Councillors on the Isle of Wight have voted to give themselves a £676 annual pay rise – all in the name of fairness and inflation.
Full Council decided to approve the Members’ Allowance Scheme 2026/2027 on Wednesday evening (21st January), which includes a £10,800 per year basic allowance from 1st April.
This is a £676 increase from the current £10,124 allowance.
A motion to support the increase, following a recommendation from the Isle of Wight Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP), was put forward by Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Andrew Garratt.
The IRP carried out the first fundamental review of the basic allowance for councillors in 25 years. It found that “not a particularly diverse picture emerges” when reviewing current Isle of Wight councillors.
The approved £10,800 figure is predicted to be generally in line with inflation from 2024 to 2026.
The panel’s report said:
“The last time such a fundamental review was done was in 2000, when the allowance was set at £5,400 and it is now £10,124, a rise of 87 per cent over the quarter century.
Article continues below this advertisement “Comparing that rise with the cost of living over the same period suggests that it has not kept pace with inflation as the Retail Prices Index increased by 136 per cent over a similar timespan.
“Nevertheless, the Isle of Wight Council basic allowance compares reasonably well with other councils, remaining in the middle of the table of allowances of other unitary councils in the South-East region.
“Firstly, the panel considered the question of what the aim of the basic allowance should be and articulated that it should be neither an incentive to seek election as a councillor, nor should it be a deterrent to standing for election.
“We reiterate the point we made last year that the allowances’ scheme can contribute to the development of a diverse and balanced council.”
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In favour of the increase
- Cllr Andrew Garratt, Parkhurst and Hunnyhill, Liberal Democrat
- Cllr Debbie Andre, Sandown North, Alliance Independent
- Cllr Joe Robertson, Bembridge, Conservative
- Cllr Geoff Brodie, Pan and Barton, Independent Socialist
- Cllr Karl Love, East Cowes, Independent
- Cllr John Nicholson, Cowes South and Northwood, Conservative
- Cllr Martin Oliver, Mountjoy and Shide, Conservative
- Cllr Clare Mosdell, Newchurch, Havenstreet and Ashey, Independent
- Cllr Paul Brading, Lake South, Conservative
- Cllr Michael Beston, Shanklin Central, Conservative
- Cllr Warren Drew, Ryde South East, Conservative
- Cllr Peter Spink, Freshwater North and Yarmouth, Empowering Islanders
- Cllr Michael Lilley, Ryde Appley and Elmfield, Liberal Democrat
- Cllr Sarah Redrup, Wootton Bridge, Liberal Democrat
- Cllr Nick Stuart, Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet, Liberal Democrat
- Cllr Mark Jefferies, Wroxall, Lowtherville and Bonchurch, Alliance Independent
- Cllr Rebecca Cameron, Freshwater South, Empowering Islanders
- Cllr Bill Nigh, Lake North, Reform UK
- Cllr Caroline Gladwin, Central Rural, Reform UK
- Cllr David Adams, Nettlestone and Seaview, Independent
Against the increase
- Cllr Chris Jarman, Totland and Colwell, Empowering Islanders
- Cllr Jonathan Bacon, Brading and St Helens, Alliance Our Island
- Cllr Matthew Price, Fairlee and Whippingham, Conservative
- Cllr Vanessa Churchman, Haylands and Swanmore, Conservative
- Cllr Karen Lucioni, Ryde Monktonmead, Alliance Independent
- Cllr Paul Fuller, Cowes West and Gurnard, Alliance Independent
- Cllr Ian Stephens, Ryde West, Alliance Independent
- Cllr Ian Ward, Sandown South, Conservative
- Cllr Ed Blake, Ventnor and St Lawrence, Conservative
Abstained
- Cllr Claire Critchison, Chale, Niton and Shorwell, Alliance Green Party
- Cllr Joe Lever, Carisbrooke and Gunville, Alliance Green Party
- Cllr Phil Jordan, Ryde North West, Alliance Independent
Added quote from Cllr Michael Beston below
A vote to increase Isle of Wight councillors’ basic allowances by hundreds of pounds came in the wake of considerable disagreement from different sides of the chamber.
Though full council passed a £676 increase to £10,800 yesterday (January 21), as recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP), nine councillors voted against and three abstained.
The approved figure is predicted to be generally in line with inflation from 2024 to 2026.
