Common Strategic Policy 2026-2030

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

in accordance with Article 18(2)(e) of the States of Jersey Law 2005, to approve the statement of the Common Strategic Policy of the Council of Ministers as set out in the report accompanying this Proposition.

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

Page - 2

P.75/2026

SEP 2026

Proposed Common Strategic Policy

2026 -2030

Foreword

Jersey's future will be shaped by how well we combine confidence with responsibility. We are a small Island with a strong community, a respected international reputation and a successful economy. But we also face real pressures: affordability, housing, infrastructure, climate change, skills and the need to remain competitive in a fast-changing world. This plan is about meeting those pressures honestly and practically, while keeping sight of the Island we want to hand on to future generations.

Our vision is for Jersey to be a forward-looking and responsible jurisdiction: outward-facing, economically strong, financially disciplined and clear about its place in the world. We will protect the foundations of

our prosperity, invest in the homes, infrastructure, public services and skills Islanders need, and make Government simpler and more focused on delivery. We will also safeguard the qualities that make Jersey distinctive: our coast and countryside, our safety, our parish and community life, and our ability to adapt together.

Islanders have been clear about what they expect from Government: a more affordable Island, access to homes, better infrastructure, dependable public services and an economy capable of providing opportunity and prosperity for future generations. This Common Strategic Policy sets out the choices Ministers believe matter most over the next four years. It does not pretend that Government can do everything at once. It is a disciplined programme focused on easing cost-of-living pressures, strengthening competitiveness, investing in Jersey and maintaining sound public finances.

We will deliver more homes and help more Islanders into home ownership. We will invest in essential infrastructure, progress new hospital facilities and develop a new campus for higher and further education in the heart of St Helier. We will support our financial services industry, strengthen the wider economy, reform planning and reduce unnecessary red tape. We will also protect Jersey's safety, security and resilience, recognising that low crime, strong public services, active communities and Islanders looking after one another are central to the Island's success.

These are substantial commitments. They will require discipline, investment and close cooperation between Government, the States Assembly, businesses, parishes, voluntary organisations and our wider community. They must also be affordable. Sound public finances and a strong economy will therefore underpin everything we do.

Our focus over the next four years will be on delivery: building on  what has started, tackling the issues that matter most to Islanders  and investing confidently in Jersey's future. If we make the right  choices now, Jersey can remain a place of opportunity, resilience  and belonging; a jurisdiction ready not only to manage change,  but to adapt and thrive.

Lyndon Farnham , Chief Minister

The ambition of this Council of Ministers

This is a plan to improve the standard of living for Islanders, invest in the homes and infrastructure Jersey needs, protect the economy that funds our public services, and make Government simpler, more disciplined and more focused on delivery. This plan is built on the following pillars:

• Targeted Action on the Cost of Li ving

• Maintain Financial Stability

These four pillars are the framework for the Council of Ministers' Common Strategic Policy because they address the conditions Jersey needs for long-term prosperity and public confidence.

Whilst tackling the underlying causes of the affordability challenges faced by many Islanders is the long-term goal of this Council of Ministers, targeted cost of living measures are necessary to help households under the greatest pressure. Competitiveness is essential if Jersey is to attract investment, support enterprise, sustain employment and protect the revenues that fund public services. Investment is needed to renew the infrastructure, deliver homes and public assets on which Islanders' quality of life and economic opportunity depend. Financial security is the discipline that ensures these commitments remain credible, affordable and deliverable.

Taken together, these pillars explain why the Government's programme combines targeted action on the cost of living, competitiveness, investment, and sound financial management. They are mutually reinforcing: a stronger economy creates the capacity to invest; investment supports homes, infrastructure and productivity; targeted support helps Islanders manage immediate pressures; and stable public finances ensure that

progress is sustainable beyond this term of office.

