“To work together openly and with our communities to support and sustain our economy, environment and people.”
That’s the aim of the Isle of Wight Council as it sets out its aspirations for the next four years with the launch today (Wednesday) of its 2021-2025 Corporate Plan.
The plan features a list of 50 corporate aims which will sit at the very heart of the authority, providing a blueprint for the direction of staff, priorities and core values of the new Alliance Administration.
Top of the agenda is the provision of affordable housing for Island residents — housing that is not just affordable to rent or buy, but affordable to live in and maintain.
This, together with key priorities to respond to the climate change threat and support economic growth and Covid recovery, form the linchpin of one of the council’s most important documents, which will go before Cabinet members next Thursday (14th October) for approval.
The Alliance said,
“This plan sets out the wide range of what the council intends to achieve for our Island community and the values that will sit behind everything we do.
“We will do all we can to run the council in as open and transparent way as is possible, making sure residents are involved wherever possible in all the key decisions we must make.
“Improving Island life is something we all have an interest in and is something we can all contribute, in some way, great or small.”
The Corporate Plan seeks to improve many aspects of Island life, such as bringing empty properties back into use, addressing fuel poverty and health inequalities, and growing and retaining current workforces in vital sectors such as hospitality and social care.
Other aims include investing as much council money on the Island as possible, endeavouring to reintroduce CCTV monitoring where needed to support public safety, and reinvigorating the high street and visitor economy, working with Visit Isle of Wight to increase year-round tourism.
The plan also underlines the council’s aim for the Isle of Wight to be carbon net zero by 2040 and to enhance the Island’s special status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The Alliance Administration said,
“The pandemic is not the only challenge we have. Climate change is something that can no longer be ignored.
“The pressures on our community caused by the lack of affordable housing and the seasonal and low wage nature of our economy also need to be tackled, as must the council’s long-term funding position which continues to be concerning in the absence of the long promised but still undelivered Island Deal from government.”
The Corporate Plan is due to go before Cabinet members on 14th October before being presented to Full Council in November.
To read it in full, see below.
Article edit
7.07pm – Appendix One added
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
