A CALL to hold more Sandown Town Council meetings has been rejected and instead, fewer gatherings will last longer.

Cllr Debbie Andre, who sits on both Sandown Town Council and the Isle of Wight Council, proposed meeting more often, to ensure the town council runs in a similar way to a business because of the number of services it now delivers.

Ironically, the motion was included in Monday's three-hour-long meeting, which had to be extended.

Cllr Andre proposed ten meetings a year and a move to a different way of working.

Former mayor, Cllr Heather Humby, agreed and said she thought six annual meetings was not enough, arguing it had been ten meetings per year until recently.

Councillor Ian Ward said he preferred longer meetings.

Cllr Alex Lightfoot pointed out most recent town council achievements were thanks to work in groups — but Cllr Humby argued they were not open to the public.

Cllr Lightfoot said more public meetings would mean extra staffing costs, which was something Sandown residents had not wanted.

Current mayor of Sandown, Cllr Paddy Lightfoot, opted to retain six meetings a year but said if more were needed, that could be arranged.