Vote of no confidence lodged against chair of health scrutiny panel

A motion of no confidence has been brought against the Chair of the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel in Jersey, Deputy Geoff Southern, over the way he has handled complaints against two of his panel members.

The vote was lodged by Deputy Philip Bailhache after Deputy Southern asked Deputies Andy Howell and Barbara Ward to resign following a letter of complaint from the Health Minister, in which she accused the two women of acting with vitriol and disrespect towards health bosses. 

However, Deputy Bailhache believes their questioning was relevant and legitimate, and put minor mistakes down to their inexperience as States members.

He said: "They have done nothing, in my view, which makes it inappropriate for them to continue as members of the Panel. On the contrary, the Panel would be considerably weaker for their absence."

He added: "I invited Deputy Southern to consider resigning from the chairmanship of the Panel and submitting himself to the Assembly for re-election.

"He was unwilling to agree to that solution, and I have therefore no other option but to lodge this motion of no confidence in his leadership."

In response, Deputy Southern said: "A confidence motion is a serious matter and should not be brought without due consideration of all the facts.”

"As a result of the breakdown of trust between the paneI members and the minister, I felt compelled to ask them to stand down from the Panel."

Deputy Bailhache will ask to have the proposition debated at the meeting on 28 February.