Sandown Mayor Says Town Council Transformation Is ‘Night And Day’ As He Secures Fourth Term

The change in Sandown Town Council (STC) and what it is achieving now compared to eight years ago is ‘night and day’, re-elected mayor Alex Lightfoot has said.

At a meeting on Monday evening (May 18), the councillor retained his civic leadership role for a fourth year, with fellow Sandown North representative Joan Solomon voted in as deputy mayor.

Mayor Lightfoot told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that derelict buildings continue to be a ‘major concern’ for residents.

“We will be continuing to work with the planning enforcement resource that the town council funds, along with our newly elected county councillors to do what we can to address them,” he said.

“As mayor it is not my priorities that count, but those of the council, driven by the priorities of our residents. This year we will continue to see various projects move forwards.

“We will shortly be consulting on the long-awaited revamp of the skate park and the possible future uses of the strip of land at the front of the Ocean Hotel.”

STC bought the ‘strategically important’ seafront plot at auction for £100,000.

The mayor previously said it will have a ‘decisive influence’ on any future solution to the derelict hotel, as well as being a valuable space for amenities and services.

Asked what the main highlight of his mayoralty has been so far, Cllr Lightfoot said the largest success has been building an ‘apolitical’ team of new councillors in Together For Sandown, a group which has a ‘shared commitment’ to see the town succeed and flourish.

Last year, it decried Sandown’s exclusion from the government’s £5 billion Pride in Place Programme for disadvantaged neighbourhoods, saying it was precisely what the community needed.

He continued:

“The change in the council, its meetings and what it is achieving from when I first became a councillor eight years ago to now really is night and day.

“Our growing reputation for partnership working, establishment of Building the Bay, working more closely with the Isle of Wight Council and other organisations such as Community Action is delivering positive change for the town.”

Cllr Solomon said a ‘a lot of work’ has been done by the current council to move forward with tackling derelict buildings, literacy projects, promoting high street activities and enhancing morale.

“I think the role of deputy mayor will evolve,” she said.

“Obviously, it is primarily to work with Alex and our excellent officers and act as support.

“I am hoping to take on some workstreams that will look to enhance the work I have started as chair of the thriving communities working party – to enhance our community, work to reduce anti-social behaviour, increase social cohesiveness and offer practical support where needed.”

On what STC could do better, Cllr Solomon said communications need to be strengthened, to get people on board as volunteers but also to ensure they know what the council is doing.

In similar comments, the mayor said communication is ‘always a challenge’, whether it is trying to drive engagement with residents on projects and consultations, to successfully communicating what the council is working on and what it has delivered.