21/12/2016 Channel Islands News

Plans to tax developers come under fire - there are warnings that it

could have a devastating impact on the building industry

Good evening and welcome to the late news from BBC

Also tonight: Could the Christmas getaway be

The problem with weather is that it is a very busy time of year, these

planes are fully utilised so any knock-on has an impact on slots and

slows down the whole process. Jersey's building trade will be

ruined if a new charge is introduced That's the warning tonight

from Jersey's Chamber of Commerce, which claims the proposed

Community Infrastructure Levy, which would allow government

to raise funds from developers, This builder is working on one

of Jersey's biggest recent projects. In the UK, some developments

like this attract a levy. Developers pay a charge

towards infrastructure improvements such as green spaces

and safer road schemes. Now, a similar scheme

may be introduced here, and the island's chamber of commerce

says it will be a disaster. It will actually prevent

builders and developers There are limited sites available

in Jersey for development. There are projects

that need to go ahead. There are large areas of town

that have not been developed, so if they are looking to get people

incentivised to develop those sites, then another tax on top

of what they are already paying is not going to give them

the incentive to do that. In Jersey, the Construction

Council agrees. It says its members are worried

about a potential new tax. Work like this, the new

Co-op at York Street, The minister behind the idea says

it is only fair that companies, rather than communities,

foot the bill for changes I want more green space,

more places for people to enjoy and in town it is important,

and we need a mechanism Yes, we can ask big schemes

to contribute, but I think it is only fair if you benefit

from approval of a planning application, a very small amount

of that money can go The minister says the plans

are at the consultation stage, and he welcomes the views

of the building trade before A leading charity for the elderly

is highlighting many pensioners in Guernsey are shivering

in their own homes because they're too proud to accept benefits

they're entitled to. Age Concern says, while many people

do receive their winter fuel allowance, there are many other

who don't, and the money could help heat their homes

in the cold weather. On a chilly, damp day, people huddle

inside the Salvation Army cafe to keep warm on the shortest day

of the year. This woman used to struggle

to heat her home, but last year applied for Age Concern's

winter fuel allowance. She says it's worth ?250,

and if people are eligible then It has been a great help,

absolutely a great help. Just get the phone number

and ring it, just do it. Although many people have

applied for the allowance, Age Concern says some people are too

proud to ask for help. There is obviously a stigma

that has always been apparent when people are trying

to claim for the benefit, and we clearly don't want them

to feel that. Word of mouth is working

really well for us. Is it a case of pride

for some people? But from our perspective,

we don't want them to be cold. As I say, the weather

is starting to get cold, but This can cause problems

for a lot of older people. The fuel allowance is available

to all pensioners, not just So the advice is, don't sit

there shivering this winter. In the run up to Christmas thousands

of people are expected to use the ports in and out of the

Channel Islands. Although there won't now be

disruption on the airlines due to proposed strike action

being cancelled, now bad weather The great Christmas getaway, as many

leave and arrive in the islands. I am going to Spain to see

my mum for Christmas. We will spend the day

with our family in Spain. My family, my sister

lives down here, so we have come for a break

over Christmas. But concerns over potential travel

disruptions have now turned Condor is advising passengers

to reschedule their booking on the Liberation this Friday

to another of their boats But, keen to get somewhere,

some may choose to find another way. It is a busy time of year, so there

is some capacity on the flight. We have not had

verification about any cancellations for Friday,

but the important thing is that there will be a bit

of capacity left in the aircraft, but it is a busy time

of year, so if you are going to make With thousands wanting to spend

the festive period with loved ones, it's one of the busiest times

for the ports especially, It is about 2000 higher

than we would have seen in an average four day period

in December, nearly as many as we would see over the bank

holiday weekends. It is about the third busiest

time at the airport with Easter and the bank holiday day

weekends topping it slightly. As the current forecast looks OK

for the planes, a final decision on whether the Liberation will help

bring families together this A Pitbull type dog that was taken

away from its owners nearly a year ago in Jersey has been reunited

with them in time for Christmas. After a lengthy legal battle

and online campaign, a court had ruled Mr Bronx

was a dangerous and illegal breed, Today, the Assistant Home Affairs

Minister decided the dog could be returned to his family,

as long as "stringent" Finally tonight, are you still

looking for that perfect present? Well, rather than dash around

the shops, we've got an idea - we've found a rather unusual gift

available right here in Jersey. It has a 105 millimetre gun,

weighs 17.5 tonnes, has a cabin designed for a crew of three,

and can be yours for ?22,500! You have to just drop

down onto the seat. After ten years, Richard is putting

this up for sale to let someone else experience the joy of driving

a piece of British military history. For the 60th anniversary

of the Liberation of Jersey we were doing a big show in 2005,

and I decided that a piece like this I was able to crush cars with it

and show it in the arena, and really it was a bit

of a spectacle. We don't have that sort of show

any more, so I thought Although it's too big

for Jersey's roads, and the gun has been deactivated,

Richard says it still has It has got its own

motors to do that. Unfortunately, you need

extra batteries, so at Let's face it, if you were presented

this for Christmas, I think most men You can't argue with that,

although you may need some extra Now a look at the weather

forecast with David Braine. Hello, good evening. We have got

some reasonably mild weather as we move into Christmas, but tomorrow is

colder with some showers around first thing in the morning, then

mainly dry with lighter winds than we have seen. We have a temporary

ridge of high pressure covering us for the day Amaro, but only for one

day because a new area of low pressure, which is now being called

Barbara, it is a way away from us, over 700 miles in fact, but the

trailing cold front will make progress towards us and we will see

some rain. Showers this evening and through the night to come will fade

away for a time, but we will keep a lot of cloud for much of the night.

Winds light and becoming variable by the morning, and a few spots of

light rain for dawn tomorrow. Temperatures started the day at 9

degrees. Those early showers will disappear, and by the middle of the

morning we will have bright, dry weather with some sunshine and a

small chance of a passing shower. Most of the day is dry with light

winds, and 10 degrees will be the maximum temperature. The same

weather front giving a straight night will be across the central

part of France, so it could be a damp day for the middle of France,

as well as northern parts of Spain and Portugal. Heading into

Christmas, we will see quite windy conditions on Friday, mild

conditions for the Christmas spell. If you showers possible on Christmas

Day. Staying mild at 12 or 13 degrees. Good night. You are

up-to-date with the news from the Channel Islands. We will be back at

6:30pm. Good night. good for us. Mild by the time we

reach Christmas Day. Hello there, there is wet and very

windy weather on the way in the run-up to Christmas. The worst of

the weather to the northern half of the UK. We have a strengthening jet

out of North America that is propgating across the Atlantic.

Rushing our way. Picking up low pressure, deepening them, tracking

them to the north-west of Scotland, hence the wind and rain. Tonight, we

have gale force winds in the north-west of Scotland. Wintry

showers