Isle Of Wight MP Vows To Keep Fighting Over Proposed Council Funding Cut

The Labour MP for Isle of Wight West says he will continue pushing the government for fairer funding for the Island, following warnings of a possible £13.4 million shortfall.

Richard Quigley says he is “making the case daily” for improved financial support, after Alliance group leader Phil Jordan revealed the council is facing a “real and imminent” risk of being unable to set a balanced and lawful budget.

The funding concerns follow the government’s Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation, launched in June, and the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2026/27 to 2028/29, published in December.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Quigley said he has already met with Local Government Minister Alison McGovern to highlight the Island’s unique challenges and additional costs.

He said that while council funding is up by 30 per cent compared to 2019 levels, it still falls short of what is needed — particularly due to rising adult social care costs.

Mr Quigley added:

“I won’t give up until every last option has been explored. I don’t think the current offer is done with any malice — it’s just a lack of understanding of the uniqueness of the Island.”

In a letter sent to the minister last week, Councillor Phil Jordan warned that the outcome of the Fair Funding Review could leave the Isle of Wight Council in a “substantially worse financial position”, reducing its overall funding by £13.4 million over the next three years.

Independent East Cowes councillor Karl Love has also raised concerns, saying the growing financial pressure from adult social care is “bleeding” council resources and must be addressed nationally.

The consultation remains ongoing, with the Island’s MP and council leaders continuing to lobby for a fairer settlement.