My surgery for Wednesday evening (6-6:30pm @ Northwood House) is cancelled, due to me attending Full Council and raising objections to some of the additional cuts, proposed by Cabinet last week.
If you have any questions concerning the plans for the new school, I will be in attendance at Cowes Town Council's meeting from 8-8:30pm on Wednesday and will come armed with a copy of the planning application for any resident that is interested
If you wish to arrange to meet, please call me on Tuesday 20th July evening; or between 5:30pm and 6:30pm on Thursday 22th July.
Monday 19 July 2010
The End for Student Riders?
On Wednesday evening, my colleague Councillors and I will be seeking further non-innovative ways of guillotining cuts to the Council's budget.
The most controversial of which is cutting Student Riders.
It seems really unfair to me that there are several residents over 60, with lucrative pensions, and able to top up these pensions with extra employment (like IW Councillors!!) and still can travel for free after 9:30am on the bus, (if they choose)! Whilst our youngsters, who are 14 years and over are expected to pay full fares on Island Buses. Hardly seems very fair, does it?
When the new Coalition government came into power in June, we were promised that our new Government would be a 'fair government'; our 'budget would be a fair budget' and that 'the National Deficit reduction must be shared'. Clearly, along the same lines our Council considers it right and proper to make future generations pay for the mistakes of previous Governments.
The withdrawal of Student Rider, will mean 14 to 18 year old youngsters more dependent from hand-outs from their parents. It will mean students from lower income families not having the same choices or freedom as those from higher income families, and will ultimately mean more 14 to 18 year olds being couped up at home, when they should be having fun and/or having the chance of earning money.
The Student Rider, when introduced was a fantastic initiative when introduced at 50p per journey, as it meant children had the opportuntity to use buses go out with their friends..; and -Get this: choose a High School they wanted to attend, rather than just attend the school down the road, or en-route to mum and dads place of work. It meant as soon as youngsters were 17 they didn't have to learn to drive and the council was actually doing something positive to reduce the reliance on needing a car.
Clearly the Council will need to make a decision about this on Wednesday and whilst there remains opportunitites to 'means test' Councillors Allowances, cut Consultants, Directors Pay or to cut street lighting. The Council looks towards hitting those hardest, who can least afford it! (Let's hope the Government doesn't do the same!).
For these reasons, I cannot and would not accept any cuts to the existing Student Rider Scheme.
The most controversial of which is cutting Student Riders.
It seems really unfair to me that there are several residents over 60, with lucrative pensions, and able to top up these pensions with extra employment (like IW Councillors!!) and still can travel for free after 9:30am on the bus, (if they choose)! Whilst our youngsters, who are 14 years and over are expected to pay full fares on Island Buses. Hardly seems very fair, does it?
When the new Coalition government came into power in June, we were promised that our new Government would be a 'fair government'; our 'budget would be a fair budget' and that 'the National Deficit reduction must be shared'. Clearly, along the same lines our Council considers it right and proper to make future generations pay for the mistakes of previous Governments.
The withdrawal of Student Rider, will mean 14 to 18 year old youngsters more dependent from hand-outs from their parents. It will mean students from lower income families not having the same choices or freedom as those from higher income families, and will ultimately mean more 14 to 18 year olds being couped up at home, when they should be having fun and/or having the chance of earning money.
The Student Rider, when introduced was a fantastic initiative when introduced at 50p per journey, as it meant children had the opportuntity to use buses go out with their friends..; and -Get this: choose a High School they wanted to attend, rather than just attend the school down the road, or en-route to mum and dads place of work. It meant as soon as youngsters were 17 they didn't have to learn to drive and the council was actually doing something positive to reduce the reliance on needing a car.
Clearly the Council will need to make a decision about this on Wednesday and whilst there remains opportunitites to 'means test' Councillors Allowances, cut Consultants, Directors Pay or to cut street lighting. The Council looks towards hitting those hardest, who can least afford it! (Let's hope the Government doesn't do the same!).
For these reasons, I cannot and would not accept any cuts to the existing Student Rider Scheme.
Wednesday 14 July 2010
Surgeries for July and August
I am happy to meet residents at their convenience, alternatively I hold surgeries on the following occasions. Please feel free to pop into any of my surgeries if you have issues you wish me to deal with, or just come along for a chat over a tea or coffee.
6-6:30pm, Wednesday 21st July, Northwood House, Ward Avenue, Cowes.
This surgery is CANCELLED owing to attendance at Full Council, Please call me to arrange an alternative time.
(I should be attending Cowes Town Council's meeting after 8pm so can withdraw to meet residents within the duration of this meeting at Northwood House).
I'm also leafletting/ Publicising Cowes Secondary school Planning Application so am on call to visit residents at their convenience, this week. So please don't hesitate to call me!
11-11.30am, Wednesday 28 July, Little Gloster, Marsh Road, Gurnard.
6-6:30pm, Tuesday 10 August, Sports Bar, IW Community Club, Park Road, Cowes.
11-11:30am, Wednesday 25 August, The Woodvale, Princes Esplanade, Gurnard.
12-12:30pm, Wednesday 25 August, Little Gloster, Marsh Road, Gurnard.
Northwood House: A New Beginning?
On behalf of a number of residents, I was requested to ask a question to the David Pugh, Leader of the Council in Cllr. Peter Bingham’s absence, at Full Council.
The question asked, was as a result in the perceived less than transparent way the transfer took place between Northwood House from the IW Council to the Northwood House Trustees.
The Question asked was as follows: “How, when and by whom was the decision made to withdraw from Northwood House, where are the minutes of the meeting at which this decision was made and how can elected members of this authority obtain minutes of such meetings?” This was followed by the supplementary question: “By what process can both members of this authority and the wider authority hold such decisions to account?”
