Island Issues

Local policies - you can see the policies which a Conservative Council will implement by visiting www.islandconservatives.com and reading the manifesto.  You will also be able to read about the Conservative candidate for your local ward.

Key Island issues which Andrew has dealt with as your MP include:

Hospitals - Andrew spearheaded the Hands off our Hospital campaign against the Government's Healthfit exercise which threatened to remove vital services from St Mary's.  He presented to Parliament the biggest petition ever collected on the Island - 60,761 signatures, which successfully defended the Island's A&E (Accident and Emergency) service and emergency surgery, without which many other services at St Mary's would have been unviable including the Maternity service.

Dentists - challenged the appalling shortage of NHS dentists on the Island, in debates and at Prime Minister's Question Time at Westminser.  Eventually secured the agreement of Health Ministers that Islanders should not have to cross the Solent to access an NHS dentist.   After the Health Minister visited the Island, local health bosses set out plans to recruit dentists from Poland.  

Council Tax - years of above-inflation council tax rises by the Lib-Dem-led IW Council culminated in 2003, in the County Treasurer predicting an increase in council tax of 11 per cent.   Andrew led an all-party delegation to Local Goverment Ministers which resulted in an increase in grant of £1m for that year (£13m to date).  Sadly the Council responded by hitting Islanders with a 14 per cent council tax rise.

What now on council tax?  The Lib-Dems propose to replace council tax with an extra income tax.  But they are so far behind in so many seats on the mainland that they cannot form a Government to implement this plan.  Labour is offering £200 off every pensioners' council tax bill, but only for the current year.  If Conservatives form the next Government they will cut up to 50 per cent off every pensioner households' council tax bill, every year, with no means test.  And a Conservative Council on the Island would cut waste and unnecessary expenditure to keep Council Tax bills down for all of us.

Housing numbers - The Government-appointed South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) has put forward proposals for a minimum of 10,400 extra houses for the Island over the next 20 years.  This was in response to a submission by three members on behalf of the Lib-Dem / 'Independent' executive which stated that 14-27,000 houses was the IW Council's 'preferred option.'   Many electors have told Andrew that the current level of housebuilding has an adverse impact on the Island's environment - even higher numbers would put massive pressure on hospitals, transport and ferries, and damage tourism.

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