0:00:00 > 0:00:06That's all from the BBC News at Six.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Welcome to BBC Channel Islands this Thursday evening.
0:00:08 > 0:00:09Our top stories tonight...
0:00:09 > 0:00:12Lifeboats will be restored to St Helier, as the RNLI pledges
0:00:12 > 0:00:22to train new local crew for inshore and all-weather craft.
0:00:22 > 0:00:28We will start training the Saturday and other RNLI volunteers in Jersey,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31to bring the service pack as soon as we can.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Cancel the cuts - Guernsey's sport and arts events can go ahead
0:00:34 > 0:00:36after a funding U-turn.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40There has been such a huge outcry and the amount of support that both
0:00:40 > 0:00:46arts and sports have received over the last ten days has been great.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Weak decision-making leading to extra costs and delays -
0:00:48 > 0:00:52a critical report into the planning of Jersey's new hospital.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Jersey's only all-weather lifeboat will be back in the island
0:01:04 > 0:01:08by the end of the year and the St Helier inshore lifeboat
0:01:08 > 0:01:10should be ready to respond to emergencies next month.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14That's the announcement from the RNLI today,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17which says it's able to reinstate the St Helier service because of
0:01:17 > 0:01:19a partnership with Jersey's Fire and Rescue Service and enough
0:01:19 > 0:01:20volunteers for a new crew.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Emma Chambers reports.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25A shocking scene as Jersey's only all-weather lifeboat is withdrawn
0:01:25 > 0:01:28from service last Friday, the end of the RNLI's relationship
0:01:28 > 0:01:30with this St Helier lifeboat crew.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34Seven days on, the doors of the station may still be locked,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37but not for much longer.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40We weren't sure at the end of last week what support we would get
0:01:40 > 0:01:43for the return of the service and actually we've been really
0:01:43 > 0:01:45encouraged by the number of people who've come forward,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48shown support for the RNLI and said they would like to be part
0:01:48 > 0:01:49of a crew going forward.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51So we are now looking at bringing the all-weather boat
0:01:51 > 0:01:54the George Sullivan back to the island at the end
0:01:54 > 0:01:55of the year for training.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57And they say St Helier's inshore lifeboat will be ready
0:01:57 > 0:02:00for action next month, due to a new partnership
0:02:00 > 0:02:01with the Fire Service.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03But this has been described as a premature move by the crew
0:02:04 > 0:02:05at the heart of the dispute.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10We are actually setting up today a petition for an independent
0:02:10 > 0:02:15inquiry into what's gone on and I think until that's done
0:02:15 > 0:02:18the RNLI should not be bringing the boat back into St Helier,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21because will they treat the crew the same as they've
0:02:21 > 0:02:22treated the present crew.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25They're volunteers and this has caused so much stress and distress
0:02:25 > 0:02:29to the families and the crew and it needs to be resolved.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32The former St Helier crew are launching their own independent
0:02:32 > 0:02:35rescue service, but it's unknown if it will raise enough money
0:02:35 > 0:02:38for their own lifeboat, and with the George Sullivan out
0:02:38 > 0:02:40of action until the new RNLI crew is trained, Jersey's
0:02:40 > 0:02:44still without its own all-weather lifeboat.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47The harbour master has a complete list of everybody he can
0:02:47 > 0:02:50call on if he needs too, but we can't get away from the top
0:02:50 > 0:02:53priority which is to return lifeboats to St Helier to be used
0:02:53 > 0:02:58by the harbour master, by the coastguard if they're needed.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01And that's what I'm working on with government making sure,
0:03:01 > 0:03:03whoever it is, let's get a lifeboat, a proper lifeboat, a properly
0:03:03 > 0:03:06trained crew, proper kit, let's get it signed off
0:03:06 > 0:03:10by the harbour master and let's get to work.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14But that work can only happen with islanders' support.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18And after a very public dispute that's divided opinion and possibly
0:03:18 > 0:03:21damaged reputations, will islanders back the RNLI
0:03:21 > 0:03:28or the former St Helier Crew?
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Deputy Peter Ferbrache has resigned as the President
0:03:30 > 0:03:32of Guernsey's Committee for Economic Development.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34As yet he's not explained why he's stepped down,
0:03:34 > 0:03:36but will stay in the role until his successor
0:03:36 > 0:03:38is appointed next month.
0:03:38 > 0:03:39The rest of the committee say they're disappointed
0:03:40 > 0:03:50and thank him for his work.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51Meanwhile...
