Andrea Dudley-Owen

Personal Statement

Current Vice President of Economic Development Committee. Previous Forest Douzenier. Finance professional, created local charity and 2 successful businesses. My husband and I have 3 children and a large local family. We are an active, outdoor family. Love cooking, reading and learning about global events. Brought up in Guernsey and Asia. Educated: Blanchelande; Howell’s Denbigh; King Alfred’s Winchester; Sugiyama, Japan. Degree in Japanese Language/Culture.

• Successful Requete: “Pause & Review” on 1 school 2 sites.
• Successful Amendment: Cautious approach to borrowing £500m.
• Amendment: Reduction of proposed 6 month Abortion period to 4 months.
• Successful Amendment: Tree & Woodland Strategy.
• Successful Amendment (2nd): Climate Action Plan 2019. Approved 2020.

Manifesto

Long term goals:

• Excellent education, giving children highest necessary skills.
• Resilient, diverse, stable economy, delivering full local employment.
• Affordable housing, accessible to local families and first time buyers.
• Tax system fair to lower and medium income earners.
• Government expenditure tightly controlled, placing emphasis on community responsibility with accessible health facilities.
• Responsible approach to reducing pollutants, plastics, moving to clean energy to lower carbon footprint.

Please give me your Vote. I have shown myself as a competent, capable representative for Guernsey. I listen and lead on important community issues. My thanks to Connie Helyar-Wilkinson, Proposer and Peter Gillson, Seconder.

Responsibilities:

1. Chair of Digital Guernsey: Digital Strategy progressing skills, career pathways for our youngsters.
2. Chair of Skills: Skills Strategy, progressing 10 skills and training actions.
3. Retail Policy: supporting retailers with newly formed Guernsey Retail Group.
4. Co-Chair Finance Sector Forum.
5. Former: Blanchelande Governor, GTA Director, Start-Up Director.

Personal qualities:

• Active, effective contributor in government, preparing well for all debates, Committee Meetings and electorate work.
• Committed, confident, balanced, collaborative approach working with others.
• Enquiring mind, seeking full understanding of different opinions to inform my views.
• Accountability, openness, truthfulness are important values to me.
• Pragmatism, foresight, my experience in Government are relevant and needed.

My views: Our future success depends on getting our Education and our Economy right. Decisions made will determine how well we navigate a rapidly changing work environment and uncertain global economy.

Education: “Pause & Review” report estimated completion in 2021. Our decisions will lay the foundations for our economic recovery and prosperity. Our community clearly favours a 3 school model with separate 6th form. I firmly believe the optimum outcome is a Guernsey-centred model, supported by teachers and community. We must make best use of our existing education estate.

Education plays a significant role in the health of our economy. Success is delivered by the community; parents, teachers, business and the States. I believe in:

1. supporting parents in crisis, by States working closer with family-centred charities, gives their children the best chance to succeed;
2. spending on continuous professional development, including for Special Education Needs, must increase for teaching and support staff to enable continued delivery of high quality education;
3. strengthened relationships with businesses for workplace development, helping young people become valuable contributors;
4. digital skills, diverse vocational training, academic study, contribute to a successful workforce and healthier, satisfied community.

Economy: Our economy is based on diverse businesses. Resilience and stability are achieved by creating a good trading environment for business growth and job creation. I believe in:

1. supporting business, encouraging digitisation and providing our own skilled workers;
2. removing unnecessary bureaucracy, eg Medicinal Cannabis licence process;
3. a flexible approach to transport, securing Heathrow airlink, strengthening French sealinks.
4. supporting Green Finance sector growth;
5. embracing opportunities from Tourism and Marine environment;
6. encouraging sustainable and environmental business practice;
7. fibre connections for superfast digital connectivity.
8. making retail/hospitality accessible to all islanders, after all #WeAllMatterEh!

Fiscal & Tax: Balancing a competitive tax regime for business, fair for all islanders, providing enough revenue to fund public services is challenging. I favour:

1. reducing Government size, over introduction of GST;
2. cautious approach to debt, with payback/spend plans for public scrutiny prior to further borrowing approval;
3. small increase in tax cap for higher earners, over increase in taxes for lower/medium income earners.

Environment: It is essential that States’ decisions align with a healthier, better protected natural environment. I support:

1. bold, innovative plans to move towards cleaner, more sustainable energy sources;
2. actively reducing plastics and pollutants;
3. reviewing the overall traffic impact of new housing developments in the north.

Health: Healthcare is also about mental and social well-being as well as treating disease or physical illness. I support:

1. public health education in nutrition, physical activity and mental health care;
2. better access to help and care for sufferers of addiction;
3. health care workers and provision of a balanced health care system: prevention and cure with individual responsibility.

Social Security & Housing: The well-being of islanders is affected by affordability of life in Guernsey. I support:

1. the self-employed, contributions must be fair;
2. GHA shared ownership/rental scheme, releasing appropriate States land for housing;
3. reviewing TRP to reduce costs for elderly, low/middle income earners.

Summary of my CV: 2016 - 2020 People’s Deputy for the West, 2012 - 2018 Forest Parish Douzenier, 2008 - 2019 founder & co-owner FWS Ltd, 2009 - 2014 co-founder IslandMums Ltd, 2005 - 2007 Investec Trust Guernsey, 2002 - 2004 Mercator Trust Company, 2000 - 2002 Breams Trustees Ltd, 1998 - 2000 Guernsey Training Agency, 1995 - 1997 Berlitz, Tokyo, 1994 - 1995 Richard Lewis, Winchester.

Qualifications/CPD: 2020 Institute of Directors Certificate in Company Direction, 2019 Institute of Directors Board Readiness Certificate, 2019 Digital Leadership, 2002 - 2004 STEP Diploma, 2000 - 2002 HNC Business Administration, 1995 TEFLA, 1995 BA Hons Japanese Language & Studies, 1994 Intermediate Japanese, 1990 - 1994 A & AS Levels.