Restore
Competitiveness

Maintain  Invest in Jersey Financial Stability

Targeted Action on the Cost of Li ving

The ambition of this Council of Ministers (continued)

This rationale also guides the immediate financial choices needed to support delivery. We will make disciplined choices about day-to-day spending so we can invest more in the homes, infrastructure and public assets Jersey needs, while protecting essential services. Deferring a wider debate on reserves until summer 2027 will provide time to assess the medium-term financial position, the capital pipeline and the strength

of the economy before making decisions about the long-term use of strategic funds. In the meantime, the Council of Ministers proposes a broadly neutral Budget 2027 that will maintain discipline, avoid adding unnecessary pressure to households or businesses, and keep the Government focused on reprioritising existing resources towards the commitments that will have the greatest long-term impact.

These pillars sit alongside a wider commitment to public safety, security and resilience. Jersey's low crime rates, strong parish system, voluntary effort and culture of care are not incidental to its success; they are part of the Island's social strength. Government will work with parishes, community organisations, volunteers and frontline services to protect that strength and ensure Islanders continue to feel safe, connected and supported.

Our priorities for the next four years

To achieve our ambition, we have agreed a focused set of priorities for the next four years. These priorities are not intended to describe everything the Government will do. Ministers will continue to lead the full range of work within their own portfolios, and departments will continue to deliver statutory responsibilities, public services and business-as-usual activity. The priorities set out here are those cross-government projects and programmes that the Council of Ministers has collectively agreed to focus and work together on, drive forward and be held accountable for as a Council.

Summary table of priorities

The priorities are presented below under the four pillars, beginning with targeted action on the cost of living and competitiveness, followed by investment in Jersey's infrastructure, services and places, and concluding with the financial discipline needed to support delivery.

Sustainable

Priorities Pillars Island Outcomes

Wellbeing

Targeted Action on the Cost of Li ving

1. Take targeted action to ease cost-of-living pressures

Actions:

1. Additional payment to Community Cost Bonus recipients in 2027
2. £250 payment per school age child in 2027 for families with incomes below £80,000 per annum
3. Extend free school meals for all Jersey premium students in secondary school
4. Extend nursery and childcare funding for 2–3 year olds equivalent to an  increase of 15 to 20 hours
5. Doubling of the parental grant to £1,800
6. Commit to reviewing affordability for 2028 onwards

We will take targeted action to ease cost-of-living pressures, with particular attention to households under greatest financial strain, while tackling the underlying causes of Jersey's affordability challenge.

We expect the economy to grow and strengthen over the longer term as a result of our actions. However, we recognise that some short-term measures in the 2027 Budget may be necessary to help Islanders with the high cost of living, with particular attention to families and lower- and middle-income households.

Our objective will be not simply to provide short-term relief, but to more broadly review affordability and identify how we can increase household resilience and improve Islanders' real living standards over the course of the term.

Competitiveness

2. Secure Jersey's competitive edge in the financial and related professional services sector including responding to the effects of AI on our economy

Actions:

1. Implement the Time to Win' Report to secure competitiveness in the financial services sector
2. Deliver the International Finance Centre 2 in St Helier

We will deliver the Time to Win programme to ensure Jersey remains one of the world's leading international finance centres.

Financial services account for around half of Jersey's economy and generate a substantial proportion of Government revenues, making the sector fundamental to Jersey's prosperity and the funding

of public services. This matters to all Islanders because a successful finance industry supports thousands of jobs directly and indirectly, and provides the revenues that help pay for health, education, infrastructure and other public services.

We will work with industry and the regulator to implement the Time to Win' programme and ensure Jersey remains competitive, innovative and internationally respected. We will focus on an appropriate regulatory environment, modern digital infrastructure, access to skills and markets, and a clear proposition for attracting new business and investment.

Our objective is not simply to protect Jersey's existing position, but to create the conditions for the industry to grow and succeed for the next generation. This includes delivering the highest quality office accommodation in the International Finance Centre 2.

Competitiveness

3. Secure Jersey's competitive edge for the local economy

Actions:

1. Create opportunities to support growth, new industries and investment in the non-financial services sector including responding to the effects of AI on our economy
2. Build on the Future Economy programme by developing a competitiveness plan for the non-financial services sector and reduce the cost of doing business in Jersey
3. Continue working towards a living wage while supporting jobs, growth and competitiveness

We will publish plans to improve the local economy by cutting unnecessary regulation, encouraging business investment and diversification, supporting exports and attracting inward investment.

