COMMON SENSE, COMMON PURPOSE
Please vote for
Neil Inder
to the Vale
• Smaller government: Do less but do it well
• Deputies: Talk less, work smarter
• Land for first time buyers
• University Guernsey
• Jobs for returning graduates
• Develop small business
Dear Vale Parishioner
For the last thirty years times have been good. We have seen a buoyant economy, an inexorable rise in
house prices, cheap fuel and generally a time of plenty. That all ground to a halt with the introduction of
zero/10 and the financial crisis.
We’ve had a difficult few years with parts of the Government at war with itself and, I’d argue, seemingly
at war with its People. This really has to stop. We need a more agile, positive Government that speaks
less and does more. A quieter light-touch regime that concentrates on its core competencies of service
delivery.
My focus would be on economic diversification and economic well-being. I want to see an Island which
is start-up friendly, an Island for young businessmen and women with a can-do attitude. An Island where
we have free rein to succeed and the youth have an ownership in its society.
Please vote for
Neil Inder
to the Vale
Growing the Economy
Local Talent
Creative and Digital Economy
Through my business career I have found my employee
requirements in the local workforce. With in-house training
and development there’s nothing that our youngsters
cannot achieve. As an Island we educate our youth, send
them off to Universities. But there is little or no incentive
for them to return. High rents, first-time buyer houses are
sparse and we need more jobs and cheaper homes for
returning talent.
The world economy is changing and Guernsey is in a prime
place to exploit it. With a world class creative industry, IT
skills in abundance, website and programming skills and
a robust financial industry we need to continue the growth
and promotion of what could be our new primary industry.
Government has gone some way via FinTech (Financial
Technology) and the Digital Greenhouse, but I would
like to see export promotion of our Digital and Creative
industries.
University and Research Centre
University Towns bring wealth to economies and I want
to see a study conducted on whether the creation of one
would be feasible. I won’t pretend to be an expert in the
area but basic maths would suggest that 300 students
spending £10k per year has to be of significant benefit to
our Island. I can see great value in supporting a boutique
University that reaches out to foreign students. Research
Centres, contributions to the economy, import of ideas
and new thinking and business spin-offs.
Fixers and manufacturers
The catch-all word for the small professional firms that
provide services to us; be that the welder, the mechanic,
the carpenter or decorator is ‘Fred in the Shed’. It’s a
demeaning phrase for teams of professionals that have
done their apprenticeships and put their time in on the
tools. Thousands of pounds worth of machinery and
materials and few places for them to trade. We need to
be more flexible with our planning laws - they are simply
too rigid. There’s little point having an idea if you can’t find
business premises to work from.
States Contracts
Guernsey is an expensive place to do business. Cost of
rents, employment and operating costs makes Guernsey
a more difficult place to be entrepreneurial.
Government spending on-island creates and secures
jobs and enterprises. £100 spent off-island only benefits
the country where that service is bought. £100 spent in
Guernsey benefits Guernsey. I want to see more of public
money spent locally.
Transport
The Transport Strategy was a hugely unedifying
process. For those of us that have busy lives it was an
unreasonable assault on the working family. I do support
the general thrust of the Transport strategy inasmuch
that the alternative forms of transport can and should be
encouraged. I don’t support punitive cudgel taxes to get
the motor car off the roads.
Coastal Car Parks
For the life of me I can’t understand why the blight of
hundreds of cars parked on our coastal car parks hasn’t
been addressed. Make every car park a twenty three hour
parking zone and send the traffic wardens in their mobile
units to ticket every infraction. Trust me; a few £30 tickets
and you just watch those car parks clear.
Housing: Generation Rent
Polling and communicating
Home ownership of property provides families with a real
stake in society – owning is a milestone for many. Plot costs
are the main barrier to home ownership. Government has
vergees and vergees of unused land and we need to get
some of it into housing use.
On issues that affect our parish directly it would be fairly
simple for the Douzaine to produce an electronic mailer
communicating directly to parishioners.
It would not be beyond the wit of man to find an equitable
and fair solution to our Housing issues.
We have an ageing population and there is much talk
about the use of charitable organisations to provide
services to the community. I’d like to see a stronger parish
with a cohort of voluntary workers that provide services to
parishioners in need.
