27 July 2016
The Department for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture (EDTSC) has set out plans to support the growth of Jersey’s economy by developing new strategies for retail, heritage, culture, the arts. The department is also overseeing new plans for sport development in Jersey.
The plans, as laid out in the Medium Term Financial Plan, include retained funding to protect Jersey’s traditional industries, including agriculture, alongside supporting the growth of the Island’s arts, heritage and culture sector.
Retail
The protection of St Helier’s high street has been identified as a priority not only for EDTSC but also as part of the plan’s focus on regenerating St Helier. EDTSC will work closely with the Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Development Group and Jersey Business to undertake a consultation to produce Jersey’s new retail development strategy.
Tourism
Visit Jersey has recently published its Destination Plan setting out Jersey’s key priorities for tourism, and explaining how the agency will work towards meeting its target of increasing the number of visitors to Jersey to one million a year before 2030. EDTSC will increase funding to Visit Jersey to ensure they can meet this objective.
Culture, Arts and Heritage
The Council of Ministers has recently agreed additional one-off funding that will enable EDTSC to develop a new Cultural, Arts and Heritage Strategy. The department will also develop a long term Investment Strategy for the Island’s cultural, Heritage and Arts facilities, which will be designed to reduce the level of grant support from the government after 2020.
Sport
The EDTSC is currently awaiting a report from the Jersey Sport Shadow Board on creating an independent, grant-funded organisation to lead on Sport Development, and is about to create a Sports Facilities Investment Strategy. In addition, £450,000 of growth funding has been allocated between 2017 and 2019 to continue the delivery of the ‘Fit for the Future’ strategy.
Senator Lyndon Farnham, Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture said “Our priority is to make sure we continue to build confidence across all our Island’s industries. Funding will be maintained to our traditional industries, and we will continue to protect and develop those areas that are so essential to the quality of life we enjoy here in Jersey: our culture, arts, heritage and sport.
“This, in tandem with the very strong start by Visit Jersey, will ensure our economy continues to grow and Jersey continues to develop as a vibrant cultural hub for islanders and visitors alike.”
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