Senators - Sarah Ferguson
St Brelade's Deputy Sarah Ferguson is a former engineer who joined the States after a number of years as an honorary police officer, a system she supports. She's the only woman standing for Senator in this election.
Deputy Ferguson is the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee for three years and wants better financial management of States funding, and would like to see the income support system reviewed.
She also believes there are still people falling through the education system and would like to see more emphasis placed on teaching basic skills.
[ Source : BBC Jersey ]
The St Brelade No 1 Deputy is the ninth candidate – and the first woman – to announce an intention to stand for this year's Senatorial election.
Deputy Ferguson (66) has served two terms as a Deputy, and is currently the head of the Public Accounts Committee that reviews whether States departments are providing good value, and the head of the Scrutiny chairman's committee. Before ministerial government she served on the Health Committee. As head of Public Accounts, Deputy Ferguson has tabled several amendments to the Strategic Plan, Business Plans and Budgets to try and restrict States spending.
She said: "These are not easy economic times and we must have the best financial management and control possible when spending taxpayers' money. This will enable us better to support those who need that support and to maintain the level of prosperity for all Islanders. There will need to be a change in thinking by the States and I would like to take a part in achieving this."
Deputy Ferguson is a chartered engineer, and has a degree in engineering and an MBA from the Colombia Graduate School of Business in New York. She worked in the finance industry, and as a regulator for the Jersey Financial Services Commission. Deputy Ferguson, who lives in St Brelade, is divorced with one son.
[ Source : This Is Jersey ]
Proposers
- Enid Quenault
- Alan Rabet
- Peter Luce
- John Gready
- Reginald Jeune
- Maria Vieira
- Thomas Perchard
- Daphne Minihane
- Marie-Louise Backhurst
[ Source : Channel Online ]
Senatorial Nomination
Sarah Ferguson, who has been a Deputy for the last six years, was active and vocal and had an impressive track record, said proposer Enid Quénault. Deputy Ferguson has been chairman of the Public Accounts Committee for the past three years and was also a Constable’s Officer and a Centenier. The proposer said that Deputy Ferguson, a chartered engineer, would push for better financial management and control when it came to spending taxpayers' money. Mrs Quénault said the Deputy would continue to fight injustice, unfairness, inefficiency and extravagance wherever she found it. She also wanted to tackle the high cost of doctors' visits and wanted more emphasis placed on teaching basic skills in schools. The proposer said that if Islanders wanted a candidate with a good and proven track record who had considerable ability and integrity and who is a good researcher and listener, then they should vote for Deputy Ferguson.
[ Source : This Is Jersey ]
Election Manifesto - 200 Word Version
I am seeking an island wide mandate to take forward the measures which are vital for the control of public expenditure and to make the States more cost effective. We need good planning and stricter budgetary controls, better allocation of resources between departments and better management information. We have neglected the need to take proper care of the infrastructure and maintenance of properties. Budgeting is treated as a game. There will need to be a change in thinking by the States and I would like to take a part in achieving this.
These are not easy economic times and we must have the best financial management and control possible to give the firm financial foundation necessary to provide the services needed by the Island This will enable us better to support those who need that support and to maintain the level of prosperity for all Islanders. There are at least £30 Million of annual savings and efficiencies we can make in the medium to long term. This will require tough decisions and I want to involve the public in the debate. An all island mandate will give me the support I need to make sure that the new Assembly faces up to the actions required.
[ Source : This Is Jersey ]
A video of Sarah Ferguson's election manifesto is available on Channel Online
Election Manifesto - BBC Version
My name is Sarah Ferguson and I am the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. My website (www.sarahferguson.net) will tell you about my activities, and will explain my stance on GST.
The PAC has been working for the past three years to get behind the figures in the accounts and to assess the state of financial management in the States.
Improving financial management and controls is not newsworthy; it is behind the scenes work, it is technical and it takes time. But we have identified the problems and reported publically on them, a great step forward.
The recent spending review came up with savings of at least £30 million pounds a year, not immediately but eventually.
So why aren't we working on it already? We are.
