REPORT FROM THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

TO THE MEETING OF FULL COUNCIL

On 16^th May 2007

Following the last meeting of the Full Council, I would like to highlight the debate we had on the future of 14-19 Education on the Island since it is probably one of the most important and far reaching decisions that this Council has made. The debate was full and frank with a whole range of views expressed and with some excellent contributions. Having arrived at a decision to follow through with Option 2 which includes changes in governance and a decision in principle to keep year 9 (all of Key Stage 3) within the current middle schools, the Director of Children’s Services and his team will start work on the detailed implementation of these plans. There is much work to be done and I am certain that the team will rise to the challenge.

Along with the Chief Executive I hosted a high level visit of potential investors in the Isle of Wight who spent the day looking at a number of our sites and operations and went away with a very positive view of the Island. This fits with our enabling role as a Council to help attract the right kind of high level investment that will create jobs, bring prosperity and benefit the citizens of the Island.

On the last Sunday of April, I, along with a good percentage of elected members attended the annual Civic Service in Sts Thomas Church and listened with interest to the excellent sermon based around the responsibility we have for place shaping delivered by the Archdeacon for the IW, Rev Caroline Baston. It was good to hear a message concerning the joint role of the Church and the Council and how our responsibilities to the community have much in common.

In the last month I have been pleased to see the Council’s new Cabinet shaping up to the challenges that we face in the mid term period of this Council and in particular to welcome the two new members Cllrs Melanie Swan and David Pugh.

For the last ten days I, along with the Chairman of the Council, the Deputy Leader and fellow cross party members, have enjoyed a visit to Isle of Wight County in the States. This has been an outstanding trip and we were warmly welcomed by our counterparts in Isle of Wight, Virginia, and it was also a tremendous learning experience in seeing how they run their public services. We returned yesterday and are looking forward to getting back into harness. My thanks to Cllrs Barry Abraham and Tim Hunter-Henderson for taking the roles of Leader and Deputy Leader respectively during our absence.

Cllr Andy Sutton

Leader of the Council