Joe Robertson MP has urged the Government to prioritise funding and support for the East Wight following the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods (ICON) report, which identifies the constituency as the second most left behind in England.
The report is intended to direct the Government on how to deliver on its ‘five missions’ which include building an NHS fit for the future, kickstarting economic growth and breaking down barriers to opportunity by reforming education.
The ICON report, points to poor infrastructure, lower paid jobs, poor health outcomes and limited educational attainment. In his letter, Mr Robertson stressed the need for substantial public investment to reverse these trends.
Now the East Wight has been identified as the second most in need he says he wants to see the Government, “respond decisively and make good on its promise” to deliver on its 5 missions. The MP referred to the Council’s recent consultation to close Island primary schools and criticised the “per-pupil” national funding criteria which he says “may work for England in general [but], is undermining our ability to provide educational choice locally because of our unique connectivity and demographic challenges. It threatens the viability of many of our primary schools which serve deprived areas close to home”. He asks the Government for support.
The MP says in his letter
“The report identifies 94% of the East Wight population as living in neighbourhoods with the highest need. Only one constituency ranks higher in all of England’s 543 constituencies. The report uses data for crime, health, energy, jobs and educational achievement and I understand that it will inform the basis of the Government’s plan to invest and deliver on its “5 missions”. That means the Government should be making the East Wight, and indeed the whole Island, a priority as it now has the evidence it needs.”
The letter goes on to say:
“I therefore request a meeting with you to discuss ways in which the Government plans to deliver on its five missions in my constituency, in particular, support for ensuring we avoid closing schools serving more deprived communities, improve health and social care outcomes, attract new investment to secure better jobs and reduce the cost and inconvenience of getting on and off the Island… I am looking to the government to respond decisively and make good on its promise in accordance with its own commissioned report.”
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A start has been made…200% council tax on all the second homes. All that’s needed now is a wealth tax on the filthy rich and their hoarded wealth and none of us will be left behind.
In 2021, UK taxpayers had £570bn stashed, untaxed, in tax havens. See if you can work out the tax due on that, Joe. (Hint: it would pay for the £2bn education shortfall, for starters.)
Since 2021 the richest have somehow managed to get significantly richer, in spite of a squeeze on the rest of us. I suspect that £570bn is a mere drop in the ocean by now.
This government labour government have already prooved that taxing the rich doesn’t work. As you say they move stash wealth out of the country. In this day and age with computers it makes that process so much easier with the press of a computer button. As for 200% council tax, that won’t help either as when they come to their second homes they find things to do that are free to do instead of spending money in the restaurants and shops. Perhaps it might be a good idea if you followed this labour government and stick your head in the sand where you might find some constructive ideas instead of just taxing people out of existence.
It would be really difficult to tax the filthy rich out of existence, It’s been estimated that if just the top 100 of the worlds billionaires paid their due tax, (rather than use the legal loopholes to not) they alone could eradicate world poverty 4 TIMES OVER and still be classed as billionaires.
There are roughly 170 billionaires in the UK. Just short of the billionaires are the multimillionaires. The top 350 of the UK’s richest have a combined wealth of £795bn.
Taxing the rich would most certainly work.
See, my head isn’t in the sand…it’s in research.
Recouping all the money spaffed on the scamdemic would be nice. Mone, Deloittes, the 39 billion on Track and Trace etc etc
I can never make out why Germany only
spent £48 million on their track and Trace,
yet the UK spent £37 Billion.
I think we have been diddled!
Just a bit
And your source for this information is?
I think we have a right to know.
Nice to have one MP on the island concerned for its constituents….
Wot, like they had been for the previous 14 years, you mean? The only thing Tories are interested in is conservatism. Clue’s in the name. Or, hanging on for grim death to preserve the status quo.
The other one is sorting out the Ferries
Lol
I am not going overboard about the eventual outcome.
The East Wight is covered by a tory MP so don’t expect anything soon. On this government’s performance no extra money will come to any part of the island as they think that our money is better spent on missiles for Ukraine and art lessons in deepest Mongolia. The English people are the last this lot would spend money on.
Perhaps if Joe Robertson asked for funding for a Mosque in East Wight he might stand a chance of some funding.
or to put up migrants in hotels
Lol
You do the poor no favours by robbing the rich.Sunshine
Really? Do explain, I can’t wait for the lesson in trickle-down economics….
The biggest barrier to prosperity on the Island is the lack of access to well paid jobs. We need one of two things, either large employers need to be encouraged to set up here, or, we need a fixed link to the mainland.
Yes I know there is opposition to a fixed link, but without it we are held to ransom by the ferry companies & a low wage economy.
Time for a bridge or tunnel, that’s the
only way the island can prosper.
Joe has obviously not seen Accounts clerk
Rachel’s spring budget.
I cannot wait for her Autumn budget
Lol
TAX THE RICH. Starmers Nazi party, need to be gone and the only way is for people to get together and fight for what they believe, not just be a keyboard warrior, get out there and protest, it is not far right, it is your right. This council need to be gone, we need our vote back on May 1st, protest about that too.