Council Rejects Review Into Handling Of Southern Water No-Confidence Petition

The Isle of Wight Council has refused to review its handling of a petition calling for the authority to declare no confidence in Southern Water.

The appeal, organised by campaign group Sustainable Freshwater, attracted 3,697 signatures. Campaigners questioned whether it had been dealt with transparently and in line with the council’s constitution.

Instead of adopting the petition’s original motion, councillors approved an alternative combined proposal from council leader Jonathan Bacon and Reform UK councillor Les Kirkby in July.

At a meeting of the Policy, Finance and Resources Committee on Thursday (8 October), the council’s monitoring officer, Christopher Potter, said the original motion had been rejected by a majority of councillors and that the correct procedures had been followed.

All for Islanders leader Cllr Chris Jarman challenged the decision to refuse a review, arguing that campaigners were seeking details of the decision-making process rather than asking councillors to reconsider the outcome.

He said changes to the proposed motion had been made at short notice and that publishing a chronology of how the decision was reached would help provide transparency.

Reform UK councillor Richard Quinn said he was concerned that allowing the review could set a precedent for future petitions rejected by full council.

He asked Mr Potter whether the correct procedures had been followed, receiving confirmation that they had.

Cllr Jarman said he was not convinced by that response.

The committee ultimately voted to reject the review request.

Three Reform councillors supported the refusal, while Cllr Jarman and Liberal Democrat councillor Mark Rochell voted against.

Two members from the Green Party and Island First Network abstained.

Southern Water has previously said it takes concerns about its performance seriously and is investing millions of pounds to reduce storm overflows, improve infrastructure and strengthen environmental performance on the Isle of Wight.