Latest news with #StPeterPort
BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
A priority for Guernsey voters is a housing plan
Rachel Davidson, 36, lives in St Peter Port with her husband, two children and her assistance dog Lily - and works for a local Guernsey says of the Guernsey general election's hot topics: "The vast majority of candidates have picked up on housing as an issue and I completely agree."A recent study found Guernsey's young people did not see a future for themselves in the island. "We are driving away a lot of our lovely local people, our great young people because they are being completely priced out of the housing market by ridiculously high rents and by lack of availability of affordable housing," Ms Davidson said. Guernsey Election 2025: The count A report previously found that Guernsey only added "one affordable home in two years" to the housing thinks an election can "cause tensions" within families, friend groups and also online when discussing political views."You go on social media at the moment and there are really personal, nasty insults being flung around, directed at candidates sometimes or sometimes members of the public directing them at each other."I've found it hard, for example, finding out that various people who I've been friends with and really thought that they were very supportive then have turned around and made comments about disability rights and women's rights and things that I've felt very passionate about."I can't see the person in the same way again when I know that actually they stand against things that I am very passionate about." Anik Hubert, who is 27 and has recently become a mum says that although Guernsey is "absolutely brilliant, there are things that need to change".She has picked her candidates based on her priorities of mental health, education, housing and plans to help retain young people in the Hubert is already looking to the future and wants to live in an island with a lower cost of living, where her children can afford to rent or buy a house and work in a job "that they really want to". "At the minute, there's a lot of people that have left the island because of the economy or they can't come back but they want to."She also found it important to look at candidates who had signed up to the LGBT rainbow pledge for charity said it wanted LGBTQ+ people to "feel seen, heard, and valued in Guernsey's political and public life"."It would be amazing if, in four years' time, I can look back and think I voted for those people and look what they've done." Anik's feedback for the next election would be for to become more digital rather than print a large manifesto booklet for each 2025 Guernsey general election booklet cost taxpayers £133,026.89 to produce and distribute across the island, according to the States."I would have happily just read all of these online and know a lot of other people would have. So I think maybe in four years' time we should only print these upon request."I know that there are people that really benefit from having a paper copy and that's great, and they can request one, but I think we could probably cut money in half in four years' time by not printing so many."
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Surveyors 'pretty sure' WW2 bombs remain in Guernsey field
Surveyors have said they have likely identified three out of four unexploded World War Two bombs in a field in company is still on the search for the existence of the fourth at the site in St Peter Port, but said they would likely be finished by the end of this Cooke, the managing director of the company, said the suspected ordnances did not "present an immediate hazard" unless anyone interfered with them with a "great deal of energy or force", which is he said was "unlikely" at their Cooke said the survey system they used was "pretty accurate" but in order to verify that they were unexploded bombs, they would have to be excavated and visually identified. He added the types of ordnance being sought were British 2000lb (about 900kg) armour piercing bombs. The States of Guernsey contracted 6 Alpha Associates to inspect the fields next to Route Isabelle, after islanders raised concerns a previous survey had not looked deep enough for original survey in 2019 went as deep as 4m (13ft), but the latest survey indicates they could be at a depth of about 8m (26ft). What happens next? The company will hand over the details to the States to discuss the route the government wishes to Cooke said if it was decided they would be detonated, the bombs would "stay in situ" and be detonated beneath the added there was "some risk" in digging down to the bombs but, again, they would have to be struck with a lot of force to set them off."We've got ex-military bomb disposal technicians that know what they're doing and have been trained to deal with this sort of thing and they'll make sure they don't do that" Mr Cooke said.
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Elvis the stowaway squirrel in Guernsey thought captured or dead
An animal charity has said it is "highly likely that something has happened" to a squirrel thought to have arrived in Guernsey via a vehicle in Byrne, manager of the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA), said he thought it likely the animal, dubbed Elvis, had been captured or March the States of Guernsey had tried to trap the invasive non-native mammal but this week said it "couldn't justify the use of taxpayers' money to continue looking for our stowaway visitor".Mr Byrne asked anyone with any information about the squirrel to share it with the GSPCA. 'Very few predators' The States Veterinary Officers said they were "not actively seeking to catch the squirrel".The Sarnian squirrel, colloquially named Elvis, was first spotted near Bluchip in St Sampsons on 24 Byrne said there had been a number of sightings near and around Delancy Park between the areas of St Peter Port and St Sampsons until early said: "We have very few predators in Guernsey that would kill or eat a squirrel other than birds of prey, certain pets or human beings - whether accidental or intentional - which we hope hasn't happened."We continue to appeal for sightings of Elvis, but with the months of no reports it is highly likely that something has happened to the Sarnian squirrel from being captured to sadly no longer alive."
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Guernsey charity to end disability bus service over funding
A transport service for disabled islanders who work at a charity shop is to close, said at the Ron Short Centre said it was told on Wednesday its application to the Social Investment Fund had been rejected, forcing it to stop its transport service from 1 St Peter Port charity said the decision meant disabled people working at the centre would no longer be able to access employment because of the specialised transport States of Guernsey said it had "not withdrawn any recent funding from charities who provide community transport" and it was working on a "joined-up plan for community transport". The States said it wanted to reassure islanders there was help available in getting to and from essential appointments. The service was introduced in 2022 following a States push for improved accessibility in the the charity said funding was cut, forcing it to rely on short-term money from the investment fund, although this was disputed by the States."An independent review of community transport confirmed that UnLtd delivers valuable services at a fraction of the cost the States would pay for equivalent provisions," said the charity."Yet this fact has been ignored, leaving disabled islanders without sustainable transport options." The States said options available to islanders without transport included the Voluntary Car Service, which was available through Health Connections, and people struggling with the costs of transport could also apply for income support."For the avoidance of doubt, the States of Guernsey has not withdrawn any recent funding from charities who provide community transport," it said."Instead, the States of Guernsey is already proactively working on a cross-organisation project to develop a joined-up plan for community transport, including how it can work with the charities sector to deliver this. In addition, the comments made by the charity contain some inaccuracies which will be addressed shortly."Health and Social Care said it also provided a grant to St John Ambulance's Non-Emergency Patient Transfer Service, which helps "people who struggle to walk or need extra support during a journey due to a medical condition".
BBC News
11-06-2025
- BBC News
Crumbling Castle Cornet bridge in Guernsey set for reconstruction
A historic bridge will be rebuilt to "modern standards", under new plans submitted by Guernsey Ports to the Castle Cornet Bridge, part of which dates back to the 1800s, will be replaced "like-for-like", according to the large island castle and its bridge forms the breakwater of Guernsey's main harbour in St Peter piers supporting the bridge, which is suffering corrosion and wear to its underside, would be kept in the revamp, which was expected to start in the winter of 2026/27 to minimise disruption during the tourist season, the application said. The design "closely resembles" the existing structure "with slight modifications to improve load-bearing capacity and meet current design codes", said Jenny Giles, head of infrastructure delivery at Guernsey Ports.
