The Leader of the Isle of Wight Conservatives has responded to the Alliance’s annual report on their successes since taking power at County Hall in May 2021.
As previously reported by Island Echo, Council Leader Councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox has looked back at the first 12 months of the Alliance administration’s rule to see what has been achieved.
In response to the points raised, Councillor Joe Robertson has said:
“I welcome the detail provided in the Leader’s Annual Report. Many of the achievements of the last 12 months are delivery of projects started under the previous Conservative administration which the Leader fairly acknowledges. In particular, the opening of Howard House assessment hub for homeless people and the continuing delivery of the Branstone Farm development which will see much needed affordable units being provided in partnership with Vectis Housing.
“I acknowledge the support and implementation of Conservative policies and projects by the Alliance. The continuity of delivery is good for the Island and I welcome this approach.
Planning
“There is little mention of the Alliance Council’s planning policy including for affordable housing. The new Chair of Planning Committee nominated and voted through by the Alliance, Labour and the Liberal Democrats is an outspoken critic of the Alliance’s own draft Island Planning Strategy. The draft Strategy has been put on hold and the Cabinet meeting due to discuss it was cancelled.
“In February the Council allocated a £40 million borrowing facility for building affordable housing including rental accommodation – a budget amendment the Alliance opposed. The Leader has given no detail regarding, (1) whether any of this money has been borrowed, allocated or spent, (2) whether the Council’s own housing company has been resourced to start delivering these homes as promised, or (3) whether the report into better use of brownfield land has been commissioned.
Article continues below this advertisement “Islanders need clarity on where the Alliance-led Council stands, particularly those in serious need of appropriate housing”.
Floating Bridge
“The Leader’s report says nothing about resolving the problems of the Floating Bridge which has suffered its worst year to date under the Alliance led-Council. We were previously told that a mediation meeting between the Council and those responsible for designing and/or building the bridge took place in early March but there is apparently still no resolution and no further mediation dates have been disclosed.
“The Leader commented at Annual Council that solicitors delay things because they are getting paid but she is unclear whether that is a criticism of the Council’s own team or others.”
Erosion of openness, democracy and accountability
“The Leader’s Report says that last year the Alliance reintroduced, “reverse proportionality to all scrutiny committee meetings and supported the appointment of chairs of these meetings drawn from those who are not part of the Alliance”. The Alliance also pledged in May last year that the Chair of Corporate Scrutiny Committee would come from the “main opposition” group – the Conservatives – who are the only opposition group on the Council.
“This approach has now been abandoned. The policy of reverse proportionality on scrutiny committees has been scrapped, as confirmed at the Annual Meeting (18th May 2022). The Alliance have given the Chair of Corporate Scrutiny Committee and Chair of Children’s Services Policy and Scrutiny Committee to the sole Labour councillor who voted through all the Alliance’s other committee nominations and has a record of being supportive of them at previous Council meetings.
“In the spirit of cross-party working, I met with the Council Leader in advance of the Annual Council Meeting to discuss possible cooperation and agreement over Committee Chairs. The Conservatives supported all sitting Alliance Committee Chairs. The Alliance, backed by Labour, blocked every nomination from the Conservatives and agreed nothing.
“I look forward to continuing to work with those Alliance members who are willing to work cross-party. I hope these councillors hold greater sway with the Alliance leadership in the coming year and Alliance members who continue to pedal divide and control politics inside the leading group are diminished in influence by their fairer minded colleagues”.
Wait, Conservatives want to build more affordable housing? I’m going back to UKIP
Because the tory Council was always open and honest wasn’t they Mr Robertson?
Whatever flag any level of politician sails under, you the ordinary peasant must be prepared for acts of piracy, lies and general skulduggery.
One word would of saved all that waffle. “Corrupt”
And the result of everything … a clear fail on all counts.
Anything from the Conservatives needs extensive fact checking so tl;dr
A politician telling us what a good job they are doing and an opposition politician telling us they’re not doing a good job. Do we seriously have to pay for this cr*p?