SARK’S Chief Pleas registered a sense of outrage yesterday at Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay’s deals to buy large areas of the island. But that appears to have achieved little, with the purchases having a clear path to go through the Seneschal’s Court tomorrow.

It means the Brecqhou owners, who are promising significant investment in Sark, will take control of Le Vieux Port, La Rondellerie, La Jaspellerie and La Moinerie tenements and Le Clos Messervy freehold for £25,000 each.

Chief Pleas overwhelmingly voted in favour of a strongly-worded censure motion that means any member involved in the deals must resign their committee posts.

Members were unhappy that Sark appeared to have lost out because the low purchase prices – achieved by first securing long-term leases – meant only a small amount of the ancient feudal due, treizieme, would be paid.

‘The perpetrators should be ostracised by us and shown for what they are,’ said Deputy Richard Dewe.

‘They are abusing their position with this and giving Chief Pleas a bad public image at home and abroad. We and the public should shun them at every opportunity then maybe they will get the message that what they are doing is morally wrong.’

Duncan Spence, whose tenement is one of those being sold, defended what had happened.

He said the arrangements had been made before Seigneur Michael Beaumont had signed over his right to treizieme to Chief Pleas last month.

‘We were not depriving the treasury of any revenue. If we were depriving anyone it was the Seigneur who, in the past, has kept the money for himself and done nothing for the island.’

But his was largely a lone voice, with members lining up to condemn what had happened.

‘I think it’s quite dreadful people have circumvented the law in the way they have done,’ said tenant Edric Baker, who seconded the censure motion.

Deputy Sandra Williams said the public felt they had been cheated.

‘They are asking me why we sit in this House and members of this House have done what they have done yet are still representing the people of the island. They find it quite strange.’

Chief Pleas passed the censure motion by 23 votes to 11, with four people abstaining.

Sir David and Sir Frederick have long argued that treizieme is illegal and were pushing cases through Guernsey’s Royal Court to get the deals finalised.

That came about after Mr Beaumont had refused to give his permission, conge, which is needed for any property transactions.

He wanted advice from Chief Pleas as to whether he should give it or instead fight the case.

A joint letter from two key committees advised against going to court and he confirmed at the meeting that he had granted conge for three of the deals.

A successful proposition laid on the day means that Mr Beaumont will take advice from the committees before giving permission for the other deals, but that should be a formality.

And in what appears to be a last-ditch move, members also agreed that Mr Beaumont should ask the Crown to declare any lease void if it, intentionally or not, deprived the Seigneur or the island of taxes or other contributions.