A meeting of Executive Council (ExCo) was held on 27 October 2026.
The agenda for the meeting was as follows:
| CLOSED AGENDA 1. Declaration of Conflict of Interest 2. Confirmation of Minutes of the Executive Council Meeting held on 22 September 2026 3. Matters Arising from Minutes of 22 September 2026 4. Amendment to St Helena’s Renewable Energy Policy, 2023 (ExCo Memo 39/2026) 5. Income Tax (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and Social Security (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (ExCo Memo 40/2026) 6. Recording of Decision(s) made by Email ExCo 6.1 Application to Vary a National Forest Constitution Order to Excise Land from the St Helena National Forest Estate (ExCo Memo 38/2026) 7. Retrospective Development Applications Concerns 8. Any Other Business NB Items marked (*) are commercially sensitive and depending on the subject matter, might not be referred to in the top lines. |
The following items were considered:
- Declaration of Interest
Ministers’ Thrower and Henry declared their interest in agenda item 4.
2 – 3. Confirmation of Minutes and Matters Arising from the Minutes from 22 September 2026.
Executive Council confirmed and signed off the minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2026.
4. Amendment to St Helena’s Renewable Energy Policy, 2023 (ExCo Memo 39/2026)
Executive Council considered whether an amendment to the renewable electricity generation target (currently 80% by 2028) contained within the Renewable Energy Policy, 2023, should be approved to ensure alignment with the approved phased delivery model for the development of renewable energy infrastructure, as set out below:
Phase 1: 32% renewable energy generation by 2028/29.
Phase 2: 63% renewable energy generation by 2030/31.
Phase 3: 80% renewable energy generation by 2032/33.
Executive Council supported and approved the recommendation to change the electricity generation target to align with the phased delivery model.
5. Income Tax (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and Social Security (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (ExCo Memo 40/2026)
Executive Council considered whether the Income Tax (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 and the Social Security (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 should be approved to support the implementation of the Child Benefit Policy with effect from 1 November 2026.
The approved policy provides for exempting Child Benefit from income tax and excluding it from the assessment of family income for Income Related Benefit to ensure that eligible families receive the full intended value of the benefit.
Executive Council supported and approved the recommendations to amend Income Tax (Amendment) Regulations and the Social Security (Amendment) Regulations
6. Recording of Decision(s) made by Email ExCo
6.1 Application to Vary a National Forest Constitution Order to Excise Land from the St Helena National Forest Estate (ExCo Memo 38/2026)
Executive Council agreed with the decision made for 6.1. The application has been Gazetted.
- Retrospective Development Applications
This matter arose from an undertaking given at the Executive Council in Planning (ECiP) meeting on 22 September 2026, following concerns of the number of retrospective planning applications being brought to ECiP. The discussion considered whether stronger consequences should apply where planning permission had not been sought, particularly in relation to listed buildings and government property. It was also noted that retrospective applications were being submitted to the LCDA outside of ExCo, suggesting that the total number may be higher than ExCo is currently aware of.
A discussion followed with three key themes emerging i.e.:
- What are the incentives to encourage the public to obtain planning permission?
- Public understanding of the correct planning processes
- Clarity regarding the powers of the Chief Planning Officer (CPO).
To establish the scale of the issue, Minister Thrower undertook to obtain this data from the Planning Department and to review the process and the wider issues. He will report his findings by early next year.
- Any Other Business
HE The Governor informed members that she would be circulating amendments to the Police Regulations.
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