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Simon Soar has been appointed Director of the Policy Centre Jersey. Commenting on the appointment, Alan Merry, Chair of the Centre said “We are very pleased to welcome Simon to the team. With a career focused on developing businesses in Jersey, and as Vice Chair of IoD Jersey, Simon is well placed to help us build on our momentum and provide leadership and support through, what will be, a critical phase of our development”.

The Jersey Government publishes a wide range of statistical information. Most recently, a new report The Jersey Classification of the Functions of Government Report 2022 was published on 21 November 2023.Notwithstanding its convoluted title and the fact that it has yet to find its way on to the statistics page of the Government’s website it contains a wealth of new analysis of public expenditure by the Jersey Government.The report classifies government expenditure in accordance with the United Nations Functions of Government system. The system enables comparisons to be made between jurisdictions and over time.

Jersey politics does not feature prominently in academic literature. Indeed, more generally there is comparatively little in the way of analysis or even description of the Island's political system.The Policy Centre has sought to address this issue, in particular by publishing papers on Jersey’s political system and Jersey’s constitution in its Knowledge Centre. The Centre’s database of academic papers is also relatively thin on Jersey politics, with just two papers: Henry Johnson’s study of the abortive attempt to establish a new national anthem for the Island and Mark Boleat’s study of the 2022 general election.It is therefore welcome that there is a new academic study of the Island’s 2022 general election. It is by two academics, Christopher Pich and John Reardon, who previously published an excellent analysis of the 2020 Guernsey election, included in the database of academic papers, which they described as “the strangest general election in the world”.

The Centre has published a new Policy Brief on the Government’s proposal for an offshore wind farm, which was announced on 17 October and on which a consultation has now commenced.The proposal is for a wind farm off the south west coast of the Island, producing about six times the amount of electricity currently used in Jersey. The wind farm would cost several billion pounds to design and build and the intention is that it would be privately funded and built by companies that have substantial experience of similar developments elsewhere.

The Policy Centre Jersey has updated its Policy Brief on the economy, to include the most recent figures on the size and growth of the economy and the analysis in the Fiscal Policy Panel’s annual report, published on 13 November.

From time-to-time the suggestion is made that there should be a tunnel or bridge connecting Jersey to France. This note provides a high-level review of the issue. The shortest distance from Jersey to the Normandy coast is 23 kilometres. However, bridges and tunnels can't just run from shore to shore. A fixed link would probably need to be at least 25 kilometres. The issues that need to be considered are practicality, viability, demand, implications for the ferry service, whether France wants a fixed link and perhaps the most politically difficult issue - the landing area for the fixed link.

On 29 September 2023 the Policy Centre held a discussion meeting based around its report Housing and Social Mobility in Jersey. The nature of the housing market was worsened social mobility in Jersey. House prices are such that many can afford to buy only with the help of the "Bank of Mum and Dad", and the children of homeowners are more likely to get help from their parents than the children of tenants.

The Policy Centre Jersey has published a report on the impact of the housing market on social mobility as part of its programme of work on social mobility.The report concludes that the operation of the housing market has worsened social mobility in Jersey. Those who bought homes many years ago have benefitted from the significant rise in house prices and have been willing and able to use the increase in wealth to help their children with housing costs, in particular to become home owners. Those who have been tenants have been less able to do this and their children have been priced out of the market.

The Policy Centre Jersey is now seeking a Director. The advertisement for the position sets out the person specification -‍ This one-of-a-kind role offers a talented leader the opportunity to join the Jersey Policy Centre and help us build better futures for people in Jersey. Established six months ago, we’re now looking for an equally one-of-a kind Director with the talent, insight and genuine interest to make a difference and to drive our development and ensure effective policy formation drives better decisions and outcomes.

On 19 September 2023 the Government published its proposed Government Plan 2024-2027 and ministerial plans for 2024. The Centre's Policy Briefs draw heavily on these documents. Accordingly, all the Policy Briefs have been updated, incorporating relevant information from the two documents. The Briefs will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.

The Centre's Policy Brief on housing has been updated to include the latest house price statistics and various Government initiatives.

The Policy Centre Jersey is adding to its range of resources with a series of “think pieces”. The think pieces will be short evidence-based papers relevant to public policy in Jersey.

A new paper has been added to the Knowledge Centre covering the Island's energy market. It explains the supply and use of energy in the Island and the measures being taken to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

On 11 July 2023 the Policy Centre held a discussion meeting on the challenges in providing an effective healthcare service in Jersey. Professor Hugo Mascie-Taylor, author of the Review of Health and Community Services Clinical Governance Arrangements within Secondary Care and interim Chair of the Health and Care Board, opened the discussion. Rosemarie Finley, Chief Executive of Family Nursing and Home Care, and James Le Feuvre, Chair of the Jersey Health and Care Partnership Group, commented on the presentation and added their thoughts following which there was an open discussion. 28 people attended the meeting – members of the Council’s Advisory Committee and invited guests from the charity sector and the States Assembly.

The first meeting of the Policy Centre’s Advisory Council was held at the Prosperity 24/7 offices on Tuesday 29 June 2023. 20 members of the Council attended. The Council had a wide-ranging discussion on issues that the Centre should concentrate on. Three major priorities were identified - housing, poverty and the consequences of the ageing society.