14/02/2017 Channel Islands News

Giving back to get more - farmers will need to look

They can give it to us this year, in three years' time but they're

If they were not bothered three years ago, why

Good evening and welcome to the late news from BBC Channel Islands,

Jersey's Education Minister avoids punishment for misleading figures

Farmers in Jersey will no longer get government money based

on the size of their farm, but instead will have

to prove they're meeting sustainable farming standards.

The new plan will change the way the industry's supported.

Some say it will bring more help for businesses

but others believe it's too little, too late.

It's no longer Jersey's most important industry.

But farming is an inescapable part of the island's identity.

And it's that impact on our landscape the government

In this plan, now we're expecting farmers -

in return for public tax payers' money that they'll receive -

to give back to the community some environmental gain.

To show that they're looking after the countryside,

that they're thinking about energy, water pollution and a whole

And in exchange for receiving public money, farmers

are going to demonstrate that they're looking

And that's the big change in this big plan.

Farmers will need to reach certain standards to get grants.

The higher the standard, the bigger the grant and it's

hoped in ten years' time, all Jersey farms will have met

what's called the Leaf standard - which would be a world first.

If everyone steps up to the challenge and gets

accreditation for their farm - whether it's cattle,

whether it's sheep or chickens or just the growing side -

if everyone steps up to the Leaf mark challenge,

Jersey's in a great place to market itself as an island

that is producing sustainable food, and that's going to be

Although Peter admits the plan isn't perfect.

He's worried there isn't more to help young farmers

Something dairy farmer Darren knows very well.

He gave up his organic status three years ago

Now he thinks the strategy is too little, too late.

Organic farming was obviously the benchmark of all sustainable

We, as an organic association on the island, asked government over

three years ago to fund it, otherwise it was in serious decline.

They didn't do it, it has had serious decline,

and now they're out there championing the fact that

they're going to look after the environment...

It seems a little bit too late in my book.

And with the financial pot not getting any bigger for farmers,

the government hopes the subsidies will be a big enough

But Darren says while the States is making the right noises,

Jen Smith, BBC Channel Islands News, Jersey.

Securing reliable, sustainable and affordable air and sea links -

that's the main priority people in Guernsey want the government

to focus on when detailing the islands' future plan.

That's the feedback from a series of drop-in workshops to help

the Policy and Resources Committee decide the 20-year strategic vision,

But Deputy Le Tocq told BBC Radio Guernsey today

that they can't focus on immediate concerns.

There is a dichotomy, if you like, between just fixing things that

are a problem at the moment and being able to take

a step back and say, look, we might fix it at the moment

but then it's going to be another problem next year or two

years down the line, or this is a regular issue.

We need to have a broader look and try and see

might do to have a more sustainable and long-term solution.

Jersey's Education Minister has survived a motion of censure over

The motion was called for by a politician who claims

the minister used misleading information when he presented

to the States his plans for reducing new teachers' salaries.

Like many other departments, Education is having to make savings,

whether through means-testing free nursery places or reducing grants

But plans to cut the pay of newly recruited teachers got

the Education Minister into hot water.

Backbencher Deputy Geoff Southern called for a motion of censure

against the minister - that's a reprimand by the States -

accusing him of using misleading figures.

Teachers in Jersey currently start out on ?38,000 a year.

The pay cut would bring that down to ?34,000,

which the minister says is still more than in the UK.

He compared the pay of level one teachers in the UK -

the least experienced and qualified - with level three teachers

in Jersey, who have to be post-graduates in education

The island doesn't recruit below a level three.

But Deputy Southern thinks that's comparing apples and oranges.

The minister, however, says it still adds up.

Even with the pay cut, level three teachers in Jersey get

more than level three teachers in the UK, including

those in the higher paid, inner London schools.

But the Deputy's motion of censure was overwhelmingly defeated.

So was it all just a waste of States' time?

Well, you can argue that, but I believe that ministers

in particular, and their assistants, should listen carefully

to the will of the States that we're given open,

straightforward and honest answers and information.

