A deep dive into the Isle of Wight Council’s finances is top of the agenda for the new man in charge of the budget.
Newly elected Cllr Chris Jarman, an independent for Totland and Colwell but also part of the new Alliance Group, is taking on the challenging role of corporate resources cabinet member.
Leader: Cllr Jarman as he ‘fits the role perfectly’
Council leader Cllr Lora Peacey-Wilcox said while it was almost impossible to fill the shoes of former Cllr Stuart Hutchinson, who led the Conservative administration through budgets from 2017, she was ‘extraordinarily fortunate’ to have Cllr Jarman as he ‘fits the role perfectly’.
Magistrate and JP
Cllr Jarman volunteers as a magistrate and JP but has been a consultant in electronic payments and studied mathematics, computer science and cybernetics at the University of Reading and Reading College.
Finding his feet in the role first, Cllr Jarman said he needs to understand the procedures and financial management the council uses and then they can look closely at what the group’s plans and budgets will be.
Jarman: Willing to bury the hatchets and work together
Embracing the challenges of the budget, Cllr Jarman said he is looking forward to it.
He said,
“I am sure everyone in the group will have issues that are important to them as an individual but the key thing is we have come together as an alliance; we have been willing to bury some of those hatchets and work together for the sake of the Island, putting it on a good path for the future.
“I wouldn’t say I was relaxed, but I do feel very confident and I know I have got a great, strong team behind me.”
Covid recovery a ‘degree of unknown’
However, Covid is still at the forefront of the discussions, and how, Cllr Jarman said, they can help the Island to recover.
Although there is still a ‘degree of unknown’ for the recovery, due to the ever-changing nature of the virus.
Cllr Jarman said,
“Councils across the country were wading through a plan and Covid changed that quite radically. Because the Island depended on tourism and visitors, perhaps we were impacted more than others.
“We just have to remain flexible and deal with the challenges where we can.
“Fortunately, we have some really excellent members of the executive staff who have been trying to wrestle with these things for some time… and have got used to dealing with a high degree of uncertainty.”
Article edit
8.30am 29th May 2021 – replaced “a degree in mathematics, computer science and cybernetics from the University of Reading” with “studied mathematics, computer science and cybernetics at the University of Reading and Reading College”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is part of. Read here to find about more about how that scheme works on the Island. Some alterations and additions may have been made by News OnTheWight. Ed
