CLLR DAVE STEWART WRITES: As we step forward into the new year, I am pleased to share with you some of the positive achievements we have been able to announce already in 2019.

Ofsted judged our children’s services to be good in all areas, we’ve been praised by DEFRA for our level of recycling, which now exceeds the national target, and the government has recognised the Island as a ‘special case’ in terms of the next funding formula.

These and other successes we have achieved are the result of hard work on the part of many people and I thank them all for their efforts.

Our next objective is to deliver a lawful and balanced budget in February, taking account of all the representations we have received since we announced our options back in November.

It’s clearly a very a challenging process but we have done all we can to maintain an open dialogue with the Island’s residents and business community.

This will be reflected in the outcomes in February.

We are also now looking ahead to the introduction of a new Island Plan, helping us to deliver more affordable housing for those in need.

I would also like to thank our town and parish councils for engaging with us as part of our cabinet-on-the-road meetings.

It’s enabled us to hear fresh ideas about taking the Island forward, all shared in some very positive dialogue.

We plan to continue this approach over the course of the year, reaching out to all corners of the Island.

I think this has all made for a positive start to what I believe will be a good future for the Island in the coming months and years.

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