And though the minister survived the motion,

does the whole debacle throw doubt over his plans to cut pay?

Not at all, it's one of those things where you have to make very

We have to make budget requirements, we have to make sure we are fully

So we protected our front-line services and are still on track,

along with the council and ministers, to making

The question now is what impact any pay cut would have on teacher

Luxmy Gopal, BBC Channel Islands News, Jersey.

Over 900 people have signed a petition against

Jersey's Chief Minister receiving a pay rise.

Reform Jersey launched the online petition

following a recommendation from the States' Independent Review

Committee for the island's most senior politician to be paid ?7,000

more than the flat line rate of just over ?46,000 currently

Most Jersey politicians aren't worth the money they are paid and most

don't act in the interests of ordinary islanders

and our democratic system does not really give the right level

If you are going to be paid more, you should be held to account

by the public more, so I would be completely opposed to any pay rise

for the Chief Minister until we've had proper checks and balances

Guernsey's biggest horse race could be cancelled this year.

Organisers are struggling to put on the event and are looking

Mike Wilkins reports. draws crowds and competitors

What this man doesn't know about horses isn't worth knowing.

Thadie Griffith is one of a handful of farriers in Guernsey.

He also helps run the annual horse racing event.

But this year he says it may have to be cancelled

Unless we can find people to help us with the course and financially,

yes, there is a problem and it could be that they might have to run

this race once every two years or something just to keep it going.

The event draws thousands of spectators but rising costs

are forcing the organisers to think again.

It costs ?30,000 to host and the transport links are not helping.

The tourist trade on the islands is going down fast. People cannot get

here, it is so expensive. They run the risks of not getting one which

happens a lot. Things must be done, the island is to sort itself out.

This has provided a national grandstand to watch the races.

The question is, will there be anything to see on the 1st of May?

Good evening. It was a bitterly disappointing start to things for

today. The guys eventually brightened and something similar

should happen tomorrow. Al-Qusayr brain through the morning and

brighter skies emerge in the afternoon. We have a weather front

heading our way up towards the West. It brings the rain tomorrow morning

and clears eastwards. On Thursday, higher pressure is in charge,

hopefully a fine day on Thursday, hopefully a fine day on Thursday,

as well. High pressure Kleist and as well. High pressure Kleist and

hang on on Friday but we have a weather front approaching and that

means thickening cloud at our brakes means thickening cloud at our brakes

are rain towards the end of the day. Through the night tonight we have

starry skies overhead but the clouds will thicken and we might see our

breaks of rain towards the end of the night. Those are down to seven

or 8 degrees, mild with misty patches. It will be a bit picture

into tomorrow morning, some of the rain is heavy and potentially

thundery. A brisk southerly wind companies that rain, it tends to

clear. For the afternoon, hopefully some sunshine. Winds move South

westerly and turn lighter later. Hopefully a springlike look tomorrow

afternoon with temperatures into double figures. These are other

times of high water. These are our coastal waters forecast. The winds

will decrease as the day goes on. We have got the risk of early rain and

fog patches and that will reduce the visibility. This is the picture over

the coming days, the risk of rain firstly tomorrow which will clear.

Sunny spells a forecast for Thursday but bigger cloud in the Friday and

maybe some are breaks of rain later in the day.

That's your news this Tuesday evening, BBC Radio Guernsey

and Jersey will have bulletins from 6am tomorrow morning and I'll

weather into the weekend. A bit of fog around to watch out for. Jon

Hammond with the national forecast now.

Good evening. There is some rain in the forecast but not a lot. Plenty

of dry weather to look forward to as we head to the weekend. Cloud

delivering some rain but plenty of spaces in between, hence my

optimism. One of these blobs of cloud is producing dampness right

now. We could see a glancing blow across the far south-east through

the early hours and later some rain arriving across the far south-west.

In between some hill fog overnight, not desperately cold, for most a

touch of frost across the northern Glens of Scotland. At the other end

of the UK some wet weather first thing for breakfast, pushing through

Devon and Cornwall into South Wales. It won't hang