Ministers Call For 'Frank And Open' Population Discussion

Ministers say they want islanders from all walks of life to have their say on the upcoming population policy.

A 'frank and open' government consultation has been launched - including plans for focus groups, meetings with industry representatives, and a live-streamed panel session broadcast on social media.

The Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré, admits it has been a long-running issue.

"People in Jersey have been discussing the size of the Island population for many years, and plans have been put forward by successive Governments to keep the population at a certain level. Despite these plans, the Island has seen a steady growth in population in recent years; today we have over 100,000 inhabitants, and continued economic growth has meant people coming from outside of Jersey to work here.

"This Government has agreed to develop a population policy that will consider how best to balance the overall needs of Jersey’s economy, environment, and community. The policy will also need to plan for an Island community that is getting older and the pressures that are associated with that change."

An online survey has been set up to collate islanders' thoughts on the issue, or they can email population@gov.je.

Jersey's population policy has been a long-running issue, but the Council of Ministers is due to formally propose a scheme by the end of the year. However, It is unlikely to come into place before 2022 at the earliest.

Assistant Chief Minister, Deputy Rowland Huelin, has responsibility for developing the population policy. He says it needs to strike the right balance:

"The population policy will need to consider all aspects of Island life, with the objective being to maintain, enhance and - where possible - improve the quality of life for all Islanders. A successful policy will look to balance the competing pressures presented by the economy, the environment, and the community while maintaining the flexibility to adapt and react to future circumstances.

"We appreciate that there are strongly held views on this topic – there is no single answer to this problem and there are no easy solutions. So, it is extremely important that we have this discussion to gauge and confirm existing thoughts, explore potential innovative new ideas, and get all Islanders’ views, so the policy we develop is the right one for us."