Sandown Group Questions ‘Failure Of Leadership’ After Missing Out On Regeneration Funding

A community group in Sandown has criticised what it calls a “failure of political leadership” after the town missed out on the latest round of government regeneration funding.

Together for Sandown says the Isle of Wight has again been overlooked, despite a £5 billion national investment package announced last month.

The group says Sandown is facing the kind of challenges the Pride in Place programme was designed to tackle, describing the town as “being left to rot”.

While welcoming Ryde’s £20 million Plan for Neighbourhoods award, Together for Sandown said the Island’s “area of greatest urgency” had been ignored.

In a statement, the group said:

“The failure of our political leadership — the Isle of Wight Council and our MPs — to lobby for Sandown has resulted in our complete exclusion from this vital investment.”

The group’s Sandown Dereliction Survey, completed by nearly 1,500 residents, found 82% live near a derelict site, and 94% say derelict buildings make them feel anxious, stressed or angry.

This week, the group hosted a public meeting at the Broadway Centre to discuss setting up a Community Benefit Society (CBS) — a legal model that allows profits to be reinvested for community good.

Sandown Mayor Alex Lightfoot said a CBS could help tackle local dereliction:

“This is one potential avenue for real change. It’s worked well elsewhere in the country.”

Town councillor Ian Boyd called it a “massive opportunity” to show Sandown “wants change and democratic betterment”.

Together for Sandown is calling on the Isle of Wight Council and Island MPs to urgently appeal the decision.

The council and MPs have been contacted for comment.