We will apply the Time to Win' approach across the wider economy to reinforce growth, diversification, productivity and investment. This will help address the risks identified through the Future Economy Programme and ensure that the benefits of growth extend beyond financial services. We will identify where Jersey has the capability, credibility and market opportunity to support new areas of growth, including sectors such as medical technology, biotechnology or other high-value industries where the Island can compete.

Government will also assess major policies and capital investment against their impact on growth, inflation and value for money. We will ask the States Assembly to take the same approach when considering new proposals.

We will develop sector-specific investment proposals and reprioritise existing revenue budgets to focus resources on the actions most likely to support sustainable economic growth.

Competitiveness

4. Reduce regulation and red tape, including in the  planning system

Actions:

1. Revise the Island Plan to facilitate economic growth and sustainable development
2. Revise Supplementary Planning Guidance, rules and regulations, in particular to enable Islanders to modify and improve their own homes and businesses to expand
3. Reduce the burden of regulation to businesses
4. Continue the commitment to keep Government fees, duties and charges as low as possible to help Islanders with the cost of living

We will create a simpler, more proportionate regulatory environment for Islanders and businesses, while protecting public safety, security and resilience, the environment and Jersey's international reputation.

We have an ambitious programme of systematic review of regulation across Government to identify requirements that are outdated, unnecessarily complicated, duplicative or disproportionate. We will simplify Government processes, make greater use of digital services and introduce a stronger culture of proportionate and risk-based regulation.

The test should be simple: regulation should exist where it is necessary and proportionate, not because that is how Government has always done things. This also develops an explicit commitment in the 2024–2026 CSP to remove unnecessary bureaucracy and improve the business environment.

We will ensure sufficient land and appropriate policies are available to support new housing, infrastructure, economic development and regeneration while protecting Jersey's natural environment and Island character.

Alongside revising the Island Plan, we will continue reform of the planning service to make decisions faster, clearer, more consistent and less costly, while maintaining appropriate planning standards.

We will continue the commitment of previous Governments to keep charges as low as possible and remove unnecessary burdens for business and Islanders.

Competitiveness

5. Increase the provision of lifelong learning

Actions:

1. Expand apprenticeships for Islanders in the public and private sector
2. Progress a new campus for higher and further education in the heart of St Helier for delivery in 2032, releasing the land at Highlands College for new homes and development opportunities

We will strengthen Jersey's skills system so that all Islanders can develop the capabilities needed for the Island's future economy.

This will include expanding apprenticeships, improving further education and vocational routes, supporting targeted skills programmes and ensuring higher education finance remains sustainable and accessible.

We will also support lifelong learning, retraining and flexible routes into work so that Islanders of all ages can continue to participate in a changing labour market and employers can access the skills they need to grow.

We will create a modern education and skills campus in St Helier, improving opportunities

for Islanders, supporting town regeneration and releasing land for much-needed homes and development opportunities, while ensuring the project is affordable and represents value for money.

We will provide modern facilities for vocational, technical, further and higher education and strengthen the connection between education, skills and the needs of Jersey's economy.

Locating the campus in Town will also bring students, employment and activity into St Helier and contribute to wider town regeneration.

Relocating further and higher education will also release its existing site for redevelopment, providing an important opportunity to deliver much-needed homes and other development opportunities. The value generated from the redevelopment or disposal of the existing site could provide a return to

the Treasury, helping to offset the cost of delivering the new Town campus and making better use of publicly owned land.

Jersey

6. Provide more homes and upgrade core infrastructure  that Islanders rely on

Actions:

1. Enable housing development to provide more homes for Islanders and  assisted purchase schemes
2. Begin implementing the Investing in Jersey plan using the new Capital  Investment Fund
3. Invest in upgrading the Island's core infrastructure, including the drainage network and extend the mains water system to enable housing development and upgrade flood protection systems and sea defences
4. Upgrade and replace public buildings and education facilities

We will accelerate investment in the infrastructure, homes and public assets Jersey needs to support growth, improve resilience and maintain our quality of life.

