News

A new website has been launched to help anyone in the Vale who is thinking about standing for election as People's Deputy in the general election to be held next summer. The States of Guernsey site has been made available more than a year ahead of the election itself to provide early and additional support and information to people who are considering whether or not they wish to stand.

Vale parishioners are being encouraged to have their say on proposals to prepare a local planning brief for what's being called the Guernsey Harbour Action Areas because the brief will then be used to determine what sort of future developments will be allowed in the St Sampson's/Bridge area.

Work to improve the very popular play area at Les Amarreurs should finally be completed this summer, the Vale's Senior Constable has said.

One of the things we're asked is how parishioners can keep an eye on planning applications potentially affecting them and the parish if they don't read the Guernsey Press every day. The good news is that the States' own website provides access to all "live" applications.

A special drop-in session is being held at the Vale Douzaine in May to help local employers and the self-employed to prepare for this summer's introduction of mandatory secondary pensions for employees.

Parishioners will be asked to approve more than £600,000-worth of expenditure for the year on parochial administration, refuse collection, funding the cemetery and maintaining the Vale Church at a meeting to be held next week on the 20th.

The Vale Douzaine has issued a cautious welcome for ambitions plans from the Guernsey Development Agency to regenerate extensive areas of the area around St Sampson's harbour. This follows members discussing the proposals in detail at their last meeting.

The dates of two important meetings affecting the Vale have been confirmed – that of the parish meeting, which effectively sets the budget and rates for the year, and the annual general meeting of the Vale Commons Council (VCC).

The Vale's Senior Constable has praised efforts by a Bridge resident to help make the area a better and brighter place. Bernie Coutu recently launched a one-woman campaign to improve it and Richard Leale said he was delighted by her efforts.

Suggestions that some of the States’ funding earmarked for helping to kick-start the development of Leale’s Yard could be used for education purposes instead underline how unsatisfactory the whole regeneration project has become, according to Vale parish officials.