Senior politicians and civil servants from Alderney and Guernsey have been meeting to discuss the need to improve transport links in the northern isle.
Plans to improve the runway at Alderney Airport formed a key part of the talks, which also discussed future options for improved sea links.
The Chairman of the States of Alderney’s Policy & Finance Committee, James Dent, met with the President of the States of Guernsey’s Committee for Economic Development, Deputy Charles Parkinson.
The summit in Alderney was officially billed as discussing “matters of mutual interest.’
James Dent said: “I am very pleased that Charles came to Alderney to meet with us today, and to hear about our economic development objectives. It is clear that there is much common ground between what we and Guernsey are trying to achieve, and I was very pleased with his commitment to working together to meet common goals. The Committee forEconomic Development’s understanding of Alderney issues is strong, and I will be inviting them all to Alderney later this year to meet the Policy & Finance Committee for further discussions.”
Discussions included areas such as tourism and marketing, and Guernsey’s Director of Tourism & Marketing has been invited to join the new Alderney Tourism Liaison Panel. There will be opportunities to ensure that the Guernsey Committee for Economic Development’s revised economic strategy links with priorities of mutual interest. There were also discussions on air and sea links.
Deputy Parkinson said: “It is clear that the success of the public service agreement process for the Guernsey-Alderney air route is connected with the progression of the runway rehabilitation project, and so the discussions we had today are helpful in making sure that those processes are aligned. Alderney’s offer to input formally into the public service agreement process is very welcome, and very important, as we must work together.”
