Constable seeks rates guarantee

Tuesday 3rd April 2007, 12:00AM BST.

THE Treasury Minister is trying to wriggle out of an agreement to pay £1.6m in parish rates on States-owned properties, according to the Constable of St Helier, Simon Crowcroft.

He says he will take an amendment to the Business Plan to secure an agreement on rates. In last year’s Strategic Plan debate, the Constable successfully added a requirement for ministers to come up with a proposal for States departments to pay rates this year. If the States paid rates, around £900,000 of the £1.6m annual bill would go to St Helier’s coffers, with big slices also going to St Peter for the Airport and to St Saviour for schools and Health Department properties.

Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.