Isle of Wight councillors have sparred over delivering affordable housing, with one questioning whether it will mean a “few bits of corrugated iron and a bit of wood”.
The dispute at Wednesday evening’s full council meeting centred on a successful bid by the Conservatives to alter County Hall’s 2025/26 budget.
Brodie: “Selling out on affordable housing”
Councillor Geoff Brodie took issue with the Conservatives’ proposed amendment which he said was “selling out on affordable housing to people who need decent homes”.
The Conservative group sought to change the budget, which passed with an overwhelming majority, by ‘amending the scope’ of its affordable housing capital scheme.
Eight different housing related provisions
Their amendment included eight different housing related provisions within the scheme – the budget’s largest capital investment project.
The largest opposition group’s proposal passed with 32 votes in favour and three against.
Between 2024/25 and 2029/30, the council is estimating a total spend on ‘affordable housing’ of £39,150,000, including £25,994,000 in 2025/26.
Brodie: I’m not voting for that
Councillor Brodie, who represents Pan and Barton, objected in particular to the second provision – ‘any suitable type of housing construction subject to suitable warranties and guarantees’.
He said,
“In terms of the Conservative amendment, I find it quite astonishing that Councillor Stephens and the Alliance have accepted it, given the row that we had last year about housing provision – about caravans and prefabs and stuff like that.
“Because it’s all in this amendment – I’m not voting for that. What on earth does it mean: ‘any suitable type of housing construction subject to suitable warranties and guarantees?’
“What’s that? A few bits of corrugated iron and a bit of wood – join them together? Is that now going to be affordable housing?”
Councillor Brodie went on to describe the amendment as “half-baked nonsense”.
Blake: Modular homes now are bloomin’ good
Leader of the Conservative group Councillor Ed Blake said,
“I have to bite back a little bit at Councillor Brodie’s assertions that relocatable and modular homes are ramshackle, tinpot things.
“He may be surprised to see that modular homes now are bloomin’ good. The ones that we were proposing last year – you wouldn’t know it was modular.
“Where their key use will be on this Island is around displaced, homeless families, where they might be kicked out of their house in Sandown but their BnB accommodation might be offered in Newport, away from children’s schools.
“What a better way to house them than to move the house to where it is needed – we can put them on some council land, if there is any by the time we get hold of it – and use the pot of money that we have had put aside already to do some good.”
Modular homes are constructed in a factory rather than on-site.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
