Prominent county councillors have given mixed verdicts on the Isle of Wight Council remaining a single unitary authority, as confirmed by the Government this week.
Very Broad Church group leader Geoff Brodie described it as a ‘pyrrhic victory’ (tantamount to a defeat) but Councillor Andrew Garratt, who leads the Liberal Democrats, said his party were ‘delighted’ with the outcome.
East Cowes independent Karl Love, meanwhile, described it as the news ‘we’ve been waiting for’ and ‘holding our breath’.
Steve Reed MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, told Hampshire and Solent council leaders the government had decided to move forward with a five unitary authority Local Government Reorganisation plan which retains the Isle of Wight Council, in a letter today.
Cllr Brodie told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS):
“I suspect this will be a pyrrhic victory for Cllr Jordan and those few Isle of Wight councillors who are returned after May 7.
“For the past year myself and a very few other brave people (including my colleague Cllr Clare Mosdell) have argued that the Isle of Wight Council is a basket case, with ‘bankruptcy’ inevitable without proper funding from government. Particularly for social care.
“I was not silent, unlike some councillors, and have corresponded with the relevant Minister urging her not to make this decision.
Article continues below this advertisement “Given that proper funding will not be forthcoming, and given the older population profile of the Island and its low business rates income, the inevitability of the next finance director issuing a Section 114 Notice in the next year will most probably lead to a delayed merger with one of the new unitaries in Hampshire.”
He added that such a merger would mean having ‘little say’ on future governance.
Cllr Garratt said:
“The Liberal Democrats are delighted that the government has confirmed the Isle of Wight will remain a single unitary authority.
“This decision reflects what we have consistently said: the challenges we face are not about council size or structure, but about geography. The Isle of Wight’s challenges can’t be solved by bolting us onto a mainland authority.
“The government must now recognise that its funding formula has failed the Isle of Wight. It has not reflected the real cost of delivering services on an island — higher costs, greater complexity, and barriers that mainland authorities simply do not face.
“The next steps are clear: the government must deliver fair funding for the Isle of Wight that reflects this reality, and tackle the overarching issues of cost, reliability, and frequency of cross-Solent travel.”
Cllr Love said:
“We can now look forward with some clarity and plan for the future. Our council still remain in a challenging financial position, and we hope government will reconsider and recognise we require additional funding to service our Island’s additional needs.
“This is good news for all those people who are standing as candidates in the next election for we can see beyond the shores and look forward with positivity.”
Cllr Chris Jarman, Empowering Islanders group leader, said:
“Empowering Islanders group have been consistent from the outset in our objection to any discussion regarding degrading the status of our Island council, merging it under any form of reorganisation with a mainland council, or delaying our elections to put those measures into effect.
“It’s a sad reflection that some other councillors and groups have not been so consistent, even though they now wish to appear as if they had always supported our Island’s continued independence.
“Those who pay attention to such matters, including the press, may recall decisions made at full council in favour of our independence, being overturned by the then leader and cabinet members.
“Whilst our Island may remain in name a unitary authority, the reality going forward, irrespective of LGR, appears to be a government dictated Hampshire and the Solent Mayoral Combined County Authority.
“The government refused our request for its name to include Isle of Wight and to include the plural ‘Counties’ to demonstrate that it is both Hampshire and the Isle of Wight involved.”
He added that the government is “determined” that it assumes much of our strategic responsibilities including planning, transport and infrastructure.
Councillor Bill Nigh (Reform UK) and Councillor Ed Blake (Conservative) have also been asked for comment.
I believe this was the right outcome. But if there is remaining uncertainty, it would be wise to remember that there will be future opportunities to combine unitary authorities but once the Island has been subsumed by Hampshire it’s independence as a local authority will never be able to be recovered. For this reason it is essential that there are no significant doubts before that irrevocable step is taken.
Devolution would have been great for the island