The Isle of Wight Council has a familiar face in charge of environment and heritage, as a former council leader was handed the role on Wednesday night.

Under Team Alliance, led by new council leader Cllr Lora Peacey-Wilcox, Brading and St Helens member Jonathan Bacon will be in the cabinet role.

The Our Island councillor told the County Press: "I'm very much hoping to continue the work I've being doing at the AONB, of which I was chairman until recently. "I had to step away from that when I became an elected councillor, because chairman is an independent role.

"There are a lot of things coming through, particularly with the new Environment Bill, sometime in the next year.

"I'm hoping to the lead the drive on the Isle of Wight Council, to protect our environment, enhance our environment and use our environment for business and pleasure, to the benefit of all."

Cllr Bacon ran the council until 2017 and described being back on the authority as a 'good feeling,' but there was no County Hall return, due to Covid-19 and the need to socially distance.

Instead, the meeting was held in Medina Leisure Centre's sports hall.

"It feels more like sitting my maths O-Level, in a sports hall, with chairs and table set out in rows," he said.

"But it's a good feeling to be back and a particularly good feeling because we have such a cohesive group of like-minded people, from across the political spectrum, who have been working together magnificently over the last few weeks and will continue to do so to, for the benefit of the Island.

"The last two weeks have been a lot of work, a lot of talking, a lot of discussion, but it's all been positive."