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Paul Arditti ousted from Policy Committee in States vote

Alderney Policy Committee chairman Paul Arditti has been ousted from office in a seven to two vote against him at the Island's States Meeting.

It came after a majority of members had backed a motion of no confidence in Mr Arditti, who also heads up Guernsey's Scrutiny Committee.

Residents packed into the Island's courthouse to hear details of members' allegations of his misconduct. They ranged from precipitating a crisis within Alderney Electricity to non Policy Committee members feeling disenfranchised, to attempts to amass too much personal power. Mr Arditti argued that the charges were 'bunkum' and the advancement of the personal agendas of his fellow three Policy Committee members were behind the move. Seven members voted for Mr Arditti to be removed; Mr Arditti, Louis Jean voted against and new member Steve Roberts abstained.

Building and Development Control Committee chairman Francis Simonet, who proposed States resolution to removed Mr Arditti, will now take on leadership of the Policy Committee.

Reacting to the vote Mr Arditti said: 'I think the public are 30 love down in this tussle with the States of Alderney. I don't know where they go from here; it's a mess frankly. And we can't introduce any real solutions to our problems until the States has credibility again.'

He said his work in Guernsey was the most persuasive reason for him to stay on as an Alderney States Member.

'I've got to decide whether to resign from the States of Alderney or not,' he said. 'If I stay I have to be sure I will be useful. Perhaps in Guernsey if I carry on serving the States of Deliberation with their Scrutiny Committee, then maybe that will help keep the flame of Alderney alive in Guernsey.'

Building and Development Control Committee chairman Francis Simonet will now take on leadership of the Policy Committee. He was proposed by Neil Harvey and seconded by

He said the large majority vote proved that Alderney States were becoming a more united voice.

He said: 'I'm pleased with the result but we are going to put the whole unseemly issue behind us. The States have now united behind me and I now intend to progress and to improve the economy. It's quite clear that the majority of States Members were very unhappy with the chairman of the Policy Committee, and now things can only improve. I have their support and I'm sure it will improve. We are going to have a look at reverting to 10 members on the Policy Committee. It will be more consensus politics than it has been in the past.'

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