“We need to make sure Ventnor has all the tools it needs to survive and thrive going forward.”
The Isle of Wight council’s newest representative has said he is ‘very grateful’ for the trust residents have put in him as he steps into the new role.
New Conservative at County Hall
Local businessman Ed Blake won last night’s (Thursday) by-election in the Ventnor and St Lawrence ward, with 40 per cent of the vote.
He beat candidates from the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats to retain the seat for the Conservatives.
Councillor Blake won by 26 votes, backed by the support of 274 voters, and said he was ‘delighted to serve’ the people of Ventnor and St Lawrence.
Blake: Ventnor is what I hold dearest to my heart
Speaking after his win he said,
“I am very pleased to have a chance to help my community.
“Ventnor is what I hold dearest to my heart. It is my home.”
One of his key priorities, Councillor Blake said, was to get the town back going. He said following the landslip in Bonchurch — which has cut off one of the main routes to Ventnor — the town has ‘almost ground to a halt’.
Blake: We have to help Ventnor as much as possible
Councillor Blake said he hopes to work with his now-colleagues at the council to tackle the problem in the neighbouring ward.
He said,
“We have to get Ventnor back to functioning properly with business and small shops under pressure at the moment by the landslip situation and the general wider [economic] situation as well.
“We have to help Ventnor as much as possible. We are a fantastic community and we need to make sure Ventnor has all the tools it needs to survive and thrive going forward.”
Campaign to freeze parking and permit charges
As part of his campaign, Councillor Blake said he had started working with other Conservative councillors who were campaigning to freeze parking and permit charges for the next two years.
He also believed there should be more free parking in the town.
Councillor Blake will join his colleagues at County Hall in the New Year.
He has filled the seat left by fellow Conservative Gary Peace, who resigned at the end of October for personal reasons.
Results
- Ed Blake (Conservative) – 274
- Steve Cooper (Labour) – 248
- Ray Harrington-Vail (Liberal Democrats) – 145
- Overall turnout: 22.4 per cent
Quigley: “Need to get people more engaged in politics, otherwise nothing will change”
Councillor Richard Quigley, Chair of IW Labour Party, told News OnTheWight,
“It’s always disappointing to lose, especially when it’s so close. The encouraging take for us is we are the clear challenger to the Conservative party. A 3% swing and it’s a Labour seat.
It’s also clear that vote Lib Dem and you get Tory.“Some people were turned away for no ID, so we still need to get that message out, but the biggest disappointment was voter turnout, 78% of those able to vote didn’t.
“We need to get people more engaged in politics, otherwise nothing will change.”
Garratt: Two Lib Dem gains to one Conservative hold
Councillor Andrew Garratt, Chair of Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats, told News OnTheWight,
“Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats want to thank everyone who voted in the by-election. We are grateful that many supported the Liberal Democrats. In the Island match-up of by-elections since the last council elections, it’s now two Lib Dem gains to one Conservative hold.
“The turnout was very low. It’s likely there was a Christmas effect. But with three quarters of the electorate not voting, it’s clear we need to make sure that people feel voting matters because who you elect has a big influence on what policies are adopted and on what priorities public money is spent.
“A big difference could come from dropping our current first-past-the-post voting system which often means candidates get elected with significantly less than half of the vote. Voting systems that take account of people’s overall preferences are fairer and mean far fewer of the electorate are left feeling that their vote has no chance of affecting the outcome.”
Article edit
10.25am 22nd Dec 2023 – Quote from RQ added
4.55pm 22nd Dec 2023 – Quote from AG added
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
