2019-2020
Mayor’s
Annual Report
RYDE TOWN COUNCIL
In May 2019, when I was elected Mayor of Ryde, I could not have envisaged that by the end of my year in
office the country would be facing the biggest crisis since the Second World War͘ This report highlights
some of Ryde Town Council’s achievements in this eventul year͘
Supportng the Community and Voluntary Sector
Promotng our rts and Culture
In the course of this year, I have learnt that what I love most about our
One of the Council’s roles is to support and
‘Town on the Beach’ is the wonderful sense of community͘ The Council
promote our arts and cultural acƟviƟes͘ Ryde is a Carnival Town and we love a
has supported this in various ways͘ We have:
street parade͘ In 2019:
Provided more than £250,000 in grants and support to
Ryde Carnival was voted the most popular carnival in the UK
over 30 Ryde community organisaƟons
Co-funded with the IW Council a post of Community
Our Mardi Gras fesƟval celebrated the Island’s award of
Connector, based at spire Ryde, to strengthen
UNESCO Biosphere status
community services, especially for the town’s most
vulnerable residents
The town hosted many other events, including IW Pride, the
Facilitated the establishment of Ryde Unite, a group of
community organisaƟons who are now working together
Scooter Rally, a Beach Sports FesƟval and the Vintage Car
Extravaganza͘
to support the town’s community and voluntary sector͘
Regeneratng our Town Centre and Saving our Historic Buildings
Ryde also has a rich architectural heritage͘ In late 2019 the Council, with support from IW Council, Ryde Business ssociaƟon and other community
organisaƟons, won a presƟgious award from Historic England to regenerate the High Street͘ This is the start of a radical programme to regenerate our
town centre͘ We are also working with Natural Enterprise to reopen ppley Tower and exploring ways of bringing the Ryde Theatre/Town Hall back into
community ownership͘
Taking over Ryde Harbour and Rejuvenatng the Esplanade
The Council is finalising negoƟaƟons with IW Council to take over the ownership and management of Ryde Harbour and adjacent parts of Eastern
Gardens for £1͘ The Town Council has plans to invest in the Harbour over the next 5 years to improve faciliƟes for both permanent berth holders and
visiƟng yachtsmen͘ The plans for improvement include, adding addiƟonal berths, installing WIFI and electrical hook ups on the pontoons͘ The IW Council
would otherwise have sold the Harbour to a private buyer͘
Supportng the Next Generaton
The Council has conƟnued to run its award-winning youth service, Network Ryde͘ My 2019-20
Mayoral ppeal was to raise funds for the emoƟonal well-being of young people in the Town
and monies raised have gone iniƟally to Network Ryde projects͘
Responding to the Covid-19 Emergency
During the Covid-19 outbreak, the Council has worked with spire Ryde, other local
organisaƟons and the IW Council to support vulnerable residents and the community as
a whole͘ We have:
Enrolled 151 volunteers, who have supported 160 vulnerable people
Delivered about 700 prescripƟons, 600 food parcels and 620 frozen meals
Provided regular emoƟonal wellbeing support by phone to 30 people
Run a virtual youth club
Liaised with the IW Council and Ryde Business ssociaƟon to ensure the safe reopening
of the town͘
Organisatonal Change to Manage Change in Ryde
There have been a number of organisaƟonal and staffing changes during the year͘ We have:
ppointed a new Town Clerk, Lisa Dyer, to lead our commited and enthusiasƟc staff team
Recruited new staff, reorganised the staffing structure and made efficiency savings
Held a strategic planning workshop and begun the preparaƟon of a Corporate Plan
Operated as many of our services as possible remotely during the Covid-19 crisis
Ryde Place Plan
In consultaƟon with other local organisaƟons and the general public, the Council has produced the Ryde Place Plan͘ The Plan (available
on our website) provides a vision of our town’s future and a road map for achieving this vision͘ It has recently been updated to take
account of the implicaƟons of Covid-19͘
The Year head - 2020-21 Investment and Growth
Due to the Covid-19 crisis, the Council had to postpone its 2020 GM unƟl May next year, which means that I am conƟnuing as Mayor
for another year͘ We have an exciƟng year ahead͘ Thanks to the restructuring made in 2019/20, we have approved an ambiƟous budget
for 2020/21 without any increase in the precept, and we have adequate reserves and an energised staff team͘ We are therefore well
placed to conƟnue implemenƟng the projects begun in the last year and to achieve the vision set out in the Ryde Place Plan͘
Thank you all
I have been honoured to be Mayor in the past tumultuous and dramaƟc year and I wish to thank all the Ryde Town Council staff,
councillors, all the Covid-19 local volunteers, community organisaƟons, faith groups, businesses and most importantly Ryde’s residents͘
You all make Ryde the wonderful and special place it is and will make it great in the future͘ My 2020-21 Mayoral ppeal will raise funds
to support Ryde Residents of all ages recovering from Covid19 and experiencing post-traumaƟc stress and depression or anxiety caused
by the crisis͘
Cllr Michael Lilley
Mayor of Ryde
Mayor’s nnual Report 2019-2020