Maclean ‘should not forget roots’ with States rates move

The 2018 Budget, unveiled on Tuesday, removed any provisions for the States to pay rates after 11 of the 12 parish Constables wrote to Treasury Minister Alan Maclean opposing the plans – despite Members previously supporting the move in principle.

However, Simon Crowcroft, the sole Constable left fighting for his parish’s cut of the £900,000 set aside in last year’s Budget proposals to cover States payment of rates, said that it was ‘incredible that the minister can simply remove a States priority’.

He now plans to lodge an amendment to the 2018 Budget to once again bring forward changes to the Rates Law that will see the States pay rates in the future.

St Helier would stand to be the main beneficiary of the States paying rates – receiving over £600,000 while St Brelade and St Saviour stand to gain significant amounts.

A letter from St Clement Constable Len Norman on behalf of the Constables’ Committee and shown to the media, revealed that 11 Constables rejected the plans and argued that proposals wouldn’t work unless there was also a commitment for the States to pay the Islandwide rate.

Mr Crowcroft said: ‘I’m extremely disappointed with the Treasury Minister. He should have respected the decision of the Assembly and he should have included the States paying rates in the Budget. It is in the Strategic Plan – all the arguments have been rehearsed and the debate has been won.

‘The Constables seem to be acting on the grounds of narrow parochialism and are failing to see the bigger picture.’

Mr Crowcroft’s bid to make the States start paying rates on its properties in 2017 was blocked at the eleventh hour in last year’s Budget after Members raised technical concerns about the proposition, including over whether rateable properties might include main roads.

The Constable added: ‘St Helier voters first voted Alan Maclean in as a Deputy, as a number of the other ministers were. Ministers shouldn’t forget their roots.

‘To find he has removed it without prior discussion with me was discourteous and is very disappointing.’

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