04 July 2006
A major revamp of the Waterfront Enterprise Board is being proposed by the Chief Minister, Senator Frank Walker.
If the States approve, it would mean an interim period while a new development company, charged with managing the development of all States property assets as well as managing the development of the St Helier Waterfront, is established.
In a Report and Proposition lodged today, the Chief Minister proposes reappointing two members of the WEB board – Jurat John Tibbo and Peter Crespel – when their terms of office expire in August. He is proposing that former Deputy Gerald Voisin should become chairman of WEB.
Senator Walker wants the three men to work with the current States directors (Senator Paul Routier, Deputy Jacqui Huet and Senator Jim Perchard) to develop the framework for the new company.
He said: “Unfortunately it has not been possible to finalise the proposals for the new company sufficiently early to allow the appointment of the new board on a permanent basis. Therefore we have decided, so that work on the Waterfront development can continue without delay, to take the step of appointing three non-States members of the board of WEB on an interim basis.”
The memorandum and articles of association of WEB say that we must appoint directors for a three-year period, and the States are being asked to agree the appointments until 2009. In fact, the Chief Minister expects that the appointments will run for a considerably shorter period.
He added: “As soon as the form and structure of the new development company is agreed, a new board will be appointed in a transparent process overseen by the Appointments Commission. In the meantime, Gerald Voisin has agreed to act as interim chairman, overseeing the establishment of a company framework which can be an effective instrument in securing a confident future for Jersey.”
Senator Walker paid tribute to the outgoing chairman, Pierre Horsfall, who has completed his three-year term, saying: “Pierre Horsfall has been unstinting in his service to the Island, first as a States member and more recently in other work. As chairman of WEB for the past three years, Pierre has overseen a period of intense activity and I am greatly indebted to him for the contribution he has made to the St Helier Waterfront.”
ENDS.
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