Joanne Ballington Elected As New Chair Of Newport And Carisbrooke Community Council

A new chair has been elected at Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council, with councillor Joanne Ballington pledging to put inclusivity and community engagement at the heart of the role.

Cllr Ballington, who represents Pan and Barton, was elected as chair during the council’s annual meeting on Monday evening, taking over from Newport Central representative Vix Lowthion.

Meanwhile, Tamsin Verrinder was elected as the council’s new vice-chair.

Speaking after her appointment, Cllr Ballington said:

“The community council has always been very important to me, and the voices of our residents are equally important.

“I would really encourage residents to come and see us, and to make contact with community councillors in their areas.”

She added that the council wants to hear ideas from local people and work more closely with communities across Newport and Carisbrooke.

Cllr Ballington also thanked outgoing chair Vix Lowthion for her support and guidance during the handover process.

New vice-chair Tamsin Verrinder said she hoped to help turn ideas into “real outcomes” over the coming year after using her first year on the council to better understand how it operates.

Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council was established in 2008 and provides a number of local services including Christmas lights, hanging baskets and dog bins.

Over the years, the authority has also taken responsibility for additional community services including allotments, public toilets, recreation grounds and school crossing patrols.

Cllr Lowthion, who was recently elected to the Isle of Wight Council, will continue to serve on the community council alongside her new role at County Hall.