(constable)

PUT THE CONSTABLE BACK IN ST HELIER!

VOTE SIMON CROWCROFT
FOR CONSTABLE
ON WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 12TH

Dear Elector of St Helier

On Wednesday December 12th you have the opportunity to choose a new Constable to lead the Parish. A Constable who shares with you the ups and downs of town life because he lives in the Parish.

With your support, I know that I can work with the team of Parish staff and the municipality to bring about the improvements in St Helier that are urgently needed.

As a first step, I want to remove the distrust which many parishioners feel over the way their rates are being spent, which has led to confrontational rates assemblies, and a lack of confidence in how the Parish is being run.

My pledge to you is to create a Town Hall that values its staff and delivers value-for-money services to the people of St Helier; a Parish which is a safe, clean and attractive; a Parish in which people of all ages enjoy living, and where there is a sense of excitement over St Helier's future.

Please vote for me on December 12th.

Simon Crowcroft

Read my first hustings speech (First Tower School, Wednesday 28th November, 7.30 p.m.)

Read my second hustings speech (Rouge Bouillon School, Monday 3rd December, 7.30 p.m)

Read my third hustings speech (The Town Hall, Monday 10th December, 7.30 p.m)

RATES SENSE!

Rates is the burning issue for St Helier ratepayers. I will make rates reform my no.1 priority. I pledge to work closely with the St Helier Procureurs and Assessors, and engage in constructive dialogue with the elected Parish Representatives. Together we will examine what is going wrong, and find practical solutions.

Ratepayers have the right to receive clear explanation of what their money is being used for, and to know that unfairness will be removed - how many services from which the whole Island benefits are being paid for by the ratepayers of St Helier?

I will ensure that the Parish produces a Business Plan well in advance of the Rates Assembly, and an Annual Report at the end of the financial year.

FIVE FACTS ABOUT YOUR RATES BILL:

SENSE ON SERVICES

The Parish workforce is dedicated and committed to St Helier, providing us with an impressive range of services. I will ensure that these are being administered in an effective way, and remove unnecessary red-tape and bureaucracy.

The duplication of several services with the States will be investigated to see if we can achieve even higher standards by working in a more 'joined-up' way. I believe that it may be unnecessary, for example, for the Parish to purchase and maintain expensive equipment which is identical to that operated by the States.

The potential for getting best value from assets such as Westmount Works (which is worth millions of pounds, and if re-developed, could provide much needed parking for commercial vehicles) has not been taken advantage of, although it has been talked about for many years. I will bring this matter to a Parish Assembly straight away.

WE NEED:

* quality services provided in the most effective way
* service standards publicised and measured
* Parish assets like Westmount Works used for the benefit of ratepayers
* an independent audit committee to check value for money is being obtained
* a good relationship maintained with our loyal Parish workforce
* expenditure on the Town Hall properly controlled

TEAMWORK REALLY WORKS

St Helier's problems can only be solved - and our opportunities realised - if we all work as a team.
* I will work with anyone who has the best interests of St. Helier at heart, and who wants to see our town prosper
* I will foster a sense of cooperation at the Town Hall
* There are now 10 Deputies and 5 resident Senators in St Helier: if elected Constable I will lead an influential team of States' members who will put St Helier first when decisions are made which affect the Town, eg on rates, the Waterfront development, the Island Plan, and so on.

OUR COMMUNITY

Our town has many strengths, but safety is a real concern. I want to see the Honorary Police up to full strength within a year. I support greater use of our CCTV cameras to reduce crime. Several ongoing Projects to improve residents' quality of life will get my full backing:

* residents' parking (a trial scheme begins early next year)
* better bus services for the town
* the Millennium Town Park
* Safer Routes to Schools
* a shopmobility scheme for the disabled
* traffic calming measures where requested by residents, e.g. Clarke Ave. Green Street
* wider town pavements, more unloading bays
* steps to reduce late-night noise and other nuisances

A BETTER TOWN FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES

I am committed to making the town a better place for young people. I will also look after the interests of the elderly. There is a great deal to be done to improve the quality of life of those who live in crowded lodgings and sub-standard accommodation in St Helier.

As Connétable I will:
* support improvements in our residential-care facilities for the elderly
* support the provision of nursery places, and the development of after-school and evening facilities for our young people
* support the provision of more homes for first-time buyers and States' tenants

WHAT'S GOING ON?

When someone moves into St Helier they receive no clear information about the services they can expect to receive from the Parish - no information about rubbish collections, or parish meetings; no explanation of how the welfare system works; no invitation to take part in activities with our twin towns, or to get involved in other areas of Parish life.

This has to change - we need more open government in St Helier:

* regular parish assemblies for proper consultation on Parish projects;
* agendas and minutes published an information sheet for residents,
* a regular newsletter, a Parish website.

THE HEART OF THE ISLAND'S ECONOMY

Having run a business in St Helier for ten years I appreciate the value of small businesses, the importance of tourism to the town, and the challenges all businesses face. Businesses also provide 66% of the Parish's rates income. The Centre Ville initiative needs to take its proper place at the centre of a parish/business partnership in improving the environment of our town.

Working with the team of Town Hall staff and in partnership with other groups, we can create:
* the quality town environment that is essential for the economic well-being of St Helier to attract shoppers, workers and tourists
* better unloading facilities for business, better access for their customers
* clean and attractive surroundings for offices and shops

ST HELIER - MODERN GOVERNMENT

I am an enthusiastic supporter of the Clothier proposals to reform our system of government.

The States recently agreed to change from the present committee system to a ministerial one, and early next year will be asked in P.179/2001 to agree that Constables should no longer be ex officio members of the States.

I believe that, as proposed by Clothier, the Constable of St Helier should stand for a place in the Island's government in a general election.

The Clothier proposals also recommend a better structure for the Parish Assembly to assist in the process of decision-making. Whatever changes are in store for our system of Parish government, we must ensure that from now on St Helier is administered in a more democratic and accountable way.

PLEASE VOTE SIMON CROWCROFT FOR CONSTABLE OF ST HELIER, ON WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 12th BETWEEN 11 A.M. AND 8 P.M

In the time available before the election I will visit as many homes as I can, but if you would like me to visit you to discuss these policies, or if you need information about postal voting, or transport to your polling station on election day, please contact me at,