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Seven-year-old committee call to be voted on

News imageBBC A birds eye view of Sark. There is a dirt path and lots of green fields. You can see the edges of the Island and surrounding seaBBC
Conseiller Frank Makepeace and Conseiller Nick Moloney asked Chief Pleas to vote on four proposals

A motion to require an "immediate compliance" with a decision in 2019 to establish a scrutiny committee has been proposed by two conseillers after no progress was made in seven years.

Chief Pleas approved the establishment of a scrutiny management committee in Sark in 2019.

In December 2024, the decision to establish a scrutiny committee was made by conseillers after the Policy and Performance and Finance and Resources Committees merged, and it was recognised that a scrutiny function was needed to stop any possible abuse of power.

Chief Pleas is due to vote in January.

Conseiller Frank Makepeace and Conseiller Nick Moloney said there had been no progress since 2019, despite there being no following decision to pause, amend, or revoke the creation of a scrutiny management committee.

The pair said there was a "motion to require immediate compliance with the January 2019 resolution establishing a scrutiny committee".

The proposal said Chief Pleas would therefore be asked to vote on four propositions.

The propositions put forward included:

  1. That Chief Pleas reaffirming its resolution of January 2019 requiring the establishment of an independent scrutiny committee remain in full force and effect, and that no committee, officer, or informal body - including the Policy Development Group - has the authority to delay, reinterpret, or otherwise obstruct the implementation of a decision of Chief Pleas.
  2. That Chief Pleas directs that the scrutiny committee be formed and populated at the Christmas 2025 meeting of Chief Pleas, strictly in accordance with the framework and membership principles agreed in January 2019, including the exclusion of Policy and Finance Committee members from membership.
  3. That Chief Pleas further directs that, once populated, the scrutiny committee shall be deemed operational immediately and may commence its work without the need for approval, oversight, or further proposal from the Policy and Finance Committee or any other committee.
  4. That Chief Pleas declares that no further discussion in the Policy Development Group or any other informal or advisory setting shall be considered relevant to, or capable of delaying, the implementation of this mandate.

The Christmas meeting of Chief Pleas will be held on 21 January.

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