The second largest village green in the country could be transferred from the Isle of Wight Council to a new owner.
St Helens Village Greens’ future arose at a meeting of the policy, finance and resources committee (PFRC) at County Hall on Thursday (8th October 2026) with a question from Councillor Jonathan Bacon.
The Greens are the ‘focal point’ around which the St Helens community has grown over hundreds of years and is common land, according to SHPC.
Parish council’s request
Councillor Bacon, County Hall’s leader and a St Helens parish councillor, said that on September 14, SHPC resolved to formally request that the PFRC ask council officers to carry out all necessary work to provide any information which may be required by the parish council for it to formally consider taking on the ownership and management of St Helens Green.
He added,
“Please will committee request that officers undertake the work herein outlined and provide the required information and in addition, authorise officers to enter into discussion with SHPC as to any process, procedure or legal requirements allied to taking on the ownership and/or management of St Helens Greens.
“It is also requested that the information be provided within a reasonable timeframe as it may be of relevance to the setting of the budgets for 27/28 for both SHPC and the Isle of Wight Council.”
Common land adds complexity
Councillor David Llewellyn, Reform UK chair of PFRC, in response said he is supportive of officers concluding initial work necessary to establish the legal and property position relating to St Helens Greens to help formulate options available for future ownership and management.
He added,
“Given the common land status, however, this is potentially more complex than a conventional asset transfer and will require appropriate legal and property input.
“I’m also content for officers to engage with SHPC as part of that work. However, this will need to be prioritised alongside existing legal and property service commitments, including other town and parish council work already linked to the agreed transfer of assets.
“It would therefore be premature to commit to completion within a specific timeframe or that the work could be concluded in time to inform the 2027/28 budget setting process.”
Call for priority
Councillor Bacon said he understood the reference to complexity and that common land legally has many constraints on it. He added,
“I do note the caution on timescale but I hope the fact that the parish council has been waiting so long for this to be addressed will mean that it can be given some priority and I would ask if at all possible you would support this as chair.”
Councillor Llewellyn said that in principle he was in support.
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
