Agree a Population Policy

Jersey doesn’t have a population policy. Despite yearly ‘Common Population Policy Reports’ being published, the States and the Government have not set out a vision for maintaining a sustainable population in to the years to come.

I am firmly of the view that we cannot grow our population indefinitely. It would seem many are pushing for increased inward migration to grow or sustain the working population, yet doing so in a vacuum of policy leads to challenges on housing and infrastructure.

We have to face some tough challenges around the ageing population honestly, and foster an island that can live within its capacity.

This means considering the following when looking at policies that impact population such as inward migration.

• Pressure on the Road Network
• Constraints on our water and energy supplies
• The impact increased development has on Jersey’ character and way of life

Looking ahead to create a sustainable island requires us acknowledge the challenges and address how we support our population and remain financially viable. It’s a debate that should happen at the Assembly level, with members equipped to know what lever we have, and the consequences of using these.