Independent Labour councillor for Pan and Barton, Geoff Brodie, has put forward a motion to be considered at next week’s Full Council meeting.
It relates to the Government’s plans for Local Government Reorganisation across the country (this is different to Devolution plans) that would see smaller local authorities merging with others to form larger unitary authorities.
Exceptional circumstances
The Isle of Wight is already a unitary authority, but with a population of 140,000 it is far smaller than the ‘500,000 or more’ figure the Government is planning for unitary authorities.
After being accepted onto the Priority Programme, the Isle of Wight council is fighting for the Island to be treated as an exception and remain independent, without any merger.
Brodie: Don’t rule out the possibility of a merger with mainland authorities
Councillor Brodie is suggesting the council does consider merging with Portsmouth, Southampton and their neighbours. His motion reads:
Full Council recognises the wishes of many residents to have an independent local authority.
However, it also recognises that the vast majority of residents don’t care who that local authority is provided it provides good or better public services.
The IW Council finds it increasingly difficult to provide those good or better services due to an increasingly desperate financial situation, caused by 14 years of reductions in government support.
With relatively low levels of business rates and a large, older community often very dependent on adult social care services, the IW Council’s future prospects are not good. “Bankruptcy” looms.
Therefore, Full Council encourages the Council leadership in its discussions about local government reorganisation with its Hampshire and Solent partners, NOT to rule out the possibility of a merger with mainland authorities. Particularly the two cities, Portsmouth and Southampton and their neighbours. Such a merger would produce economies of scale in any future organisational set up.
