Deputy James Reed

Elected Unopposed

DEPUTY James Reed has been re-elected unopposed in St Ouen and says that he has ambitions to be the next Education Minister.
The 52-year-old Deputy, who has served two terms, feels that he has done his training and now has his sights on a ministerial position.
‘I am looking forward to the next three years and I hope to play a big part in the government of this Island,’ he said. ‘I think I have served my apprenticeship now and I hope to put myself forward for a ministerial position as Education Minister.’
Born in Jersey, he attended Hautlieu School before going on to study at Seale Hayne Agricultural College in Devon. ‘My father was the managing director of an electrics firm but I always wanted to be a farmer,’ he said. ‘I started from the bottom.’
He worked as a farmer from 1979 until 2006. Since joining the States in 2002 he has served as vice chairman of the Public Accounts Committee for the last three years and is currently a member of the committee which oversees Scrutiny.
In his home parish he has been chairman of the Youth and Community Centre management committee for the last five years. ‘I like to keep myself busy – that has been my life. I am not frightened of hard work.’
His wife Jane also takes an active role in the parish. She is the secretary for the Youth and Community Centre management committee and is a part-time carer for the elderly. The couple have three children – Zoe (30), a health care worker, Ben (2, who works at the Airport, and Nicola (25), a Jersey Telecom administrator.
Deputy Reed, who was nervous that he might be challenged at the last minute, said that he was thrilled with the result. ‘It was absolutely fabulous,’ he said. ‘The one thing that really surprised me was the amount of people prior to nomination night that encouraged me to stand again and the number of people that came to support me at the nomination meeting last night.’
Over the next three years he aims to support the development of a sustainable population policy, achieve greater accountability in the way the States spend money, ensure that the new tax structures and support mechanisms are fair and equitable and find an acceptable solution to provide for an ageing population.
He would also like to help find a solution to the future of the Pontin’s Holiday Camp, promote the provision of mains services especially in areas of relatively high housing density, support the honorary police and promote community facilities.
Nomination paper:
James Reed (52)
Address: Beau Pré, Rue du Creux Baillot, St Ouen.
Occupation: States Member.
Proposers: Douglas Richardson, Gary Vibert, Stephen Labey, Ronald Vibert, Judith Hopkins, John Le Brocq, Richard Renouf, John Wilkins, Stephen Regal, Carol Hurry.