The Government has not ruled out the Isle of Wight Council remaining a unitary authority in a new memo to local authority leaders.
Whitehall has welcomed ‘additional thinking’ on the Isle of Wight’s ‘exceptional circumstances’ in feedback on a Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) plan.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government responded to a 21st March Interim LGR Plan, submitted by Hampshire and Solent councils, prepared after Local Government Minister Jim McMahon invited the authorities to prepare LGR proposals on 5th February.
In December last year, the government unveiled sweeping plans to shake up local government across England. They include 2 distinct but related policy packages: moving powers and funding from Whitehall to England’s regions by creating Strategic Authorities with elected Mayors and ending the two-tier system of county and district local councils with new unitary authorities covering populations of at least 500,000.
The Hampshire and Solent councils’ Interim Plan made the case for the Isle of Wight Council remaining a separate unitary authority due to its ‘exceptional circumstances’. This is despite the Island’s population being forecast to be 148,000 by 2028 – well under the 500,000 figure.
The plan said:
“As the physical boundary to the Island remains, the opportunities to reduce fixed costs and make procurement efficiencies and estate rationalisations are limited.
“No model of local government reorganisation will address challenges regarding the tax base and financial sustainability of the Island, whilst balancing and adding further challenge to the delivery of services from a geographical and financial perspective.
Article continues below this advertisement “Furthermore, Isle of Wight residents possess a distinct cultural identity which does not necessarily align with mainland residents.”
The Government has now fed back:
“We welcome the additional thinking conducted regarding the Isle of Wight. If pursuing this option, it would be helpful to build on the existing rationale and provide a full assessment against each criterion in your final proposal(s).”
A total of 6 guidance criteria for unitary local government proposals were attached to Mr McMahon’s February letter.
Responding to Whitehall’s feedback, an Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said:
“We acknowledge the feedback provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the interim Local Government Reorganisation Plan. We welcome the recognition of the Isle of Wight’s unique circumstances and the encouragement to further develop the rationale for the Island within any future proposals.
“We remain committed to constructive dialogue with the local authorities across Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth and government to ensure the best outcomes for our residents.”
The deadline for final LGR proposals is 26th September, the Government has confirmed.
So, Ms Rayner’s Department, having deprived large numbers of people their Democratic right to select (vote for) candidates in May, now seems to be part of Labours ‘which U-turn shall we make next’ group!
You really could not make it up.
This so called Government are totally incompetent!
You are spot on, but too be honest it doesn’t
matter which party is in the hotseat, they all
report to their same Elite bosses and sing
from the same hymn sheet.
Let’s hope we are run by the mainland, they can then extend
Ryde Pier so the train can go direct to the mainland and
vehicles can drive across at minimal fees.
Just add an opening in the middle for ships to pass
through.
Job done, house prices will rise and better job
prospects all round.
I’m not sure if you were being facetious but either way you’ve hit the nail on the head. Either there’s a fixed link and islanders ‘enjoy’ it’s benefits, and so there’s no rationale to stop the island becoming part of a larger ‘Supergroup’. Else, ‘independence’ is retained and you’re stuck with the naff ferries that’ve dogged the island for generations.
I’d just like to point out that Quiggles said this was wholly possible wayyy back, yet JR said ‘we’re DOOMED’! This representation of having our cake and eating it was brought to you by LABOUR. More funding, more autonomy, bigger chances for economic regeneration and investment. Ner.
This labour shower is like the previous labour administrations of old but less capable if that was at all possible, knee jerk ideas, followed by uproar then quietly forgetting about it, all whilst spending hundreds of billions we do not have.
Any Isle of wighter will welcome it