In the Business Plan my amendments mean that the Council of Ministers must produce an action plan to implement these efficiencies. And I want the public, you, it's your money, to be involved in the debate,
The PAC intends to bring amendments to the public finance law, this will mean that there is legislation in place to make sure the improved financial control and financial management of States expenditure is achieved.
Why is this important?
We have a system where maintenance and infrastructure have been ignored in favour of new projects.
What householder ignores painting the windows until they get rotten and fall out? What householder spends carefully assessing where the money will come from? How they must prioritise what is nice to have and what is essential.
We are all struggling with balancing our own expenditure budgets, but at least we acknowledge what our budgets are, currently budgeting is a game to the States.
You will hear many promises in these elections, I merely ask you to ask 'How much will it cost? And where will that money come from?'.
I want to give the Public Accounts Committee a louder voice for commonsense and prudence when addressing spending. An all-island mandate will give me that loud voice.
During my apprenticeship as a Deputy, I have shown with a bit of commonsense and cooperation, not to mention persistence, we can get things done.
Please give me your mandate to continue.
An audio version of this election manifesto is available from BBC Jersey
[ Source : BBC Jersey ]
A video of Sarah Ferguson's election manifesto is available on Channel Online
Election Manifesto - Extended Version
States Spending
The past three years has seen the development of the role and work of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
There is now a blueprint for improving control and management generated by the Comptroller & Auditor General's report "Spending Review". This, combined with the report by the Public Accounts Committee on the Accounts of the States for 2007, gives a firm steer for the economies to be made and the procedures to be improved if the savings of at least £30 million a year are to be achieved.
This is a long term strategy and cannot be achieved overnight, but we must make a start.
I need to continue my work on Public Accounts Committee to support the work of the Comptroller and Auditor General. I wish to continue to develop the role of the Public Accounts Committee so that it becomes an even louder voice for common sense and prudence in financial matters.
Fiscal Policy
I have supported the Fiscal Strategy in all its aspects with the provisio that it should be supported by a good income support system. The recent report by the Fiscal Policy Panel is entirely consistant with the actions I have taken and I am firmly of the belief that their recommendations are in the best long term interests of the Island.
GST has not been a popular tax. However, a low, simple, universal consumer tax spreads the tax burden across the whole population - which will be especially important in 20 years time with an aging population. Otherwise, income tax would probably have to go up, or we will need to increase the number of immigrant workers.
The broad based tax will mitigate the need to go for substantial population growth in order to have enough taxpayers to support the elderly.
Social Security
The Income Support Scheme is mainly working, but there are areas where the system has proven inadequate and needs improving. I am helping islanders with their Income Support problems and I will work to ensure that this is a genuinely supportive scheme for the less fortunate in our community.
Housing
I do not believe that it is equitable that low cost housing should be sold off to islanders for "buy to let". I have been promised that future sales of flats will be under the flying freehold scheme. I will work with Housing and the Population Office to achieve this.
Enviroment
I believe that everyone has an interest in a cleaner, less wasteful enviroment and I support recycling in a format that is convenient for everyone.
It will still be necessary to have an incinerator. I believe that the construction of a new facility and a covered composting scheme should be completed as soon as possible.
Water is a potential problem. I will support schemes such as grey water recycling. We still do not know enough about our water supplies. I am therefore continuing as a member of the Deep Ground Water investigation group.
I would like to encourage more students to read engineering. it is increasingly engineers who are solving many of the complex enviromental issues we face today. The current investigation into Tidal Power is a clear indication of its importance - and wouldn't it be nice to have homegrown engineers!.
Government Reform
We have only had three years experience of the new ministerial system and some wrinkles remain to be ironed out.
Procedures have been amended to make the system more accountable but the work is not yet finished. I consider that Scrutiny plays an extremely important part in this. Too important for personality politics and private agendas.
We have seen the value of Scrutiny in the amendments to the GST legislation before the final drafting of the law. We have benefitted from the reports which have informed our debates. The public are now more enthusiastic about coming to our hearings with their evidence.
We have seen that the most effective Ministers have been those who have paid attention to Scrutiny reports and representations.
Scrutiny can and must work - it is another way for a clear and evidential representation by taxpayers to government and has achieved positive results.
