Senator Ian Gorst
www.gorst.je/About
Jobs and Growth
Achievements
Helped 4,500 people into paid work and 300 long term unemployed into jobs.
Created the Community Jobs Fund, employment grants for employers, incentive schemes for Youth and Hospitality, a new construction training programme and a new apprenticeship scheme.
Within the benefits system, increased the financial incentives to work whilst also increasing the sanctions against those not looking for work.
Produced an Enterprise Action Plan as well as strategies for economic growth and diversification to include work on projects such as Digital Jersey.
Created a £5m Innovation Fund and established Jersey Business to support business and enable growth.
Commissioned a review of Jersey’s strengths, weaknesses and opportunities in the financial services sector in order to shape a new Financial Services framework.
Created a new Tourism shadow board and opened a new London office to promote Jersey in the UK.
Promoted Jersey, its industries, history and culture around the world, particularly in the UK and France, our two nearest neighbours.
Future Challenges
Continue the 'Back to Work' programmes and create a new skills centre to provide more training opportunities for young people.
Work towards exemptions for small businesses from overly burdensome regulations and implement recommendations from ‘Red Tape Review’.
Restructure and dramatically increase government support to all sectors of the economy.
Facilitate the opportunity for children to learn about Jersey’s culture and history and also to learn skills tailored to the local job market; support the continued raising of standards in the education system.
Support Jersey Dairy's export programme.
Introduce tax breaks for enterprise investment schemes.
Promote innovation in new technologies and niche areas such as Fintech/Bitcoin.
Support a new tourism marketing and support body.
Community For All
Achievements
Enabled 50 families to buy new homes with the deposit loan scheme and improved social housing provision.
Introduced discrimination legislation and family friendly legislation.
After 15 years, ratified The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Approved a new Charities Law.
Access to Justice review begun.
Increased tax deduction for families with children at university, and reduced marginal tax rate thus benefiting 80% of taxpayers.
Overseen the introduction of long term care benefit.
Funding agreed for disability research so that we can make better informed decisions about supporting people with extra needs.
Started to reform the Health Service and redesign the public services.
Supported and invested in Jersey Island Games 2015.
Future Challenges
Continue to work towards a community where everyone feels valued, welcomed, treated fairly and has a future.
Support the Children's Service with early intervention in struggling families and sign up to the '1001 days' pledge.
Deliver new homes for Jersey families.
Roll out further discrimination legislation.
Deliver and action a disability strategy.
Update the Mental Health Law and radically improve mental health support.
Provide enhanced respite care facilities for adults as well as children.
Deliver the new hospital.
Deliver the e-government programme.
Work to give more influence to St Helier.
Reform the electoral system and continue to support the Parish system with Connétables in the States.
Delivering For Your Future
Over the last three years I have consistently delivered for Islanders and for our future. I am not afraid of facing problems and making difficult decisions. Jersey, whilst having strong foundations, continues to face challenges as the world around us changes. I believe that by coming together as one community, we can deliver a strong future. We are a small Island in a large world; we need to work together to tackle our problems.
Achievements
Failing to invest in our essential infrastructure at the right time only makes it more expensive in the long run. That is why we have invested in a new liquid waste system and started the process for delivery of a new hospital.
A new energy policy for the next 50 years has been approved and an increased emphasis placed on long term capital and strategic planning. Savings across government have been achieved and priority placed on medium term financial planning.
Jersey’s international profile continues to be enhanced through compliance with international standards and the signing of international agreements.
Future Challenges
Further challenges remain. Whilst we have introduced the Interim Population Policy, we must now deliver a policy for the long term and continue to deal with the ageing population. The cost of government must be carefully controlled and sustainable funding mechanisms adopted for specific future projects thus enabling further upgrading of our infrastructure.Categories: Politics.
