Town Councillors Call For More Cooperation From Isle Of Wight Council

"We are not prepared to be ignored" — one town council is calling for more engagement and cooperation from the Isle of Wight Council as it says it lacks support.

Following a meeting of Ventnor Town Council (VTC), local councillors are calling on the Isle of Wight Council’s (IWC) executives and its representatives to pay more attention to the town and help support it.

The IWC says it has ‘usually has a very constructive relationship with the town council and is looking to continue to work together moving forward.

A report from the VTC clerk, David Bartlett, said there were ‘growing indications’ that the IWC is ‘taking from Ventnor rather than supporting the town’ — with 47 per cent of the town council’s yearly precept spent on providing services the IWC can no longer afford to run.

Mr Bartlett said: “It is not acceptable. Ventnor is the poor relation … the forgotten place when the share of resources is being discussed and that has got to change.”

Councillors agreed with the report, with one saying it was as if they were something of an afterthought.

Four out of ten regeneration projects in the town have been stymied said Mr Bartlett as the IWC would not respond to the proposals or respond positively.

He said:

“We are asking for an enabling role and £10,000, we are not exhausting its funds … or going with a begging bowl. We just need support.”

An IWC spokesperson said it does appreciate VTC’s projects but that they cannot be at a cost to the bigger authority which could impact the whole Island community and possibly the aspirations of other towns and councils.

IWC said: “Nevertheless, we are always willing to consider creative ways to support town councils deliver their aspirations and would encourage Ventnor to continue its healthy dialogue with local county councillors on this matter.”

However, Ventnor mayor, Cllr Stewart Blackmore said the lack of will of County Hall to support local town, parish and community councils, such as Ventnor, was the main trouble — with struggles to get one of Ventnor’s county councillor, Graham Perks, ‘to engage’ with them.

He said:

“Since I have been mayor, we have had several meetings with, and assurances from, the leader and deputy leader of the IWC but they don’t work out and meetings are cancelled.

“I realise there are other pressures, especially with a pandemic going on, but VTC sees itself as a forward-thinking, proactive council. My worry is for Ventnor and the welfare of my local residents.

“There are things we can do but we need the IWC support and help to do it.

“[Cllr Perks} has never been to one of the meetings, even though there is an open invitation for him.” Cllr Perks has been contacted for comment.

Raising the matters of sewage problems and the management of Ventnor Harbour, Cllr Blackmore said it seemed as if they had been talking for donkey’s years but are not getting the support needed from one of Ventnor’s elected representatives or the IWC as a whole.

He said:

“If we can reach an agreement, cut the apron strings as it were, we can get on and do things.

“We seem to be the puppet at the end of a string waiting for things to be done.”

One example was the delay of social distancing measures introduced on the high street — which Cllr Blackmore described as a ‘slap in the face’.

The town council were told measures were going to be introduced on a certain date, but with no communication or reason given, the project was delayed, despite VTC telling local businesses and residents.

Cllr Blackmore said:

“I want the IWC to know we are not sitting back and forgetting about this, we are not prepared to be ignored and we will speak out.”

Thanking all local councils, ward members, volunteers and support hubs for their absolutely phenomenal response to the coronavirus, the IWC said it is committed to working in partnership with all town and parish councils to support people through the extremely challenging times.

The IWC spokesperson said:

“We remain willing to engage and respond as positively as we can with our town and parish councils, including our colleagues in Ventnor with whom we usually have a very constructive relationship.

“We will never have the funds to do everything we would like but we are making what we have work harder for the community and we are better placed to take advantage of funding opportunities that may arise.”