Cllr Bob Blezzard (Sandown North) resigned from the Island Independents late yesterday (Thursday) evening in a letter handed directly to Ian Stephens.
The former Liberal Democrat councillor’s name was one of the four sources connected with rumoured attempt to overthrow the Isle of Wight council administration, OnTheWight broke at the start of the week.
“Autocratic yet shambolic leadership”
In his resignation letter he accuses Ian Stephens of having an “autocratic yet shambolic leadership”, saying that Bob’s post-election-win joining the Island Independents group was “a mistake.”
Cllr Blezzard has further criticism, directed at Cllr Stephens – “I was appalled at the last council meeting when you launched an ‘us and them’ tirade against opposition councillors for having the temerity to bring forward proposals seeking to amend the way the council decision making system operates.”
July was the last Full Council meeting held.
Accusation of alteration of reports
Bob Blezzard also touches on the accusation of changes made to an Executive paper, that has been hinted as number of times before by Cllrs Gilbey and Priest, “It now appears to be the practice of the leadership to change the reports of portfolio holders without their knowledge or agreement.”
He continues, “It seems that objections to this practice leads to summary dismissal from the executive and from the group. The dismissal of Cllrs Priest and Gilbey, (who were incidentally appointed through a decision of the group) is an absolute disgrace and fails to recognise the outstanding job done by Cllr Priest in partnership with Hampshire officers in turning round our previously failing children’s services department.”
Bob also talks of the pre-election promises by the Island Independents of openness and transparency and how he feels they haven’t been kept up to.
Uncontactable
Earlier in the week Cllr Blezzard assured OnTheWight would be the first publication he would speak to if his situation with the Independents changed. Nothing has been received here, none of his phones are being answered and none of the messages that have been left for him have been returned. If this situation changes, we’ll be sure to let you know.
Update 15:11 Shortly after publishing, Cllr Blezzard emailed to say he’d forward his resignation letter on to us. We’ll publish it when it arrives.
OnTheWight has been told that Ian Stephens is off the Island on council business. Messages left for him haven’t as yet been returned.
