Surgeries:
4:30-5pm,
Tuesday 7th January, Cowes
Library, Beckford Road, Cowes.
3-3:30pm, Wednesday 15th January, Cowes
Enterprise College, Crossfield Avenue, Cowes.
6-6:30pm,
Thursday 30th January, The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
5-6pm, Monday 3rd February, Sports Bar, IW Community Club, Park Road, Cowes. (BUDGET)
5-6pm, Monday 3rd February, Sports Bar, IW Community Club, Park Road, Cowes. (BUDGET)
4-4:30pm,
Tuesday 4th February, Cowes Library, Beckford Road,
Cowes.
IW Council Budget
2014-2015.
The IW Council is currently facing the
challenge of setting a budget for the coming financial year.
Savings being considered include reducing
non-statutory services, reviewing staffing/ sharing resources with other local
authorities and/or town/parish councils and raising revenue from fees and
charges.
Because
of austerity measures, and future cuts in Government Grants it seems
increasingly likely that smaller authorities will find it more difficult to
retain non-statutory functions.
For
the IW Council this will continue to be extremely challenging, particularly in
light of a growing aging population and the statutory requirement the local
authority has to support this need.
One of the issues, locally which will be of
concern is the prospect of increasing Cowes Floating Bridge charges. This may
be necessary due to the need to replace the ferry in the next 3-5 years. Car
Parking will be another aspect of significant interest. I will be holding a special budget surgery
from 5-6pm, Tuesday 4th February at the IW Community Club to listen
to residents suggestions.
Meeting with Ferry
Users and Operators.
The
first meeting with Ferry Users took place last month.
Regretfully
there was no representative of Red Funnel users. This in itself could be
perceived as positive!
Of surprise was the fact that the two other
user groups had differing relationships with ferry operators. The representative of travellers using
Hovertravel seemed positive about their relationship, whilst Wightlink users
seemed less so.
There was no evidence to suggest that
visitors to the Island considered the ferry crossing cost was a disincentive
for coming to the Island. In a recent Survey the Isle of Wight was considered
the 3rd best value holiday destination in the UK.
Other issues discussed and considered was the
need for Ferry operators to properly service their debts; why Government
considered the Solent to be an ‘Estuary’, and by so doing restricted the Island
Ferry Services being financially supported in the same way as other off shore
Islands; and finally could small local Island businesses take advantage of
special deals as larger businesses?
The next meeting will take place with Ferry
Operators on 6pm, Thursday 23rd
January at County Hall.
Safe Routes To
School, Baring Road: Update.
A Public Information Evening was held on 2nd
December, to discuss proposals to increase traffic restrictions in Baring Road
and Woodvale Road. This meeting was
advertised by way of a letterdrop to 100 homes nearby, and for two weeks
through Gurnard Primary School’s newsletter.
In summary the proposals included the following:
·
A
parking restriction on the length of the cycle lane in Baring Road
·
Additional
parking restrictions in Baring
Road opposite the pavement (eastern side), between the school and Battery Road,
with passing places.
·
Additional
parking restrictions at the top section of Woodvale Road on both sides of the
road.
·
Retention
of the parking restrictions on the pavement side (western side) of Baring Road.
During the meeting (which was attended by 12
residents and 6 parents there was a general agreement that proposals would make
it safer for children, however concerns were raised over the loss of
parking. In respect of this, every aspect
of the proposal was opposed and therefore it seems unlikely the Traffic Order
will be advertised in its current form.
Following further complaints from parents
over child safety outside the school a meeting has been arranged early January with
the school to agree a way forward. In
the meantime, I have requested that parking enforcement is improved.
Adverse
weather.
Throughout late December and early January
Flood Alerts remained in place for Gurnard Marsh following the threat from
stormy weather, high tides and rainwater impacting upon the Gurnard Luck.
Elsewhere, Princes Esplanade and Egypt
Esplanade flooded which resulted in bus services being diverted, whilst Cockleton
Lane avoided the usual severity of flooding following a request made to clear
storm water drains prior to Christmas.
Gurnard Primary School remained closed until
10:30am on Monday morning due to a fallen tree whilst parts of Cowes, Gurnard
and Northwood have continued to experience power cuts.
I am advised that the service have attended
over 100 flood related incidents since Christmas and am aware the Council, fire and rescue service and
Island Roads continue to monitor the weather forecasts and respond to
weather-related incidents.
Defra announces a
second consultation for Isle of Wight Coastal Path.
Defra announced a new consultation which runs
to 24th January 2014.
The purpose of this consultation is to give a
second opportunity for people to state (or re-state) their views on whether or
not the Government should make an order to ensure the Isle of Wight is included
within the Maritime and Coastal Access Act.
The
consultation particularly invites views on the degree of priority that should
be accorded to the making of an order, and the implementation of any coastal
access proposals for the Isle of Wight as against the rest of the coastal
access programme, given limited funds for the overall programme.
Comments
can be made via the following link:
Planning
Applications.
Over the Christmas Break, I’ve received
comments on ‘minor’ Planning Applications for Princes Esplanade and Rew
Street, Gurnard and Churchill Close,
Cowes and have sought conditions to overcome some of the objections raised.
The proposed roof terrace for 23-29 Cliff Road will be determined
this month, and a site visit for Planning Officers to visit Egypt Reach, Baring
Road has been arranged prior to this being considered by Committee.
With respect to The Range retail unit proposed for Place Road negotiations remain
ongoing, whilst Officers are aiming for decision to be taken on the 99 dwellings between Place Road and Tuttons
Hill in February. This date is aspirational at present with further
information being gathered in the meantime.
Until this information is gathered, it remains difficult to predict what
recommendation Planning Officers will be making to the Planning Committee.
Microchip your dog for Free.
Did you know all dogs legally have be microchipped by 6th April 2016. The IW Council in partnership with the Dogs Trust will be holding a free microchipping event at the following times and locations:
Saturday 18th January 2014
10am - 1pm at St Georges Park, (Newport Football Club), Newport.
Saturday 15th March 2014
10am - 1pm at Avenue Road Car Park, Freshwater.
Sunday 16th March 2014
12 - 3pm at Vectis Road, East Cowes (Opp. the Pavillion).
In the Last Month:
·
Rights
of Way, and the IW Council’s Cabinet Member Cllr. Shirley Smart has given a
high priority making ‘dangerous crossing points’ safer for riders and ramblers
crossing busy roads following pressure by the Local Access Forum. Visibility Splays at perceived dangerous
locations have been cut back.
·
As
a member of the Licensing Committee which determined the most recent application
for the Quay Arts Centre, local residents were successful in requesting hours
were curtailed.
·
The
AONB Partnership supported awarding grant funding the Vectis Astronomical
Society who are monitoring light pollution/ darker skies. The grant was supported due to other areas
such as Kilder Forest benefitting economically through tourism for darker skies…
·
I
attended a Village Green Appeal, which rejected a proposal in Puckpool. Because the area remained in ownership and
use by Harcourt Sands until 2006 and by the fact the area was patrolled by
security guards and was fenced off between the 20 year period 1991-2001
demonstrated the land could not be used ‘as a right’.
·
At
Planning Committee, I supported plans to build an Anaerobic Digestion Plant in
Arreton. This application was supported
by the Island’s Farming Community and would provide gas for between 4000 and
50000 homes.
