The public meeting at the Ventnor Winter Gardens last night, called by the Ventnor Town Council (VTC) to hear the views of the public on how they should respond to the proposed budget cuts, produced a unanimous voice against what was dubbed an “Act of Barbarism”.
Ventnor is being particularly hard-hit, with 25% of what the Isle of Wight council deem as surplus toilets across the Island, being proposed for closure, leaving residents and visitors with no public toilets in town or at the Botanic Garden, Steephill Cove, Wheelers Bay or Bonchurch beach.
Well-used library to go
Along with others around the Island, Ventnor beach, is losing its paid lifeguards and the library, which had 50,000 visits last year and one third of the 6,200 Ventnor residents being active library users, is earmarked for closure.
Instead, residents will be forced to travel to Newport to use the Internet or borrow books or DVDs and the future for the unique sheet music collection, donated to Ventnor Library many years ago by Victor Fleming was unclear.
The overriding response of proposed cuts by the Isle of Wight council to the public toilets, the library, paid lifeguards and Tourist Information Centres was one of disgust.
Tory councillor says “I will stand up for Ventnor”
Tory councillor for Ventnor West, Cllr Susan Scoccia was asked several times whether she would vote against specific cuts at the 23rd February full council meeting, but she refused to give a straight answer, despite calls from the audience to do so.
She did say that she’d made her on representation as part of the consultation and urged others to do the same.
After being asked by Cllr Bonney whether her first duty will be to Ventnor or the ruling party, she replied “I will stand up for Ventnor.”
Don’t roll over
Many in the audience of 150+ people, agreed that the Town Council should not ‘roll over and take on the services’, but fight for the IWC to reconsider where they make their cuts.
More detail later on the questions raised and views shared.
