12 October 2012
The Chief Minister has invited the Comité des Connétables to ask their parishioners to nominate sites for the QE II Fields Challenge. The UK set up this Diamond Jubilee project to allow individuals to nominate outdoor recreational areas they would like to see safeguarded for future generations to enjoy.
As the scheme was a UK one, the legal apects of ownership and management have had to be adapted to enable it to be run in Jersey. Now that work has been completed to the satisfaction of the UK Fields in Trust Challenge, it has been agreed that the parishes are the most appropriate organsiations to run the scheme. This will ensure information about the challenge reaches all areas of the island and gives parishioners the opportunity to discuss which sites to nominate and to make the decision as a community.
Nominations
The Comité des Connétables has been asked to forward all the nominations received by the parishes to the Chief Minister's Department by 7 November 2012. A report will then be presented to the States Assembly for their information.
Nominations will be sent on to the QE II Fields Trust Challenge Committee, who will upload each nomination to their website to allow the public to vote.
Once a field has been selected, the legal documentation will be prepared for the QE II Fields Challenge Committee along with a letter to the trust. A final report detailing the outcome of the voting process will also be submitted to the States for information.
Recreation
Assistant Chief Minister, Senator Paul Routier, said “I am confident that our parish constables will support this initiative and I hope we can safeguard a recreational area for the future residents of Jersey.
“Discussions with the Trust Challenge Committee have established that it is mostly public land that has been nominated in the UK; this does not preclude the owners of private land nominating sites through the parishes.
“We have also received advice that sites already under political influence, through planning application or consultation, should not be put forward for this scheme.”
Deadline
Islanders are asked to submit any suggestions they have to their parish hall by Wednesday 7 November. Once these have been received by the parishes, suggestions will passed to the Chief Minister's Department to ensure the nominations put forward comply with the criteria.
Download QE2 Fields Challenge nomination form (87kb)
gov.je