Cllr Jonathan Bacon shares this latest news on behalf of Our Island, in his own words. Ed
Our Island candidates and supporters are pleased with how the recent Isle of Wight Council and Town and Parish Council elections went.
While only a few Our Island candidates were successful in the elections many of those we have been working alongside have been elected.
Overall we feel that the ideas and proposals that we have been putting forward have resonated with the electorate and informed the outcome whereby 61 per cent of the electorate voted for something different to what we have had for the last four years.
Hailston: Influence on elections greater than we expected
Cllr Mike Hailston, the Our Island candidate for Shanklin South and new Shanklin Town Councillor, said,
“It was great to get involved in the elections as a candidate for the first time. My entry into local politics was brought about by the positive stance of Our Island. I think the influence on the elections was greater than we or anyone else expected, both at Isle of Wight Council level and in the Town and Parish Councils, even though some candidates following our ethos and ideas did not use the ‘brand’.
“There were many who were involved in the build up to the elections and the campaign. This included the Flatpack Democracy movement, who are an inspiration up and down the country, who helped us get more people involved than would normally happen with a new party.
“I am sure with more time and exposure to the voting public Our Island will move forward and get even better results. Although I lost I feel happy and was complemented on my performance with the number of votes obtained against two mainstream parties.”
Warren: Strong positive feedback voiced about principles of localism
Cllr Phil Warren (pictured above), the Our Island candidate for Ventnor and St Lawrence and new Ventnor Town councillor, said,
“It was heartening for me to see that Our Island gained a significant level of traction in Ventnor and St Lawrence, gaining more votes than the nearest Independent candidate.
“The election was never going to be easy or predictable given that there were six candidates contesting the seat and Our Island was a brand new concept.
“However, there was strong positive feedback voiced about the principles of localism and the importance of encouraging and representing the grass roots community voice.”
Warren: Focus to build on sound foundations that have been laid
He added,
“This was reflected at Town Council level where Our Ventnor attracted the highest number of votes in Ventnor West.
“My focus now is to build on the sound foundations that have been laid, develop the principles of Flatpack democracy on the Island, to grow our movement and prepare for the 2025 elections.”
The Our Island team will be recommencing meetings soon and working on building the movement and its support network to become a major community based voice in Island politics.
Image: © Julian Winslow
