Ep. 21 - Isle of Wight fighting Covid-19 with the digital edge - Dave Stewart

This week, Leader of Isle of Wight Council, Dave Stewart, Joined host Emily Rodgers on the Public Sector Voices podcast. The Island has received national attention throughout the coronavirus crisis for piloting the Government’s controversial track and trace app.

With a modest population of 140,000 people, 40% of which are retired, how did this beautiful hub for beaches and tourism get 54,000 people to join the fight?

Leader Dave Stewart attributes the Island’s success to communication, between Central Government and themselves, themselves and their residents, and everyone in between. He also praises the island for being ‘digitally well advanced’, something he was very grateful for once the lockdown kicked in.

Council finances, beach safety and compliant communities are all covered in this week’s podcast, as Cllr Stewart divulges the council’s financial reserves and the fortunate position they are in, compared with others. 

The Isle of Wight, having successfully pioneered the track and trace scheme, is now ready to welcome back visitors to the island, with a ‘safety first’ approach, and is focused on “reengaging and reenergising our economic position.”