WARNINGS about financial liabilities of almost £1.5 million have sparked concern among St Brelade parishioners.
Constable Mike Jackson told a parish assembly that decisions needed to be taken on three projects which he admitted could have a significant impact on future rates bills.
Around 60 people attended the meeting to consider a potential bill of up to £763,705 for work to the parish hall, including re-roofing, exterior decoration and the creation of a new one-bedroom flat.
Mr Jackson said the parish also faced a total bill of £535,000 for a revamp of the Elephant Park, and was committed to re-roofing the rectory, which he anticipated would cost between £100,000 and £150,000.
The meeting heard that a total of £55,000 had already been spent on preparations for the Elephant Park project, which was forecast to cost a further £480,000 and would encompass the renovation of toilets and sewerage, installation of a canopy, and an accessible path onto the site.
A series of options to pay for all the works were outlined, including rate increases, sale of assets and borrowing, with Mr Jackson saying the parish also had a property reserve fund which currently contained £385,000.
Architect Carlo Riva said the re-roofing of the parish hall followed decades of under-investment in the grade-four listed building, with damage to the roof dating back – in part – to a fire that occurred in 1936 and some water supplies still coming via lead pipes.
The creation of the flat accounted for an estimated £190,000 of the parish hall project, with several attendees raising concern about the viability of this idea.
All four parish Deputies contributed to the debate. Deputy Montfort Tadier said: “It’s a terrible time for this, with interest rates so high and lots of bills.
“We need to get back to basics of fiscal prudence and do the minimum maintenance, not have grandiose ideas with money we don’t have.
“Most people are suffering as a result of the cost of living and any rate rise should be as low as possible.”
Mr Jackson said he noted the concerns from attendees and would return to the next parish assembly, on Tuesday 28 May, with more information about the projects and a detailed list of properties and other assets owned by the parish, but warned that a decision would need to be taken at that point.
“It’s easy to keep kicking the can down the road, but this tender [for the parish hall] is due to fall away in the middle of June,” he said.
“The holes in the roof are clear – we have put this off for too long.”
