County Hall’s executive body has decided the Isle of Wight Council WILL go full steam ahead with the government’s controversial devolution plans.
This is despite Full Council deciding yesterday this wasn’t what they wanted, with 16 members voting against the move.
At a cabinet meeting this evening (Thursday), council leader Phil Jordan and his six Alliance administration colleagues agreed to an amendment proposal setting out a response to Whitehall’s English Devolution White Paper, dubbed a “once in a lifetime opportunity” by Cllr Jordan.
The government has described its White Paper as initiating the ‘biggest transfer of power out of Westminster to England’s regions this century’.
Its proposals include ‘delivering deeper powers for more areas’ with new regional Strategic Authorities and mayors across England.
Cllr Jordan’s motion proposed the cabinet make a submission with other south coast authorities to be included on the government’s fast-track devolution programme and the council seeks to defend and help the government understand the geography and historic status of the Isle of Wight’s local authorities since, 1890, including its current unitary authority.
It also said the council should seek a 12-month postponement of Island elections, including those relating to town, parish and community councils, due to take place in May, to avoid being excluded from the fast-track scheme.
Cabinet member for Climate Change, Biosphere and Waste Lora Peacey-Wilcox was not present in the chamber.
A cabinet report presented by Cllr Jordan to the meeting said:
“Devolution provides the Hampshire and the Solent region, including the Isle of Wight with new opportunities for economic growth, as well as improved prosperity for all local authority communities and residents across the region, through investment in skills, housing, infrastructure and transport.
“Areas with a mayor will have access to additional funding including a long-term investment fund, powers from an agreed framework, a pathway to unlocking higher levels of devolution.
“Areas will also have access to government at the highest level.”
The report said the recommendation to ‘continue to progress an interest in devolution’ was based on its significant benefits, as mentioned in the White Paper, and County Hall’s submission of a joint Expression of Interest with neighbouring unitary authorities last year.
Such a ‘proactive approach’ would give the council the ‘best opportunity’ to ‘self-determine and shape’ the government’s devolution and local government plans in the best interests of Island residents and communities.
Whitehall’s plans came under fire at yesterday’s Full Council meeting, however, with 16 councillors voting against an amendment proposal by Cllr Geoff Brodie, similar to this evening’s motion, to swiftly proceed with them.
Twelve councillors supported Cllr Brodie’s recommendations and three abstained.
Cabinet members followed legal advice not to comment or vote at that meeting.
In an open letter sent to the council leader today, Joe Robertson, Isle of Wight East MP and representative for Bembridge, urged the cabinet to ‘respect Full Council’s decision’ and ‘say no thank you’ to the deputy prime minister’s invitation to join a fast-track programme for a mayor.
The document listed five ‘primary concerns’ with government plans including the overall benefits of a mayor not being clear, the Isle of Wight being a ‘small part of a big area’, a centralisation of decision-making, uncertain financial implications and no councillor having a mandate to give away any power to a new mainland administration.
It said:
“Along with Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, it is possible that Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will join the fast-track proposal and become part of the mayor’s combined area with the Isle of Wight.
“If so, the Island population would make up just seven per cent of the mayor’s combined authority area.
“It is fanciful to imagine we would get substantially more than seven per cent of money the mayor has available to spend.”
County Hall will be notified by the end of this month whether it has been included on the government’s fast-track scheme.
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