Recent Council meetings included interesting comment on Energy, Waste and the Environment such as where our priorities lie with environmental impacts, legislation, risks, bathing water quality, the two sewage outlets and working with the States and Wildlife Trust in certain areas.
It would be good to further this and gain opinion and ideas from our members. If you would like to be involved in discussions on this important topic please come through to us on info@alderneychamber.com
Policy & Finance Meetings
Our monthly chats with Policy & Finance (instigated by P&F and now set in stone) continue with Nigel Lawrence and myself (AE) representing Council with Bill Abel and Ian Carter as chair and vice chair of P&F. Our topics have included requesting an update on FabLink developments, the cost of marine fuel, tidal/energy policy, employment law, swimming pool, company law, and Guernsey’s tax review, private health insurance, education and social care.
Ian Carter gave a presentation of The Alderney Plan to both Nigel and myself also including Ilona Soane-Sands, Holly Chandler and Karen Meagher.
If you would like further information on any of these topics or to put over your point of view, email info@alderneychamber.com
Economic Development Meetings
The States Economic Development Committee has also recently requested monthly meetings with us. The initial one was last month. The committee was represented by its chair Annie Burgess and full Council attended. It was primarily for Annie to discuss the working of her committee.
On our side, we discussed the proposed marina, ways to attract business to the island – the three main elements being transport, education and business rates. With regard to education, we expressed our ongoing concern that there was still no website for our school.
It was interesting to learn that the Economic Development Committee was to become a full States committee as opposed to a sub group reporting to P&F.
Meeting with Aurigny
This was held a couple of weeks ago with Andrew Eggleston and Nigel Lawrence (representing the Council on the States portfolio). We had invited CEO Nico Bezuidenhout who gave us a synopsis of the presentation he would be giving the Guernsey States as to how he saw Aurigny changing. The small airline lacked efficiency with too many differing aircraft.
This was one of the prime reasons for the lengthening of our runway – to accommodate larger ATRs. He confirmed daily early and late returns to and from Guernsey.
The meeting continued with general discussion re airport security, the terminal and whether Aurigny would be keeping the Dorniers and jet.
Transport Meeting
Held mid September with Andrew Eggleston, Nigel Lawrence, Ian Corder and Malcolm Matthews (co-opted). We would have liked to see a copy of the recently agreed PSO but were advised it is regarded as “commercially sensitive”.
We were pleased to understand that Aurigny has changed the annual timings for Dornier maintenance. These would now be in the winter months (logical!). If cover were needed, we were told that Skybus would provide.
We will try to obtain monthly stats as we used to receive them on passenger numbers on the routes.
We discussed in general terms the concept of a longer runway which, for the long term (20 to 30 years ahead), would help to future proof the island. We agreed that it was critical to enable a professional medevac plane to be able to land and take off – hence a longer runway.
Health & Social Care Meeting
Also held mid September. Chamber was represented by Andrew Eggleston, Nigel Lawrence, Ilona Soane-Sands, Holly Chandler and Brendan Noone.
HSC was represented by Al Brouard (President), Tina Bury (Vice President), Marc Leadbeater (Member), Matthew Jones (Director of Operations), Emily Litten (Minds) and George Oswald (both non-voting members).
Alderney States was represented by Ian Carter and Alex Snowdon.
It was a short but positive meeting that has offered a platform for future meetings and exchange of views.
It was agreed that with the cost of health related issues spiralling in both our islands, it could become mandatory for those of a certain age to have private health insurance when moving to the islands. Al Brouard confirmed that Guernsey was already looking seriously at this.
Points were aired relating to island pregnancies, lack of back-up, no Alderney midwives and having to travel to Guernsey three weeks before the expected birth date.
Pre-school supervision came to the fore again. This was one important area that Alderney was seriously lacking in its infrastructure when trying to attract families to the island. ENDS
ANDREW EGGLESTON – PRESIDENT
ALDERNEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE