Bob Seely, IW MP:

First and most importantly, I hope you all had a good Christmas.

I’m spending the Christmas period improving my modest baking skills and walking the downs and beaches around Brook and Mottistone near where I live.  

I love the Island in winter almost as much as summer: the bracing sharp winds that come off the English Channel, walking on the deserted beaches, and listening to the distant rumble of the waves on Brook and Brighstone bays.

I’m reading more by the fire in the evening this year as an antidote to watching too many TV box-sets!

2023 was a great year delivering a better deal for the Island.

Major building work at St Mary’s started. So did work on the diagnostics centre and the Community Hub in Newport.

It’s part of the Conservative Government’s investment in the Island’s NHS.

The work on railway pier was completed. 

We got £20 million for Ryde from the Government’s Town Funds and £13.5 million for a West Wight cycle path.

Working with other MPs, I’ve persuaded the Government to extend the popular £2 max single bus fare. Thousands more people are using Island buses every month.

And just last week, the Government agreed my campaign for the Island to have its exceptional circumstances taken into account for planning and housing.

The council must act on these new powers I have won for it to better protect our Island’s environment and to prioritise affordable housing for Islanders.

For anyone who wants to learn about how the Island has got a better deal since 2017, please visit my website at www.bobseely.org.uk/achievements

For this coming year, Here’s my plan.

We’re getting a better deal on policing, a new station in Cowes and dedicated officers for every community.

The new St Mary’s wards are being finished, the community hub will open in the Spring and the diagnostics later this year.

We’ll start to plan the investment in Ryde and the West Wight cycle route too.

On education, I’ll be pushing the council to improve. The so-called Alliance Group (a mix of Labour, Lib Dem, Independents and Greens) are damaging Island primary schools by not dealing with school places.

They are refusing to listen to our senior teachers. They need to listen and act, for the good of Island education.

By contrast, my New Year’s resolution is to continue getting a better deal for the Island.

Happy New Year.