Town and parish councils from across the Isle of Wight have come together to learn from each other and share ideas.
The Isle of Wight Association of Local Councils (IWALC) held an Open Day on Saturday (24).
In what was the first event of its kind on the Island, member councils shared information about their activities and experiences.
The purpose of the event, which was held at Sandown Town Council’s Broadway Centre, was to enable councils to find out what others are doing, learn from each other and discuss possible ways of cooperating or providing mutual support.
Seventeen parish and town councils were represented.
They ranged in size from Ryde Town Council, with an electorate of nearly 20,000, to Chillerton and Gatcombe Parish Council, with less than 400.
IWALC Chair, Diana Conyers, said:
"This is the first time we have had such an event.
"We were concerned that it might not be well attended, because councils’ preparations had been disrupted by the period of national mourning. But we needn’t have worried. The general opinion was that it was a great success.
"We would like to thank Sandown Town Council for the use of the Broadway Centre, which is an excellent venue for such an event."
Councils were invited to bring information about their activities, particularly any innovative projects or services. The many impressive displays demonstrated the wide range of activities in which councils are engaged. These displays, together with a continuous supply of coffee, tea, cake and biscuits, stimulated a great deal of lively and constructive discussion among participants.
Anne Bamford, a Freshwater Parish Councillor and IWALC’s new vice-chair, said:
"We hope to hold more events like this in the future. There is so much we can learn from each other."
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