(Adapted from an Isle of Wight Council press release.)

Isle of Wight Council is asking about the impact of poverty on Island residents (either themselves or people they know) and what would help most in tackling poverty.

Recent big increases in food and energy costs, and general inflation, have meant seen more and more people experiencing poverty.

The council, working with others, is now working to create a sustainable and effective anti-poverty strategy for the Island over the next five years.

This has been a long time coming but I’m pleased that work is now under way. In 2021, when the council’s corporate plan was adopted, I got addressing poverty included as an overarching consideration.

The lack of an anti-poverty strategy has not stopped the Island from taking action during the cost of living crisis. There is a wide range of helpful information and advice on the council’s web site.

Among its aims the strategy will:

• set clear goals about how poverty will be tackled and how Islanders will be supported;
• improve co-ordination and empower key local groups and organisations to do more to address poverty, focussing limited resources and capacity;
• increase accountability by providing measurable targets to understand if the actions are making a difference.

Islanders can take part by completing the online residents’ survey. Interested organisations can get involved by filling in the organisational online survey.