‘The Isle of Wight must work together to get the Island Deal’ – that’s the message from County Hall following the enormous impact of coronavirus on the Island.
In a motion submitted to the Isle of Wight full council by its leader Councillor Dave Stewart, he called for the support of strong local communities, town, parish and community councils and all councillors to help regenerate the Island by securing funding from the government.
Following the ‘enormous impact’ of the ‘worst public health pandemic the world has faced’ has had on the Island which ‘drained the community, finances and our ambitions of the future’ and exposed the Island’s fragile economy, Cllr Stewart said the ‘Island Deal’, in whatever form it comes, was never going to be an easy achievement but is satisfied the government is working with the council to secure a deal.
Councillor Wayne Whittle, cabinet member for regeneration, said the Island was at a critical point in its future and the council needs to ‘speak with one voice’ to secure the support from government. He said:
“We need the recognition of our projects to restore, recover and regenerate our community. Our regeneration needs a financial leg up.
“The government’s plans to secure levelling up funds apply to the Island just as much as any northern or midlands county and the funds they will shortly announce need to find their way across the Solent.”
Independent Labour representative Councillor Geoff Brodie, for Newport East, brought forward amendments to the main motion which said the fragility of the Island’s economy was exposed by the impact of ’11 years of an austerity-obsessed Conservative government and 4 years of a Conservative council’, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cllr Brodie said the motion was political posturing and he could not see any results of the money spent on regeneration in the last few years and asked what had actually happened. He said:
“The Island has lost nearly £100,000,000 in funding for the authority, which has taken down the local economy. And to be clapping yourselves on the back as if everything is fantastic is just a joke.”
Cllr Brodie’s amendment fell, however, with 31 votes against, 4 for and 3 abstentions.
Councillor Michael Lilley said while he was uncomfortable with some of the wording in the main amendment and said we needed to be passionate about creating jobs and bringing money and the only way to do that was by working across parties.
Councillor Reg Barry said if the Island was waiting for some money out of the government they would have given it by now, instead of another £50,000 for a survey.
Cllr Stewart’s motion passed with 35 votes in favour, 2 against (Cllrs Brodie and Barry) and 1 abstention (Cllr Ian Stephens).
The deal does not exist. It’s purely an election soundbite. The Island has lost over £100 million since 2010.
The government will only buy votes. No need here as we give them what they want free
Youv lost me when you refused too close borders as strictly as isle of man did. .we ALL suffered then .
We’d been DOING our bit back then but you DIDNT .so quit your bs about us pulling together! You had your chance
Regeneration = Let’s cover the island with concrete !!!!
Or the idea to cover part of Seaclose park with a plastic football pitch.
I’ve no interest in football, but moving the football there is a great idea. Actually championed by a councillor. He seems to be in a league of his own. (Here till Friday).
dave explain how when all you and your mob do is empty our pockets
Exactly new speed cameras, fleet of electric cars, air con ,new data base, meetings re the on-going non floating bridge fiasco, St Mary’s roundabout.
To name but a few .
Oh and pay rises all round ,must be so they can afford the council tax rise !!!Well someone has to help with it ,yes that’s right all of us .
Would help this Island if the council would please reject bringing council housed people over from the mainland.
Please don’t put any ‘trust’ in some of those named. Vote for anything but them in May.
How can we work together when THEY totally appear to ignore the public, other councillor’s whether they be parish or otherwise.
They appear to have their own agenda and that’s it.
We are coming out of lockdown and suddenly there’s a convenient ‘brazil’ variant to put us into further lockdown. Give it a rest…
The Island deal was a pre-election bribe from Seldom Seen Sausage Seedy. Doesn’t matter on the IOW. You could put a blue rosette on a turd and it would become M.P. Such a shame. We deserve better than this.