An Isle of Wight councillor has made claims of collusion, harassment and a campaign of hate against her after it emerged she will have to publicly reveal her rental properties.
Reform UK’s Central Rural representative Councillor Caroline Gladwin issued a blistering statement to Island media, lashing out at Independent Socialist councillor Geoff Brodie, Conservatives and the Isle of Wight Council.
Update: Councillor Gladwin expelled from Reform UK
Gladwin: Considering ‘taking legal action’
Councillor Gladwin, who serves on the adult social care, public health and housing needs committee, said the matter will now be referred to all the ‘relevant authorities, including the police’ and added she is ‘considering taking legal action’.
Details of her property interests are now publicly available on the Isle of Wight Council’s website.
Monitoring officer Christopher Potter last month asked Councillor Gladwin for a list of her current rental properties immediately or by 31st January 2026 at the latest.
In an email to councillors, he said he did not regard rental properties in which Councillor Gladwin has a ‘beneficial interest’ as sensitive.
Call for public interests to be declared
His decision came after a memorandum signed by 18 councillors was sent to interim monitoring officer Francis Fernandes protesting ‘the failure of Reform UK councillor Caroline Gladwin to declare her rental properties with her published declaration of interests’.
At a heated planning committee meeting last September, Mr Fernandes said Councillor Gladwin had declared her rental properties but they had not been put on the public register due to an ‘issue about sensitivity’.
Accusation of ‘collusion’
Councillor Gladwin’s statement alleges there has been ‘collusion’ with Councillor Brodie and Mr Potter and claims the former has been ‘exerting undue influence’ and ‘political pressure’ on County Hall’s monitoring officers.
It goes on to claim there has been a ‘hate campaign’ against her and Reform UK and accuses ‘most of the Conservative group’ of joining in with it.
Blake: ‘Your actions and words are there to be scrutinised’
Conservative group leader Councillor Ed Blake responded by saying Councillor Gladwin must learn that in elected office, ‘your actions and words are there to be scrutinised’.
He added it is not bullying nor harassment to ‘ask for the rules to be enforced on an individual not following them’.
The allegations
Councillor Gladwin’s statement alleges,
“In reply to the malicious and defamatory question that was asked in full council on 21st January 2026 by Councillor Brodie regarding my sensitive interests, I have broken no laws or rules and there has been no wrongdoing on my part.
“This has been repeatedly confirmed publicly by the acting monitoring officer, Mr Fernandes. Sensitive interest status was granted to me in May by the deputy monitoring officer as I had experienced intimidation and threats of violence towards me whilst campaigning on the streets for Reform UK.
“This is part of long-standing vicious campaigns by Councillor Brodie of harassment and bullying towards me and a campaign of hate by him towards me and Reform UK that is well evidenced.
“I do not accept the decision of the recently returned monitoring officer, Mr Potter. I have received no response from him in justification of his decision.”
It says she has lodged formal complaints about Mr Potter to the council ‘regarding his leaking of this decision to Councillor Brodie and hence to the press’ and of ‘collusion’.
The statement ends by claiming the council has ‘repeatedly enabled’ Councillor Brodie’s ‘behaviour’ and says she will not back down in the face of his ‘onslaughts’.
Brodie: Potentially libellous ‘statement’
Councillor Brodie in response told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS),
“I have copied this nonsense from Councillor Gladwin to the monitoring officer and the chief executive.
“Councillor Gladwin’s potentially libellous ‘statement’ does her Reform party no credit and they would be wise to disassociate themselves from her. I will not dignify it with any rebuttal.”
Blake: It was not a personal attack on her as an individual
Councillor Blake said,
“The monitoring officer has now said correctly that Councillor Gladwin should disclose all her property interests like every other councillor has to.
“The signatories to the letter were simply calling on the monitoring officer to enforce the rules that we all have to follow, it was not a personal attack on her as an individual.”
The Isle of Wight Council has been contacted for comment.
The eight properties
Seven of Councillor Gladwin’s properties, in East Cowes, Newport, Sandown, Shanklin, Ryde and Cowes have this afternoon been revealed on the council’s website.
However, an eighth entry is listed as ‘Sensitive Interest’ – Exemption by permission of the Monitoring Officer.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
