Isle of Wight Council
Encyclopedia
The Isle of Wight Council is a local council. It is a unitary authority
covering the Isle of Wight
, South East
England
. It is currently made up of 40 seats, with the Conservatives
as ruling party with 24 councillors at the latest local election in June 2009.
and South Wight
Borough Councils.
Until the 2009 structural changes to local government in England
, the Isle of Wight Council was unique amongst unitary authorities as a former county council
assumed the duties of two non-metropolitan district
councils, whereas in other cases a district council has assumed the responsibilities of a county council.
, lead to significant changes in composition as the Conservatives
took over from the Liberal Democrats as the largest group, winning seats primarily from the liberals and the independents who had previously formed a united power block. Later in the 2009 elections
the Conservatives managed to hold on to their majority within the council by securing 24 of the revised number of 40 seats, however were the only Conservative council which actually lost seats that year.
, due to this being the historical seat of many former governors of the Isle of Wight. Along the bottom is the island's motto "All this beauty is of God". The shield showing Carisbrooke Castle forms the basis of the Isle of Wight Council Flag. Until January 2009 this was the only popularly known flag of the Isle of Wight and is used exclusively by the Council of local authority buildings, most notable on County Hall in Newport
.
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
covering the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, South East
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is currently made up of 40 seats, with the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
as ruling party with 24 councillors at the latest local election in June 2009.
History
The council was formed on 1 April 1995, as a continuation of the old Isle of Wight County Council, which became a unitary authority that day with the taking on of the function of MedinaMedina, Isle of Wight
Medina was a non-metropolitan district with the status of a borough on the Isle of Wight in England from 1974 to 1995.The district was formed by the Local Government Act 1972, and was a merger of the municipal boroughs of Newport and Ryde along with the urban district of Cowes...
and South Wight
South Wight
South Wight was a non-metropolitan district with the status of a borough on the Isle of Wight in England from 1974 to 1995.The district was formed by the Local Government Act 1972, and was a merger of Sandown-Shanklin and Ventnor urban districts and Isle of Wight Rural District...
Borough Councils.
Until the 2009 structural changes to local government in England
2009 structural changes to local government in England
Structural changes to local government in England were effected on 1 April 2009, whereby a number of new unitary authorities were created in parts of the country which previously operated a 'two-tier' system of counties and districts...
, the Isle of Wight Council was unique amongst unitary authorities as a former county council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
assumed the duties of two non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
councils, whereas in other cases a district council has assumed the responsibilities of a county council.
Elections
Elections to the council held in June 2005Isle of Wight Council election, 2005
The 2005 Isle of Wight Council elections were held on the Isle of Wight, England, on 5 May 2005. The result led to a landslide Conservative victory gaining 22 councillors, leading the Isle of Wight to Conservative control from no overall control previously....
, lead to significant changes in composition as the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
took over from the Liberal Democrats as the largest group, winning seats primarily from the liberals and the independents who had previously formed a united power block. Later in the 2009 elections
Isle of Wight Council election, 2009
The 2009 Isle of Wight Council elections were held on Thursday 4 June 2009.After a review by the boundary commission, the number of seats on the council was reduced from 48 single-member constituencies, to a 40 member council, consisting of 38 single member constituencies, and one double-member...
the Conservatives managed to hold on to their majority within the council by securing 24 of the revised number of 40 seats, however were the only Conservative council which actually lost seats that year.
| Party | Composition as of 2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | ||
| 9 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 1 | ||
| Others | 3 | |
Coat of arms and flag
The Coat of arms of the Isle of Wight were first granted to the Isle of Wight County Council in 1938. In 1995 when this was abolished they were transferred to the present day Isle of Wight Council. The shield (pictured to the right) shows an image of Carisbrooke CastleCarisbrooke Castle
Carisbrooke Castle is a historic motte-and-bailey castle located in the village of Carisbrooke, near Newport, Isle of Wight, England. Charles I was imprisoned at the castle in the months prior to his trial.-Early history:...
, due to this being the historical seat of many former governors of the Isle of Wight. Along the bottom is the island's motto "All this beauty is of God". The shield showing Carisbrooke Castle forms the basis of the Isle of Wight Council Flag. Until January 2009 this was the only popularly known flag of the Isle of Wight and is used exclusively by the Council of local authority buildings, most notable on County Hall in Newport
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
.