Work is underway to improve relations between Island Roads and the Isle of Wight Council after a previous relationship breakdown and ‘a lot of mistrust’, a top councillor has said.
Reform UK leader at County Hall, James Whelan, spoke of confidence and trust and working together following a Godshill Parish Council meeting in his Central Rural Ward earlier this month.
Cllr Whelan’s comments come as the Isle of Wight Council prepares to vote on a motion calling for ‘meaningful consultation’ with councillors, town and parish councils, and affected businesses and residents before major scheduled road work projects are finalised.
Liberal Democrat councillor Nick Stuart’s submission, due to be considered on Wednesday (16th September), cites ‘significant disruption’ caused to residents, commuters, emergency services, and the local economy by ‘poorly managed’ and ‘apparently uncoordinated’ road closures.
Cllr Whelan told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS):
“There was a lot of mistrust between elected councillors, the Isle of Wight Council and Island Roads and the relationship broke down.
“It’s about building up that relationship now, this is what we’ve been trying to do and we’ve worked very, very hard to do that.”
Asked how the relationship has been built up, he said:
“Confidence and trust in what we’re saying we’re going to do. We’re not there to embarrass each other in front of the public and I think that’s what the last administration was doing.
“To work together and not work as a separate entity.”
In July, Isle of Wight councillors formally agreed the controversial closure of Firestone Copse Road has raised ‘serious concerns’ over the decision-making, monitoring and communications around closing highways carried out through the Island Roads private finance initiative and the council’s highways function.
At the time, County Hall’s independent chair, Cllr Ian Dore, said members from different political groups have been saying the same thing:
“The Island’s highways arrangements are not giving residents and businesses the confidence, clarity or accountability they deserve.”
During the same meeting, Reform UK councillor Les Kirkby said he felt that over the last few years, the council and Island Roads have been working ‘against each other’.
Please hurry up and mend the relationship because the pot holes are getting bigger
They need to be embarassed – neither party has shown any genuine commitment to consider the needs of ordinary road users.
Island roads and the utilities just do what is most convenient and the councillors and council officers sit on their hands let them go unchallenged.
It is the trust and relationship with the public that needs rebuilding. Because that is seriously broken.
Trust. Lol
Maybe it would help if Island Roads shirkers got out of
the vehicles.
Potholes don’t get done if sitting on one’s a@ses in vehicles
vaping, smoking, eating and texting!
The Highways PFI contract was signed in 2013 – I think it still has another 12 years to go. It’s a very old contract now, with very limited flex to it. It doesn’t help that we have a very old road infrastructure which for a lot of our main roads we probably inherited from the Victorian era. With so many many new homes being built and householders having more than 1 vehicle it’s hardly surprising we are in the state we are in. My prediction for the future is it’s only going to get worse.
have you seen the roads falling away into verges forest road, thorness, main road calbourn getting bloody dangerous now but as usual fuck all being done about it..and bugger all into next year and beyound ill expect..useless twats.
Majority of the Islands Roads are cracking up.
Poor workmanship is the real answer.
Island Roads employ amateurs, Mountjoy and Dempseys
done a better job with less resources.
Yet our Council tax keeps going up.
Robbing B’stards