The leader of the Isle of Wight Council has written to the Prime Minister to remind him of his commitment to an ‘Island Deal’.
In his letter to Boris Johnson, Councillor Dave Stewart requested an update on the Prime Minister’s promise of extra government help made during the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election campaign and repeated during a Brexit debate in the House of Commons later that same year.
Councillor Stewart has said:
“I am confident this is something that is still on the Prime Minister’s agenda, but I recognise he has his hands full dealing with the challenges of a pandemic, Brexit and rebuilding the nation’s economy.
“Nevertheless, I just wanted to remind him that this deal is really important to the Island and will make us better able to deal with these same challenges.”
In his letter, Councillor Stewart highlighted research carried out by the University of Portsmouth which found the additional cost of providing local government services on the Island was £6.4 million more than other authorities.
Cllr Stewart adds:
“This uplift would enable us to continue to ‘balance the books’ and address our ever increasing budget gap (currently £3.5m each year for the next three years) inline with our medium term financial strategy.
Article continues below this advertisement “I appreciate that the wider Fair Funding Review has been delayed because of the pandemic, but there is still the opportunity for the government to bring forward an initial settlement for the Isle of Wight in recognition of our circumstances. I would therefore ask you and the Chancellor to consider this approach.”
Councillor Stewart and the Island’s MP, Bob Seely, have been pushing hard for an Island Deal to secure additional government money to reflect the Isle of Wight’s challenges as an island.
In his letter, copied to Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and to the Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick, Councillor Stewart said the council “had done our part so far”, such as acquiring the Venture Quays site in East Cowes to secure jobs in marine manufacturing and increase the supply of affordable housing.
He also highlighted the important role the Island community had played in piloting the NHS COVID-19 contact tracing app which has since been rolled out nationally to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Councillor Stewart concludes:
“We are now looking to the future with a range of ambitious initiatives to help the Isle of Wight on the road to recovery from the challenges of coronavirus, which have hit our local economy particularly hard.”
Meanwhile, council officers have also been in contact with officials at the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) setting out the authority’s fragile financial position due to the pandemic.
WOW, ‘ol Pugwash Stewarts got a nerve, telling the government to “pull its finger out”
Maybe Boris should order an investigation into the councils spending and where all the money they have had has gone to. Stewart, Metcalfe and the tourist board should be ashamed, as should Seely.
The fact that you always resort to name calling when discussing Dave Stewart is evidence of your utter lack of credibility. You should stick to the playground where your behaviour would be no less acceptable, but at least to be expected. I wonder if you would be brave enough to repeat your scurrilous accusations in the print media?
Name calling, well he does bear a striking to Cpt Pugwash, minus the pirate gear of course. I would love to repeat my comments and accusations anywhere, I am all for free speech, and I really can’t stand people who tell anyone who has a comment that is not the same as their own to be quiet, so no I will continue as always, playground or not. Now where did I put my sports bag and my homework?
Because you were given the name caulkhead wasn’t you? Man up and use your legal name
Is the worm turning? Or just taking advantage of President Cummings’ attention being elsewhere:
Of course he needs more money, the Floating Bridge repair bill is looming. Us council tax payers have had enough of our money being wasted and he knows it, so he’s calling on Boris for some funds.
The deal will be, YOU get your money, BUT take in hundreds of crime ridden tenants to fill your once peaceable Island with.
Now, knowing the council, it doesn’t take much imagination to know which way they will ‘jump’
Vote them all out next time around.
So more money for a dangerously incompetent and corrupt council to “balance the books”? All the while cutting more and more services. Where oh where does all that money go I wonder?
Wage rises, pensions, expenses, bungs (for sinks) and jobs for family and close friends. Vote them all out.
£6.4 million, but that’s not enough to pay for the disaster of FB6.
Call in the receivers will be next.
Cummings has gone!!!! Now watch Johnson sell us all our
I think you will find Mr Stewart, that your “friend” Boris is rather busy at the moment, dealing with his fighting advisors.
Tories telling tall stories of funding to Tories who lie to the electorate, you reap what you sow Isle of Wight.