Three motions debated at last night’s Isle of Wight Full Council meeting (18 September 2024) won support from councillors.

Councillors unanimously backed a motion put forward by my Lib Dem colleague, Michael Lilley, for government action to ensure that cross-Solent services are reliable, affordable, and frequent. I highlighted how prices had been inflated over decades, pointing out that crossings nearly fifty years ago were about half the price in real terms than they are now.

Councillors then backed a motion put forward by my Lib Dem colleague Nick Stuart opposing Exxon Mobil’s proposals for a pipeline carrying waste CO2 across the Island. If built, the pipeline would run in a trench from Gurnard to the Island’s southwest coast. Nick described how construction work would leave a “scar” the width of a motorway, with massive environmental impact. I highlighted the risks of pipeline failures. A pipeline fracture in the USA in 2020 led to 45 people getting medical attention.

Councillors also backed a motion highlighting the dire lack of NHS dentistry on the Island. It called for the local Integrated Care Board to ensure that adequate provision is made, and for government to revise the dentistry contract and funding.