News and views

My friend, Nick Stuart, gained the Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet ward from the Conservatives in a by-election yesterday (24 November 2022). The result is: Lib Dem 526 53.4% Conservative 239 24.3% Green 153 15.5% Vectis Party 36 3.7% Labour 31 3.1%

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[Adapted from an Isle of Wight Council press release] A new section on the Isle of Wight Council website has been set up to provide advice and guidance to residents struggling with the cost of living. The content includes useful information from public, voluntary, charity, government and business organisations. The pages aredivided into sections for ease of access to information. Those sections are: benefits and government support — information about government support including an online benefits calculator; money worries — where to get help if you are worried about money; support with energy bills — for people who are struggling to pay utilities and other household expenses; food — information on community pantries, food banks and access to healthy food;…

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At a meeting of Isle of Wight council last night (5 October 2022) councillors voted by 18 votes to 16 not to approve the draft Island planning strategy. After this vote the council’s meeting reached its constitutional time limit of three hours, without any other decision taken on the proposals leaving the strategy in limbo. I voted against approval at this time. The proposals for Camp Hill and other prison land, along with sites on Noke Common and Horsebridge Hill, would mean a housing target of 1,025, with a development boundary still very close to Parkhurst Forest. In April this year I made clear to the council’s planning chiefs, and since then, that my view was that: the boundary needed…

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When walking into town from home, I noticed this road defect in Heytesbury Road and reported it to Island Roads. I’m pleased to see it has been marked up for repair.

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A resident alerted me to the poor condition of the footpath parallel to the dual carriageway in Hookes Way. There are many long and wide cracks. Adding to the hazard is a lot of overhanging vegetation. I’m pleased that Island Roads have confirmed that jobs have been raised for repair of the cracks, and cutting back of the vegetation. The worst cracks are to be filled in as urgent jobs.

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We need bold and urgent action to help families pay their bills and heat their homes this winter. There is no other choice. Families and pensioners across the country are in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis. We have already seen energy bills rise by £700 this year. They simply cannot afford another, even bigger rise of £1,600 in October. This is an emergency, and the Government must step in now to save families and pensioners £1,600 by cancelling the planned rise in energy bills this October. We need a bold plan to spare families from soaring energy bills. The Liberal Democrat plan is to cancel the increase in the energy price cap announced by Ofgem for October. The Government…

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