The Isle of Wight Council’s regeneration lead and 5 others have been made redundant after a reshuffle at the local authority, but there are reassurances that projects in the pipeline will continue.
Chris Ashman was appointed as Director of Regeneration in December 2016 as part of a new Council focus on attracting investment to the Island, creating jobs and other community benefits over a 10-year period. However, nearly 7 years on, Chris has left the Isle of Wight Council following a senior management review.
It has been confirmed that 3 posts have been made redundant as part of the review, with a further 3 posts made redundant outside of the review. It’s known that Chris Ashman alone was receiving a salary and pension package totalling £134,530 a year.
Chris arrived on the Isle of Wight with over 25 years’ experience in social and economic regeneration, notably helping 2 local authorities to access over £15million of regeneration funding from the Welsh government. His experience is now being put to use as Executive Director – Place at Tewkesbury Borough Council.
As of 1st October, regeneration on the Isle of Wight is now being led by Colin Roland, the Director of Community Services, which has formed following the combination of the Directorates of Neighbourhoods and Regeneration.
The Isle of Wight Council says that the economic development and regeneration team now has 11 posts, with the team set to continue to deliver the projects already underway and proposed.
Of the 11 key sites initially identified for regeneration, the only 1 to be completed is the controversial Ryde Interchange scheme. Other projects like the expansion of Nicholson Road in Ryde and the development of the Spa site in Shanklin have not come to fruition, so there isn’t much to show for 7 years of work.
Regeneration of Ryde Interchange? You mean millions spent to create a danger to pedestrians,no public toilet,loss of shelter for elderly waiting for bus,and long walk between bus stop for change to next . How is an employee of IOW council paid more than prime minister ?. Should of been sacked for failing to do as employed, not hand shake and fat envelope.
How can 11k per month be justified?
This is tax payers money that is given to one person that can’t compete is role. Plus he will be on a healthy pension
And then the othet 5 people. What were they getting paid to do nothing.
And then the council set up another team to do nothing.
What a sham.
there all over paid and we let it go on
Perhaps he could explain to cyclists how they are meant to join the ‘cycle path to nowhere’ which came as a result of the Ryde Interchange – if you cycle down Union Street or the pier there is no dropped kerb to join it – you can only join for the 20m from the Hover entrance.And cycling the other way it stops at the footbridge.
It is the biggest f**k up of a cycle track I have ever seen, and was designed by an idiot who has never been on a bike, and looks like one of the biggest afterthoughts ever.
And this bloke gets paid how much??????????
He got paid 11k a month for some strange reason
I’m guessing the ‘redundant’ former department head will be paid AT LEAST statute redundancy, and that he, being over 41-years of age will therefore be entitled to a MINIMUM of 1.5 weeks pay for every year employed, will get something like (and this a is ballpark guess) £27,000 (most probably an under estimate)!
Not a bad little earner considering the lack of output his department managed!
That is of course not taking into account any Pension contributions…
Good to know that OUR money is being carefully used!