States vote to hold referendum on elected speaker
States of Jersey employees told of possible job cuts
Teaching union welcomes Guernsey education plans, but is 'concerned' about amendments
Live updates on Thursday 16 November 2017
Rob England
BBC News Online
Our coverage across the Channel Islands has finished for today.
We'll be back on Friday from 08:00 with the latest news, weather, travel and sport.
Don't forget BBC Channel Islands News on BBC One at 18:30 and 22:30.
Mike Wilkins
BBC Channel Islands News
The organiser of the Alderney Performing Arts Festival says a cut to funding for next year's event has left her "astounded and really disappointed".
It follows appeals from Guernsey's Sports and Arts Commissions after they were told they would receive no funding from the Events Group Budget, which is managed by the Committee for Economic Development, next year.
Caroline Kay-Mouat said it was "a bit of a slap in the face to all the many volunteers who support all these creative and sporting events across the Bailiwick".
She said the performing arts festival was firmly in Alderney's calendar and just like the other island events was a "great draws to tourists and also give us all opportunities to celebrate with and for the communities we represent".
Mrs Kay-Mouat said: "We will trim our sails to suit our budget."
Rob England
BBC News Online
The States of Jersey has advised islanders to take care not to approach any Portuguese man-of-war they may find on beaches around the island.
A spokesman said there was an "unusual" amount of the jellyfish-like creatures in the area, with similar numbers reported in Guernsey.
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What to do if you are stung:
BBC Radio Guernsey
Funding cuts to arts and sports events in Guernsey are being described as a "disaster" for the island.
Guernsey's Sports and Arts Commissions were told they would receive no funding from the Events Group Budget, which is managed by the Committee for Economic Development, next year.
Trevor Wakefield, the Arts Commission Chair said there was a "real threat" to some events going ahead.
Quote MessageThe issue we've got now is because of the late notice of these cuts, we've already got organisers planning these events for next year and they are now being faced with this massive cut in their funding there's a possibility some of those events may not happen."
Trevor Wakefield, Chair, Guernsey Arts Commission
Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online
Same-sex couples will be able to get married in Jersey from next year after a law change.
Politicians voted to approve the same-sex marriage law, but it will still face a full review and public survey before it is introduced.
The move has been two years in the works as the change was agreed "in principle" in September 2015.
States members overwhelmingly voted in favour of the change with 33 voting in favour to just one against.
Guernsey Press
The Alderney breakwater ‘remains vulnerable’ despite the £23m. Guernsey has spent maintaining it in the last thirty years, according to the president of Environment & Infrastructure, external.
BBC Radio Guernsey
A cut in funding for sports and arts events in the Bailiwick is being described as a "slap in the face".
Guernsey's Sports and Arts Commissions have been told they would receive no funding from the events group budget administered by the Committee for Economic Development in 2018.
The budget is used to help the States marketing and tourism board to promote the island and make it more attractive to visitors.
David Harry, CEO of the Sports Commission, said he "cannot understand the thinking".
Adding, in May the committee had supported increasing the events budget, and a U-turn now was "a perverse decision".
Both the Sports and Arts Commissions are now writing to the States in the hope the decision would immediately be reviewed.
Cloud will thicken once again overnight, with some showery rain possible at times.
It will be a mild night, with light winds. Minimum Temperature: 9C (48F).
Tomorrow any early rain will quickly clear during the morning, with the cloud breaking to allow some sunny spells to develop by the afternoon.
Winds will remain light, and it will be cooler overnight. Maximum Temperature: 11C (52F).
BBC Radio Guernsey
Providing land for light industry in Guernsey is a "win-win" situation for the States, a deputy has said.
Laurie Queripel said any of the four sites earmarked by the Committee for Economic Development for industrial and storage use would be suitable.
He said the procrastination over the last decade has not helped the businesses or the States.
"I'm absolutely certain these types of businesses can help not only contribute to the economy, but there is growth potentially between these areas," the deputy said.
Adding: "But unless they have certainty then they're just treating water, they can't invest in their business."
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Jersey Evening Post
An Islander recently collected 126 Portuguese man o' war over a period of two days in St Ouen's Bay, external, and dumped a load of them in a plastic tub.
Rob England
BBC News Online
Two people have been rescued by fire crews in the inshore rescue boat after being cut off by the tide in the Green Island area.
Their condition is currently unknown.
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Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online
Jersey's only political party, Reform Jersey, says holding a referendum on the dual role of the Bailiff is a "sideshow" and a "waste of taxpayers money".
Politicians voted to hold a referendum on the issue as part of a wider debate on ending the centuries old tradition of the Bailiff acting as both speaker in the States and the island's chief judge.
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BBC Channel Islands News
The Channel Islands' brightest young brains will be battling it out in the inter-island Du Putron challenge.
The general knowledge competition for school children is fought every year between Jersey and Guernsey with three age groups taking part.
This year's theme is "around the world" and will see a record number of Channel Islands schools taking part: 31 in Jersey and 21 in Guernsey.
When the competition first started in 2007, five schools competed.
BBC Radio Guernsey
A new mum in Guernsey is praising the crew of St John Ambulance after giving birth to her son on the way to hospital.
Becky Fossey went into labour in the back of an ambulance whilst being driven to the Princess Elizabeth Hospital on Saturday morning.
Shortly after arriving at Ms Fossey's house the decision was made to take her to hospital, but during the journey it became clear she was in the advanced stages of labour.
A midwife, who was dispatched in a fast response car, arrived in the ambulance shortly before the baby boy was delivered.
Ms Fossey and her newborn son, Arlo, were then delivered to Loveridge ward.
She said the experience was "a bit overwhelming", but the team who helped her were "amazing".
Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online
The decision over whether to have an elected speaker in the States of Jersey will be put to the public next year.
Politicians spent two days debating the centuries old job of Bailiff as speaker and chief judge.
Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst proposed removing the Bailiff as speaker and replacing him with an elected representative in the role.
He wanted politicians to vote on the change but an amendment meant it would now be put to the people.
It was a close vote in the States. A minimum of 25 votes were needed for it to go ahead and 25 members voted in favour with 21 voting against the move.
Guernsey Press
Julie Flanagan
BBC Channel Islands News
A States scrutiny committee has called on the government to bring back support payments for single parents in Jersey.
The Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel says the lack of payment is causing "very real suffering to many vulnerable families".
It was introduced in 2008 when income support was brought in, as the States recognised there was an extra cost to being a lone parent.
However, the payment was removed by the Department of Social Security to make savings, but the government panel wants it brought back to help some of the poorest people.
BBC Radio Guernsey
Image source, Getty ImagesPupils at a Guernsey school are encouraging others to look after the marine environment.
Four newly appointed "eco-prefects" from Elizabeth College Junior School recently presented an assembly to their classmates about single use plastic and how it could be stopped.
Liz Bott, a teacher at the school who has helped coordinate the project, said students, staff and the community have been re-evaluating their view of how they use plastic items.
Earlier this month it was released Scotland and Ireland are considering a tax to cut down on the amount of single use coffee cups used by businesses.
BBC Radio Jersey
Jersey's new States chief executive has told senior employees the island's civil service needs to "do things properly" with "the right people".
Adding there could well be job losses as he tries to create a more transparent, efficient and accountable public service.
Quote MessageAll major grown up organisations do transitions between the arrival of a new chief executive public or private, this is not new. If we are a serious business, of which we are, then we need to ensure we do things properly, that costs money and we need to do it with the right people. If everything was working well here, then we wouldn't need that, but that's not the message we're getting."
Charlie Parker
