Michael Lilley

I have been an elected councillor representing the east side of Ryde (now Ryde Appley and Elmfield) since 2017 on IW Council. I live in the ward. I am a retired mental health professional and CEO of a large charity. I have been active in the voluntary sector for many years and currently Co-Chair of IW Voluntary Sector Forum, a trustee of Community Action IW, and Chair of Ryde Community Development Trust. I am a Ryde Town Councillor and was Ryde Mayor from 2019-23 and led the town through Covid-19. My achievements include saving iconic Appley Tower from being sold and enabled it to access funding and be renovated and reopened to public, the establishment of a bespoke youth service in Ryde (Network Ryde), a Ryde community development and resident support service including refurbishment of historic St. Thomas's Church into a youth centre, and supported the establishment of the Department cultural centre. I am a lifelong enviromental and social justice campaigner and currently working with Surfers against Sewage in campaigning for Southern Water to stop discharging sewage into the sea off the coastline of Ryde and support residents campaigning to stop farmland being used for housing development. I have successfully campaigned to prevent two primary schools being closed and for Isle of Wight Council to have an anti-poverty strategy.