of the role of senator and discusses points relevant to the issue. It is designed to inform the public discussion on the subject.

The Policy Centre Jersey has commissioned professional research organisation 4insight to conduct an independent poll with islanders on the important issues for them.The poll asks just two questions – What would you say is the most important issue facing Jersey today? (an open-ended question). What do you see as the other important issues facing Jersey today? (choosing four from a list of issues).

The Policy Centre has published a think piece by its Senior Advisor Mark Boleat "Restoring trust in Jersey politics". The paper analyses evidence from Jersey, the UK and internationally on the extent to which politicians are trusted. It draws on research by the OECD to suggest how trust in Jersey politics can be restored.