Following the Lib Dem’s victory in the Wootton by-election, the 2nd such victory in just 9 months, we look at how this will affect the standings at County Hall, the home of the Isle of Wight Council.
On Thursday night, 29-year-old Sarah Redrup took the win in the Wootton Bridge by-election, securing nearly half of the 994 votes cast. She secured an 184 majority over the Conservative candidate, Ed Hopper.
It is the 1st time since 1998 that Wootton has been held by a Lib Dem. It was 25 years ago that Maureen Stolworthy represented the party in the ward.
In the May 2021 local elections, the Liberal Democrats retained a seat on the authority for the Parkhurst & Hunnyhill ward, but no one group took overall control as none had secured the majority of the 39 seats.
In the weeks that followed, an 18-strong Alliance Administration was formed, made up of independent councillors, Green Party members and an Our Island representative. With the support of other parties, the Alliance seized control of the council from the Conservatives.
Now, 2 years down the line, councillors have come and gone as well as jumped ship, creating a new group or following new avenues.
The Conservatives, now with 16 members, are the largest party, followed by the Alliance which has shrunk to 13 councillors.
The Liberal Democrats are now the joint 3rd-largest group, tied with Empowering Islanders, at 4 councillors a piece. There is also 1 Labour councillor and 1 independent Labour councillor.
In the coming weeks, the Alliance and its leader Councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox, who is also in charge of the Council, will face another leadership challenge. A motion of no confidence has been tabled for the September full council meeting by the Conservatives and Empowering Islanders group.
A similar motion was put forward in July but was withdrawn after the new Tory group leader, Councillor Suzie Ellis withdrew her support. This week Cllr Ellis announced a U-turn on her position, a little over a month since the first no-confidence vote.
Presuming all 20 Conservatives and Empowering Islanders vote to oust Cllr Peacey-Wilcox, those that are part of the Alliance, Lib Dems, Labour and Independent Labour – 19 councillors in total – won’t have the majority vote, putting Peacey-Wilcox at real risk.
Finally the Tories will take charge and fix this mess the Tories got us into
I know you’re a troll. But Tories didn’t get us here, it’s Labours fault, Tories are the party of fiscal responsibility.
James, you live in LaLa land. Look at the Tories record especially over the last couple of years. Crashed the economy.
John
The Tories are in government and it is time for them to go.
They are not addressing the issues and have no empathy with people in general.
Perhaps it is time to vote lib dem.
We’re there any more survivors from your planet? Or are you trying to win a prize for the best joke?
The lockdown was not fiscal responsibility. It was fiscal vandalism.
Next Lockdown coming October 2024
Roll your sleeves up
Lol
This time no free jabs, people will have to pay for them and no
Furlough.
All 3 parties report to their same W.E.F Bosses
Presumably it means net zero fanaticism will accelerate.. In effect it means the Green Party has one more rep on the Council.
I give the Tories and the mismatch of Empowerment Islanders no more than 3 months before the bickering between them begins. Political suicide resulting in the Island residents again suffering from bed hopping politicians who only care for themselves. Council positions first, residents last@
All as bad as each other !!!!
Local council bickering / jumping ship changing allegiance!!!!! But they are still the same numptys, no matter which party they represent….
Honestly I think you would get more sense out of a group nursery school children….
Maybe one of you dummies could read the headline! Voting in a LibDem councillor in Wootton does not have global ramifications. Just one more voice falling on deaf ears in the council meetings.