OPPOSITION COUNCILLORS HAVE THEIR SAY ON ALLIANCE’S PROPOSED BUDGET

With a 2.99% council tax rise on the horizon — the highest it can go — opposition councillors have shared their thoughts on the ruling Alliance group’s budget.

Fees and charges are set to increase, money has been allocated for affordable housing and £3million of savings must be found, but the Alliance administration says it is moving away from the previous approach of managing decline and instead looking for ways to grow and invest on the Island.

Reacting to the Alliance’s proposed budget, leader of the Conservatives at County Hall, Councillor Joe Roberston, said it was good to see the £3million savings plan, devised by the previous Conservative administration, was still being delivered.

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He also said it was good the Alliance recognised the potential to secure additional funding from the government, given they had previously said it was a ‘failing approach’.

Cllr Robertson said:

“There is an opportunity to generate revenue longer term by taking a more pro-active approach to housing delivery. We are certainly keen to see this achieved through a focus on brownfield sites in and around Newport and elsewhere, rather than on greenfield sites like Seaclose Park and in our villages. This will be a key consideration for the budget and wider council policy objectives.”

Chair of the council, Independent Labour Councillor Geoff Brodie, said he applauded the administration’s intention to borrow cheap loans from the Public Works Loan Board to start building affordable housing for the hundreds of Island families in dire housing need and was delighted they were pursuing that route. However, he said he was most uncomfortable with the current administration ‘doing what the last one did’ — increasing council tax by as much as central government allows.

Cllr Brodie said:

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“To use much of the proposed 2.99 per cent increase – £2 million of the £2.7 million raised – on some of the listed capital projects is entirely inappropriate at a time when so many families are struggling to make ends meet.

“As ever, I will be looking to submit an amendment that reduces the increase.

“I know not putting council tax up the full amount is expected if we are to get the mythical “Island Deal”, but realistically will that ever happen with the government determined to plough any spare money into the ‘red wall’ seats up north and the Island sat in the affluent south-east region?

“A lower council tax increase combined with the commitment to build affordable housing will get my support.”

There were 2 main areas of concern for Liberal Democrat councillor Andrew Garratt — the uplift in fees and charges for the council’s independent care organisation, Wightcare, and redundancies in the council’s call centre.

The increase in fees for Wightcare, he said, were rising by roughly 13%, which was ‘inflation busting’ and a move that should not be ‘taken lightly’. If there was going to be an increase, Cllr Garratt said, he hoped it would be more in line with inflation.

A ‘modest’ saving of £25,000 is proposed by making 2 call centre staff redundant, Cllr Garratt pointed out but questioned at what cost as the amount of time people wait on the phone is how the measure the council performing. Cllr Garratt said he was querying those issues with the cabinet and hoped they would be reconsidered.

However, he said, it was a budget that was without the horrors the council had grown used to seeing in the last few years and reflected the Alliance’s ‘wish to turn the ship around’.

The budget will be considered at full council on 23rd February.

Other opposition councillors, Daryll Pitcher and Richard Quigley have been approached for comment.