Inside the States

There is a renewed call for the States of Jersey Planning and Environment department to be split into two separate ministries.

The call is coming from St Helier Deputy Paul Le Claire.

At the moment Planning and Environment are grouped together, with Senator Freddie Cohen the Minister.

But, Deputy Le Claire thinks the system is flawed and says it’s a thoroughly conflicted role.

He's lodged a proposition calling on the States to divide the office, creating a specific Minister for the Environment and a Minister for Planning.

Deputy Le Claire put forward a similar idea last year but it was rejected.

Senator Cohen says when the issue was last raised, he offered to give his assistant minister special responsibility for the environment.

He wants Jersey's politicians to wait a while before deciding whether or not it's a good idea, because he says at officer level there are many benefits from planning and environment working closely together.