2021 Isle of Wight Council election

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. The elections saw the Conservatives lose control of the council, losing seats against the national trend for the party.

Background
New ward divisions were used for this election, with thirty wards changing, with the number of wards reduced by one to 39 single-member seats. 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.

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

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. 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.

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.

In August 2021, Cllr Brodie quit the Alliance Group over planning issues, but continues to support the administration.

Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet
A by-election was held in Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet on 24 November 2022, triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Steve Hastings.


 * Michael Lilley, elected as an independent, joined the Liberal Democrats in May 2023.

Wootton Bridge
A by-election was held in Wootton Bridge on 24 August 2023, triggered by the resignation of Daryll Pitcher, the leader and only elected member of the Vectis Party, after being imprisoned for rape.

Ventnor and St Lawrence
A by-election was held in Ventnor and St Lawrence on 21 December 2023, triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Gary Peace.