In favour of the increase
- Cllr Andrew Garratt, Parkhurst and Hunnyhill, Liberal Democrat
- Cllr Debbie Andre, Sandown North, Alliance Independent
- Cllr Joe Robertson, Bembridge, Conservative
- Cllr Geoff Brodie, Pan and Barton, Independent Socialist
- Cllr Karl Love, East Cowes, Independent
- Cllr John Nicholson, Cowes South and Northwood, Conservative
- Cllr Martin Oliver, Mountjoy and Shide, Conservative
- Cllr Clare Mosdell, Newchurch, Havenstreet and Ashey, Independent
- Cllr Paul Brading, Lake South, Conservative
- Cllr Michael Beston, Shanklin Central, Conservative
- Cllr Warren Drew, Ryde South East, Conservative
- Cllr Peter Spink, Freshwater North and Yarmouth, Empowering Islanders
- Cllr Michael Lilley, Ryde Appley and Elmfield, Liberal Democrat
- Cllr Sarah Redrup, Wootton Bridge, Liberal Democrat
- Cllr Nick Stuart, Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet, Liberal Democrat
- Cllr Mark Jefferies, Wroxall, Lowtherville and Bonchurch, Alliance Independent
- Cllr Rebecca Cameron, Freshwater South, Empowering Islanders
- Cllr Bill Nigh, Lake North, Reform UK
- Cllr Caroline Gladwin, Central Rural, Reform UK
- Cllr David Adams, Nettlestone and Seaview, Independent
Against the increase
- Cllr Chris Jarman, Totland and Colwell, Empowering Islanders
- Cllr Jonathan Bacon, Brading and St Helens, Alliance Our Island
- Cllr Matthew Price, Fairlee and Whippingham, Conservative
- Cllr Vanessa Churchman, Haylands and Swanmore, Conservative
- Cllr Karen Lucioni, Ryde Monktonmead, Alliance Independent
- Cllr Paul Fuller, Cowes West and Gurnard, Alliance Independent
- Cllr Ian Stephens, Ryde West, Alliance Independent
- Cllr Ian Ward, Sandown South, Conservative
- Cllr Ed Blake, Ventnor and St Lawrence, Conservative
Abstained
- Cllr Claire Critchison, Chale, Niton and Shorwell, Alliance Green Party
- Cllr Joe Lever, Carisbrooke and Gunville, Alliance Green Party
- Cllr Phil Jordan, Ryde North West, Alliance Independent
Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Andrew Garratt, who moved a motion to support the increase, said:
“If we are to have diversity in this chamber, and we are not a diverse chamber, then we need to recognise there are financial implications to being a locally elected representative of the people, something that was done for MPs something like one hundred years ago.
“It is a difficult decision to reward ourselves, but it is right that we follow, in my view, what an independent panel has concluded – any member who is uncomfortable with that can of course renounce their allowance.”
Cllr Chris Jarman, leader of the Empowering Islanders, said:
“I do have a problem with the proposal that we have today and that is that we are all acutely aware of the difficulty this council faces financially.
“And the burden of that difficulty will not fall to the councillors who are here, it will probably not fall unduly to the councillors who are here in a few months’ time – that burden will fall to all the residents and businesses on this Island.”
Independent Socialist Cllr Geoff Brodie said:
“I read something online once that they shouldn’t be paid anymore than the minimum wage. The minimum wage from April is £12.71 an hour.
“If you do 20 hours, not my 25, over a week that works out at £10.40 an hour – that is less than 80 per cent of what the living wage is. You’re not exactly overpaying yourself when you do it – this is about encouraging people into the council.”
Cllr Bill Nigh, Reform UK’s group leader, said:
“I’m in a rather invidious position of finding myself agreeing with Cllr Brodie and I think he’s absolutely right. I have likewise reduced my working day by two days a week at the steam railway to allow me to do the extra hours for this.”
Alliance Independent Ian Stephens said: “We’re in terrible times, desperate times. You’ve just heard from the leader about once again a lessened amount for this local authority.
“For us at this moment in time to turn around and say: well, they’re (IRP) saying we should have that…so let’s give it to ourselves, is possibly not the right time.”
Cllr Michael Beston, of the Conservatives, said this morning:
“I would like to thank and support the Independent Remuneration Panel for its thorough work on the eighteenth report of the Members’ Allowances Scheme, including the first fundamental review of the basic allowance in twenty‑five years.
“However, given the financial pressures currently faced by many Island residents and families, I have decided to decline the proposed increase.
“While the IRP’s recommendations are justified, I do not feel it is appropriate for me to accept an uplift in my allowance, and I believe that declining the increase is the right decision for me in the current climate.”
All the left hand side ones are asleep lol,sleeping off there hangovers
So these people loose millions of pounds from the government then award themselves a pay rise
What a rotten council this island has
They should hang their hands in shame
But of course that would never happen with crooked people
I’m all right Jack…. Get Dithers to fetch the motor – tell him not to drive me past the food bank.
I see the conservative MP voted for a rise what a shock
Rather than handing out pay increases,
hand out some P45s
Disgusted with all the ones in favour. Sitting there like prime peacocks while us minions suffer at their decisions.
Our bills continue to increase with nothing to show for it , tightening our budget and they have a nerve to vote themselves in an increase . Imbecilic morons
Given that being a councillor is not a full time job, I don’t see that the diversity argument holds water. Thereality is that each of these people has a gross £900 a month addition to their houehold income while plenty of people across the Island struggle to pay their Council Tax bill. I wonder how many of them would be there if it was unpaid? Thoudsnds of people fulfil voluntary roles throughout the country from Parish Councillors, Magistrates, no end of charities. Those people do so as a public service. Politicians always seem to have their noses in the trough.