Jersey faces long-term pressures from ageing infrastructure, an ageing public estate and rising demand for modern services, housing and economic development. We will continue the Investing in Jersey programme, focusing capital investment on roads, drainage, water networks, homes, education, town regeneration and the public realm. For example:

• Extend mains water and drainage networks  •  Implement a corporate landlord model, align to support new homes, businesses and  property budgets and manage land and future development buildings more commercially

• Renew roads and transport infrastructure  •  Build the Jersey Capital Investment Fund to improve resilience and address historic  and long-term capital plan to protect and underinvestment prioritise investment in infrastructure,

• Deliver more homes property and land

• Progress major public assets, including high

quality further and higher education facilities

in the heart of St Helier

Resilience is not only about physical infrastructure. It is also about the strength of local networks, the ability of Islanders to support one another, and the relationships between Government, parishes, voluntary organisations, emergency services and neighbourhoods. We will ensure investment in homes, infrastructure and public assets helps create safer, more connected and more resilient places.

Jersey

7. Improve community safety and Island resilience

Actions:

1. Government of Jersey to actively and safely adopt AI and technology solutions to increase productivity and protect Islanders
2. Strengthen online safety and cyber protection for children and young people
3. Deliver the new resilience law, continue to invest in our Emergency Services and complete the implementation of the Violence Against Women and

Girls recommendations

We will help Islanders, businesses and public services to use digital technology safely and confidently, while strengthening safeguards for cyber security, data protection and online safety for children and young people.

Digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing how people work, learn, access services and participate in community life. Jersey should be ready to benefit from these changes, using technology to improve productivity, support economic opportunity and deliver better, more accessible public services.

We will support the responsible adoption of digital tools across Government and the wider economy, including practical projects that demonstrate measurable improvements in efficiency, customer service and value for money.

We will also focus on digital skills and readiness, ensuring Islanders are equipped for a changing workplace and that Jersey can develop and attract the expertise needed to make effective use of new technologies.

Safety will be central to this approach. We will maintain proportionate safeguards around cyber security, data protection, privacy and the responsible use of technology, while avoiding unnecessary regulation that could inhibit innovation.

We will give particular attention to online safety for children and young people. Jersey must be ready to respond to online harms, including harmful content and platform risks, and to work with schools, families, industry, regulators and community partners to help young Islanders benefit from digital life while being better protected from harm.

Community safety and Island resilience will be further improved by the implementation of a new resilience law which will establish the framework for enhanced preparedness in advance of emergencies and a more effective and structured response to incidents of any scale when they emerge.

We will continue to invest in our emergency services and complete the implementation of the Violence Against Women and Girls recommendations.

Jersey

8. Continue to improve our health services

Actions:

1. Complete the acute hospital at Overdale and progress the wider New Healthcare Facilities Programme
2. Reduce waiting times
3. Update medicines and controlled drugs regulation
4. Establish a health and care strategy for Jersey and reform funding

We will back our health service, delivering modern healthcare facilities, reducing waiting times, updating medicines regulation, establishing a health and care strategy and reforming funding, to ensure Jersey has services that can support Islanders for generations to come.

Continuing to invest in new healthcare facilities will ensure we complete the new Acute Hospital at Overdale, alongside making real progress with the Ambulatory Healthcare Centre at Kensington Place and the Wellbeing Village at St Saviour, to deliver the multi-site solution.

Investing in reducing waiting times for medical diagnostics and treatments will improve early detection, particularly for serious conditions such as cancer, ensure fewer medical conditions turn into emergencies and speed up recovery times, keeping Islanders healthier.

Updating the medicines regulatory framework (including medical devices) will enable Jersey to continue providing high-quality, safe and effective medicines and devices, whilst aligning domestic and international standards and better enabling research and innovation.

Establishing a health and care strategy for Jersey will support longer-term improvements to Islanders' health, underpinning economic growth and workforce productivity. The strategy will ensure we are anticipating future demands, enabling innovation in medical and digital health, improving equitable health outcomes, and supporting the efficient allocation of resources.

Reforming healthcare funding is essential to meeting the rising global costs of high-quality diagnostics, treatment and care. We will bring forward solutions that ensure Islanders have access to affordable services both now and in the future.

