There will be a new councillor in charge of finance at the Isle of Wight Council, as the local authority deals with a cost of living crisis and ever-tightening budgets.
The councillor who has been the cabinet member for strategic finances and transformational change for the last two years, Chris Jarman, is the fourth councillor in days to walk away from the Alliance Group — and he also leaves one of the most important positions empty at County Hall.
Starting up his own group, Empowering Islanders, Cllr Jarman said he had hoped to keep his executive leadership role because he had already got to grips with the job and had helped hold the council steady against what he called the onslaught from central government.
He blamed his departure on obvious differences in things, like planning, and felt it was regrettable councillors outside the alliance were excluded from items which matched their expertise or talents.
Cllr Jarman said the focus of Empowering Islanders was to take party politics out of the equation as much as possible and work constructively together.
However, Cllr Jonathan Bacon, for the Alliance Group, said it was made ‘crystal clear’ to Cllr Jarman that if he chose to leave the group, he would forfeit his cabinet position.
Last week, the Alliance lost four councillors to other groups, reducing its group members to 13.
While the councillors may have left, Cllr Bacon said the Alliance Group has no concerns and “it was a very small storm in an insignificant teacup”.
Cllr Bacon said they had been told by those leaving, they did not wish to see the council leadership change.
He said the Alliance will continue to represent the interests of Island people and that would be their primary focus.
Conversations have already started ahead of next year’s budget but responsibility will now pass to one of the 13 remaining members of the Alliance Group — only four of whom do not currently hold a senior position.
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