Julia Baker-Smith shares this latest news from the Island Independent group of councillors.
It follows the resignations of Cllrs Jonathan Bacon and Steve Stubbings from the leadership and Conservative councillor, Dave Stewart’s statement that he’d be willing to become a ‘caretaker leader’. Ed
The Independent administration fully intends to put forward a nomination for Leader of the Isle of Wight Council, to be announced on Wednesday evening. We have not stood aside, and the Independent group have not resigned our collective responsibility to the Isle of Wight electorate.
The Independent group were elected in 2013 with a mandate from the people of the Isle of Wight to minimise and mitigate the effects of the Conservative Government’s austerity cuts. We intend to continue to fulfil that mandate, despite recent resignations.
No mandate from the electorate
Councillor Stewart and the Isle of Wight Conservatives have stated on numerous occasions, both recently, and, when Cllr Stewart was proposed as leader last year, that they would not force themselves into a situation of leadership prior to the May elections. Cllr Stewart has himself said that he does not have a mandate from the electorate or a Conservative majority.
For the Conservatives to take the leadership at this stage would be undemocratic and damaging to the Isle of Wight and its residents, who above all need continuity within the leadership team, and a leader that has a strong working knowledge of current issues with a firm experienced hand on the tiller.
Conservatives chose to cut
When the Independent Group took over from the Conservatives in 2013 the Council was failing in education and Children’s social care. The Island’s economy was in jeopardy with very little investment by the Council, regeneration had halted and relationships had broken down with Town and Parish Councils.
Despite savage cuts to front line services such as libraries and the Island’s most vulnerable people the Conservatives had not made all of the efficiencies within the Council that could be made and there was still a lot of wastage. They chose to cut rather than make efficiencies and generate income and would do so again.
Independents have invested in regeneration, economic development and business
The Independent group have invested in people, worked with Hampshire to increase standards in education and children’s social care. We have protected key services in adult Social care, leisure and planning.
We have stopped the “selling off of the family silver” and have invested in regeneration, economic development and business, with a memorandum of understanding with the Chamber of Commerce and the renewal of the accord with the Federation of Small Businesses.
Rebuilt past relationships
The Independent group have formed strong relationships with key partners and Town and Parish Councils who have worked in partnership to save and retain many resident services that would have otherwise been lost. To bring the Council to a place of improvement we first had to get it back to a baseline from the failing position in which it had been left.
A change in Leadership does not require a change in administration.
The Independent group are committed to leading through this term of Council and beyond 4th May into the next term.
