The Chief Pleas will have to reconsider the reform plans

The Chief Pleas was discussing three possibilities for its future make-up, as changes are needed in order to comply with human rights laws.

Part of the disagreement was over when an opinion poll of islanders should be held on the option chosen for a new 32-seat assembly.

The members will reconvene on Thursday to continue their debate.

Democratic challenge

Sark, Europe's last feudal state, needs to reform its government in order to comply with European human rights legislation.

The focus of the dispute is whether landowners (tenants) should be automatically reserved seats in the Chief Pleas.

Owners of the island's 40 tenements (divisions of land) have an automatic seat in government. Islanders choose 12 people's deputies.

A compromise featuring elected officials and a government retaining some of the historic role of landowners was agreed in March.

But it is thought it could be challenged in the European Court of Human Rights for not being democratic enough.

Now three options are being considered to elect 32 members to the Chief Pleas:

• Option A - all Chief Pleas members should have equal status and be voted in by universal suffrage

• Option B - the Chief Pleas would be made up of 16 tenants and 16 deputies. The tenants would be responsible for electing 16 of their peers, the people would elect 16 deputies

• Option C - 16 tenants and 16 deputies voted in by universal suffrage

Options A and C are the favourites.

At the meeting on Wednesday night, members were unable to officially choose one option because of a disagreement over whether an opinion poll of islanders should be held before or after a decision is made.