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Public money for sports and arts events in Guernsey and Alderney
0:03:54 > 0:03:56will be available next year, after a funding U-turn.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58The Committee for Economic Development controversially told
0:03:58 > 0:04:00the Sports and Arts Commissions they'd get no more money
0:04:00 > 0:04:01from the Events Group Budget.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03But today they changed their minds.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05I spoke to David Harry from the Guernsey Sports Commission
0:04:05 > 0:04:07straight after that meeting with politicians, and asked
0:04:07 > 0:04:08if he was relieved.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Very much so. It came as a huge surprise when it was taken away
0:04:13 > 0:04:18without any justification that we could see. To have it restored now
0:04:18 > 0:04:24is good news for Guernsey sport and the arts commission as well.This
0:04:24 > 0:04:30U-turn in a short time, it has messed people around in the sports
0:04:30 > 0:04:36and arts world. Is there upset about that?The sports and arts community
0:04:36 > 0:04:42have been upset by what has happened. The communities believe
0:04:42 > 0:04:51they are somewhat devalued in what they do so to see a better result
0:04:51 > 0:04:55than was opposed is clearly good news.Economic development wants to
0:04:55 > 0:05:03see sports and the arts bring people to Guernsey, it is economically
0:05:03 > 0:05:11beneficial, how do you prove that?I think it is evidenced by the huge
0:05:11 > 0:05:17outcry over the last ten days and the support that sports and arts
0:05:17 > 0:05:22have received has been great. I am grateful. I think we have to work
0:05:22 > 0:05:30with Economic Development and the tourism part to make sure they know
0:05:30 > 0:05:35what value there is to Guernsey of the grants they pay to us.How do
0:05:35 > 0:05:40you describe the relationship between the sports and arts
0:05:40 > 0:05:45communities and Economic Development?A lot better now than
0:05:45 > 0:05:50it was about one hour ago when we went into the meeting. I think that
0:05:50 > 0:05:54the committee realised they had made a mistake in what they did. They
0:05:54 > 0:05:59apologised for that and they were clearly happy to accept that
0:05:59 > 0:06:03apology. Going forward I think we must be positive and see what we can
0:06:03 > 0:06:05do to make things better for the future.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08So, good news for Guernsey's sports and arts groups,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11but still no news on the future of public funding for Alderney's air
0:06:11 > 0:06:12link to Southampton.
0:06:12 > 0:06:13The Economic Development Committee is meeting tonight,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15without its newly resigned president, to discuss
0:06:15 > 0:06:18whether the route is a lifeline service, and if it should continue
0:06:18 > 0:06:19to get financial backing.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22A young couple who died when their car crashed onto rocks
0:06:22 > 0:06:25on Guernsey's west coast in July could have been travelling at up
0:06:25 > 0:06:27to 80mph, according to police accident investigators.
0:06:27 > 0:06:33An inquest into the death of 25-year-old Georgina Le Prevost,
0:06:33 > 0:06:34whose partner, 27-year-old Stuart Mourat, was driving,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36concluded she died of asphyxiation following the collision
0:06:36 > 0:06:39at Le Catioroc in St Saviours.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Mr Mourat was found to be more than two and a half times over
0:06:42 > 0:06:44the legal driving limit for alcohol.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46A woman in St Helier was injured when two men
0:06:46 > 0:06:48stole her purse and her mobility scooter toppled over.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Jersey Police describe the theft in Clarendon Road yesterday evening
0:06:51 > 0:06:53as a particularly unpleasant crime on a vulnerable islander.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56The men, thought to be in their late teens to early 20s,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58ran off towards Palmyra Road, leaving the woman shaken
0:06:58 > 0:06:59and with minor injuries.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01The police want to hear from any witnesses.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Weak decision making led to additional costs and delays
0:07:03 > 0:07:04to Jersey's new hospital.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06That's one of the findings of Jersey's Auditor,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08who's reviewed the process up to February last year,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10when People's Park was dropped as a potential site.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Jen Smith reports.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14This project will cost Jersey proportionatly the equivalent
0:07:14 > 0:07:18of what the multi-billion-pound high-speed train will cost the UK,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21so every decision counts.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24And Jersey's Auditor General says the delays in decision making have
0:07:24 > 0:07:26added to the expense, one of a number of issues
0:07:26 > 0:07:28the report's highlighted.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34The man in charge of scrutinising how public money is spent says
0:07:34 > 0:07:35the findings are alarming.
