As the Alliance Group of Councillors, which now controls the Isle of Wight Council, moves into its fourth week in charge of the Council, it is working with senior management of the Council to set the new political direction and strategy for the Council and deliver on its policies.
Their aims
The aims of the group show a determination to restore democracy and public engagement to the way the Council operates as well as taking forward key issues that are of prime concern to Island residents, including:
- Spending and investing as much Council money on the Island as is possible;
- Finding a permanent working solution to Floating Bridge 6, if appropriate by scrapping and replacing it.
- Gaining greater control of the planning system and prioritising truly affordable housing for Island residents, meaning housing that is not just affordable to rent or buy but affordable to live in and maintain;
- Placing the Health and Wellbeing of residents at the centre of all activity and prioritising dealing with health inequalities and the resulting poverty which has been highlighted during the pandemic.
- Working with local communities to maintain and ensure appropriate local school provision; and
- Treating Covid recovery as integral to everything, including supporting the regeneration of our town centres and aiming to ensure there is free parking provision in all towns
Opening up to the public
The Group also states that all Decisions made by the new Council must have regard to support of the Council’s Climate Change Strategy and the impact of decisions on young people and future generations.
Leader of the Council, Lora Peacey Wilcox, said:
“Our Group has produced a clear set of policies and principles that show our commitment to the Island and its residents, as well as showing that we work well together and share that commitment as well as the ability to work together productively to bring forward sound ideas about how we can achieve the best for our Island.
“We have now met with senior management to set out our aims and direction so that their total focus now will be on working to achieve the new Administration’s policies.”
The Group will provide more detail in the coming months about its Aims, which will form the basis of a new Corporate Strategy for the Council.
This shared by Jonathan Bacon on behalf of the Alliance Group of Councillors, in their own words. Ed
