Elections can be a funny old time. There can be a lot of noise, but do people really know or remember what those who get elected to represent them and their area will be focusing on for the next four years while they remain elected?
That was the origin of this mini-project – By asking each of the new, now-current Isle of Wight councillors a simple question, we hoped to provide a little clarity.
A while back News OnTheWight got in touch with each of them to ask them to share their top three priorities with readers.
Five article series
All but one did, so over a series of five articles you’ll be able to learn a little more about your local representative.
There are 39 of them, so we had to divide them up in some way, otherwise the article would have way too much information in it, so geographical split was decided on – North; Central; East; South and Bay; and West – this has led to some slightly funny splits, but we can only work with the areas that the Boundary Commission have decided :)
Here are the elected councillors for the central region and their top three priorities.
Carisbrooke and Gunville: Joe Lever
- Pushing for appropriate and sustainable levels of development
- Working to make our roads safer
- Community engagement Making sure residents feel heard and know what’s going on
Central Rural: Suzie Ellis
- Protecting our rural communities from inappropriate development, new homes need to be on a small scale, for local families, and in keeping with the character of our villages
- Backing environmental protections, bio-diversity and local sustainability, I believe the Island can lead the way in addressing climate change, and I look forward to working with others to protect and enhance out natural environment
- Working with all to help our rural economy and rural communities to recover and go forward post-pandemic – there is much work to do!
Newport Central: Julie Jones-Evans
- Revitalise the town centre
- Pedestrian environment improvement
- Biosphere engagement
Newport West: Ray Redrup
- Support Education and training opportunities for the young in Newport who maybe unable to access University education
- Look into opening up Taylor Road with the view to relieve congestion in Newport West
- Free parking when shopping in our towns by redeeming your parking tickets in local businesses to help with regeneration of our High Streets
Mountjoy & Shide: Martin Oliver
- Be An effective & Constructive Voice for the residents of Mountjoy & Shide
- Work to rejuvenate our County Town including a New Post Office & promoting our local heritage with Newport Roman Villa
- Looking at ways to provide affordable Homes for Island Families & not for the rent or 2nd homes market
Pan & Barton: Geoff Brodie
- A safe, pedestrian route along Pan Lane, to re-enable two-way, local, vehicular traffic This was denied us by planners at the time of Asda’s approval
- Reduced traffic speeds into and out of Newport at Long Lane and throughout residential areas A 20mph limit, as we already have in Pan & Barton, should mean that
- Completion of the Pan Meadows development by the building company, so that local residents can be fully integrated into local services, such as roads adoption
Parkhurst and Hunnyhill: Andrew Garratt
- As well as continuing to recover from the Covid pandemic, making sure that the council delivers on its commitment to tackling the climate emergency
- Seeing through the prison estate improvements over the next two years and ensuring residents are closely involved in all decisions
- Getting effective council action on residents’ concerns about road safety, for example at the mini-roundabout near Lidl and on speeding in various roads around the ward
Article edit
5pm 9th Aug 2021 – Details for Martin Oliver added
