One million pounds in government cash, given to the Isle of Wight Council in recognition of the Island’s unique circumstances, has been slammed as ‘highly unsatisfactory’ and ‘profoundly disappointing’.
The local authority says it is only a sixth of what it hoped for.
On Monday, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced a £54.1 billion funding boost for local authorities – including £1 million for the Isle of Wight.
At the council’s corporate scrutiny committee, Cllr Jonathan Bacon, cabinet member for environment and heritage, called it ’empty words from government’ and claimed it made no difference to the underlying problem.
He said increasing costs were being acknowledged for councils across the country and the Island’s remoteness was not being recognised.
Conservative members said it was ‘inappropriate’ to make political statements at scrutiny committee and called for optimism.
For decades, Islanders have been chasing a deal from government, to make up for the added extra costs and pressures created by our Solent separation. In recent years, it was pinned as £6 million.
Cllr Chris Jarman, cabinet member for strategic finances, told the meeting such a small amount was ‘illogical’, because the authority had provided “copious amounts of rational evidence to secure the future of the Island, but [was] being repeatedly ignored”.
He called it a ‘highly unsatisfactory’ ‘token gesture’.
Chief financial officer, Chris Ward, said the council is chasing the rainbow when it comes to an Island Deal. He sees the £1 million as a ‘stopgap’, allowing the Isle of Wight to continue its conversation with government.
However, he acknowledged it was the first time the Island had received recognition of the unique costs associated with physical separation.
Mr Ward said the ‘fair funding review’ would be more helpful, although it has been delayed.
In October, as part of the government’s Levelling Up Fund, £5.8 million was announced for East Cowes and will be spent on improving facilities in the Columbine building and the neighbouring barrack site, as well as creating a new public square along East Cowes Esplanade.
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