Isle of Wight Council
| Isle of Wight Council | |
|---|---|
|
Council logo | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Leader |
Cllr. Jonathan Bacon (Independent) |
Chairman |
Cllr. Charles Chapman (Individual Member) |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 40 |
Political groups |
Independents Conservative Party Labour Party UKIP Liberal Democrats Other |
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 2 May 2013 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| County Hall, Newport | |
| Website | |
| iwight.com | |
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, with Independents ruling with 20 councillors at the latest local election in May 2013.[1]
History
The council was formed on 1 April 1995, replacing the Isle of Wight County Council and Medina and South Wight Borough Councils.[2]
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.[3]
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.[4]
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.
| Party | Composition as of 2013[5] | |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | 16 | |
| Conservative | 14 | |
| Labour | 2 | |
| UKIP | 2 | |
| Liberal Democrat | 1 | |
| Other | 5 | |
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
- ↑ Perry, Sally (2013-05-08). "It's official: Independents in overall control of Isle of Wight Council". On the Wight. Retrieved 2013-05-12.
- ↑ "The Isle of Wight (Structural Change) Order 1994". www.opsi.gov.uk. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
- ↑ "Pledge to fulfil election promises". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
- ↑ "Tories surge back in Island polls". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
- ↑ Perry, Sally (2013-05-03). "Isle of Wight election: Independent councillors now the largest group". On the Wight. Retrieved 2013-05-12.
