No Resignations Expected After Damning Report Brands Isle Of Wight Council “Dysfunctional”

No resignations are expected at County Hall following the release of a hard-hitting report which described the Isle of Wight Council as “dysfunctional”.

Council leader Cllr Phil Jordan has confirmed he is not anticipating departures “at any level” in response to Richard Penn’s 31-page governance review, which highlighted inappropriate behaviour among councillors and raised concerns about the conduct of some officers.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Jordan said no resignations had been submitted and insisted he does not expect any.

However, he said he is expecting “improved behaviour” from “certain councillors” named or referenced in the report as the authority begins implementing its recommended actions.

The Penn report, commissioned after months of tensions at County Hall, criticised poor adherence to codes of conduct, noting that policies designed to ensure respect and good governance were frequently ignored.

Mr Penn observed council meetings in person and via webcast, describing repeated instances where inappropriate behaviour went unchallenged by fellow councillors or officers, leaving meeting chairs to manage heated exchanges alone.

Alongside the report’s publication last week, the government wrote to the council expressing “concern” over member behaviour and warning that “further action” could follow if improvements are not demonstrated.

In a joint statement issued with Conservative and Liberal Democrat group leaders, Cllr Jordan committed to ensuring the council “operates properly” and acknowledged that the findings show clear problems within the authority.

The full Penn report will be presented to councillors at a meeting on Wednesday evening (19 November).