First fully-elected assembly takes office in Sark

Saturday 10th January 2009, 9:29AM GMT.

SARK’S new elected Chief Pleas has taken office, ending nearly 450 years of government dominated by landowning tenants.

All but one of the 28 conseillers successful in last month’s historic election took the oaths of allegiance and office at a special sitting of the Seneschal’s Court yesterday morning. The only exception was Charles Maitland, who was unavoidably out of the island and who took his oaths before he left.

The court sitting, which was described by Seneschal Reg Guille as a privilege to preside over, was held immediately prior to the first meeting of the newly-constituted Chief Pleas, at which elections were held to fill all the vacancies on the assembly’s 16 committees.

At that historic first meeting of Sark’s first all-elected legislature, poll topper Dave Cocksedge emerged as the busiest member in terms of committee seats with places on no fewer than five – Harbours, Road Traffic, Sea Fisheries, the Douzaine and Millennium.

Eight conseillers were each elected to four committees – Rossford de Carteret, Helen Plummer, Tony Dunks, Liz Dewe, Edric Baker, Paul Williams and newcomers David Pollard and Andy Cook.

There were places found on three committees each for conseillers Dave Melling, Helen Magell, Chris Bateson, Andy Prevel, Sandra Williams, Diane Baker, Richard Dewe, Mr Maitland, John Hunt and Peter Cole.

Those ending the elections – all of which were decided by a show of hands – with two committee seats were conseillers Stephen Henry, Chris Nightingale, Jan Guy and Christine Audrain, while the conseillers with just one seat each are former members Paul Armorgie and Stefan Gomoll and newcomers Michelle Perree, Ann Atkinson and Tony Ventress.

Only one committee presidency was decided yesterday – that of what is arguably the most important Chief Pleas committee, that of General Purposes and Advisory – and that went to Conseiller Richard Dewe, who held the position on a number of occasions in the old assembly.

His colleagues on that committee are former GP & A members conseillers Stephen Henry, Edric Baker, Stefan Gomoll and Peter Cole, along with newcomer to Sark politics Conseiller Maitland.

The 15 other committees will meet before the Christmas – and first business – sitting of Chief Pleas later this month to appoint presidents and vice-presidents.

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1
Geraldine

January 10, 2009 at 3:17 pm

Having had a quick look at the composition of the new members of the committees it seems that not a lot has changed. I would have thought that it would have been an opportunity and more generous to newcomers to ensure that they were on at least 2 committees each to give them experience and an in sight into the workings of government.
To have Stefan Gomell, Michelle Perre, Ann Atkinson and Tony Ventriss (plus of course the experienced Paul Armorgie) on only one committee seems to be a missed opportunity as they surely must have as much to give as those who have been on Committees for years and they only need actual experience on committees to contribute to the meetings.
As they were voted in, it seems only fair to give them a chance to actually have their enthusiasm, new ideas and their own life long experiences and skills used rather than leaving them to languish on the sidelines whilst the old hands are left to cope without the added experience and new initiatives that may now be lost to the various committees. These people took the trouble to put themselves forward (presumably to show an interest in island politics and thus, also to be open to criticism) and were voted for by the population at large.
By the way, I did not realise that Sark had so many committees.
Almost Quango proportions. Not sure how many committtees per capita it works out at but I wonder how it compares with Guernsey/Jersey or even the UK per capita? Interesting!

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2
Vincent

January 11, 2009 at 4:29 am

Electing the new conseillers to their preferred committees was always destined to be an interesting ‘one off’ excercise.
It was a unique opportunity to formulate a brand new government and civil service. The new assembly has clearly elected to put its faith in a traditional, “steady as she goes” formula for the first term.
The process was open and democratic, albeit somewhat perverse. There did appear to be some pre-calculated tactical or block voting. Some members became confused and voted for more than the required number of conseillers on each committee. In retrospect a secret ballot might have achieved a slightly more diverse membership on some committees.

However it must be remembered that this is merely the starting point for the Chief Pleas assembly. Democratic governments and committees are organic – they evolve and develop naturally.

Geraldine – the numerous committees allow the workload to be evenly spread. Remember that conseillers are all volunteers and not paid politicians or civil servants.

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3
Geraldine

January 12, 2009 at 5:13 pm

Vincent – points taken on board and I know only too well that none of the conseillers are paid and all is voluntary work done in one’s own time.
My only worry is that some members having five committees, and some with only one, maybe the committees could have been more evenly spread using up more of the wealth of experience that the new members could bring into play. As you suggest, I think that block voting was the reason and you very wisely suggest, which I was hesitant to do, that maybe a secret ballot would have produced a more even cross section of the newly elected members as opposed to resorting to the usual names on the same committees as before.
I had just hoped that some of the new blood would be taken on board by some of the older committee members to give them an idea of how these committees work and see what they could contribute to the New Order.

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4
Lindsay Mitchell

January 12, 2009 at 6:01 pm

Congratulations to Sark on the installation of it’s first democratically elected parliament. It is an historic moment in Sark’s history. It is quite correct that democratic installations evolve over time and a cautious approach is, I think, the best way forward. Well done everyone!

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5
andrew walker

January 14, 2009 at 6:10 pm

NOW YOU NEW LOT – GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER AND BAN SMOKING IN YOUR PUBS ETC : IT`S DISGUSTING

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