I have lived on the Island for 27 years and have seen many changes; sadly few of which have been
for the better.
More houses are being built all over, yet locals cannot readily afford them and are priced out of the
market. There is also a dire shortage of social housing for those who need it and genuinely
affordable homes for young people starting out on their own. No wonder younger people leave for
the mainland and families struggle to build a life here in the face of the rising cost of living.
I am a Retail Manager and I speak to all sorts of people every day. I see and hear how customers are
affected by increased council tax, which is taking money from their pockets, yet they feel as if they
do not get anything for it. I also see how they are not getting good value for what they pay when
they do their shopping. I think everyone feels a little short changed these days!
I am standing as a candidate for Mountjoy and Shide as I want to do my bit and help make the
Island as a whole, a better place to live and enjoy for everyone, local or visitor alike. This ward
flanks Watergate road, the southern route out of our capital town of Newport, leading to some of the
best countryside you could want. Yet in the town, in our very ward, we can’t even keep attractions
like Newport Roman Villa open due to the seriously unhealthy state of the Isle of Wight Council’s
finances.
Change needs to happen and though nobody has all the solutions I think it is time that we take a
new direction and time to make real changes for everyone.