Parish constables say douzaine role will change with IWV result

De-centralisation of duties, polling station changes and the end of the douzaines’ role in elections are just some of the things that senior constables can envisage happening as a result of the end of parish politics.

‘We currently have a very good and close relationship with our parish deputies,’ said Castel senior constable John Cook.

‘They organise surgeries, which we take part in, and we have time to discuss parish politics with them.

‘I will be sorry to lose this – there is a strong alliance between the Castel deputies and their parish.

‘I don’t know how that relationship will survive when there are no deputies elected for the parish.’

Mr Cook said he was unsure how island-wide voting would affect the douzaine’s involvement in the election process.

‘It is not clear where such polling stations will be sited and who will run them when parish elections cease to exist,’ he said.

Forest senior constable Andrew Niles said the douzaine had discussed how the referendum outcome might affect the way it functions.

‘What we have found, certainly in the West, is that some of the deputies who come to speak to us about the Billet and about policy do not really listen to their parish.

‘They felt they had their own mind and their own vote.

‘Island-wide voting might even have a positive effect on the parish.

‘It may allow the States of Deliberation to concentrate on island issues and allow the parishes to get on with day-to-day life.

‘The parish douzaines are still quite close to their parish and [could be responsible for] small day-to-day processes like the collection of rubbish, identifying potholes and other matters where we have seen moves towards centralisation.’

Mr Niles said that, in the UK, more matters were being passed on to parish councils, and he saw no reason why that could not happen in Guernsey, if properly resourced. At present, he said, the douzaines were ‘disenfranchised’ from the States.

St Peter Port constable Dennis Le Moignan could not see how the douzaines could be responsible for the election count in 2020.

‘The only way we could be involved is if they asked for volunteers to help them do it. They could do that, but it won’t be done in individual parishes.’

He personally felt there were a lot of questions that needed answering.

‘I think there has been a little bit of a lack of thought in some areas,’ he said.

‘I do believe some people in the States don’t think much of the douzaines. It is a feeling we get from time to time.’