An ‘existential crisis’ is facing County Hall, one councillor said last week (9th July 2026) as Isle of Wight Council members reacted to a bleak update on the authority’s finances.
The policy, finance and resources (PFR) committee responded to a presentation from deputy chief financial officer Adam Richens in which he said ‘some extremely difficult decisions’ will be needed to tackle a funding gap worth tens of millions of pounds.
Mr Richens said the Isle of Wight Council’s structural deficit, which is £20 million for 2026/27, could double in the next year to £40 million if left unchecked.
Councillors call for cross-party approach
Councillor David Llewellyn, Reform UK chair of the PFR committee, said,
“It was my request that this be brought to the committee. When Adam first talked to me about this, I was horrified to be honest.
“I feel very strongly that this matter should be a cross-party situation. Politics should not be brought into this. The future of the Isle of Wight Council is in danger at the moment.
“We have to work together to resolve this situation. It’s too serious to play any games with this at all.”
Transformation board next steps
On next steps, Mr Richens mentioned recognising the establishment of a Transformation and Improvement Board which he said was ‘voluntary’ but seen as ‘good practice’ for local authorities in the Isle of Wight Council’s current position.
He said an independent chair had been sourced for the board and a July 17 informal meeting had been scheduled with the council’s leader, the chair and vice-chair of the PFR committee and the authority’s leadership team.
A terms of reference for the board is then intended to be presented as part of a finance update report to the PFR committee in September, Mr Richens said.
Members divided over urgency
Councillor Chris Jarman, leader of the All for Islanders group, said,
“Those members who are capable should be engaged on this right now and given the level of data access which affords them every opportunity to make progress without delay.
“This is the time for standing up, banging the table and saying this is an existential crisis for this council. And Bill (Councillor Nigh) said it himself, if we do not solve this – and the window to solve it is short – then we’re dead in the water.”
He said that decisions should be taken now rather than in September or the fourth quarter of the year.
Councillor Paul Fuller, of the Island First Network, said,
“As members we are politically elected by our constituents to be involved in this. If we are in a crisis position which we are it’s going to be us as members that are going to get it and not necessarily the officers.
“We need to be involved from the get-go.”
But independent councillor Karl Love cautioned against ‘rushing’ a response, telling councillors finance is one thing and impact is another.
“Everything does have to go through those service committees which does slow it down. We’ve got to consider the bigger impact in our individual committees.
“It has to be done that way because otherwise we’re just basing it on a financial situation only which is critical – I accept that – it’s been critical for a long time.”
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
