‘Toilet tax’ is passed with £50 surcharge
Thursday 12th February 2009, 1:00PM GMT.
Signs like this warning of sewage pollution on the beach could become a thing of the past after the States voted to move nearer to a treatment plant. (Picture by John O’Neill, 0617211)
FULL sewage treatment moved a step nearer yesterday, but islanders will have to pay the price.
From next year, householders will pay an average of £150 a year to use the toilet after the States agreed to a wastewater charge.
Businesses will also face the charge. The Public Services Department proposed the charge to contribute towards the cost of maintaining sewage infrastructure.
It includes a £50 supplement to go towards progressing plans for full sewage treatment.Minister Bernard Flouquet said he would like to see a report on that back before the Assembly in the lifetime of this States.
‘I made it clear publicly and at board level that I would like to see this brought in sooner rather than later. I’d like to pressure the situation to get it [a report] back well before 2012,’ said Deputy Flouquet.
But he said the funding was needed. In March, the States will debate its capital spending priorities for this term, although sewage treatment is not part of that because it was believed the preparation would not be done in time.
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Easy, take the £35 mil that they want to spend to rebuild Les Beaucamps and put it into a sewage treatment plant. In the end it will pay for itself as cleaner water is safer water and will increase the tourist industry, that is mostly here for the island life and clean beaches!
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£150.00 a year to stop pumping raw sewerage onto our beaches – I could do without another bill but in this case I would be prepared to pay it.
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Sould be a rate linked to the amount of water you use.
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About time! £150 a year is far cheaper than the cost of the doctor’s fee from getting some hideous disease from surfing the water.
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Oh, and I think this totally justifies Flouquet’s position and hope all the golliwog-gate naysayers realise and boring they all are.
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Of course it’s a wonderful Idea, (as at the moment it’s only a pipe dream)
Yet when they wanted Births for luxury yachts. and improvements for golf courses and such- it was IMMEDIATE_
Yet something that will benefit all, even none domiciled persons (France etc) maybe by 2012.
That is a disgraceful idea.
Drop all those luxury things you have in mind and start immediatedly on this important health affair.
Those luxury homes at the former fort pour untold filth into the sea, as does part of the South and West coasts.
Those people also want a clean Island.
Get it done now or get out and let people in who WILL do it.
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I wont be paying this….
They will have to prove that my toilet is connected!
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As no deputy is answering us can anyone tell us how the States house tenants will be billed for said toilet tax as their water bills are included in their rent? This being the preferred way of collecting said tax.
Or is this an area of the population which are going to get away scott free again?
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