Councillor Chris Jarman JP for Freshwater Yarmouth and Totland CIC, a company limited by guarantee, where any operating surpluses aren’t given to directors or shareholders, but are instead used within the enterprise and in supporting essential community services. Ed
Over the past years it has become clear that many of the commercial national chains have struggled to support residents of the West Wight and have departed under the guise of consolidation or pointing the finger at increased usage of their online services.
Others have bowed to the pressure of their shareholders to grow profitability and resorted to local branch closures as one measure to achieve it.
Ongoing degradation of local services
The announcement at the start of August of the planned closure of another critical health service in Freshwater was a symptom of the ongoing degradation of local services to the detriment of our West Wight residents.
It typified the challenges faced by an increasingly aged and yet vibrant demographic, and followed a well trodden path on the heels of Building Societies, Post Offices, Banks and others. Each loss of a local business accelerates the decline of our independent community and, for many, increases both isolation and the challenge of access to services.
Supporting our infrastructure and social fabric
Unwilling to sit by and watch, local discussions ensued to establish a structure that could take on and support those parts of our infrastructure and social fabric that ‘for-profit’ commercial companies struggle to maintain.
Providing shared support for, and if necessary taking on the going-concern element of a service and replacing it with a ‘not-for-profit’ operation, requires a very different approach – one focused on strengthening our local community rather than viewing from a distance with a strictly Commercial view of life.
Support a broad range of local enterprises
Over the past 11 weeks, following discussions with multiple national and local bodies, the building blocks for such a transition have been formed. One that can progressively support a broad range of local enterprises and with a model can be replicated by other Isle of Wight Communities.
Such transitions require interim support, coupled with the good will and practical commitment of those willing to dedicate their time, resources and funds to the endeavour – practical measures that can be the genesis of long term change.
Freshwater Yarmouth and Totland CIC
Hence is born the Freshwater Yarmouth and Totland CIC – structured as a Community Interest Company on a not-for-profit basis with no dividends to pay to shareholders and with the wellbeing of our community at its heart- supported and managed by local people eager to see our community remain strong and to blossom, rather than to perpetuate the otherwise inevitable decline of local facilities.
Founded by local Independent Councillor Chris Jarman and long standing recent Parish Councillor Gill Kennett, the venture aims to soon name other directors as it takes on support and/or operation of local enterprises as well as social and well-bring projects.
Kennett: A landmark change for the better
Gill Kennett, BME, DL stated:
“The West Wight has a population heavily biased toward those over retirement age and, as such, their health and wellbeing needs are quite different to nationally balanced communities. Continued access to locally-based health services is critical, and, given the financial situation of many local people, those must come from an NHS based service.
“The formation of our own CIC to support a broad range of essential facilities is a landmark change for the better for all West Wight residents.”
Jarman: It is critical that we engage and retain local goodwill
Councillor Chris Jarman JP added,
“We now have a community based model for supporting, maintaining and, if necessary, operating key local health and social infrastructure services. Although extensive preparatory efforts have only been engaged since August, we trust the first demonstrable results will be announced shortly.
“As the Community Interest Company model takes form and expands to take on support for additional local services, it is critical that we engage and retain local goodwill for the endeavour and maintain the structural advantage of NO shareholder pressures and NO dividends to pay.”
