The new member of Onchan Commissioners says he wants to give back to the community and use his voice to help support residents.

Andrew Gibson joined the local authority at the beginning of July following an uncontested by-election, which was triggered by a resignation in June. He was sworn in at the July board meeting.

Mr Gibson said he had decided to stand as a way of contributing to the village where he has lived for many years.

‘Having been a longtime resident of Onchan, I felt that in the past maybe I’d taken a few things for granted – like a lot of people, perhaps,’ he said. ‘So now was my opportunity to actually be part of it and give something back. I’ve got a voice, I like to speak, and I like to support people.’

He said there were no specific issues that prompted him to stand but hopes to make a difference across a range of local services.

‘Generally, I think Onchan is a lovely place and the previous commissioners have done a really good job. For me, it’s about trying to improve whatever I can influence. It’s a great community, and we can always do more.’

Asked about past well-publicised tensions on the board, Mr Gibson said: ‘I’ll be 100% honest – I’ve detached myself. I’ve just kept out of it and watched from a distance. What’s happened in the past is the past. I’m purely looking to the future.’

He added: ‘I won’t be anyone’s puppet. I’ll be my own man and do what I believe is right for the people of Onchan.’

Mr Gibson said he is looking forward to taking on his new role as Lead Member for Environmental and Technical Services, which he described as covering a ‘huge’ part of the commissioners’ responsibilities.