ISLAND LABOUR URGES ONE-THIRD REDUCTION IN COUNCILLORS

Press Release by the IW Labour Party last week:

ISLAND LABOUR URGES ONE-THIRD REDUCTION IN COUNCILLORS

The IW Labour Party tomorrow makes its formal submission to the current IW Council Boundary Review consultation.

After extensive consultation and discussion with local party members the formal submission calls for a reduction in the number of Isle of Wight Councillors by almost one-third - from the current 48 to 33. Further they urge the responsible Boundary Committee to maintain single-member wards to retain close accountability between councillor and local electors.

The main points of the Labour submission are:

* 4 wards for the major part of Newport (including Pan), and for the Cowes area

* 5 wards for the Ryde area

* 3 wards for the Sandown/Lake area

* 2 wards for each of Shanklin; Ventnor & Wroxall; East Cowes; and Freshwater & Totland

* 1 ward for each of - Bembridge; Fairlee & Havenstreet; Wootton & Fishbourne; Ashey & Brading; Nettlestone, St Helens & Seaview; Calbourne, Shalfleet & Yarmouth; and Brighstone, Carisbrooke & Shorwell

* 1 ward named South Wight - Chale, Niton, Whitwell & Godshill

* 1 ward named Central Wight - Newchurch, Arreton, Rookley & Gatcombe

* Average size of wards = 3463; none of the proposed wards more than 10% variance

* Arguments that an effective Council administration can be run with 33 councillors

Island Labour Party Chair, Mark Chiverton, said, " For many years we have been committed to a policy of a substantial reduction in the number of IW Councillors. As a result of our consultations and discussions with party members we have decided that 33 is the ideal number, which is a substantial reduction. We are hopeful that the leadership of the IW Council will also seek a similar reduction by one-third, as they pledged to in their 2005 election manifesto. Sadly the indications a month ago were that they were retreating from that contract with the Island electorate. In which case Labour is happy to take on that commitment."

It will be interesting to see what the proposed Council submission is when its published this week