Parish OfficersOfficièrs d’la Pâraisse

The Parish officers are set out below. In addition to any other election requirement specified in the relevant legislation, must be resident in the Parish (but a rate payer in the Parish of St Helier is not disqualified for being elected to, or being the holder of, any honorary office in the Parish of St Helier by reason only of the fact that he does not reside therein).

• The Connétable (or Constable) is head of the Civil Parish. The Connétables are Members of the States by virtue of their office (see the States of Jersey Law 2005) and are elected at a public election. They are not delegates of the Parish; they are its representative. The Royal Court exercises a supervisory jurisdiction when the Connétable is in office and a similar jurisdiction is exercisable by the Royal Court (on a representation by the Attorney General) to decline to administer the oath to a newly elected Connétable if he or she is considered for any reason to be unfit for office. The Connétable is regarded as the “Father of the Parish” or, more aptly in the 21^st Century, the Head of the Parish, and is called upon to make him/herself available to all parishioners on any matter of collective or individual concern to them.
• The Rector is a Priest of the Church of England and the head of the established Church within the Parish. The title of Rector is limited to the twelve Rectors of the ancient Parish Churches. The Rectors are appointed by the Crown and preside over the Ecclesiastical Assembly.
• The two Procureurs du Bien Public in each Parish act as public trustees and are elected at a public election. They serve a 3-year term of office and the next elections will be in March 2023 and September 2024. They maintain an oversight of Parish finances and have a duty to represent the Parish in the care of Parish property; to report to the Principals and Officers of the Parish any matter concerning the public property of the Parish, or the application of the income of the Parish, about which the principals and officers should be made aware and must carry out duly considered instructions of the Parish Assembly or officers even if they disagree with their wisdom. They may seek guidance of the Royal Court on the meaning or legality of any such instructions.

• Honorary Police: Centenier – The following police powers are specifically reserved to Centeniers
  • granting bail;
  • charging persons with offences (subject to overriding powers of the Attorney General) and presenting accused persons before court;
  • conducting parish hall inquiries into alleged offences.
• One of the Centeniers is appointed by the Connétable as the Chef de Police for the Parish in accordance with the Honorary Police (Jersey) Regulations 2005 (jerseylaw). A Centenier should be prepared, if so requested, to serve as Chef de Police. Such a person will demonstrate the ability to lead and manage the Honorary Police team and must be a person of ability, not just length of service. The Chef de Police will be a person who plays a full and active role as a Centenier and is therefore able to lead and direct his/her officers.
• Centeniers are elected at a public election within the Parish.
• Elections for Centeniers are held every 9 months. The next elections will be in June 2022, March 2023, December 2023, September 2024.
• Honorary Police: Vingtenier – Vingteniers are elected by the Parish Assembly to serve a Vingtaine in that Parish (or a Cueillette in St Ouen) but do not have to live within that Vingtaine (or Cueillette). Besides their policing functions, the Vingteniers are also involved in the maintenance of roads in the Vingtaines. They undertake the collection of penalties levied pursuant to a visite du branchage under the Loi (1914) sur la Voirie. Traditionally they have also dealt with the licensing of dogs and the collection of the Parish rates. In practice the exact nature of these duties may vary from Parish to Parish.
• Honorary Police: Constable’s Officer – the Parish Assembly elects Constables Officers to a Vingtaine in that Parish (or a Cueillette in St Ouen) but the officer does not have to live within that Vingtaine (or Cueillette). These officers assist the Centeniers and Vingteniers of the Parish with general policing matters.

• Church Officers are appointed by the Ecclesiastical Assembly.
  • Two Surveillants (Churchwardens) for the Parish church are appointed annually by the Ecclesiastical Assembly at a meeting to be held before 31 May. The Surveillants take an oath of office before the Ecclesiastical Court at a meeting held after 1 June.  A Surveillant need not be resident in the ecclesiastical parish which he serves in that capacity but must be on the Deanery Electoral Roll. The title of Churchwarden is in French ‘Surveillant’ and should literally be translated as ‘overseer’ of the poor (Charité) and guardians of the Church property (Trésor). There are duties and obligations under Civil Law and as set out in the Canons of the Church of England in Jersey.
  • Two Almoners (Aumôniers) are appointed to assist the Surveillants. They are appointed annually by the Ecclesiastical Assembly at a meeting to be held before 31 May and take an oath of office before the Ecclesiastical Court at a meeting held after 1 June.
• The Rates Assessment Committee, whose members are appointed by the Parish Assembly for a 3 year term of office in accordance with the Rates (Jersey) Law 2005, are responsible for rate assessments in the Parish.
• The Registrar and deputy registrar(s) are appointed by the Connétable having notified the Parish Assembly of the intended appointment(s). Other than for St Helier, those appointed must live in the Parish and cease to hold office on ceasing to reside in the Parish. Each is appointed for a term not exceeding 5 years, is eligible for re-appointment and must give not less than 3 months’ notice of their intention to vacate the position. The officers are responsible for maintaining the registers of births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths in the Parish.