Tourism
Guernsey has a great product. We all know how beautiful
our Island home is. As someone who has a small selfcatering unit and spent years as the Account Director
servicing the Visit Guernsey website contract, my
exposure to the benefits of the tourism industry are fairly
broad.
Condor
Having attended numerous Visit Guernsey trade seminars
over the years it would surprise most of you how much
time and money Condor Ferries put into marketing the
Channel Islands. However, the disaster that has been
the introduction of the Liberation and the damage that
has done to the Guernsey brand cannot pass without
comment.
Youth Movement
Waste
I have grave concerns about the likely ‘solution’ for our
waste. And need assurances that the solution is value for
money. As soon as the new House sits we need a Position
Statement as to exactly where we are and the costs to the
individual householder. I cannot guarantee that I would
be supportive of the current Waste Strategy if the figures
don’t add up.
Health
I won’t pretend to have a detailed knowledge of the
machinations of the Health Services.
We all want Condor to get back on to an even keel. And
I’m sure the Board of Condor want the Liberation to work.
Condor must now be on the shortest of leashes and 2016
is the year that they must fix all of their problems.
My mother and sister looked after my father at our family
home in the last months of his life. That experience taught
me the value of the community nurses and the many
carers working in the community. I have a huge respect
for the front line staff across all of our services.
Northern Alliance
Education
Everything that Government does in the areas of
Population, Housing, Traffic and Industry ends up in the
North of the Island and its Eastern Seaboard. All housing
will be built here, all traffic will come through here and all
freight will eventually end up here. The North of the Island
is being choked.
The 11+ part of the debate should have happened
in 2012. Only once we knew what we were doing with
selection could we then decide what we were doing with
the schools.
Much has been made of political parties in Guernsey. As
a Guernseyman the idea of creating a party system based
on simple left, right, green or liberal ideologies terrifies
me. However there is some sense in the politicians of the
North to work more closely together on issues that affect
us directly.
The Douzaine
Most residents only interface with the Douzaine when
their trees are overhanging the road, dog licences need
renewing and bills for the parish rates come through the
door. I’d like to see a re-empowerment of the Douzaine.
I was never a fan of the 11+ papers as a selection tool.
If the electorate send a clear message that they want to
retain the Grammar School and selection at 11, I could
only support that with a form of ‘continual assessment’.
I simply could not support a reversal to 11+ two paper
system.
If we move to a Comprehensive system I’d want to see
smaller class sizes; just like the private schools enjoy.
Small classes with teachers on longer licences seems
eminently sensible to me.
Guernsey French
I served as a Language Commissioner for the last 3
years. Guernsey French will come way down the list of
priorities for most people. However, it is one of the oldest
living languages in Europe. It is likely that the last living
native speaker will be gone in our lifetime. That would be
a cultural crime.
I’m not expecting the language to be taught in our
schools or to ever bring back the language as a general
Island language. All I’m seeking to achieve is a budget to
formalise the learning process through learning tools and
the funding of classes.
Would it be the worst day if we greeted each other in our
mother tongue and passed the time of day? Our language
is our cultural identity. If our language dies, a part of our
culture and heritage dies with it.
A bit about me
Educated in Guernsey I spent three years in Tokyo
teaching English as a foreign language. I came back
to Guernsey and in 1992 and started an advertising
agency. I created, wrote and voiced the Randall’s
Brewery Campaign, Len & Enid. My role at the agency
was Account Director and business development,
involved in pitching for new business, media buying
and budgeting.
I have given my spare time in a number of roles
juggling, business, family and community:
Chamber of Commerce
Council Member2004–2006
Association of Guernsey Charities
Honorary Secretary2004–2007
Submarine Charitable Trust
Trustee2006–2012
Language Commission
Commissioner2013–2015
Taxi Federation
Honorary Secretary
2015–to date
Moving into the digital space in 1999 I started
Submarine Limited. We developed a number of
high profile websites including Visit Guernsey, and
numerous e-commerce websites.
Proposed by: Mark Hockey
Seconder: Alex Ozanne
I sold my portion of the business in 2015 to my
business partners and along with some part-time taxi
driving have been involved in an advisory capacity to
start-up businesses.
Telephone: 243429
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @tothevale
Address: Vale
I’m married and am dad to two beautiful daughters,
both pupils at Vale Primary School.
NEIL INDER
www.printedinguernsey.com