In response to Cllr Dave Stewart‘s press release in which he referred to the Independent Administration as ‘hard left’, leader of Island Independents, Jonathan Bacon issues this response. Ed
Councillor Stewart’s statement released today is a mass of ill thought out contradictions to back up what he hopes will be a damaging assertion. The Independent Administration is concerned with the Island and its people rather than political labels.
Councillor Stewart is on record as supporting the Government’s austerity regime, as is Andrew Turner, and look where it has got us!
Conservative claim of “no problem”
We are in a position, which Councillor Stewart now seems to accept us potentially not being able to produce a balanced budget next February. Yet a few months ago Councillor Stewart was claiming there was ‘no problem’.
Those who have faced cuts to essential services might not agree with that. Those who had the spectre of important services, such as The Adelaide and The Gouldings, coming to an end or being closed discussed as a potential outcome of this year’s budget also might not agree.
“Socialist approach won’t cut it”
We should all remember that in his speech at Budget Council Councillor Stewart stated:
“You have identified a further £3.7 million of savings which you have decided not to implement. Some of these may be unacceptable, however if that is based on any ideology of socialist approach that won’t cut it with this government because that is not what the country elected them to deliver.”
Yet he and most of his Conservative Party colleagues voted for the budget proposals submitted by the Independent Administration, which sought to contest Austerity by hanging on to key services which Councillor Stewart, in his heart, seems desperate to cut.
Confrontational politics one-sided
It is the Conservatives who have continually sought to bring confrontational politics into the arena of the Isle of Wight Council, as Councillor Stewart’s, most recent statement shows, yet at other times he says we should be working ‘cross party’ for the common good. His actions show such statements are hollow.
Further that dual standard approach is conveying mixed messages to Government and consequently damaging the case for fairer funding that we are making.
No ‘cloth’ and no ‘means’
Austerity is not working for the Island. The assertions of Councillor Stewart that we should live within our means and those of Andrew Tuner that we must ‘cut our cloth’ mean little when the Government’s funding settlement gives us no ‘cloth’ and no ‘means’.
It is something the Council cannot sign up to because it would put us in a position of having to set a budget that cannot balance, which would be an illegal act beyond the powers of the Council.
Conservatives voted out
The reference to the expectations of voters in 2013 is interesting.
What is clear is that what they did not want was another Conservative administration and wanted a move away from the sort of politics Councillor Stewart, who was part of that rejected administration, is still espousing and to reject the sledgehammer approach to cutting expenditure being taken by that administration.
My fellow Independents and I have deceived no one in fighting for this Island and its sustainable future.
All quiet
Councillor Stewart is welcome to try and highlight the alleged failings of the current Administration. He has been Chairman of the Council’s Scrutiny Committee for some time, which has a not dissimilar role, and has done little if anything of any effect in that position to demonstrate the alleged financial mismanagement so it will be interesting to see what he, or those who are writing his scripts, seek to ‘expose’ in the coming months.
We are of course still reeling from the effects of the ‘Conservative Conversation’ launched in private a few months ago and which seems to have remained a private matter ever since!
Working for the good of the Island
The Independent Administration could not care one jot about political labels. What it does care about is trying to secure a sound and sustainable financial future for the Island.
We are unified in that and the aim to get the means to increase business and jobs, to increase the quality of care, to increase educational standards and to reinvigorate the Island for the benefit of its people, in essence by the alternative approach to the Conservatives which we were elected to undertake and which their approach to was rejected.
Image: © Simon Haytack
