The Isle of Wight Council will meet to decide on whether or not to support a bid for Newport – the Island’s county town – to become a city.
As previously reported by Island Echo, Newport could throw its hat into the ring to be granted city status as part of honours being awarded for the Queen’s 2022 Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
A motion calling for Newport to join the likes of Swindon, Milton Keynes, Dudley and Reading in vying for the coveted title will be discussed by the Isle of Wight Council’s Cabinet next Thursday (9th September).
The proposal, put forward by Councillor Martin Oliver, who represents Shide and Mountjoy ward, already has the backing of Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council.
In a report published on Wednesday, Cabinet members are being recommended to support the motion and lead the preparation of a bid. This would be subject to the Shaping Newport Steering Group agreeing to assist with the application as the council has limited capacity to allocate to the work necessary to prepare a bid, the report states.
Isle of Wight Council leader, Lora Peacey-Wilcox, said:
“This bid for city status is an opportunity for us to celebrate everything we know is important about Newport and reflect its status as our Island’s county town.
“City status really does bring greater kudos and hopefully help attract investment into the town.”
Article continues below this advertisement “A bid for city status should also be seen as recognition for the whole Island and look to build on the sense and value of community that has been enhanced in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and that will be necessary as the Island works to recover from it.”
Local authorities across the country are being encouraged to prepare nominations for ‘city status’ for towns within their areas as part of the civic honours competition, launched to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
The bid must be submitted to the government by 8th December before recommendations are made to the Queen by ministers.
Read the Cabinet report in full at https://iow.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s3724/Report.pdf.
What an excellent idea. With almost 50 empty shop units, Newport is just as deserving city status as all other current cities whose main shopping areas are merely ghost towns with extortionate parking fees that offer little or nothing that would entice shoppers to spend their hard-earned income. So go fill your boots, Newport. Coppins Bridge and the diabolical one way system will definitely add kudos to your application. Incidentally, how much will this cost, and how much will it benefit the rest of the island’s population? Just asking….
All the best shops have gone from Newport & the Island. The rot started when BHS closed and then Thornton’s delightful little cafe closed. Now look how many businesses have turned their backs on Newport and the Island since then. Monsoon and Accessorize, Claire’s Accessories, Topshop, Poundstretcher, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Peacocks have gone from Newport, the Co Op opposite the bus station, along with the Post Office that was in there, the former Spar shop that became a central and then closed down, up opposite Crockshop., even Starbucks has shut up shop and gone. Costa & McDonalds are still there of course but then they would be.
Absolutely spot on! But look at the names of the shops, all big multiples – a whiff of a drop in profits and they are off!
How utterly ridiculous.
Yes a good city needs, closed down shops and businesses, lots of crime, dirty streets, homeless people living in doorways, very little in the way of police patrols, expensive parking, no cohesion. I think the council have a good chance of gaining that status. The next thing we will have towering skyscrapers along “Medina Wharf” full of new council offices and of course the all new air conditioners we are paying for. What a load of buffoons this lot are.
Newport is a disgrace. Derelict and run-down.
How can it be considered a city
Sort it out first
It would be nice to know how much it would cost and what benefits it would achieve, probably just an expensive pr exercise in self importance for councillors.
So how much will this cost the tax payer
What a waste of time and money. How much in council officers time and overall cost will it be for them to put together this ridiculous proposal.
They should ask the public for goodness sake before they waste money on a bid.
I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t think this is ridiculous.
You’d think that IW Council officers and previously-serving councillors would be wary of wasting yet more public money. Let’s hope that common sense prevails.
What a load of b.s, Newport is far to little and insignificant, anyway,who wants to live in a city if you prefer to live on an island! Short term gain,long time pain ££££.
Stop being stupid and get on with something useful
IW council,stop being so bloody stupid and grow up. You seem to live in la la land. Have you tried ringing the crisis team or seven acres. ( Ps can I have some of what you are smoking ) x
Now that is the best joke I have heard since the non floating bridge lol…..
Seriously Newport a city ??????
I only go to Newport if forced to…..
Nothing there unless you want a Mc Donald s ( no thank you )…..
Delusions of Grandeur from our Council!!!!!!
Meanwhile, in the “REAL WORLD”!!!
With all the empty shops and the generally run down appearance of the town it is a joke to even think of calling it a “city2, and how much will this ego trip cost the ratepayers of the Island.
With all the empty shops in Newport how could we expect to gain City status.City’s are vibrant busy places with good local shops and lots of pedestrian areas.Dream on IWCC.
Excellent, the first City in England without even a Post Office. Get your priorities right, public first back slapping last.
I, for one, does not want a single penny to be spent on this ludicrous idea. It will just be an excuse for a beano for the fat cat councillors. The rebranding for the council alone will cost a fortune. No thanks
Just a thought, not had time to fact check but would city status allow thousands more homes being built?? Must be some reasons why the council are pushing this
Yes there is, the isle of wight is not deverse enough, needs more ethnicity to tick more boxes,thus bringing more money from central government,and then this would encourage more culture for all of us to embrace. And then they will have no choice but to build a bridge. Watch and see…….