During the House of Commons motion on local government finance reports earlier today, Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Andrew Turner, spoke not once, but twice on the subject.
His first hearing was a short question to the minister, Greg Clark MP, asking if he’d work with the Isle of Wight council to find solutions to the issues faced by the Island.
His second speech was longer and set out in more detail the problems faced by the Isle of Wight council in delivering services on an Island. He used the fire service as an example of the extra costs for maintaining services.
Uniqueness not previously recognised
Mr Turner explained the uniqueness of the Isle of Wight’s position has failed to be recognised in previous local funding formulas and cited a change by the Labour government in 2002, which saw the Island no longer be eligible for the Additional Cost Allowance (ACA) because due to a change in the rules, it was then considered too small.
IWC asked for help
Mr Turner explained that for the “first time in many years”, the council had asked for his help to achieve a number of specific proposals, “that would help them to change”.
He reiterated that the Island’s issues are unique, something that the minister and even Prime Minister (according to Mr Turner’s press release) have now recognised, and hopes this will result in a “long-term solution” being found to a “long-term problem”.
Turner: “Resources must be shared most fully”
He then went on to say,
“The future of the Isle of Wight council beyond this year was not secure, money is in short supply, but when there is not so much to go around, it is then that resources must be shared most fully.”
Turner: “I trust them to deliver on those proposals”
He went on to thank the Minister for offering to visit the Island and to help the council “find a way through the challenges” until a fair funding settlement can be put in place and finished by saying that he’d decided to vote against the settlement this afternoon, but based on the discussions would now support the government, adding specifically for “this year”.
He concluded,
“I trust them to deliver on those proposals over the coming months.”
You can hear the speech in full below.