Jersey

9. Improve the public realm, community spaces and sports facilities across the whole Island

Actions:

1. Regenerate and invest in the town centre and other key urban areas
2. Invest in sports and leisure facilities and community spaces
3. Deliver practical improvements to Jersey's countryside, coast and biodiversity through closer partnership with farmers, landowners, fishers and communities

We will make St Helier and other key urban areas the primary focus for regeneration, improving the places where Islanders live, work, learn, visit and spend time.

St Helier is Jersey's centre for homes, work, education, public services, culture and daily life. Improving how town looks, feels and functions is therefore central to improving Islanders' quality of life and to increasing Jersey's appeal as a place to live, work and invest.

We will develop a regeneration strategy for St Helier to coordinate investment in public spaces, streets, housing, community facilities, education and youth provision. This will give a clearer framework for delivery, support the Island Plan, and encourage private investment.

Investment in the public realm across the Island will be a practical route to better liveability: safer and more welcoming streets, better walking routes, improved community spaces, greener areas and more places for people to meet, play and spend time. These improvements will support public safety, health, wellbeing, community confidence and the everyday experience of Islanders.

We will also invest in sports and community facilities as part of a broader programme to make

St Helier and other key urban areas more active, inclusive and attractive, linking major projects to the needs of residents and the wider Island. Regeneration should strengthen the informal networks that help people feel safe and connected, including local businesses, parishes, voluntary groups, youth services, sports clubs and community organisations.

The regeneration strategy will bring known projects together into a single delivery framework, showing how public investment will improve the town's vibrancy, support economic activity, protect resilience and contribute directly to Islanders' quality of life. We will also address regeneration opportunities in other key urban areas, such as Les Quennevais in St Brelade.

Jersey

10. Revise the Carbon Neutral Roadmap to deliver a practical and affordable transition to net zero by 2050

Actions:

10.1  Focus on practical action that reduces emissions, the carbon intensity of

Jersey's energy use, improves energy security, supports affordability and creates local skills opportunities

We will maintain Jersey's commitment to net zero by 2050, while making the next phase of the Carbon Neutral Roadmap more practical, affordable and delivery-focused.

Our priority will be evidence-based action that reduces emissions, improves energy security,

lowers energy demand, supports affordability and creates local skills and business opportunities. This includes practical measures in energy efficiency, low-carbon heating, building retrofit, transport and climate resilience.

As an Island dependent on external energy supplies, Jersey must place safe, secure, affordable and sustainable energy at the centre of this work. We will work with energy suppliers, support efficient technologies, prepare for climate-related pressures and ensure low-income households are not left behind.

The objective remains clear: responsible choices, lower emissions and a more resilient energy future for Islanders.

Maintain Financial Stability

11. Deliver a leaner and less complex public sector with  lower running costs

Actions:

1. Ensure a balanced budget
2. Increase the Island's strategic reserves

We will ensure Government is appropriately sized, productive and focused on delivering high-quality frontline services while maintaining firm control over the size and cost of the public sector.

We will continue the approach already taken to control workforce growth, prioritising frontline services while keeping recruitment to administrative, management and other non-frontline roles under close scrutiny.

We will also maintain tight controls on the use of external consultants, agency staff and contingent labour, using external expertise only where there is a clear and evidenced need, appropriate approval and value for money.

Our priority will be to develop and promote talent from within the public service, simplify organisational structures, remove unnecessary management layers and bureaucracy, and make better use of technology to improve productivity. Current policy already requires formal business cases and additional approvals for senior, high-value and specified consultancy appointments.

The objective is not simply to make Government smaller, but to make it more productive, affordable and effective – protecting the frontline services Islanders rely upon while ensuring taxpayers receive value for money.

Reform will protect the core capabilities that keep Islanders safe, including emergency response, safeguarding, public health, environmental protection and the services that support community resilience.

