Two States committees face no confidence votes

Connex was awarded the bus contract more than a year ago, defeating the existing operator Jersey Bus.

But later there was a dispute over whether Connex and the Public Services Committee had been told about a pay rise agreed for workers at Jersey Bus just before it lost the contract.

During Tuesday's States sitting, the president of Public Services, Deputy Maurice Dubras, made an unreserved apology to members for misleading them over whether the committee knew about the rise.

I have written ... apologising for any unnecessary distress that these comments may have caused Deputy Maurice Dubras

The inquiry will look at concerns raised by the public and politicians over the tendering process.

The 20% pay rise to Jersey Bus staff meant an extra bill to taxpayers of about �500,000 because the company was still under contract to the States - even though the work was about to be moved to Connex.

Deputy Dubras said at the time that Jersey Bus had not told anyone.

Jersey Bus then angrily denied that no one in the States knew about the pay deal, saying that all tendering companies and the committee had been told of it before any decisions on the tenders were made.

Deputy Dubras told the house on Tuesday of his previous stand that Jersey Bus did not tell anyone: "I accept that it is not correct.

"I have written to the owners and directors of Jersey Bus and the Transport and General Workers' Union following a meeting with the committee, apologising for any unnecessary distress that these comments may have caused."

Senator Ted Vibert lodged a vote of no confidence against the committee, which will be debated at the next States sitting in a fortnight.

Another committee was also told it faced a no confidence vote in two weeks.

Senator resigns

The members of the Housing Committee were asked to stand down by Deputy Geoff Southern after a series of arguments in the States.

The arguments followed the committee allegedly breaching data protection law by revealing the personal details of a States tenant.

It will be the first time two committees have to face no confidence motions on the same day in the States.

The States is also looking for a new president of the Privileges and Procedures Committee after the resignation of Chris Lakeman.

The Senator has resigned from the States after serving four of his six-year term.

He said he was unable to balance his commitments to the island's government and his work as an advocate.