Review urged of Channel Islands' relationship

People in Guernsey, Alderney and Sark are being urged to have their say on the future of the islands after a review found some long-standing arrangements may no longer meet modern needs.

The Bailiwick Commission, set up by the three island governments in 2025, has published an interim report after months of meetings with residents, businesses and politicians.

One of its main findings focused on the 1948 Agreement, which governs much of the relationship between Guernsey and Alderney and under which Guernsey provides services including healthcare, education and policing.

The commission said the agreement was "increasingly difficult to apply to modern services and governance arrangements".

The report also highlighted concerns in Alderney about having limited input into services delivered by Guernsey, a lack of formal consultation on policies that affected the island, and insufficient transparency over costs and funding arrangements.

Despite those concerns, the commission said most people in Alderney did not support ending the agreement altogether.

Instead, it found a widely-held view that the relationship should evolve into a "modernised partnership" that kept what worked while giving Alderney a stronger voice and greater involvement in decisions that affected the island.

Commission chairman Sir Bob Neill said the commission wanted as many islanders as possible to contribute before it produced a final report in September 2027.

Sir Bob said: "I cannot encourage strongly enough the communities of the islands to have their say about the islands' future relationships by contacting us and taking part in our events."

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