St Brelade Deputies - Deputy John Young

I'm doing a look at our Parish deputies in St Brelade, in a follow up to the current stalled proposition by Constable Sadie Rennard in the States about pay, and asked the Deputies some questions about that, but I also thought it was a good occasion to widen the scope of my enquiry, and ask some extra questions about their work in the Parish.

They have very kindly found time to reply, and consented to this information being made public.

I make no comment on the replies; these questions and answers are purely to be informative. I have a very strict personal code of conduct on information supplied in this way, which should not be presented selectively or with spin of any sort. So here are just questions and answers, and nothing more. In fairness to the Deputies, I won't be allowing comments, but I will ask them any questions arising from comments.

Over the next three days, I'll be posting their responses, and here is the final one - Deputy John Young:

1. Did you take the pay rise, or refuse it?
I have refused to accept the pay rise and will be paid at the pre-existing rate

2. If you took the pay rise, are you donating all of it to charity? If so, which charity/charities?
Not applicable, see above

3. If you took the pay rise, and are donating it to charity/charities, will you continue to do so for this term of office?
Not applicable, see above

4. Do you have parish surgeries? (If you can supply any details, that would be great)
I have held three parish surgeries jointly with other members at Le Quennevais and St Aubin , but to be frank although advertised they were not well attended, so I have not arranged further. I find the majority of contact I receive from constituents or from the public are by phone ( mobile 07797 713273 and home 743677) an by emails to my personal email jhyoung@suakin.com<mailto:jhyoung@suakin.com> or J.young@gov.je<mailto:J.young@gov.je> . all contacts are publicly available and i receive several calls a day and many emails more than sufficient to keep me working a full day and into the evening including weekends . I take on work from other parishes on planning issues at request of people on other districts of the island and other States members . I visit most people who contact me personally at their homes

5. Do you think Deputies should, if possible, be elected in the Parish in which they are living (at the time of election)
Yes , I live in the district

6. What do you think are the most important Parish issues that need addressing? (only reply if you have time)
Planning - managing pressures of development , traffic management , parking in St Aubins , affordable homes , sheltered housing

7. Do you try and attend notable public Parish events? (e.g. Jubilee celebrations last year, Christmas celebrations at St Aubin)
Yes to parish meetings and civic events , active in our jubilee fete this year but have not been able to attend all social events as not my main strength .

8. Do you communicate with the Constable on a regular basis, or an ad hoc basis?
Yes regularly and ad hoc - Steve is copied into all my emails on parish matters , we speak frequently and working on parish initiative. Steve is a member of scrutiny and we discuss issues frequently.

9. Do you communicate with your fellow Deputies on a regular basis, or an ad hoc basis?
Yes regularly and ad hoc , Monty and I sit next to each other in the states , discuss policy frequently and share membership of scrutiny and Machinery of Government review groups. Sean is a member of scrutiny and chair of planning panel and we have much common interest we speak frequently and discuss issues . If meetings are organised by the Constable I think we all attend as far as is possible. My preference is for regular frequent informal communication which works well trying to get things done in the States under the Ministerial system of government . In my view , this system needs to be improved.

10. Can I make this information public?
Yes , if you wish