The Isle of Wight Council voted for a new regional tier of government for Hampshire and the Solent at a full council meeting last night (Wednesday).
A total of 26 councillors backed a recommendation to approve ‘in principle’ the establishment of a new Hampshire and Solent Mayoral Combined County Authority, with 9 voting against it.
The settlement agreed to is part of the government’s English devolution plans, described by Whitehall as the greatest transfer of power out of Westminster to England’s regions this century.
The deal will deliver £44.6million annually for 30 years, amounting to £1.4billion of new funding. Unlike one-off government grants, this funding would be flexible, locally controlled, and specifically designed to meet the needs of the Solent area, including the Island.
Council Leader Councillor Phil Jordan has said:
“Devolution is not about adding more layers of bureaucracy — it’s about removing barriers and unlocking resources that individual councils could never achieve alone. For the Isle of Wight, this is the chance to bring in long-term, guaranteed investment that will directly benefit our residents.
“If we don’t take this deal, the risk is clear — our neighbours move ahead with billions of pounds in investment while the Island gets left behind as a ‘white space.’ That’s not acceptable. This deal puts us at the heart of decision-making and ensures our unique needs are heard and addressed.”
The Council emphasised that this opportunity is about shaping the Island’s future — not waiting for decisions to be made elsewhere.
The fact the drink driver Jordan mentioned bureaucracy sums it up. This is more layers of gravy train theft of tax payers money.
From what I read on a daily basis drink and drug driving
is the norm on the island, so leave Mr Jordan out of it, he has
not done no different to others.
All the others get a second and third chance.
Lol
More expensive, indecisive beaurocracy.
Voting last evening on so called ‘Devolution’ to create Mayoral Combined County Authority called HAMPSHIRE AND THE SOLENT incorporating Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and Isle of Wight.
Includes 12 major areas of functions and services transferred from Isle of Wight.
For:
Jordan, Andre, Bacon, Dore, Fuller, Jefferies, Jones-Evans, Lucioni, Peacey-Wilcox, Stephens, Critchison, Lever (Alliance)
Garratt, Lilley, Sarah Redrup, Stuart (LibDem)
Quigley (Labour)
Beston, Brading, Churchman, Nicholson, Quirk, Ray Redrup, Ward (Conservatives)
Adams, Gladwin (ABC)
26
Against:
Spink, Cameron, Jarman (Empowering Islanders
Blake, Drew, Hendry, Price, Robertson (Conservatives)
Brodie (Independent Socialist)
9
Not present:
Love, Mosdell (Independent)
Oliver (Conservative)
Not ‘so called’ at all. All other areas have more power and autonomy than before…and a lot more funding because it’s automatic, ring fenced and not arbitrary cap-in-hand and on the say so of the relevant gov’t department tied to its own budget.
Now list the functions and services you suggest we ‘lose’. I’d suggest we haven’t historically done very well in terms of growth, planning and transport because we’ve been hog-tied by a miniscule budget whilst diverting money into necessary frontline services, constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul.
And as for education, employment and training for our kids, don’t get me started. Seen the jobs list lately? Care work, care work and more care work. Plenty of courses and opportunity there, but don’t you think with a bigger pot, we might be able to tell the kids they inhabit a larger world with better opportunities than the ones currently on offer?
Stop navel gazing and move out of the way. It’s not all about you or your politics.
So,our extortionate council tax should drop then.
More chance of Labour winning the next election
Lol
How ridiculous… the Island will see nowt of that money !! If the Island stayed as ISLE OF WIGHT, not joined with Hampshire or any other borough.. would be independent, so would receive much more help from Government.But being part of a group… the mainland will reap the benefits.. Good bye ISLE of WIGHT status..
We are ‘independent’ now. Where’s this ‘much more help’ of which you speak? Why are we one of the poorest areas of the UK then, hmm?
And what’s this ‘status’ business? Did you get confused between us and the Isle of Man perchance?
It ain’t neccessarily so, give it a chance.
I remember not long after they made Island part of Hampshire, the Government gave HAMPSHIRE some odd millions… how much of that went to the Island…0
“— not waiting for decisions to be made elsewhere.”
But isn’t that exactly what they just voted for?
This will absolutely ensure that most important decisions are made elsewhere than here on the Isle of Solent-Area.
We also get the pleasure of paying for a Mayor we don’t want and who is very unlikely to consider our needs.
Well done guys. It will be interesting to hear how you plan to outvote the whole of the rest of Hampshire.
Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray!
Now we come under the real world umbrella
hopefully speeding rules are applied to the island.
Start by installing speed humps and cameras and 20mph
is plenty.
Let’s stop the island numpties speeding.
I thought you were leaving. Weird obsessive.
Most of these councillors need to go and to put in people who are passionate and fight for the isle. These are traitors to what the Island stands for. Probably all mainlanders so no interest whatsoever to back the best interests of the welfare of the islanders. Just line their own pockets. Shame on all those in favour.
Sold down the river by Jordan, Bacon and mates they really are useless and the sooner they all resign the better
In five words “That is the Island screwed”
Why waste more money on salaries when the existing council could spend the grants
This is unbelievable!!! Leave our Island alone, we are a county in our own right ,with this we are nothing!!
Personality I don’t care if Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse
runs the island, as long as they stop B’stards speeding on
the island that’s an achievement.
Personality? You really are losing it now