By Carole Dennett
In a letter to the government last week, leader of the Isle of Wight Council, Cllr Phil Jordan has underscored the pressing financial challenges faced by the council due to the Island’s separation from the mainland.
With the government currently considering future funding settlements for local authorities, Cllr Jordan’s plea highlights the need for a fairer distribution of resources to serve the needs of Island residents.
In his letter, Cllr Jordan welcomed a recent ministerial statement which said that addressing financial challenges in local authorities will be prioritised with a three-year settlement. However, he emphasised the urgent need for a “one year emergency response” to tackle soaring costs in adult social care, children’s services, and temporary accommodation.
The Isle of Wight, alongside Portsmouth, Southampton, and Hampshire local authorities , has expressed interest in exploring a devolution deal, which would give additional powers and funding to a shared body covering the four local authority areas, which could include a regional mayor. The three other authorities have accepted Cllr Jordan’s insistence that this must include powers over transport providers, including the cross-Solent ferry services.
The Island experiences significantly higher service delivery costs due to its island status, with additional annual costs calculated to be £23.7 million. A one-off payment of £4 million last year fell far short of what was needed, leading the council to seek an increase to £10 million in this year’s settlement. Specific areas like adult social care, children’s services, and highways maintenance saw cost increases of 13,, 29, and 70 per cent respectively. The figures, supported by recent evidence gathered in conjuction with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), highlight the disparity in the Island’s funding compared to mainland councils.
In his letter, Cllr Jordan called for a fairer funding model to alleviate the undue burden on Isle of Wight residents and improve service delivery. He offered to meet with government officials to discuss the challenges.
The IW Observer currently has an outstanding Freedom of Information Act request waiting to be determined by the Information Commissioner’s Office. The previous Conservative government repeatedly turned down the request for background paperwork on the funding. We made the request after former MP, Bob Seely, claimed the Island was awarded extra funds because he threatened he would vote against the government, which would be illegal.
