This response was received yesterday (Thursday). Ed
This is the predictable political rhetoric from the left-wing political grouping which are the “independents”. Only earlier this week they suggested that they would only be opposing Conservatives in the forthcoming elections, confirming that they are firmly on the left of the political spectrum.
We have explained to Cllr Welsford on numerous occasions that the Highways PFI Contract is not dependent on Eurovia setting up an Asphalt plant on the Island. The fact that he cannot understand this is a failing on his part, and we shouldn’t have to waste our time just because he can’t get his head round it.
No course of action
Furthermore, his proposed motion had no outcome – it did not include any recommendations or intended course of action. It was mere posturing on his part. We don’t just debate motions for the sake of it – we want them to lead to something to be done, like our ferries motion, which secured strong support across the Chamber.
There were important items on the agenda for Full Council which we needed to move onto, such as the future of council tax benefit – and many of the independents left the Chamber for much of that debate. Furthermore, many of them voted against – a stance which if successful would have left a £1.8m gap in the Council’s budget. They will now have to demonstrate where else they would find this from.
Urge Cllr Welsford to apologise
Not only was every single statement in Cllr Welsford’s motion was wrong, but it also suggested that officers purposely misled members. This is a serious allegation with no substance and I urged Cllr Welsford to withdraw it and apologise to the officers concerned. He has so far failed to do this. I look forward to seeing his apology, but I won’t hold my breath.
With regard to Cllr Bacon’s absurd suggestion that the Conservatives area spent political force, I would suggest that he looks at the results of the four by-elections held since the 2009 local elections. The results of by-elections can often be a good indicator of how the public are likely to vote in future elections.
Results of by-elections
By-elections have taken place in Ryde South; Chale, Niton & Whitwell; Binstead & Fishbourne and West Wight. When comparing the total combined votes received for each political party / grouping in these four seats in 2009 when compared with their total combined votes in the subsequent by-elections, the following vote share changes have occurred:
- Conservatives: 45.1% (2009) to 50.3% (by-elections) – an increase of 5.2%.
- Liberal Democrats: 19.6% (2009) to 21.4% (by-elections) – an increase of 1.8%.
- Labour: 1.5% (2009) to 9.3% (by-elections) – an increase of 7.8%.
- UKIP: 0% (2009) to 4.7% (by-elections) – an increase of 4.7%.
- Independent: 33.8% (2009) to 14.3% (by-elections) – a decrease of 19.5%.
Misplaced confidence
These figures clearly show that if any political group on the Island is a spent political force, it is the independents. Earlier this week, the Independent Group stated that they are “now confident that it can make history at the elections in May by creating the Island’s first truly Independent Council”. This confidence appears to be misplaced, as the voting figures over the past four years do not bear this out this likelihood.