Monitoring long-term progress: The Future Jersey vision

In 2022, the States Assembly endorsed Future Jersey, a long-term vision for the Island. There are three Sustainable Wellbeing Themes and ten Island Outcomes arising from it, which are illustrated in the diagram below:

NG

EI

LB

L

E Built  Learn and

L W Environment Grow

TA Health and N Wellbeing

E

M Natural

N Environment O

IR A Government  Safety and V that is working  Security

EN collaboratively to

Sustainable  deliver the best

Resources outcomes for  VIinbcralunst ivaen d Islanders Community

Jobs and AffLoivrdinagble  Productivity

Growth

Business

Environment

 WELLBEING

The long-term vision for Jersey in 2037 was produced by the Future Jersey consultation and is captured by the vision statement:

"An Island loved for its beautiful coast and countryside, rich heritage, diverse wildlife and clean air, land and water. An Island where a sense of community really matters - a safe place to grow up and enjoy life. An Island that offers everyone the opportunity to contribute to, and share in, the success of a strong, sustainable economy."

The Future Jersey vision focuses on long-term progress and measures community wellbeing, environmental wellbeing, and economic wellbeing. This provides a way of measuring Jersey's quality of life.

Monitoring long-term progress: The Future Jersey vision (continued)

This Common Strategic Policy gives practical expression to that vision. A safe Island is not only one with low crime. It is also an Island where people feel secure, know their neighbours, take part in parish and community life, volunteer, care for others and trust that public services will be there when needed. These less tangible strengths are central to Jersey's wellbeing and are part of what makes the Island distinctive.

The Council of Ministers recognises that short-term measures are essential not only to combat current challenges but also to support longer term improvements in our society. The priorities in this Common Strategic Policy sit against the backdrop of the wider vision of Future Jersey.

By keeping the Future Jersey objectives at the core of our decision making, and using the Island Outcome Indicators to monitor the progress of all we do, we can ensure we are contributing to the long-term vision for, and prosperity of our Island.

This approach is important because it means we can consistently measure progress and identify any areas that need closer attention.

This Common Strategic Policy was developed after Ministers reviewed the detailed data from the Island Outcome Indicators. Ministers and their departments will be guided by the Island Outcomes in delivering all of their business-as-usual activity.

The Island Outcome Indicator dashboard is maintained and updated by Statistics Jersey and can be found here: https://stats.je/statistic/island-outcome-indicators/

Sustainable

Island Outcomes Wellbeing

Community  Learn and Grow - Islanders are encouraged to learn and grow at all stages of Wellbeing their lives

Health and Wellbeing - Islanders enjoy long, healthy and active lives

Safety and Security - Islanders feel safe and protected at home, work and in public

Vibrant and Inclusive Community - Islanders enjoy living in a vibrant and inclusive community

Economic  Affordable Li ving - Islanders are able to afford a decent standard of living Wellbeing

Business Environment - Jersey is an attractive place to do business

Jobs and Productivity Growth - Islanders benefit from a strong economy and rewarding job opportunities

Environmental  Built Environment - Jersey's built and historic environment is valued and enjoyed Wellbeing

Natural Environment - Jersey's unique natural environment is protected for future generations

Sustainable Resources - Jersey's natural resources are managed and used responsibly

Future Jersey: Understanding the Island Outcomes

Sustainable

Island Outcome Why is this outcome important?

Wellbeing

Community  Learn and Grow This outcome is about ensuring that Jersey is a place Wellbeing where all Islanders can continue to develop to meet

their full potential. While it is particularly important for children and young people to be ready for, and to succeed in school, learning and growing shouldn't stop there, but be encouraged for all ages.

Community  Health and  This outcome is about Islanders being healthy and, as Wellbeing Wellbeing a result, having the opportunity to live longer, more

active lives. This helps prevent the need for health interventions and ensures that healthcare and support can be targeted to those who need it most. It is also about ensuring that people can access the right treatment when they need it.

Safety and  This outcome is about being and feeling safe, both of Security which are fundamental to our quality of life. Ensuring

Islanders feel protected impacts on our overall wellbeing as a community, as well as affecting other areas, such as health care resources and economic productivity.

Vibrant and  Our future relies on people wanting to live in, or return Inclusive  to, Jersey. An important factor influencing that choice Community is Jersey's attraction as an Island where people and

community matter – a great place to live, socialise, grow up and belong. Being a small Island means we have the opportunity to remain a place where community really means something.

Future Jersey: Understanding the Island Outcomes (continued)