A Ryde councillor remains in post — despite saying he would resign — after the controversial decision was made by the town council to buy Ryde Town Hall.
Ryde Town Council voted last month to take on the run-down building despite repair costs of £2.4 million and concerns a loan could not be secured to purchase it.
Cllr Phil Jordan put forward the motion to buy the building, although the previous town council had already agreed to take it on.
Cllr Les Kirkby voted against the motion and said he would resign as it would likely increase the precept again, following an 8.9 per cent rise last year.
RTC confirmed yesterday (Wednesday), Cllr Kirkby is still a member but has resigned from the planning committee.
Asked about his decision to stay, Cllr Kirkby said he would ‘not have anything to do with acquiring anything’ but had received an influx of support which changed his mind — although he was still not happy about the decision.
Cllr Kirkby said he submitted a complaint to the Isle of Wight Council’s monitoring officer as he says Cllr Jordan should have declared Ryde Town Hall as an interest.
He claimed Cllr Jordan had a set of keys and put a banner across the building during the election.
Responding to Cllr Kirkby’s comments, Cllr Jordan said he had no personal or pecuniary interest in the town hall so there was no need to declare it.
Cllr Jordan said he has no keys and the banner was allowed on the building with consent from the owner.
He said:
“All matters are recorded in meetings over the past two years, before Cllr Kirkby was elected in May 2021.”
Cllr Jordan said they had been through two committees and full council but ‘no one person’ could make a decision on behalf of the council.
At the next full Ryde Town Council meeting, Cllr Kirkby said he will submit a motion that the council does no more negotiations with the owner until full asbestos and vermin reports are completed.
He said:
"You should not be going in that building without any of those as it is deemed unsafe.”
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