Newsletter - January 2026

Discussion meeting on waste management

The Policy Centre held a discussion meeting on waste management on 4 December 2025. Opening comments were made by Jennifer Bridge, the Policy Centre’s lead researcher on waste management, and Lisette Jones, Head of Environment and Climate Policy, Government of Jersey. Key points from the discussion–

• Jersey has 13 different waste authorities using three different collection systems. This inconsistency makes unified public messaging impossible. The current recycling rate is 35%, significantly lower than Guernsey’s 68%.
• The Energy Recovery Facility will reach its end of life in 10 years. Replacing it would cost approximately £250 million.
• Guernsey achieved high recycling rates by implementing pay-as-you-throw charges for general waste while keeping kerbside recycling free. They also export their waste rather than burning it.
• Implementing Anaerobic Digestion plants could process food waste to create biogas and fertilizer, preventing "moist" waste from being inefficiently burnt in the ERF.
• Key obstacles to reform are geographic and economic constraints, lack of political will and distributed responsibility.

A summary of the discussion is on the website.

Policy Brief on long-term care

A Policy Brief on long-term care was published on 1 December. Key points -

• With an ageing population a growing number of elderly people cannot look after themselves and need support.
• Jersey’s long-term care scheme is funded by an additional tax on income and a government contribution. The additional tax is planned to increase from 1.5% to 2.5% in January 2027.
• Benefit payments have increased more than anticipated, largely because of an increase in the number of people receiving benefits.
• Options for addressing the increased costs are tightening the eligibility criteria, reducing benefits, increasing the contribution rate and increasing the taxpayer contribution.

Five research assistants appointed

The Policy Centre has appointed five young Jersey people as research assistants. Henry Horton, Henry Humpleby, Moses Sappe, Neil Sontakke and Maia de Bourcier are university students or recent graduates who each have a keen interest in public policy issues in Jersey. They will assist the Centre by drafting, commenting on and inputting into the Centre’s range of research papers and Policy Briefs. A news item gives more details.

Research projects

The Policy Centre has completed a research project for the government on reducing red tape. Two reports have been produced, one dealing specifically with planning and other covering the general issue. They will be published shortly.

The Centre has been commissioned by the Minister for Health and Social Services to undertake a project to assist him in determining the future form of Jersey’s Medicine and Medical technologyregulatory system.

Forthcoming publications

The Centre will publish several reports in January –

• A research report of the importance of and provision for early years .
• An updated research report on election turnout, taking account of the recent Guernsey election and research on intentions to vote in the 2026 election.
• Updated and expanded Policy Briefs on taxi regulation, primary and secondary education and population policy.
• When the necessary laws are updated – a revised Policy Brief on the 2026 election and Knowledge Centre paper on Jersey’s political system.
• A think piece on the operation of Jersey money laundering rules.

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