{{Short description|Scillonian politician and farmer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | office = Chief Executive of the Council of the Isles of Scilly | term_end = 2012 | term_start = 1992 | citizenship = United Kingdom | office2 = Chairman of the Isles of Scilly AONB Partnership | term_start2 = 2012 }}
'''Philip Hygate''' is a Scillonian politician and farmer. He was the Chief Executive of the Council of the Isles of Scilly from 1992 to 2012 and has been the Chairman of the AONB partnership for the Isles since 2012.
== Biography == Hygate graduated school with degrees in politics and economic history. He held various positions, including working for the United Nations and European Union.{{r|"Hargreaves 2013"}}
In 1992, Hygate was appointed as the Chief Executive of the Council of the Isles of Scilly, becoming the youngest person to hold the office.{{r|"Hargreaves 2013"}} During his tenure, Hygate oversaw the construction of a new school on St Mary's, as well as preliminary plans for revitalization of the island's harbor and airport.{{r|"Nightingale 2012"}}
In 2012, the local council was criticized by the public because of an 18% pay raise for senior council officials, while regular council employees saw their wages frozen.{{r|"Lambert 2012"}} The animosity of Scillonians towards council executives came to a head in May, when Hygate was involved in the suspension of a teacher at the Five Islands Academy. The elected chairman of the council, Mike Hicks, accused Hygate of overstepping his duties and not keeping the council informed of his actions. In October, Hicks informed Hygate that it was not possible for the two to continue working together, and began the process of removing Hygate as Chief Executive.{{r|"Nightingale 2012"}}
The original plan of the council was to appoint an independent investigator into the matter, as Hygate and the council could not agree on a candidate.{{r|"BBC"}} However, before the 2 January deadline to appoint the investigator, the council and Hygate entered negotiations directly.{{r|"BBC"|"Nightingale 2012"}} On 30 October, it was agreed that Hygate would leave his position in a "mutual agreement" and be given severance pay of 80,000 pounds.{{r|"Nightingale 2012"}}
Following his separation, Hygate moved near the Tamar Valley AONB on the mainland and began farming. He became Chairman of the Isles of Scilly AONB Partnership, a position which he still held as of 2020.{{r|"Landscapes"}}
== References == <references>
<ref name="Hargreaves 2013">{{Cite news |last=Hargreaves |first=Andy |date=11 January 2013 |title=Philip Hygate: A Brief Profile |work=Scilly Today |url=http://www.scillytoday.com/2013/01/11/philip-hygate-a-brief-history/ |access-date=31 March 2022}}</ref>
<ref name="Landscapes">{{Cite web |title=Philip Hygate FRSA |url=https://landscapesforlife.org.uk/about-us/Our-People/philip-hygate |access-date=31 March 2022 |website=Landscapes for Life}}</ref>
<ref name="Nightingale 2012">{{Cite news |last=Nightingale |first=Denis |date=17 December 2012 |title=Philip Hygate: Annus horribilis of Isles of Scilly Council's chief |work=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-20753790 |access-date=31 March 2022}}</ref>
<ref name="BBC">{{Cite news |date=17 December 2012 |title=Isles of Scilly Council chief Philip Hygate 'to leave' |work=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-20752970 |access-date=31 March 2022}}</ref>
<ref name="Lambert 2012">{{Cite news |last=Lambert |first=Victoria |date=17 August 2012 |title='It's more like Sicily than Scilly here: islanders are at war' |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/cornwall/isles-of-scilly/articles/Its-more-like-Sicily-than-Scilly-here-islanders-are-at-war/ |access-date=31 March 2022}}</ref>
</references>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hygate, Philip}} Category:People from the Isles of Scilly Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:21st-century British farmers Category:Education in the Isles of Scilly Category:21st-century British politicians Category:Council of the Isles of Scilly