Councillor Debbie Andre and Councillor Emily Brothers have said that the budget approved by Sandown Town Council this week is a “real shame for Sandown”, with the big precept hike coming at a time of a cost of living crisis.
On Monday, Sandown Town Council approved the budget for 2023/24 which will see the local precept for a Band D householder increase by £6.06 a month. The amount an average Band D resident will now pay towards Sandown Town Council (STC) has soared to £218.40 a year — a £72.70 increase, or 49.9 per cent.
Councillor Alex Lightfoot’s 11% inflation-busting budget was approved by the majority, which included funds for projects not yet scoped, whilst offering up no savings to reduce the overall cost to the Sandown taxpayer and despite rising levels of reserves and no Medium Term Financial Strategy.
Councillors Andre and Brothers proposed a package of savings in the region of £100,000 and argued that income should be taken into account, as they fought to bring down the proposed precept.
In response to this week’s decision, Cllr Brothers has said:
“In a bizarre turn of events, the Mayor, Cllr Paddy Lightfoot, insisted on competing proposals being considered first rather than allowing scrutiny to the substantive budget paper. This meant that we weren’t able to raise many important issues, such as the 11% inflation busting costs or the failure to assess equality impacts of the measures.
“I’m worried about heaping an additional financial burden on the residents of Sandown at a time when many are struggling with rising food and energy costs.
“I called for a fair, balanced and responsible budget but Sandown residents ended up with an additional burden and that is a real shame.
Article continues below this advertisement “The purpose of our amendments was to reduce the precept, but sadly there was little compassion shown amongst fellow councillors for the financial pressures being experienced by Sandown residents.”
Meanwhile, Cllr Andre has said:
“How can we justify increasing the budget by just under £60k per annum for borrowing to fund replacement toilet blocks, one of which we have no responsibility for, without a business case having been presented?
“Our amendments called for funds to be ring-fenced. Questions need to be asked that if the reprovision of either toilet block does not proceed, will the loan still be drawn down for other purposes?” We presented amendments that offered a real alternative budget for real people in the real world.
“Sandown’s Blue Flag is now turning Central Beach into an extravagance with no evidence that having a Blue Flag boosts tourism. The cost of providing lifeguard cover for a small section of Central Beach, just for 6 weeks, costed in the budget for 2023/24 at £31,400, together with associated costs such as the ongoing maintenance of the lifeguard hut place an additional burden on Sandown residents.
“It was disappointing that no item was included in the public budget consultation on dealing with derelict buildings which I know is of great concern to local people. We tried to address this with provision for a planning enforcement officer, but other councillors failed to see the value in this. This suggests they are content with the status quo.”
From Cllr’s Andre’s motion to draw up a business case for a Post Office, which met with opposition from all other councillors, except Cllr Brothers, a public meeting will now be arranged to explore ways in which the local community can continue to access Post Office services.
The Chair of Sandown Carnival Association made a persuasive representation against the severe cut to their grant and Cllr Brothers was frustrated not to be given the opportunity to remedy this, but was repeatedly thwarted by the Mayor when she tried to speak, it is claimed.
A person who is hungry wants to hunt, but needs help so they ask help from a friend… but the friend has just eaten and is weighed down and has no desire to run as a result. so to is our councillors, politicians just about all people in office; we ask them for help but they have no desire to do anything because they are safe and secure why must we keep voting at all, lets starve them let’s stop paying Bill’s let’s make a stand as a United front, whatever your beliefs or lifestyle this effects us all that will make them come to us … after all… we are the ones feeding them…
Well said I can’t believe how many councillor’s are at freshwater/ totland parish council and what do they excactly do I tell you what NOTHING just rob the average hard working person disgusting
Sounds like the mayor needs his his chain pulling. Just confirms how out of touch our “politicians” are with the electorate, and I wonder how many of the cash strapped and more elderly residents of Sandown will be using all these beach related extras, which they seem to be asked to fund.
Agree, that twat of a mayor needs stringing up imo.
But the beach still needs maintaining and cleaning,
as that is the ONLY good thing left in this shite hole.
ps. STC could you please demolish the Ocean hotel, oh, you can’t ?
What is the point of you bunch of leaches !
Sadly fighting ‘climate change’, banning you from doing stuff, forcing you out of your fossil fuel cars, funding lovely homes and benefits for criminal visitors and of course delivering diversity and inclusion doesn’t come cheap, not when you factor in the amount they are duty bound to pay into the council pension fund as well – with all of that to cope with, you can now understand why delivery of actual services has to be severely limited or even stopped wherever they can get away with it
Councillor Alex Lightfoot’s 11% inflation-busting budget was approved by the majority, which included funds for projects not yet scoped.
tut tut – waiving through an increase for projects not even scoped – meaning a nice little slush fund for the councillors when they shelve the projects after scoping
they need stringing up these councillors for thieving off the locals.
Why do we need a town council, what do they provide other than huge increase for vanity projects, do they have any idea that they are fuelling social unrest where the minority who pay will decide enough is enough
Don’t understand these councillors. There are essential services and then there are non-essential services. When times are hard and budgets are squeezed, non-essential services should be cut or suspended (no matter what they are) and re-introduced when affordable. It’s that simple. If you can’t tell the difference between essential and non-essential, you shouldn’t be in the role.
Parasites killing their host.
Can I ask does Mr lightfoot live in sandown and therefore be subjected to this eye-watering rise?
How on earth can they justify a 50% increase,10% inline with inflation is fair enough.
But 50%,come on play fair.
They wouldn’t understand the words play fair !!!!!
They are 2 big for their boot’s…
Total waste of space ,probably factoring in the little jollies, tea and cake for the meaningful gatherings They have 2 rip us all off !!!!
Parasites rings out …..
How can they possibly justify such an increase. This sort of nonsense could (should) lead to civil unrest.
Y, us tax payers should pay for sandown when the council don’t care ,the state off sandown looks like the end off ww2 ,it’s embarrassing when tourists come,nothing gets done about it
Yep, would not be allowed to happen in Shanklin !
These councillors are truly incompetent, and from the top down .. bring the election forward as we cannot carry on with this shambles in authority, it’s become a post code lottery now, financially punished for living in that area.. I feel sorry for the hard working Sandown residents, and see other towns following suit because they can get away with ripping island residents off .. this crooked so called Alliance needs to be shut down, if it’s not already to late .
Lifeguard cover including maintenance of the hut for 6 weeks has been costed at just over £5,200 a week!! Where do they get these figures from??
Lifeguards do an amazing job saving lives & keeping all beach users safe but these figures are ridiculous!
This is a total rip off for hard working people trying to make ends meet as it is .THis should never of been allowed it will ruin already struggling town discussing
Council tax £218 a year? Why am I paying just under £200 a month
Sandown town council what a joke life guards ain’t needed nobody can afford to park there cars along the seafront.
And as for the the police force they can put posts on facebook with 3 officers in front of a derelict hotel but when they are needed they just don’t turn up.