Councillor Pugh’s response was as follows:
To the supplementary, Cllr Pugh responded “As you are quite properly doing, by asking these questions”.
The question asked, was as a result in the perceived less than transparent way the transfer took place between Northwood House from the IW Council to the Northwood House Trustees.
The Question asked was as follows: “How, when and by whom was the decision made to withdraw from Northwood House, where are the minutes of the meeting at which this decision was made and how can elected members of this authority obtain minutes of such meetings?” This was followed by the supplementary question: “By what process can both members of this authority and the wider authority hold such decisions to account?”
Councillor Pugh’s response was as follows:
“Northwood House Trust is a registered charity. The legal position is that the managing trustees are responsible for the maintenance and management of Northwood House and its grounds, not the Council. Discussions between the trustees and the Council about their role have been taking place over the last 2 or 3 years with a view to the Trustees taking on their full responsibilities.
In April a management decision was taken by officers, under their delegated powers and in consultation with me, to seek a new location for the registrars to operate from. There are therefore no meeting minutes. The trustees have been informed that the Council will if they wish, continue to manage the car park and maintain the grounds on their behalf, if they wish us to do so and agree to reimburse us for doing so from the income they receive from Ward Avenue Car Park. This would effectively continue with the previous arrangements for the car park and grounds maintenance, but be clearer and more accountable an arrangement.
The Director of Corporate Services will be meeting with the trustees to discuss this on 23rd June. This meeting was put back from an earlier date at the request of the trustees. Officers have also used their delegated powers, again in consultation with me, to agree to make a 20% £2,500 contribution to the cost of a feasibility study to consider possible future sustainable and self funding uses for the house & grounds. English Heritage are paying 80%. This shows the Council is continuing to support the trustees in seeking to secure a future of the house”.
To the supplementary, Cllr Pugh responded “As you are quite properly doing, by asking these questions”.
My own views on Northwood House and Park is this: To restore this facility to its former glory will cost an absolute fortune and would the Isle of Wight Council be trusted to invest time, resources and finance into this facility? If the Isle of Wight Council isn't prepared, would the residents and Town/Parish Councils of Cowes, Gurnard and Northwood be prepared to? And, if neither are prepared to (at the moment) take responsibility, then it falls upon the 'voluntary' shoulders of the Northwood House Trustees to look into other options, in the hope that the wider community can be engaged. For this reason, I welcome the resurrection of the Friends of Northwood House and Park to enable the Cowes community to enlist its support for future options.
Sunday 11 July 2010
Cowes High: Fit for the 21st Century (?)
In 2009, I was returned to a crumbling Cowes High School as a school governor. Since I (eventually) left in 1988 seemingly things had changed very little. Even scarier for me, one or two faces remained the same...
That said, the school was (and still is) very much on the way up... Although the Isle of Wight was 2 years ago ranked 151 out of 151 authorities, for several years the management team have done the community proud, and pushed the school forward. In the next few weeks there is to be a Planning Application for a brand new school located to the west of current school buildings with a new pedestrian entrance opposite The Green. The £30m promised for the eco-school rebuild, remains ringfenced by the government and last week the Interim Governing Body appointed Jonathan Russell, who comes across as a very inclusive innovative and dynamic person to take the school forward in his postion as Principal Designate.
If you missed the public exhibition and have not yet seen the plans, these are 'due to' be available to be viewed from 16th July at the Planning Offices, online or from me.
Tuesday 6 July 2010
Cowes Learning Centre Update
In the last couple of weeks, I've spent a fair amount of time back at Cowes High School.
Although most of the faces have thankfully changed, since I was a young nipper... (!) many things like the buildings (and one or two of the members of staff) haven't.
Although most of the faces have thankfully changed, since I was a young nipper... (!) many things like the buildings (and one or two of the members of staff) haven't.
Yesterday, I received confirmation that the Funds for the new building were still available despite drachonian cuts needed to be taken by the Government to cut the new buildings for school programme. Following this years positive OFSTED Inspection, its committed staff, the new building programme and the innovative Designate Principal due to start in January, the school continues to be on the up.
If you are interested in knowing more, the Plans for the new Eco-School hould now be on the IW Council's Website. There will be a drop-in at the school between 3pm and 7pm on Thursday 8th July for anyone wanting to know more!
Thursday 1 July 2010
Why are we Rubbish at Football?
I support Aldershot, so I don't really do football.....
My daughter though love' s it- so like if I get the chance, I love watching her play!
What irritates me, whilst watching footie (very much on the sidelines) are the numbers of lads, who ask their dads to stop matches so their dads can tie up their football laces! Is it no wonder, our football teams are crap, if we insist on bringing up a generation of children (and their fathers) who find it acceptable to act this way? I often see lads rolling around on the ground, crying when they miss a ball or thumping girls when they don't get their own way; and if national players weren't bad enough, doesn't the press have a responsibility to hold these people to account for their actions, instead of hero-worshiping them?
Instead of blaming Fabio for England's misdemeanours, don't we have a role within society in ensuring our youngsters are brought up equipped for life.
My daughter though love' s it- so like if I get the chance, I love watching her play!
What irritates me, whilst watching footie (very much on the sidelines) are the numbers of lads, who ask their dads to stop matches so their dads can tie up their football laces! Is it no wonder, our football teams are crap, if we insist on bringing up a generation of children (and their fathers) who find it acceptable to act this way? I often see lads rolling around on the ground, crying when they miss a ball or thumping girls when they don't get their own way; and if national players weren't bad enough, doesn't the press have a responsibility to hold these people to account for their actions, instead of hero-worshiping them?
Instead of blaming Fabio for England's misdemeanours, don't we have a role within society in ensuring our youngsters are brought up equipped for life.
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