EXCO REPORT – TUESDAY 17 OCTOBER 2017

Executive Council met today with five items on the Open Agenda (one having been withdrawn).

Executive Council met as the Planning Authority for Members to consider an application for outline Development Permission to establish a secure acute mental health inpatient unit within the Jamestown Hospital complex.  The Chief Planning Officer, who was in attendance, had recommended a series of planning conditions which would need to be met before full approval can be granted.  It was recognised that this facility is much needed on St Helena and the application was approved although funding has not yet been approved for its construction.  A case will be made for funding to be sourced from the Capital Programme.

Still acting as the Planning Authority, Members then considered a proposal to discharge the remaining planning condition for Rupert’s Wharf.  Members had previously asked for Standard Operating Procedures to be drafted for the loading and unloading of cargo at Rupert’s during the period that Jamestown would continue to be used for cargo operations. These had been provided and subject to minor amendments were approved.  In order to deal with the absence of physical measures to mitigate rockfall, it was agreed to impose a new planning condition as follows:

Following Discharge of Conditions 1 to 10 of this Decision Notice, the commencement of operations at Rupert’s Wharf shall be subject to the following:

  1. a)  Approval by the Governor-in-Council of Standard Operating Procedures shall be obtained before operations in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures are permitted; and
  2. b)  The completion of all outstanding Mitigation Measures, as per the various assessments conducted and approved by Governor-in-Council, before any further use is permitted.

Reason: to ensure safe usage of the wharf by all parties.

Members then considered a paper on proposals in respect of the Liberated African Remains.  Members agreed that the artefacts, which were being returned from an exhibition at the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool in the UK, could be loaned to the Heritage Society for display in the Museum of St Helena.  Members also agreed to authorise further research to be conducted on the remains which was designed to reconstruct a snapshot of the lives and environment in the mid 19th century.  This research should be designed to involve minimal invasive methodology and be completed as soon as possible.

Members also agreed that the working group on the reinterment of the remains should be refreshed with new terms of reference and a clear mandate to provide a set of options, within the next six months, for reburial.  Members gave a steer that they did not want a protracted delay until they could make a decision.

Members also discussed the Legislative Programme.  It was agreed that the programme should be published and that Governor in Council would monitor the programme to ensure that work was completed on time.

Council congratulated all involved in the success of the first commercial air service which landed at the weekend.  It was recognised how important the weekend had been and Council commended the whole community for their efforts.

There were no substantive matters on the Closed Agenda.

In ‘Any Other Business’, the chairperson of the Social & Community Development Committee reported that the public meeting held the night before had been poorly attended and asked that further publicity be given to these important meetings.  The public is reminded of the planned meetings as follows:

The Social & Community Development Committee will be conducting public meetings on the following legislation:

  1. Marriage Bill:
  2. Options
  3. Welfare of Children’s (Amendment) Ordinance:  
  4. Child Labour
  5. New Domestic Abuse Bill

All meetings will start at 7.30pm. The public is encouraged to attend these meetings.

Venue Date
Jamestown Community Centre

 

Tuesday, 17 October
Kingshurst Community Centre Wednesday, 18 October
Harford Community Centre

 

Thursday, 19 October
Sandy Bay Community Centre Monday, 23 October
HTH Community Centre Tuesday, 24 October
Silver Hill Bar, Levelwood Wednesday, 25 October

Anyone wishing to make any comment on the proposed amendments to the draft legislation may do so in writing to the Chairperson, Hon Anthony Green, Social & Community Development Committee or via email:  tony.green@helanta.co.sh by no later than Friday, 27 October 2017.

The draft legislation is available in hard copy at the Customer Service Centre in Jamestown and can also be found on the SHG website.

The issue of asbestos was raised.  It was agreed that some publicity was necessary.  Accordingly the public is reminded that asbestos materials should be handled with great care as the dust is harmful to health. There have been reports of people using pressure washers to clean asbestos roofs, this creates substantial quantities of dust and should only be carried out by specialist contractors with the necessary safety measures in place.

The meeting ended at 11.45am.

ExCo

17 October 2017

 

 

 

St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: kimberley.peters@sainthelena.gov.sh