Law & Order
I am concerned about the proposed new Police Law as it does not address many of the public's concerns. The lessons from other jurisdictions do not appear to have been fully examined. I consider that the complaints procedure should be independent and its findings published.
Education
I am delighted with the performance records of those taking exams. However, the fact that we have a number of children leaving school without the basic reading and writing skills is of major concern. It is an issue I would like to address.
States Properties
Part of the strategic planning must cover a proper infrastructure and maintenance programme for States Properties. The cost of bringing the States total property holdings to an acceptable standard requires an annual budget of an estimated £15 million.
I support the concept of charging States Departments for the use of the property they occupy, which will lead to much needed efficiency.
Additional Matters
Fort Regent: If the swimming pool is not to be restored, I will support a review whether it could be converted to an ice-rink or re-developed for other activities.
Community Service: the recent breakfast briefing which I initiated, presenting the value of the Honorary Police to the finance industry, proved very successful. The result is that there have been a number of new recruits for this important community service.
Tourism: Event led Tourism is extremely important to the Island and I support States investments in these areas.
Third Supermarket: Much as I support competition as a method of holding down costs, the case for a third supermarket still needs to be proved. Supermarkets are increasingly moving into non-food merchandising and this could have much wider implications for the diversity of our retail sector.
[ Source : Sarah Ferguson ]
A video of Sarah Ferguson's election manifesto is available on Channel Online
Biography
Age: 66
Place of birth: Manchester
Family: One son, Sam
Education: Manchester University: Bsc (Tech) in electrical engineering; Columbia University Graduate School of Business, New York: MBA; Institution of Electrical Engineers: CEng, MIEE, Eur.Ing.
Employment: Sitting Deputy since 2002; previously worked extensively in finance industry as both practitioner and supervisor with the JFSC; Centenier for St Brelade; As Deputy in 2002, served on Health Committee and Shadow Public Accounts Committee; on re-election in 2005, elected as chairman of Public Accounts Committee and subsequently chairman of the Chairmen's Committee for Scrutiny Panels.
Hobbies/interests: Hon treasurer of JSPCA; member of St Brelade’s twinning association; director Biarritz Hotel;a gricultural and general contributor to La Baguette (parish magazine); aviation (gained a private pilot’s licence in 70s); travel; anything to do with computers; technology in general; reading; gardening; music….and shopping
[ Source : This Is Jersey ]
Sarah is the grand-daughter of redoubtable Methodists, Sam & Ruby Ferguson, long standing residents of Noirmont, and patrons of many now established St. Brelade facilities, including Communicare.
Following formal private education at Penrhos College, North Wales, Sarah studied at Manchester University, graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering. She served her apprenticeship at AEI, before attending Columbia University Graduate Business School of New York, where she specialised in Finance, Marketing & Accountancy, and gained her MBA.
With a developing Finance industry in the Island, grandfather Sam encouraged Sarah seriously to consider entering the world of Finance and provided the opportunity for her to train as an investment analyst in Jersey. This ultimately led to Sarah being recruited to the research department of a leading stockbroker.
Sarah left the finance world for some years to concentrate on bringing up a family, during which time she established a small retail business. Sarah returned fulltime to the Finance industry in 1983 and accepted a position with one of Jersey's top accountancy practices, subsequently moving on to the Financial Services Department in 1991.
Following her election to Centenier in 2000, St Brelade's first ever female Centenier, Sarah successfully stood as Deputy for St. Brelade No.1 District in 2002 in a tough-fought election. She was re-elected for a further term in the 2005 elections.
Sarah's States record is impressive. She has served on several Committees including Health & Social Services. Sarah has taken part in many debates, and brought several propositions to the House in her six years as Deputy.
Sarah has been an active member of varied associations, including the JSPCA, of which she is the Honorary Treasurer, and is the director of a local independent hotel. She is also Honorary Treasurer of the St. Aubin Traders Association and of the St. Brelade Twinning Association.
Sarah lists among her hobbies and interests:
Aviation (she gained her Private Pilots Licence in the 1970's), travel,anything to do with computers, technology in general, reading, gardening, music, politics.... and shopping.
[ Source : Sarah Ferguson ]