The Weekly Briefing from The Quarry

Dig This

Continuing with our coverage from Dig Deeper - The Quarry live, where we explored our cultural links with France, the opportunities they create and how they could be strengthened. This time in conversation with Guernsey Arts Community & Public Realm Officer and Vale Earth Fair Collective member Jade Kershaw.

You can also listen through Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

In other news...

• Guernsey Complaints Panel rejected 68% of 22 complaints received between 2019 and July 2026, with only two cases reaching a Review Board determination
• Panel operates without formal written policies, guidance, or training materials, relying solely on statutory law for decision-making processes
• No data recorded on critical procedural aspects including evidence requests, opportunities for complainant responses, or how disputed facts are handled
• Average processing time of 349 days (11 months) from receipt to closure, with data only available from 2022 onwards
• Review Boards have narrow remedial powers limited to requesting committees reconsider matters, unable to order specific remedies

• Excise duty of £2.20 per 10ml on vaping liquids to be introduced in Guernsey and Alderney from 9 November 2026
• Duty applies to all vaping liquids regardless of nicotine content, with medicinal vaporised products exempt
• Passengers can bring up to 50ml for personal use without paying duty; amounts above this limit will be charged
• Flat-rate charge designed to keep system simple for businesses and importers
• Move aligns Guernsey with Jersey and the UK, both introducing similar duties in 2026

• Vale Earth Fair hosting volunteer reunion at Vale Castle on 24 August at 6pm for past and present helpers
• Free Warm-Up gig at the Yacht on 29 August featuring Hammermaid and Monolith
• Free Wind-Down gig on 31 August with Its Own Animal, Grant Sharkey and Le Beaubo
• Main festival takes place on 30 August with six stages of local, Jersey, UK and French acts
• Festival celebrating its 50th anniversary with tickets still available online

• Planning permission granted to convert a tattoo parlour at in Mansell Street, into a bakery selling goods cooked on-site
• Made by Fairies Bakery will operate 8am-6pm Monday to Saturday with baking from 6am; no hot food for consumption on premises
• Strict noise control condition imposed requiring plant machinery to operate 5 dB(A) below background noise levels to protect neighbours
• Site located in conservation area near protected building; officers concluded proposal will contribute positively to area's vitality
• Previous café application withdrawn earlier in 2026; premises has changed use multiple times since 2018

• Castle Bridge will close from 7 September for an eight-month, £6.2m reconstruction project
• The 95-metre bridge and approach bridge will be replaced to secure long-term access to Castle Cornet, the Breakwater and the Lighthouse
• Castle Cornet will close from 7 September, with the new bridge expected to reopen in late May 2027
• Parking arrangements around Castle Emplacement will be revised, with viewing spaces temporarily converted to two-hour parking
• Historic 19th-century granite piers supporting the bridge have been strengthened and will be retained as part of the new structure

• Inpatient admissions rose 16% to 18,715 whilst formal complaints increased 27% to 189 in 2025
• Emergency Department achieved 88% four-hour target compared to NHS England's 74%, with 10% conversion rate versus NHS's 23%
• Gastroenterology achieved 34% reduction in waiting lists through refined pathways and increased CT colonography scans by over 50%
• Outpatient and inpatient contract waiting times reached 61% against 95% target, though 94% of routine patients seen within six months
• Hospital modernisation Phase 2A costs exceed £130m budget by tens of millions, prompting affordability review and prioritisation exercise

• Art for Guernsey launches open call for exhibition celebrating the island's iconic trees, running from November 2026
• Artists working in any medium can submit works responding to trees, woodland or themes including ecology, heritage and climate
• Submissions due by midday on 23rd October at Art for Guernsey Gallery, with £10 entry fee per artwork
• Exhibition supported by professional services firm Praxis, one of the largest independent financial services groups in the Channel Islands
• Selected artworks will be presented for sale, with proceeds supporting community and education projects

• Guernsey Financial Services Commission has applied for US Qualified Jurisdiction status with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
• The island had 549 licensed insurance entities as at 31 December 2025, including 327 non-cellular insurance companies and 222 protected cell company cells
• Financial services contributed £1.3 billion and accounted for 40% of Guernsey's Gross Value Added in early 2025
• The application details Guernsey's regulatory framework, supervisory approach and cooperation arrangements with international regulators
• Guernsey has signed 84 memoranda of understanding with regulators and was upgraded to the IAIS Enhanced Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding in 2024

• Titan Wealth to acquire remaining 51% stake in tax advisory firm LTS, having held 49% since May 2024
• Deal subject to approval from Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority, value undisclosed
• LTS will continue operating under existing brand with same team serving clients
• LTS Guernsey office to relocate to Titan Wealth premises at 20 New Street on 24th August
• Acquisition follows Titan Wealth's purchases of Ravenscroft's wealth management business and Advisa Wealth in 2024-2025

• Guernsey Housing Association to begin Court Falaise development on 24 August, delivering 70 affordable housing units
• Temporary traffic lights at La Charotterie from 24 August 2026 until end of March 2028
• Pavement outside site to close with controlled crossing for pedestrians, wheelchair users and pushchairs
• Additional time built into bus services from 7 September to mitigate delays from traffic lights
• La Charotterie to close for several days from 21 October for crane installation

This week's audio briefing

The Weekly Briefing from The Quarry

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Guernsey Gazette

St Peter Port dog owners are reminded to pay their overdue 2026 dog tax of £10 per dog.

Seventeen Perwyn-associated investment companies have entered voluntary liquidation with creditor claims due by September 1st.

Borside Limited is seeking to transfer its company registration from the Isle of Man to Guernsey.

GFSC notices

Decision of the European Court of Human Rights

The Commission welcomes NAIC announcement of Guernsey’s application for Qualified Jurisdiction status

Commission enhances website to improve access to information