There are more Conservative councillors on the Isle of Wight council than members of the group that run it, after another Alliance councillor walked away – the second in a week.
John Medland, who represents Freshwater South, has taken a ‘bit of a gamble’ and left what he called ‘a good experiment’, revealing he is to form a new group with three others.
Medland: We’re always knocking lumps out of each other and not working together
Speaking about the way different political factions interact at County Hall, he said,
“We are always knocking lumps out of each other and not working together.
“I hope by shifting to the middle ground, I can make a place where councillors can work as a whole, for the Island’s interest.”
Political make-up
There are now: 16 Conservative councillors; 15 who are independent or members of The Green Party, working together through the Alliance Group; three Liberal Democrats; one Labour member; one independent Labour; one independent Conservative; and an independent councillor, who is currently in prison.
Medland: The way the council is working is awful – divided
Cllr Medland, who will lose his position as chair of the planning committee, said,
“The way the council is working is awful – divided.
“I know it is normal politics, but I am not that way inclined. I would prefer us to work as a team.
“The council faces enormous problems right now — we are losing our young people, a huge housing crisis — there is so much we have to worry about.”
Second to leave this week
Cllr Medland is the second person to leave the Alliance Group in a week. On Tuesday, Cllr Michael Lilley joined the Liberal Democrats.
Cllr Medland said,
“Group politics gets in the way and we are not concentrating on solving the problems. We are criticising each other.”
He added he had parted ways with council leader, Cllr Lora Peacey-Wilcox, on friendly terms.
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
