By Isle of Wight Observer
This is my first Vectis View since becoming IW Council leader on September 20. Those I work closely with and who know me well realise I had no ambition to become the leader and certainly did not like the way it came about.
Cllr Lora Peacey-Wilcox was doing an excellent job with the support of the Alliance Group and others, as we tried to achieve things in a difficult financial climate. However, a personal campaign, and the reality of no overall majority within the council, meant change was needed to stabilise things and allow us to move forward with confidence and continuity. The ongoing submission of votes of no confidence over the spring and summer became a serious distraction; it affected staff and management and wasted time, caused disruption and diverted energy needed elsewhere.
When Lora announced her resignation, she said: “We have faced challenges from an opposition that plainly has no goal other than playing party politics and taking power,” adding “statements from the Conservative Group that they wish to work together have now been proved beyond doubt to be false.” To be frank, our Island deserves better than this. Residents are tired of the infighting from those who seem unable to work together and only wish to disrupt. I do wonder if some Island councillors think they are in the Westminster political bubble instead of being elected to a local council. Councillors are elected, in my view, to work for their residents not ‘oppose’ the administration. I have often heard speeches from councillors claiming they were elected as the ‘opposition’. I don’t believe voters vote for that.
Some in recent months have called for more cross-party working, ignoring much good work already happening behind the scenes, particularly on housing, where we have started the long process of addressing the housing shortage for those unfortunate enough to be living in temporary accommodation. When I became council leader I pledged to look at what cross-party working might be possible.
Talking with the then Conservative Group leader, Cllr Suzie Ellis, it became clear local association rules prevent its members from taking cabinet roles in another administration. Liberal and Labour members thanked me for offering, but said they were happy to collaborate without needing cabinet roles. It was clearly impossible to put together a real cross-party cabinet, so devised a hybrid system, with members from all groups joining small support groups to work as a team in key areas with cabinet members. This will enable the skills that exist across the council to have an impact on policy, decision making and budget issues.
As I write, I am still waiting to hear from the Conservative and the Empowering Islanders groups whether they will accept what they have been calling for and join the cross-chamber working system. That said, the Conservative Group is once again looking for a new leader, their fourth since 2021. I hope that whoever takes the role this time will finally take a more positive approach to offers of collaboration and working together.
There are challenges ahead, not least the Island Planning Strategy, which must move forward to stop stagnation and weakness in our current planning system and deliver protection for our Island from aggressive developers. It must be realistic and tailored to the Island’s needs, making sure we build the right homes, for the right people in the right places and at the right price. I am not sure how we can deliver that without a suitable Island Plan in place.
We continue to seek proper funding from central government. We believe the formula used to set the funding is flawed, has been for sixty years, and needs addressing without delay. Massive amounts of data have gone to the government, and I am aware Ministers are looking at this issue. I hope this bears fruit for the Island very soon.