Sarah Ferguson

Sarah Craig Ferguson ( – 13 September 2022) was a Jersey politician who served in the States Assembly from 2002 to 2014 and again from 2016 to 2022. She was first elected as a Deputy for St Brelade and subsequently served three terms as an island-wide Senator.

Ferguson's political work was concentrated on parliamentary scrutiny. She chaired the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel, served as president of the Chairmen's Committee—the body responsible for co-ordinating the Assembly's scrutiny panels—from 2008 to 2011, and chaired the Public Accounts Committee during two periods of her political career.

Early life and career Ferguson was born near Manchester and attended Penrhos College in Colwyn Bay. She studied electrical engineering at the University of Manchester and undertook an engineering apprenticeship in the heavy-transformer division of AEG. She later completed a Master of Business Administration at Columbia Business School in New York, specialising in finance and accountancy.

She returned to the Assembly in September 2016 after winning a by-election for the seat vacated by Zoe Cameron. Ferguson received 3,649 votes, defeating Deputy Sam Mézec by 131 votes. She was re-elected as a Senator at the 2018 Jersey general election.

Following the 2018 election, Ferguson was elected chair of the Public Accounts Committee. She stepped down from the position in October 2020 because of ill health but remained a member of the Assembly until retiring at the 2022 Jersey general election.

Ferguson was particularly associated with scrutiny of public finances and government administration. She also regularly raised issues affecting older people and the protection of St Brelade's Bay from development.

Community activities and death Outside the Assembly, Ferguson served as chair of Age Concern Jersey. She was also involved with the St Brelade's Bay Association, the Jersey Lifeboat Association and the Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Ferguson died at Jersey Hospice on 13 September 2022, aged 80. Tributes following her death highlighted her scrutiny work and her advocacy for older islanders.