0:07:35 > 0:07:41The delays have certainly resulted in costs, the failure to supply
0:07:41 > 0:07:44reliable information has resulted in the consultants having to get
0:07:44 > 0:07:46that information themselves, and decisions have been aborted
0:07:46 > 0:07:55because information was not correct.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00Which might help explain how around £17 million of public money had been
0:08:00 > 0:08:03spent by February 2016.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Originally the new hospital had a £250 million price tag.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10This is now around 466 million.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Jersey's Health Minister doesn't accept the costs
0:08:13 > 0:08:17could have been smaller.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19I think the way I read what the Comptroller
0:08:19 > 0:08:21and Auditor General was saying is that decisions took longer
0:08:21 > 0:08:24than they should have done because she's rightly looking at it
0:08:24 > 0:08:26purely in a business sense.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29If you overlay the political aspects that we have to work in,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32it becomes much more complicated.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35And it's right that she doesn't comment on that, but it is a fact
0:08:35 > 0:08:38that a project can tick all the right boxes but be
0:08:38 > 0:08:40politically undeliverable.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42The report author has made several recommendations,
0:08:42 > 0:08:43which the Minister says he's now following.
0:08:43 > 0:08:53But that won't help reduce money already spent or time wasted.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57And Jen joins me now to talk through that report in more detail.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59So delays have caused extra costs.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Are there any other criticisms?
0:09:01 > 0:09:03There is a lot in a 42-page report, and there are
0:09:03 > 0:09:07a few stand-out phrases.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10The Comptroller and Auditor General mentions that when looking at sites
0:09:10 > 0:09:13the team did it without "effective input from clinicians".
0:09:13 > 0:09:15So they didn't talk to experts, the people who can tell them
0:09:15 > 0:09:18what a hospital needs to work.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21The report also mentions there were too many people involved.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23"Smaller political oversight" was needed,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25which did eventually happen.
0:09:25 > 0:09:32And interestingly it brings up the waterfront.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35It reminds us that the site of the new car park by the Radisson
0:09:35 > 0:09:38topped the list for the new hospital initially, followed closely
0:09:38 > 0:09:40by the Esplanade car park.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43But after concerns were raised about where the Finance Centre
0:09:43 > 0:09:48would go, the Esplanade car park was dropped from the list.
0:09:48 > 0:09:53And Jardins de la Mare disappeared with little explanation.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Jersey's Health Minister did acknowledge expert advice should
0:09:55 > 0:09:57have been listened to earlier, and the terms of reference
0:09:57 > 0:09:59for the future hospital project needed to be established
0:09:59 > 0:10:05from the start.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Time for a look at the weather.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16We have some wet weather coming our way, not too far away at the moment
0:10:16 > 0:10:20and it will move across the islands overnight tonight. It may ease off
0:10:20 > 0:10:29for a time but come back tomorrow. Today -- tomorrow is a cloudy day,
0:10:29 > 0:10:34feeling colder, light winds and the rain will clear towards the end of
0:10:34 > 0:10:41the evening. There are three parts of cloud at the moment. They all
0:10:41 > 0:10:44combine to form one main line of rain which will move along the
0:10:44 > 0:10:52English Channel for a time during the time overnight. It is never too
0:10:52 > 0:10:55far away from us for much of the day tomorrow and it means outbreaks of
0:10:55 > 0:10:59rain. Then everything moves through. This is the boundary between the
0:10:59 > 0:11:04mild area and cold air. Once it moves south of us we get to
0:11:04 > 0:11:07north-west winds and lower temperatures and those winds coming
0:11:07 > 0:11:13from the Arctic. A big drop in temperature in the weekend. Tonight,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17some quite heavy rain which will ease for a time and then come back
0:11:17 > 0:11:28towards dawn tomorrow. Tomorrow is rather grey. Patchy rain quite
0:11:28 > 0:11:30widespread around the middle of the day and then beginning to break up
0:11:30 > 0:11:34with brief breaks developing in the cloud in the afternoon. Not
0:11:34 > 0:11:54particularly warm tomorrow and also rather grey. Not much for surfing.
0:11:54 > 0:12:02The weekend forecast has plenty of showers on Saturday, a cold feeling
0:12:02 > 0:12:05on Saturday as well with a north-west wind. A possible frost
0:12:05 > 0:12:12overnight into Sunday. Sunday's cold but bright. Turning milder on
0:12:12 > 0:12:13Monday.
0:12:13 > 0:12:14Look
0:12:15 > 0:12:22Look ahead to tomorrow on BBC Radio Guernsey. The president of economic
0:12:22 > 0:12:24development committee resigned today. The deputy will be on the
0:12:24 > 0:12:28breakfast show tomorrow morning just after 7am to give his reasons. Now
0:12:28 > 0:12:31let's join Dustin and Victoria.