The Isle of Wight councillor for East Cowes, Karl Love, has accused his neighbouring town council, Cowes, of “Lording it over East Cowes” after getting the “wrong end of some illusory stick”.
In an email copied to News OnTheWight, Councillor Love expressed his anger towards the Mayor of Cowes Town Council, John Nicholson, as well as an officer at Isle of Wight council.
Love: Hopping mad
Councillor Love said he was “hopping mad” that his neighbouring council were including East Cowes in the Cowes and Northwood Place Plan and insisted they were removed immediately.
His email, which can best be described as an angry rant, calls out “disgusting behaviour by IWC members and so-called council officers and elected members of West Cowes Council”.
However, the Cowes and Northwood Place Plan, which Councillor Nicholson and his colleagues have been working on for some months, does not include East Cowes at all.
Nicholson: Our Place Plan doesn’t include East Cowes
Councillor Nicholson explained the situation to News OnTheWight,
“The Place Plan is Northwood and Cowes Place Plan, sponsored by Cowes Town council and Northwood Parish, only.
“We do invite interested members of neighbouring parishes to events so they can see what we are doing and partake in the event as they wish.
“East Cowes Town Mayor and Deputy Mayor attended and participated in one of our events on Monday night, and were most welcome.”
Nicholson: Got the wrong end of some illusory stick
The Mayor of Cowes went on to add,
“East Cowes, as far as I know, have their own Town Plan and are maybe further down the road than we are, and able to share their greater experience?
“The author of our Place Plan, Newport and Ryde’s Place Plans, also attended on Monday night and gave a very high level overview of the geographic, economic and cultural contextual setting not just of Northwood and Cowes, but the northern peninsula in which they sit, highlighting observed commonality and shared interest also with Gurnard, East Cowes and Whippingham, suggesting that were we ever to consider closer working, joining together that opportunity could manifest as the North Medina Forum, an organisation that could be of significant power and voice, should we choose. I think we are some way away from that.
“I am not sure if Karl might have got the wrong end of some illusory stick, but I am always open to hear his opinion, as he will know.”
