Radio listeners grill MP on island issues

An MP has been talking about the issues residents are facing on the Isle of Wight.

Joe Robertson, Conservative MP for Isle of Wight East, said transforming the "eyesore" of derelict buildings in Sandown would be "top of his list" if he had the budget and powers.

Talking during a Hotseat interview on BBC Radio Solent, Mr Robertson touched on issues including ferry travel, affordable housing and school funding.

He also answered questions from the public during the one-hour segment with host Chris Jarvis and political reporter Emily Hudson.

The MP was the first to be elected to represent the East in July, after the creation of two constituencies on the island.

Mr Robertson said the ferries have been a "long running issue for 30 years" on the island.

Listeners called in during his segment with concerns over the cost and reliability of services run by the three main transport providers Red Funnel, Wightlink and Hovertravel.

Mr Robertson said: "I'm of the very firm view that we will only get the change we need with government intervention."

The MP has asked government if there is enough public funding to run a feasibility study, which would look at regulating and subsidising ferry travel.

He explained: "We're entirely reliant on a privatised, unregulated, unsubsidised service.

"I'm not asking for us to be given special treatment, I'm saying let's stop this special anomaly and bring us into the consensus of public transport in this country."

Dozens of listeners told political reporter Emily Hudson they were concerned about the number of derelict hotels in Sandown and asked the MP would he could do about it.

Mr Robertson said Sandown has a "unique problem" on the island, adding there are a number of "run down" buildings which "look awful".

"There are all sorts of reasons why it's got to this position. This is really frustrating, if an MP had powers and had a budget, it would be top of my list," he explained.

Mr Robertson said he did have the power to "bring decision makers together", like the police, government and Isle of Wight Council.

Talking about the housing situation on the island, Mr Robertson said the council needs to build more affordable homes.

He said: "The current government want us to build over 1,000 new houses a year - we currently build about 350 - but these are numbers that bear no relation to the problem we've got. It's the right houses in the right place.

"One of my priorities is to work with Isle of Wight Council. We have an election in May, I've got a job to do with them."

St Mary's Hospital in Newport "actually provides more things than a hospital with a population of 140,000 would", Mr Robertson told listeners.

Speaking about the need for more medical services on the island, the MP said they needed to continue fighting for St Mary's to have more.

He explained: "We've got to keep making the argument that St Mary's has to be able to have services you wouldn't normally expect on an island of our size, because getting off it is, frankly, traumatic at times depending on why you're travelling.

"We need to keep fighting with NHS bosses that St Mary's should have more services because we're an island."

Mr Robertson said he fears funding for schools will "only get worse" if the island's economy as a whole doesn't improve.

A number of schools are currently under threat of closure on the island and the MP says the main issue is a declining population.

He explained: "Ultimately the solution is a big one, it is growing the island economy and getting more working age and child bearing age people on the island.

"We need it to be less of a headache and less expensive to go back and forth to the mainland, so people don't think they'll be stuck and cut off."

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