Gridlock Gurnard!

O.K, That might be a slight exaggeration..... but I continue to receive complaints about large vehicles blocking accesses in the village....


1. HILTON ROAD
I've received a number of complaints concerning large vehicles using this road as a short cut to Gurnard Pines.  This has got worse since Southern Vectis has began taking large coaches to ferry children to Gurnard School.  Residents are concerned that Utility Supplies do not lie that far from the surface of this private unadopted road and the larger vehicles are causing concern for residents.  I have emailed concerns to the Head Of Highways to seek alternatives, and report back on this when a solution is found...

2. CHURCH ROAD

Church Road Residents have also been in touch, as Southern Vectis are also using Church Road, en-route from Gurnard School.  For many years residents have complained about this, and I am sure that once the 6'6'' went in a few years ago they were overjoyed by the prospect of no longer ushering vehicles away from parked vehicles and pavements... I have reported the school bus to Highways and remain ever hopeful that further incidents won't arise again. 

3. SHORE ROAD

At Gurnard Parish Council's meeting this month I was roasted over inconsiderate parking, mud on the road and damage caused to grass verges and bollards allegedly by conractors working at developments in Shore Road.  The contractor has received a warning, and I remain ever hopeful the road (and vehicles leaving the sites- Esp. Solent Lawns), will be kept clear of mud and vehicles will be washed down before leaving the site.

4. MARSH ROAD

A new width restriction has been recommended for Marsh Road, this will restrict Heavy Goods thru'-vehicles using Rew Street and Marsh Road.  All heavy vehicles will therefore be encouraged to access Gurnard via Cockleton Lane, Lower Church Road, Solent View Road, Worsley Road and Tuttons Hill.  This traffic order has been proposed for several years and was recommended by The Parish council, the Police and Highways so I am more than happy to see this come to fruition.     

Have Your Say: Relocation of Respite Care

One of the less popular proposals in the Council's Strategy to save money is the proposed closure of Westminster House.  The Newport Respite Centre has for many years offered carers an opportunity to feel assured that their family members are being looked after offering much needed support.  The Isle of Wight Council has identified both The Gouldings in Freshwater and The Adelaide as centres that has scope to expand and will offer the same service for respite care as residents have been familiar with at Westminster House.

I have came under fire, following the article which I inserted in the Gurnard News concerning the future of respite care on the Island. Despite the Council being advised that they are spending too much on Elderly Care and Care on Adults with Disabilities, I reiterate that the IW Council has not made any decision on the proposal to relocate respite care from Westminster House in Newport. If you have views please call 821000 and request a Questionnaire to be mailed out, alternatively you can also fill in the on-line Questionnaire. Please let me know your views also! The deadline falls on Friday 14th January.

Accessibility Audit, Working with Older Voices

Following the meeting I called last month with Jo Hadley from Older Voices, I have been advised that the Cowes Medical Centre are taking on a more flexible approach to residents with transport needs/ accessibility issues in the Cowes Area.


I am also passing on an Accessibility Audit which was undertaken last month by a member of Older Voices to Councillor Edward Giles. The purpose of this audit was to find out those pavements that are the most difficult to access by wheelchair and mobility scooters as well as parents with pram and pushchairs due to having insufficient dropped kerbs.


Roads that caused problems include: Granville Road Bridge, Westwood Close, Reynolds Close, Brooklands Road, Firs Close, Ward Avenue (both ends) and Windmill Close. Shamblers Close, Ash Grove and Stephenson Road (all with access from Mill Hill Road) and the entrance to the footpath end of Love Lane and the waterworks Barrier gateway at the end of the levelling was considered too close. (I highlighted this might have been due to prevent motor cycles using the footpath).


Other areas requiring attention included Northwood Recreation Ground, (beside the new homes). Although the first barrier is not too bad, the second gap was thought to be too close. This has meant that wheelchair and scooter users cannot currently access the doctors surgery when using this route, subsequently this means taking a more circuitous route.


At the Older Voices meeting which I attended, I was asked to pass this information on to my Isle of Wight Councillor and Cowes Town Council colleagues, and have been asked to invite Town and Parish Councillors to their meeting. The next meeting is held at 10am, Thursday 18th November at the Isle of Wight Community Club in Park Road, I suggested in the mean time the group should consider mailing minutes of meetings to appropriate local Councils.

Working Together to Support Northwood House

I received the following Statement from the Isle of Wight Council concerning the Car Parks at Northwood House:

The IW Council will cease to operate Park Road Car Park adjacent to Northwood Park from Saturday 13 November 2010.

 

The council has been operating this long-stay park on behalf of the Trustees of Northwood House and therefore council-issued parking permits have been valid. The trustees have, as is their right, now found other partners to run the car park on their behalf.

As a result, IW Council permits will not be accepted at Park Road Car Park from 13 November. The council has alternative long stay parks at Brunswick and Mornington road at which permits can be used and they are also valid for the park and ride car park at Somerton.

All long stay permits holders have all been written to by the council in order to explain the changes. A refund for any unused months is being offered to motorists wishing to surrender their permit.

