Policy Centre Jersey

Senators re-instated

On 11 September the States Assembly approved the legislation to reinstate the position of senator with effect from the 2026 election. The Centre has updated its Policy Brief Re-instating senators which describes the history of the role of senator, discusses points relevant to the issue and sets out the implications of the decision.

The decision to reinstate senators has not yet formally become law as this requires the approval of the Privy Council and then registration by the Royal Court. When this is done the Centre will update its comprehensive Knowledge Centre paper Jersey’s political system and its Policy Brief 2026 General Election.

Population was 104,540 at end-2024

On 24 September Statistics Jersey published its 2024 population report. This showed that the population at the end of 2024 was 104,540, an increase of 510 on the revised figure at the end of 2023 of 104,030. The increase reflected net immigration of 670 and excess of deaths over births of 150. The Centre’s comprehensive Policy Brief Population Policy has been updated to include the statistics.

£1.28 billion public expenditure in 2026

The Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2026 – 2029 was published on 16 September. Government spending in 2026 is planned to be £1.28 billion and general revenue income is forecast at £1.34 billion. Proposed tax measures include an increase in the personal tax allowance, higher taxes on canned beer but lower taxes on draught beer, an increase in fuel duty and increases in vehicle excise duty. The Centre Policy Brief Annual Budget has been updated to include details of the proposed budget.

Taxi industry seen as high cost

In August 2024, the Centre published a Policy Brief Regulation of taxis. A recent Freedom for Information response to a request from the Centre has revealed a research presentation on the taxi industry prepared for the Government’s Driver and Vehicle Standards Department.

A survey of islanders asked the question: “Thinking about your taxi experiences in Jersey over the past few years please score based on the following: (on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being extremely dissatisfied and 10 being extremely satisfied)”. The responses were -

Cost and Value for Money 3.6

Convenience and Availability 4.0

Comfort and Vehicle Quality 7.4

Driver Professionalism and Service 6.4

Report on the construction industry

On 23 September the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority published its Construction sector review. This concluded that “while fundamental economic and Island-specific factors significantly influence outcomes in the construction sector, market outcomes are also driven by competition factors”.

As part of its research the JCRA commissioned the Policy Centre to undertake a largely desk-based study to describe and analyse the construction sector in Jersey. The Centre’s report The Construction industry in Jersey, completed in June 2024, was based on published material, supplemented by informal confidential discussion with two industry stakeholders

Referendums in small states and territories

A policy brief has been published on referendums in small states and territories, following a two day conference held at Queen Mary University of London in April. The following extracts from the conclusions seem particularly relevant to Jersey -

The importance of clarity in question framing, inclusivity in voter eligibility, and the need for robust public education.
Referendums should not be treated as isolated events but as part of a broader democratic continuum.
To maximise their democratic potential, referendums must be embedded in inclusive, deliberative processes that reflect the diversity of voices within a polity.

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