Independents say dealing with Conservatives is 'like playing chess with a pigeon'

Cllr Julia Baker-Smith on behalf of the Island Independents shares this response to the Conservatives’ Sunday morning press release. Ed

The Independent group are extremely proud of our strong track record of pursuing and successfully gaining grant funding from various sources in order to offset the savage cuts to the local government support grant.

I’ve seen some spin from the Conservative group in my time in Council, but this has to be the most bizarre attempt to discredit the Independents yet! Highlighting our success in achieving funding from wherever we could, then attempting to spin it to a negative is very strange indeed.

Conservative cuts to funding
The Isle of Wight Council budget has been reduced by a third over the last five years as a result of Government cutbacks. The Conservatives are once again showing their complete lack of understanding of the local government funding process, mixing up capital receipts, revenue funding and ringfenced grants.

It is absolutely terrifying that these people are now in charge of our finances.

Bizarre in the extreme
Furthermore, I would ask what on earth “Dave” and his cronies have been doing for the last four years if they weren’t aware of our success in achieving as many grants as we possibly could? They clearly haven’t read public council documents or press releases which set out the information they claim to have only just discovered. The claim that the Conservatives have just found out about the funding their statement identifies is bizarre in the extreme, as they are all matters of public record.

As you can see from the selection of press releases linked below we have always shared and publicised our successful bids.

Chair of Scrutiny?
If the Conservatives failed to notice them before, particularly Councillor Stewart who was Chair of the Council Scrutiny Committee for much of this time, I would be inclined to ask what they have been doing for the last four years and for what purpose they were collecting their allowances.

Many were conspicuous in their absence from County hall until this January and this bizarre press statement just confirms my suspicion they spent their time doing nothing constructive. Indeed, their single lack of proposing full, costed, legal, alternative budgets since May 2013 is clear evidence of their financial incapability.

Inability to grasp the simplest of concepts
Dave, with his lack of understanding of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and associated terminology, is setting another example of his inability to grasp even the simplest of concepts. ANOB is something very different Dave.

To say the Island hasn’t been hit by Government austerity is beyond belief as anyone who uses Council and other government funded services, or is no longer able to because of cuts knows.

Ask the Nurses or disabled
Ask the Nurses who have seen a 14% real terms cut in their salary, ask the disabled who have had to fight for access to basic benefits, ask the job seekers who have been sanctioned and had to queue at food banks, ask the small businesses who have been hit by rising business rates and forced to close their doors.

Ask the disabled children who will lose their short breaks fun days, ask the elderly who will now see a £4 per hour cut in their care funding, ask the people who get home from work to find they can’t access their local tip outside of working hours. Ask THESE people about austerity Dave!

Trying to play chess with a pigeon
Responding to the Conservatives’ ridiculous spin feels like trying to play chess with a pigeon, Just as you take your move it dances all over the board, knocks over all the pieces, and then struts around like it won the game. This isn’t a game and Islanders deserve to be represented by people who at least have a basic understanding of Council finances and understand what they are going through. To deny austerity is an insult to Islanders.

References
Links to official Isle of Wight council press releases.