Following last week’s local elections, former Independent councillor for Ventnor East, Chris Welsford shares this personal statement with OnTheWight readers. Ed
I would like to thank the residents of Ventnor East whom I have been privileged to serve for the last four years. It has not been an easy task and not always an enjoyable one.
Some of the decisions that I have been called on to make on their behalf have been incredibly difficult but I have always tried to represent them, rather than my own personal political view, remaining independent and acting only in the best interests of Ventnor.
I also want to thank all those who have telephoned, texted and emailed me to offer their support and commiserations as well as all the kind and humbling things people have said on OnTheWight – thank you!
My thanks also to everyone who made the effort to vote on Thursday and the many people who voted for me. I am sorry that I was not able to persuade enough of you to continue as your representative at County Hall.
Share frustration over Winter Gardens
With regard to the result, I completely understand the residents of Ventnor East and their frustration over the Winter Gardens.
I share their bewilderment at the apparent procrastination of the current owner and custodian of the building over starting work on the project and at the awful state of the building.
That has to change and change quickly or I am sure there will be serious consequences. As I stated in my election campaign, Island Independents will look at the asset disposal programme and consider halting disposals that are not bound by contracts.
Remain involved with Island Independents
Even though the Ventnor East electorate have seen fit to elect a UKIP representative, it is the Island Independents who will lead the new council.
I will remain engaged with them as an architect of their Framework for Change and I will personally support an Isle of Wight Council that may see fit to re-engage with the community on reinstating the Winter Gardens as a public building; not something that was deemed worthy of consideration under the previous Conservative administration and not something that any of us were in a position to even contemplate before now.
Exciting times ahead
There remains much work to be done and the next six months will be crucial for the success of any Independent led strategy to reform the Isle of Wight Council. These are exciting times and I am very proud of my involvement in achieving the victory that unfolded on Friday. I am looking forward to what will come next.
Congratulations to my successor. There are no hard feelings on my part and I wish him luck. I would like to say what good company Tony Marvin was at the polling station on Thursday. He helped make the 15 hours, standing in the (for the most part) sunshine, a mostly enjoyable experience. He did well to put up with my appalling sense of humour! And to Ed Gouge, I enjoyed meeting you at the count. As you observed, it was probably, as much the loss of votes from Labour supporters, as it was the UKIP vote, that lost me this election – but that’s democracy and only right and proper.
Island Independents are victorious
Best of all for me is that the Island Independents are victorious and looking forward to bringing about real change at County Hall; change that will have a real and positive impact on the lives of every single Island resident.
We must not get caught up in vitriol and recriminations but use this as an amazing opportunity to work with others to make our dreams a reality.
I am proud to have been a part of this and looking forward to supporting my colleagues going forward.
Chris Welsford
3rd May 2013
