PRESS RELEASE
Report on Executive Council (ExCo) 17 th December 2024
A meeting of Executive Council was held on 17 th December 2024. MLAs (Members of the Legislative
Assembly) Ford, Pollard and Roberts were in attendance. Unless otherwise stated, decisions were
unanimous.
The following papers were considered:
Debt Write Off
This is an accounting exercise in which some old or unrecoverable debts or debts which should never
have been accrued to FIG were written off. This doesn’t prevent the Government from pursuing the
debts at a later date but does remove it from the Govts balance sheet. The total debt was
£65,467.78. Some of the debts were written off unanimously, one of the debts required a member
to step out due to a family interest and the write-off was approved by the other two. This is not a
public paper.
Investment in Improved Waste Management
This paper was postponed in order to gather more information. It is expected to come back early in
the New Year.
Proposed Power Station Restructuring
This paper sought to restructure some of the roles at the Power and Electrical Department. This is a
public paper with some figures redacted. It includes the addition of two new posts and the
restructuring of some others. It was recognised by Members of Executive Council that this is only a
part of the solution to the staffing issues, but considered an initial measure to address some
identified issues and approved.
Application for a Licence to Lease Land
This was an application for a licence to hold land under the Land (Non-residents) Ordinance. The
recommendation to refuse was upheld. This is not a public paper.
Application for a Licence to Purchase an Existing Property
The recommendation to approve the application under the Land (Non-residents) Ordinance was
upheld by a 2-1 vote. This is not a public paper.
Mr T Elsby: Application to Vary Restrictions on Land Use at Moody Brook
This is a public paper with some deletions. The recommendation to approve the application was
upheld. The applicant will also have to pay the difference between the original cost of the land (for
agricultural use) and the £20 per square metre in line with existing policy.
Ms M Law and Mr D Stephenson: Application to Lease Land for Café on Stanley Common
The recommendation to refuse the application was not upheld and instead ExCo supported the
development proposal whilst recognising it conflicted with the existing Stanley Commons Ordinance
and authorised the Attorney General to seek a legal solution that could be considered. ExCo also
noted that this approach was not setting a precedent. Instead, it was a reflection of previous work to
develop a similar facility as part of the tourism recovery post Covid19 plan, as well as a reflection of
the amount of detail included in the application. It was recognised that some recent developments
had removed the total area of the common for public enjoyment and that work would have to be
done in the future to allow for development of Stanley whilst ensuring that common space was still
available.
Review of the 2021 Immigration Amendments, Plus Further Proposed Minor Amendments, and
Changes to Maximum Penalties for Immigration Offences
The paper proposed reviewing and amending the 2021 immigration laws, introducing minor policy
adjustments, and increasing maximum penalties for immigration offenses to align with international
standards. The recommendations aimed to streamline processes, improve alignment between policy
and legislation, and strengthen the Falkland Islands' immigration framework. The amendments were
approved, and legislative drafting will follow to implement these changes. This is a public paper.
Embarkation Tax – Review and Legislative Amendments
ExCo agreed to continue with the current system of collecting embarkation tax. To keep to the
current system of increasing in line with other Government fees and charges (in Budget Select
Committee), to separate the collection of this tax from cost recovery policy and not to agree an
exemption for certain charter flights. This is a public paper.
Establishment of a Maritime Committee
ExCo agreed to establish the Committee. The draft terms of reference were approved, it was noted
however that they were pretty minimalist. ExCo decided to give the Committee a chance to allow
the Committee time to establish its operations, before coming back after a year with
recommendations to amend the terms of reference. It was also agreed that the Maritime Authority
should make arrangements to establish the Committee and arrange an inaugural meeting as soon as
practicable. This is a public paper.
Draft Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty Policy
This paper was approved and aims to provide a comprehensive framework to protect and empower
individuals who lack the mental capacity to make decisions, ensuring that any interventions,
including deprivation of liberty, are lawful, proportionate, and in their best interest. It establishes
guidelines for care, treatment, and legal safeguards based on human rights principles, aligning with
the Falkland Islands' Constitution and international standards. This policy underpins the
development of new legislation tailored to the Falkland Islands' unique context, with mechanisms
like the Court of Protection, Lasting Power of Attorney, and Independent Mental Capacity Advocates
to support ethical and effective decision-making processes. It is a public paper.
2024 Annual Report – Prison Monitoring Board
The report was noted. There were no other recommendations as a result of the report. It is a public
paper.
MLA Mark Pollard
December 2024
