Positive action by experts in business, finance, economics and IT to help fill the Isle of Wight’s £28m budget gap and seek funding sources was one of the positive outcomes of last night’s ‘Stop The Cuts’ public meeting organised by UNISON.
Get a proper business plan
“Pessimism gets us nowhere,” was the resounding message from many of those present.
With a £6m budget gap in the coming financial year, followed by £14m in 2015/16 and £8m in 2016/17, it was clear from some who spoke that rather than trying to find ways to ‘rob Peter to pay Paul’, the focus needed to be on finding new forms of funding for the Island.
The idea of crowd-sourcing a ‘truly proper’ business plan was popular with many, who then gathered at the end of the meeting to discuss how this would work.
Expertise in several fields was offered to the council to help achieve the aim of savings vital services, albeit with them being delivered in a different way in the future.
“Robbed of millions”
Ventnor town councillor Harry Rees, who has been campaigning for many years for the Isle of Wight to achieve Assisted Area Status and be recognised as an Island rather than part of Hampshire, said the former Conservative-led administration hadn’t responded to previous government consultations and the Island had been “robbed of millions of pounds” of EU structural funding.
Cllr Ian Stephens explained that he’d be meeting Vince Cable today (Thursday) to argue the case for the entire Island to be recognised for Assisted Area Status.
“We’re not accepting it!” he said in response to only half the Island being included in the draft map.
He said,
“We’ve got vim and vigour to kick the door down and demand full AAS status for the Island.”
We’ll let you know how he got on once we’ve heard.
Political pressure
The effectiveness the Isle of Wight MP, Andrew Turner, was questioned by many, including Labour councillor Geoff Lumley, who said Andrew Turner had not voted against a single one of the austerity measures imposed by the government.
He went on to say he wanted Mr Turner to “feel guilt” over the cuts imposed on the Island by Government.
Vigils outside his weekly surgeries and Island home were suggested and several members of the audience met at the end of the meeting to discuss what campaigning action would be taken.
The meeting lasted just under two hours and many members of the audience got the chance to have their say on the proposed cuts.
Image: Red Hand Records under CC BY 2.0
