Latest news with #GeoffBrodie
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
"Fantastic news": council abandons community pantries funding cut
County Hall has made a U-turn on a decision cutting funding for Isle of Wight community pantries, described as 'fantastic news" for those dependent on them. Household Support Fund 7 (HSF) investment worth £295,000 has been allocated for the support hubs in a revised decision by cabinet member Cllr Debbie Andre, following a call-in of a prior decision denounced as 'cruel and heartless'. HSF 7 is a £742 million government funding package to support vulnerable households, distributed through unitary and county councils. Cllr Geoff Brodie, with the support of eight other councillors, called-in Cllr Andre's previous April 24 decision – a delivery plan allocating £1,994,369.25 in Isle of Wight HSF. Read more: Community pantries funding cut branded "cruel and heartless" They asked why community pantries were facing a 46 per cent funding cut despite overall Whitehall funding 'only being reduced by 12 per cent'. The council's revised Isle of Wight HSF delivery plan supports a range of initiatives including £530,000 in community grants, £400,000 in supermarket vouchers and a utility, food and white goods support scheme worth £350,000. Cllr Brodie described the updated decision as 'fantastic news for all those dependent on support from community pantries and larders'. Read more: Isle of Wight community pantries funding could be slashed Monique Gallop, a coordinator for Cowes Community Pantry, welcomed the change of plan, adding that the cut would have 'taken people's dignity away'. She said: 'It (the cut) would be huge. Between all the pantries, I'd say we have at least 300 people visit a week. Out of that 300, that's going to be at least a minimum of probably 900 people a week that survive off the food from the pantries. 'It would have had a dramatic effect.' The Isle of Wight Council have been approached for comment.
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Isle of Wight Council approves 5% tax rise and savings plan
Isle of Wight Council has approved a 5% council tax rise from April, together with £1.5m in two councillors - Conservative Matthew Price and Independent Labour member Geoff Brodie - voted against the Alliance administration's budget package at Wednesday's full council the authority said it would freeze parking charges, invest in coastal protection and combat flooding.A decision on whether to close five island primary schools is due to be taken next week. The council said the budget-setting process was "as challenging as ever" in the face of rising budget report said an extra £15.8m was needed in 2025/26 to avoid cuts to adult social care and children's extra government help for social care only amounted to £5.3m, the report help balance the books, the authority said it would use "one-off" pots of money, including a council tax and business rate this would leave a "structural deficit" that would affect the budget in future years, it reserves, which were drained to close to minimum levels this year, would be slightly replenished in 2025/26, the report the authority said the £1.5m savings would be met through "efficiencies and income generation... without cutting services".Council leader Phil Jordan said: "We are dedicated to ensuring our community continues to thrive, even in the face of economic pressures."Council elections on the Isle of Wight have been postponed until 2026, while the government considers an application by the island and its Hampshire partners for a combined Solent mayoral authority. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
BBC News
30-01-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Isle of Wight full council opposes cabinet move to close schools
Isle of Wight councillors have narrowly voted against plans to close five primary schools on the council voted 12 to 11, with six abstentions, against issuing closure notices at Arreton St George, Brading, Cowes, Oakfield and Wroxall primary the ballot was non-binding and advisory, with the council's cabinet having the final say on 6 March.A public consultation will end on Monday. On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered in Newport to protest against the closures, which unions say have "terrified" pupils and will make more than 200 members of staff local authority, led by the Alliance Group, says it is seeking to address a significant decline in pupil numbers due to a falling birth rate, which is causing a financial strain on the said nearly there were 1,900 unfilled places in mainstream schools as of October 2023 and it projected that figure to rise to 3,056 by September Wednesday's debate, Independent Labour councillor Geoff Brodie said: "We have an excess of places - that has an effect on every school."Let's face it, it doesn't matter which schools are on the list, there'll be a campaign against it."A separate vote on whether processes were followed in deciding the closures ended with 16 in favour and 13 Democrat group leader Andrew Garratt said: "Ultimately, it comes down to whether the informed stakeholders... are satisfied that the process is fair."Nothing suggests to me these people, who are well informed about their schools and their communities and the children that attend those schools, are confident in any way in the process." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
