From Steve Sheridan, Ryde:

I read with interest the column last Friday (02-07-21) by the new leader of the IW Council, Cllr Lora Peacey-Wilcox.

It was good to hear about the forthcoming consultation on a new Island Plan, and the commitment to resolve the situation with floating bridge. I look forward to reading more in due course.

However, I was concerned to read the leader’s suggestion that these, and other things they were acting on, were made possible because they were taking the politics out of local government. This seemed to me to be a somewhat peculiar statement.

There are many different dictionary definitions of politics but they generally refer to collective decision-making, achieving and using power or governance and allocating resources.

Will Cllr Peacey-Wilcox and her colleagues not be doing these things?

Does Cllr Peacey-Wilcox not regard herself as a politician?

She has been chosen by the residents of Cowes Medina to represent them — and then by her council colleagues to provide the political leadership to a local authority.

Let us not forget that five members of her Alliance Group stood for election as official candidates of registered political parties.

Having a coalition involving representatives of three political parties, along with independents who stood to offer an alternative to other registered political parties, means that they are politicians — elected to make political decisions.

I think it is disingenuous to seek to give the public the impression that you have taken the politics out of local government, when this simply isn’t possible.

This administration will face the same challenges as previous ones.

They will have to balance the budget and to do this political choices will have to be made.

I wish the Alliance Group well in their political deliberations.

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