Councillor Stuart Hutchinson

Councillor Stuart Hutchinson – West Wight Ward

My large and rural ward covers 14 separate communities and three Town and Parish Councils, of Calbourne, Shalfleet and Yarmouth. I attend and report monthly to each Council on the work of IWC and have done up to the start of the COVID19 lockdown. Prior to this I attended meetings with residents concerned at the amount of housing proposed within the ward. I agree with their view and supported in Cabinet a further review of the Island Plan with a substantial reduction in numbers. That revision is underway.

During the course of the year I've continued to advise and personally assist many residents with problems including housing, council tax, planning and highways, have acted as an advocate for them to the council and am pleased to have helped achieve a successful resolution for them in most cases.

For the last few months there has sadly been a loss of personal contact.

I was pleased to be able, with the support of many residents, to get restrictions on parking on the main road east of Yarmouth, which was causing congestion and several accidents. I'm pleased to say that the emergency order to prevent parking has been made permanent.

As well as my ward work I continue as the Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources, serve on the Appeals Committee, the Harbours Board (as well as locally on the Yarmouth Harbour Advisory Committee), the member Review Boards for Waste management and Highways Performance, the staff Joint Consultative Group and Ryde regeneration.

Although in such a large ward it isn't feasible to hold surgeries and the COVID emergency has prevented that in recent months, my contact details are widely publicised, through press, local societies and parish magazines.

Stuart Hutchinson

May 2020