By Isle of Wight ObserverA Freedom of Information request has revealed Isle of Wight Council (IWC) has no plan or strategy in place for after Brexit.
IW Observer asked IWC to detail the steps it has taken to prepare for Brexit and provide copies of any Brexit impact logs, risk registers, preparedness reports or similar that may have been produced.
The council said “unfortunately the information is not held”.
Other councils in the UK have been preparing detailed reports about what Brexit could mean for their constituents regarding loss of EU employees and reduced income from lost EU funding.
However one “positive” outcome was listed by Pembrokeshire Council, that people might move away so there would be less demand on council services.
Glenn Koppany, chairman of Islanders for Europe, an anti-Brexit campaigners group, explained he’s asked the Island MP about his plans for a post-Brexit Isle of Wight.
Mr Kopanny said: “That doesn’t surprise me [that there isn’t a plan]. We have contacted the MP Bob Seely a lot of times, he’s not interested in answering any questions about anything after Brexit.
“I don’t think he has any exit strategy himself. The only replies we’ve got back is things like, ‘we won and you lost’. He’s just deflecting the issue. There has never once been one serious comment about what would happen afterwards.”
Iain McKie, former UKIP prospective parliamentary candidate for the Island said: “Recently, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills have been advertising in The Guardian for policy analyst roles for Brexit. I also know the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority have been recruiting heavily for people who understand what Brexit could mean.
“If you put the whole thing together, I would genuinely say the government, both locally and nationally is woefully unprepared for it.”
IW Observer asked Mr McKie if with this information in mind, was Brexit a good idea?
“I still firmly believe Brexit is the right for us to be doing. But any of these issues or bumps in the road are all the fault of the Conservative government and their unwillingness to actually listen to reason.”
A spokesman for IWC said: ”It is an issue we continue to monitor closely and will respond to, as necessary.”
