2021 Isle of Wight Council election

6 May 2021 (2021-05-06)
All 39 seats to the Isle of Wight Council 20 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	36.93% 3.99 pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Dave Stewart Party Conservative Independent Green Leader's seat Chale, Niton and Shorwell (lost) Last election 25 seats, 41.3% 11 seats, 28.2% 1 seats, 12.6% Seats before 23 14 1 Seats won 18 13 2 Seat change 7 2 1 Popular vote 15,825 9,981 4,541 Percentage 38.7% 24.4% 11.1% Swing 2.6% 3.8% 1.5%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Ian Stephens Richard Quigley Andrew Garratt Party Island Independent Network Labour Liberal Democrats Leader's seat Ryde West Cowes North Parkhurst and Hunnyhill Last election New grouping 1 seat, 9.7% 2 seats, 6.2% Seats before 1 1 1 Seats won 2 1 1 Seat change 2 1 Popular vote 1,327 4,760 2,139 Percentage 3.2% 11.6% 5.2% Swing 3.2% 1.9% 1.0%   Seventh party Eighth party   Leader Jonathan Bacon Daryll Pitcher Party Our Island Vectis Party Leader's seat Brading and St Helens Wootton Bridge Last election New party New party Seats won 1 1 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 1,427 886 Percentage 3.5% 2.2% Swing 3.5% 2.2%
Election results
Council leader before election Dave Stewart Conservative Council leader after election Lora Peacey-Wilcox The Alliance Group

Elections to Isle of Wight Council took place on 6 May 2021 as part of the 2021 United Kingdom local elections. These were held at the same time as the elections for the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner.^[1] The elections saw the Conservatives lose control of the council, losing seats against the national trend for the party.

Results summary

Party		Seats		Candidates	Votes		Vote %
	Conservative	18	7	39	15,825	2,552	38.7	2.6
	Independent	13	2	22	9,981	2,527	24.4	3.8
	Green	2	1	19	4,541	1,056	11.1	1.5
	Island Independent Network	2	2	6	1,327	1,327	3.2	3.2
	Labour	1		28	4,760	452	11.6	1.9
	Lib Dem	1	1	12	2,139	636	5.2	1.0
	Our Island	1	1	5	1,427	1,427	3.5	3.5
	Vectis Party	1	1	3	886	886	2.2	2.2
	Freedom Alliance	0		1	38	38	0.09	0.09
	TUSC	0		1	20	20	0.05	0.05
Total		39	1	136	40,944	608

Background

New ward divisions were used for this election, with thirty wards changing,^[3] with the number of wards reduced by one to 39 single-member seats.^[4] In the previous election, the Conservatives had won a majority with twenty five seats, with Independents (including the Island Independent Group), Liberal Democrats, Greens, and Labour also winning seats.

For the 2021 election, as well as existing independent candidates, the new Our Island also announced its intention to support several independent candidates.^[5][6][7]

Aftermath

The incumbent Conservative leader of the council lost his seat to the Green Party,^[8] and was replaced as group leader by Steve Hastings, who subsequently invited other councillors to coalition talks.^[9]

On 26 May, independent councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox was elected leader of the council with 20 votes to Hastings’s 18. There was a single abstention from the Labour councillor, who was absent.^[10] Island Independent Network councillor Ian Stephens was elected her deputy. Independent councillor Geoff Brodie was elected as the Chair of the Council, with Green councillor Claire Critchison elected Vice-Chair.^[11][12]

The leadership and cabinet - termed the "Alliance Group" - includes Independent, Green, Island Independent Network and Our Island councillors who together make up 18 of the 39 seats on the council. With the additional external support from the Liberal Democrats and the Vectis Party this constitutes a majority of 20 out of the 39 council seats.^[13][14]

In August 2021, Cllr Brodie quit the Alliance Group over planning issues, but continues to support the administration.^[15][16]

Division results

By-elections

References