The Weekly Briefing from The Quarry

The Weekly Briefing from The Quarry

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• Revenue Service faces 106,444 outstanding work items as of 31st August 2026, down 36% from a baseline of 166,543 established in March, but still representing a significant backlog accumulated over more than 12 years
• Failed transformation programme from 2018-2024 delivered new systems without finishing vital automation tasks, requiring 18 months to fix employer return processing and leaving finance and debt platforms incomplete
• Service has paid £2.73 million in supplements to taxpayers for delays between 2022 and 2026, with £817,021 paid in 2026 alone as the recovery programme clears repayment backlogs
• Staff turnover peaked at 13.3% in 2025 but has fallen to 2.5% in 2026, whilst headcount increased from 104 in 2024 to 118 in 2026 with only two current vacancies
• Complete backlog clearance expected by October 2028 without further investment, with four-weekly public progress reports to be published from 12th October 2026 at www.gov.gg/recovery

• Elizabeth College and The Ladies' College could give up £2.2m annual States grant following philanthropic donation
• Endowment would replace grant funding whilst maintaining affordable fees at both colleges
• The Ladies' College requires States' approval to change 1962 law preventing charitable status
• Legacy Programme plans include AI Institute with UCL and Innovation Hub for island community
• Elizabeth College exploring investments in sport and artist development programmes

• Beau Sejour Leisure Centre closed on 15 September after Legionella bacteria detected in water system during routine testing
• Showers were immediately shut on 14 September when preliminary results received, full closure followed after further investigation
• Centre will remain closed until confirmed safe, with officials hoping to reopen by the weekend
• Public Health confirms no known cases of Legionnaires' Disease in the community, bacteria cannot spread person to person
• Anyone who used showers in last two weeks and develops symptoms advised to seek medical advice and mention possible Legionella exposure

• A free online map has been launched showing how suitable Guernsey rooftops are for solar panel installation, with colour-coding indicating energy generation potential
• The initiative supports the island's Electricity Strategy agreed in 2023, which aims to increase locally generated renewable energy
• Guernsey had solar installations exceeding 4MW at the end of 2025 and is targeting 10MW by 2028
• The project was initiated by renewable energy provider Little Green to give islanders an independent assessment of their roof's solar potential
• Guernsey receives 30-35% more sunshine than the UK average, making it well-placed for solar energy generation

• FoI shows 84% of boat owners offered St Sampson's berths instead of preferred QEII Marina rejected them in 2026, up from 45% refusal rate in 2025
• Four formal enforcement directions issued at Guernsey harbours in seven years between 2020 and 2026
• Accepting a berth in non-preferred location results in complete removal from original waiting list, with applicants forced to restart at bottom or join transfer list
• Data gaps revealed with no records held on whether applicants accepting St Sampson's berths retained QEII waiting list priority, and data for 2022-2024 not available
• Marine traders can transfer waiting list positions to buyers when selling stock boats, potentially creating secondary market in waiting list priority

• Digital Greenhouse will continue operating from current premises until April 2027
• Formal tender process for new operator delayed and will begin no later than October, with decision expected within 3-4 months
• Several parties have already expressed interest in taking over innovation hub services
• New operator must maintain a physical hub on the island but location remains flexible
• Transition period of 4-5 months planned between operator confirmation and April 2027 handover

• Guernsey seeking ICCAT membership to enable legal bluefin tuna fishing after five-year increase in species abundance
• Up to 30 commercial permits across UK and Crown Dependencies, each potentially worth £50,000 to licence holders
• Approximately 25 recreational catch-and-release permits expected for Bailiwick applicants for 2027 season
• Legislative changes required including new permit regime and prohibition on taking other ICCAT-managed shark species
• Fishing without ICCAT status considered illegal and could result in vessel blacklisting and trade sanctions

• Health & Social Care seeks States approval for a new Children's Services Hub at Raymond Falla House with a budget of £16m to £22m
• The hub would consolidate services from four sites — Lukis House, Swissville, Garden Hill and Perruque House — into one modern facility
• Existing States-owned sites would be released for alternative uses, including potential housing development
• The project aims to improve access to support, strengthen professional collaboration and enable earlier intervention for families
• Housing Committee has indicated broad support, recognising the opportunity to address the island's housing needs

• Guernsey Airport recorded its busiest July since the Covid-19 pandemic, with passenger numbers up 10% on July 2025 and exceeding 75,000 for the first time since 2019
• August passenger numbers increased by 7% year-on-year, with more than 75,000 travellers again passing through the airport
• Ferry passenger numbers on northern and southern sea routes were 3% higher in July 2026 compared with July 2025, with year-to-date figures 1% up on 2025 and 14% higher than 2024
• Guernsey's marinas continue to perform strongly, with visiting vessel and passenger numbers remaining close to 2025 levels
• Year-end totals for visiting leisure craft are expected to be close to 2025 figures, when approximately 7,800 private vessels brought around 20,000 visitors to the island

• Brittany Ferries crew rescued an ill yacht skipper and his two teenage daughters in Force 6 winds and two-metre waves south of Jersey on 6 July 2025
• Three crew members from the ferry Voyager launched a rescue boat and boarded the stricken yacht to stabilise it until RNLI Jersey lifeboat arrived
• The rescue was coordinated between Voyager's Captain Pierre Hingant and RNLI crew, with the yacht eventually towed to St Helier at 22:00
• The dramatic rescue featured in episode four of BBC Two's Saving Lives at Sea, broadcast on 8 September 2026
• The yacht skipper made a full recovery and the Bahamas Maritime Authority commended the crew for their professionalism

• Reconstruction of Alderney Airport's main runway delayed to 2028 at the earliest following design review
• Revised plans avoid widening the 18-metre runway, reducing construction material volume by approximately 25 per cent
• Director of Civil Aviation confirms current regulatory alleviation can continue with suitable safety case
• Competitive tender process expected to commence in early 2027 after five-month design development period
• Existing runway patching programme to continue ensuring air services remain operational during delay

• First island-wide environmental DNA survey detects 2,630 unique organisms across 36 groups in Guernsey's freshwater habitats
• 2,249 organisms had no previous record in the Guernsey Biological Records Database
• European eel DNA detected in 12 waterbodies, mainly in streams
• Invasive brown rat DNA found in 21 waterbodies; American signal crayfish DNA detected at one location
• Second sampling round scheduled for September to confirm findings

Guernsey Gazette

St Martin's Parish is holding a meeting on 24 September to seek ratepayer approval to sell the parish rectory and buy a replacement house.

GFSC notices

One year on: Digital Finance Initiative turns engagement into action

Investment Statistics Summary Second Quarter 2026