Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Isle of Wight Council

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Type
  
Unitary Authority

Voting system
  
First past the post

Seat
  
40

Seats
  
40

Founded
  
1995

Isle of Wight Council httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumbc

Leader
  
Cllr. Dave Stewart (Conservative)

Chairman
  
Cllr. Charles Chapman (Individual Member)

Political groups
  
Independents   Conservative Party   Labour Party   UKIP   Liberal Democrats   Other

The new leader of isle of wight council give his first statement


The Isle of Wight Council is a unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight near the South coast of England. It is currently made up of 40 seats. It was led by Independents after local elections in May 2013, however, following the resignations of the leader and deputy leader in January 2017, Conservative members assumed control of the administration, with Cllr Dave Stewart appointed as leader. A new ruling executive was formed, made up of five Conservatives, one UKIP member and three non-aligned members.

Contents

Children s services at isle of wight council s county hall


History

The council was formed on 1 April 1995, replacing the Isle of Wight County Council and Medina and South Wight Borough Councils.

Elections

Prior to 1998, the Liberals and then Liberal Democrats had dominated the Council. Between 1998 and 2005, it was under no overall control, ruled by a coalition of LibDems and Independents.

Elections held in June 2005 led to significant change as the Conservatives took over from the Liberal Democrats as the largest group, winning seats primarily from the Lib Dems and Independents who had previously worked together.

In the 2009 elections the Conservatives managed to retain their majority by securing 24 of the revised 40 seats; however this was the only Conservative council in the UK that lost seats.

In 2013, the Island Independents gained 20 seats, one short of a majority, with the Conservatives only winning 15. As of January 2015, the Island Independents have lost four councillors through defections, and the Conservatives one. Leader Cllr. Ian Stephens stood down in January 2015, the next day announcing he was to stand to be the local MP. Cllr. Jonathan Bacon, representing Bembridge, Brading and St. Helens, was elected unopposed as the new Leader. He stood down, along with deputy leader Cllr Steve Stubbings, in January 2017 citing 'the unwillingness of government to lift a finger to help and the preference for too many elected members to act negatively rather than try to help.'

Coat of arms

The Coat of arms of the Isle of Wight was first granted to the County Council in 1938. On its abolition in 1995, they transferred to the new Isle of Wight Council.

The shield shows an image of Carisbrooke Castle, which was the historic seat of many island governors. At the bottom is the island's motto "All this beauty is of God".

References

Isle of Wight Council Wikipedia