States of Guernsey announce housing licence figures
According to figures calculated by the Social Security Department, Guernsey’s population at 31 March 2008 stood at 61,726. This is an increase of 551 over the preceding 12 month period1.
The Housing Department has also released its housing licence figures for the same period, i.e. the 12 months ending 31 March 2008. (See Appendix.) These show that there were 250 more people living in self-contained accommodation under licence at 31 March 2008, compared with the same date in 2007. Of these, there were 183 more people living in Guernsey under an essential employment-related licence than 12 months earlier.
Chairman of the Population Policy Group, Deputy Bernard Flouquet, said: “It is interesting to note that the Island’s population grew slightly over this 12 month period. However, it is perhaps even more interesting to note that despite there being 834 more licence holders living in Guernsey when the respective counts were taken, the overall population increase (551) was substantially less than this number. When you consider that many – but not all - of these licence holders will have other family members living with them, it is clear that the movement of people into Guernsey is more than being countered by the movement of people leaving the Island, of which substantial numbers will themselves be licence holders.”
Housing Minister, Deputy Dave Jones, added: “It must be remembered that these figures are now nearly a year old and pre-date the recent downturn in the global economy. The increase in the numbers of people living under licence is reflective of the growth in Guernsey’s economy in the 12 month period ending last Easter; for example, the numbers of people employed under licence in finance and general industry increased by 97 and 35 respectively over the 12 month period.”
Commenting on the fact that there were 584 more people living in Guernsey on a short-term housing licence at 31 March 20082, compared with 12 months earlier, Deputy Jones said: “Perhaps more than any other figure, the numbers of short-term licence holders are a barometer of the economy, as they represent people brought to the Island primarily to fill labour rather than skill shortages.
The reported figure for 31 March 2007 was 61,811; however, it has subsequently transpired that although the methodology was sound there was an error in its calculation and that the true figure was 61,175. 2 See note 3 to the appendix.
Given that we are now in a time of economic downturn and rising unemployment, we have made it very clear that not only will we be scrutinising requests for short-time licences with even more vigour, but we’re also expecting Island employers to fill their jobs with local people.”
Deputy Jones also drew attention to the increasing numbers filling public sector jobs under licence:
“Guernsey has always been dependent on people from outside the Island to fill key public sector posts, whether these be nurses, teachers or police officers. While the number of licence holders in education remained the same, there were 31 more licence holders working in health and social services at the end of March 2008 compared with 12 months earlier, the majority of whom were working for the States.
This growing dependence on skilled workers from outside the Island presents a real challenge for Guernsey moving forward - and not one that can simply be addressed by issuing longer licences.”