Permit holders requiring further information should contact Parking Services on 01983 823714 or e-mail parking.services@iow.gov.uk.

At last weeks Cowes Town Council meeting, a proposal was put by the Council to Manage the Park Road Car Park, and use the revenue to support Northwood House Trustees. Unfortunately by this time, the Northwood House Trustees had negotiated with Europarks to manage this car park. Trustees felt this was the best of several options available (including one by the IW Council). This should provide Trustees with a steady revenue stream to invest back into Northwood House and Park. Last week, Northwood Parish Council also supported the efforts of Trustees and as a Councillor, I’m hoping to get all stakeholders to attend a public meeting and outline to the community future options for Northwood House. The Friends Of Northwood House and Park, have just completed a Questionnaire which I hope to report back next month.

I am hopeful that Cowes Town Council will remain supportive, as Councillors want this further discussed before considering raising their precept, in the meantime I’ve been asked by the Friends to raise questions at Full Council. Further information can be found on the: www.northwoodhouse.org/carpark website.

Island Plan Core Strategy: Your chance to tell the Council what you think?

The Core Strategy is the most important document of the Island Plan Local Development Framework, which will guide planning and development up to 2027. It sets out the key elements of the future development on the Island. The Island Plan Proposed Submission Core Strategy, Proposals Map, Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) have been published for public consultation from Friday 29th October to 4.30pm, Friday 10th December 2010, in accordance with Reg. 27 of the Town & Country Planning Regulations 2008. For details see: http://www.iwight.com/living_here/planning/Planning_policy/island_plan/Core_Strategy/. In summary objectives for the future of the Medina Valley Key Regeneration Area will:

1. Identify appropriate development sites within or immediately adjacent to the settlement boundaries within the Area Action Plan boundary, for the majority of the 1255 dwellings allocated for the area.


2. Provide for 35% of affordable housing, but consider whether levels of affordable housing higher than those set can be achieved. (See Policy DM4 sets out the Strategies Affordable Housing Principles)


3. Revise the development envelopes set out in the AAP Boundary as Required.


4. Identify and allocate suitable sites for Gypsies, Travellers, and Travelling Show People (See Policy DM6)


5. Determine whether further employment land is required to be allocated, particularly whether there is a need for B8 distribution services in this general location.


6. Identify employment sites with deep water frontage and establish whether those existing uses require further policy protection, to ensure that deep water access is maintained for employment uses that require it.


7. Establish whether there is the need for further retail allocations above that already allocated.


8. Review the Town Centre Boundaries and Primary Retail Frontages.


9. Define and ensure that the areas which separate the key settlements of Cowes/Newport and East Cowes/ Newport are appropriately protected to prevent settlement coalescence.


10. Determine how the identified deficiency in Green Infrastructure can be addressed.


11. Identify the precise type and location of waste facilities to serve development to significantly contribute to the waste target outlined in policy SP8.


12 Establish the nature and level of renewable energy that will be brought forward through the proposed development, although the use of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and/or District Heating schemes will be expected.


13. Consider the feasibility of improving the sustainable transport routes on both sides of the River Medina.


14. Establish the precise form of the identified junction improvements and whether further minor infrastructure provisions will be required to support the location and level of growth proposed within the AAP.

Does 3 in to 1 Go? Community Governance Review

Following the last meeting of Cowes Town Council, I have investigated whether there was any merit taking this matter forward. The IW Council has advised me that if Cowes Town Council was to merge with the neighbouring Parish Councils a few ‘obstacles’ stood in the way, namely:

1. There would need to be a mandate from the community to review existing parish/ town council boundaries.

2. What is the cost of the review and who pays?

3. There was support for a review from all Councils involved. (Would merging the local councils save money for ratepayers, is this considered a priority for local parish and town councils expenditure, would Gurnard and Northwood communities feel ’less’ involved and how would having fewer Councillors sit in the current Big Society/ Localism Agenda of the current government?)

4. If the local Councils agreed for a review, there would then need to be a further consultation/ referendum.

5. If the Consultation/ Referendum agreed, this would then need to be referred to the IW Council for their consideration.

6. Would the Boundary Commission Support the findings, and how long is this likely to take?

I undertook some preliminary research and noted that most recently in Somerset two similar sized neighbouring Councils Langport Town Council and Huish Episcopi Parish Councils saw the Community Governance review as an opportunity to call for wider consultation. This followed the presentation of a petition by 250 residents for the review. Following a consultation most residents were not in favour of merging both Councils the main reason for this was due to the fact that Huish residents objected to the prospect of Langport, with their higher precept ‘taking over’ the rural Huish Episcopi Parish Council.

This was very briefly discussed by Northwood Parish Council and like Gurnard no Councillor supported taking further action. I suggest a better way of recognising the local needs of all three Councils would better be served by having regular liaison meetings. There are a number of issues which I feel relevant and interlinked by all three Councils. Issues such as Northwood House, Design Statements, Housing Issues, Planning & Transport Matters are all issues that the three Councils share common ground over, and I sense by working together a great deal more could be achieved.