Thanks to Diana Conyers for this report from the ‘financial future of the Isle of Wight’ meeting that took place at the weekend. Ed
Saturday 18 June was National Civic Day. To commemorate the occasion, the Isle of Wight Society hosted a public discussion on The Financial Future of the Isle of Wight at the Riverside Centre. Thirty seven people attended.
The discussion began with presentations from six invited speakers
- Alan Marriott (County Press) explained the role of the Fight for the Wight campaign;
- Charlotte Eisenhart (National Association of Local Councils) described current changes in local government in the nation as a whole;
- Harry Rees (former IW councillor) explained the Island’s legal status and its impact;
- Steve Porter (IW Chamber of Commerce) discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the private sector;
- Steve Stubbings (Deputy leader, IW Council) described the Council’s current financial crisis and its impact on services; and
- Gill Kennett (IW Association of Local Councils) discussed the implications for town and parish councils.
Island facing serious financial problem
This was followed by a question and answer session, in which members of the audience put questions to the speakers, who were joined at this point by Jonathan Bacon, leader of the IW Council.
The meeting highlighted the serious financial problems facing the Island and in particular the IW Council, which has had to make drastic cuts and will have difficulty finding the money to perform even its basic statutory functions next year.
These problems are due to a combination of factors, including our island location, the demographic composition, and major cuts in central government funding.
Possible strategies
It was evident from the discussions that there are no easy solutions to these problems. However, a number of possible strategies emerged:
- Continue to put pressure on the government to increase funding to the Council: Although the recent visit by the Minister for Communities and Local Government was disappointing, pressure should continue to be exerted through the Fight for the Wight campaign and other means.
- Be proactive in sourcing other funds: There are various other potential sources of funds that, despite legal and bureaucratic obstacles, could be better exploited.
- Promote and develop the Island’s assets: The Island has many assets that could be better utilised to strengthen the economy and thus the revenue base.
- Strengthen the role of town and parish councils: Town and parish councils are being forced to take on functions that the IoW Council can no longer fund and, although this is only a partial solution, it provides a positive opportunity to strengthen local democratic institutions.
- Devolution: The Minister said that devolution is the main way of resolving the Council’s financial problems, so negotiations to find an acceptable deal should continue.
These strategies are not alternatives but courses of action that can be pursued simultaneously. Moreover, two common themes underlie all five: the need for ‘partnership working’ and more public participation.
