Surgeries:
5-6pm, Monday 3rd
February, Sports Bar, IW Community Club, Park Road, Cowes. (BUDGET)
4:30-5pm, Tuesday 4th
February, Cowes Library, Beckford Road, Cowes.
6-6:30pm, Thursday 13th
February, The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
1-1:30pm, Tuesday 18th
February, The Woodvale, Princes Esplanade, Gurnard.
6-6:30pm, Thursday 27th
February, The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
4-4:30pm, Monday 3rd
March, Cowes Library, Beckford Road, Cowes.
5-6pm, Monday 3rd
March, IW Community Club, Park Road, Cowes. (HIGHWAYS ISSUES)
1-1:30pm, Tuesday 13th March, The Woodvale, Princes Esplanade, Gurnard.
IW
Council Budget 2014/5.
This week the three Scrutiny Panels and
Overview & Scrutiny Committee are meeting to make recommendations for next
year’s Budget. This budget has caused significant anguish from members, all of
whom were elected to make a difference to the communities they represent. With the level of savings the IW Council
needs to find in coming years this will ultimately place real limitations on
what we are able to achieve.
From my perspective the challenges that local
government will face over the coming years has made local councils look hard at
how services are deployed. Although there has been discussions with Town &
Parish Councils over how some services are facilitated, in my view to transfer
these to local Councils is not the only way!
As an IW Councillor from the ruling group I consider it will be
perceived that I will have a conflict of interest and will not contribute to
this debate.
However, once a decision has been taken, I am
more than happy to offer support, and retrieve information required for any transferral of service!
In the last few weeks myself and other
members have also met with representatives from the Commercial Sector, the
Voluntary Sector, Council employees and local Councillors to look at ways of
transferring services in a smarter and potentially more efficient way. I wish to place on record my thanks to Cllr
David Walters for his input.
Economy
& Environment Scrutiny Panel.
During this week’s (and my last, as
Chairman!) Economy & Environment Scrutiny Panel I have asked for a
presentation for members to be held regarding the PFI.
I attended a constructive members briefing
regarding Car Parking, which was requested by the last Panel meeting and
suggestions will be tabled this week.
Earlier this month members had the
opportunity to question the ferry operators.
This offered the opportunity for operators to respond and elaborate to
questions put last month. A list of the
responses is available via the following link: http://www.iwight.com/Meetings/committees/Scrutiny%20Task%20and%20Finish%20Group/23-1-14/Responses.pdf
Assisted
Area Status.
The IW Council continues to push for
recognition as an area for designation by Government for European Assisted Area
Status.
It is noted that the southern (rural) half of
the Isle of Wight has not been included within this consultation. As I understand,
the reason for this is due to Government not to fully understanding the Isle of
Wight is an offshore Island. Therefore we are categorised alongside districts with
levels of social depravation, rather than alongside other off-shore Islands with
same level of social depravation.
Last month a cross-party delegation went to Westminster,
to make the case for the Island.
If status is confirmed this will enable
Island Businesses to apply for grants to expand and create new jobs.
As elected member for one of the areas
included, I have joined other community and business leaders in endorsing that
the Island (albeit a part) is included.
Planning.
The retail proposal for the Former Readers Site, Place Road was readvertised last
month. It seems likely that following
concerns raised over sequential testing for out of town retail sites in the
Medina Valley, this application may be referred to the Planning Committee.
An extension has been requested for the
application for 99 homes for Place Road,
subsequently the hearing from this application will not be heard this month.
At Planning Committee, the proposed roof
terrace for 23-29 Cliff Road, Cowes
was approved, 7 members in favour, 3 Against.
PFI
Update.
As mentioned previously, there is to be a
presentation at the Economy & Environment Committee. I will circulate this to Councillors and
members of the public interested. This
follows concerns raised over timescales, and by the fact that some roads have
slipped down the priority list.
I understand that Shore Road, Gurnard and
Park Road and Ward Avenue remains of high priority, however I am mindful of the
redeployment of services elsewhere during highway damage over the winter.
In the last month resurfacing has taken place
in Cockleton Lane, Princes Esplanade whilst Woodvale Road is imminent. Footway resurfacing will take place in the
coming months.
Following concerns raised by the Isle of
Wight Bridleway Group, which were taken up by Cllr John Nicholson I have echoed
concerns over the use of the Fibrovia asphalt material in Cockleton Lane
understanding this can make the surface slippery for horses. Despite reassurances given, I’ve request
additional signage to warn riders.
My thanks to John for his support!
With respect to Cockleton Lane, I’ve received
a number of positive commendations about the new surface.
Given the level of complaints received, a
Highways Surgery will be held at 5-6pm,
Monday 3rd March at the Isle
of Wight Community Club, Park Road, Cowes. Representatives of the IW
Council and Island Roads will be in attendance. This will be a joint surgery which I am holding alongside my colleague John Nicholson Conservative Councillor for Cowes South and Northwood.
Improving
Education on the Isle of Wight.
I attended a Governors Training Event last
month, which was based upon the Statement from the Director of Children’s
Services for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
This document was relayed to Governors, schools and January’s Cabinet.
The report acknowledges that despite
improvements in school attendance and small improvements in results, there
continues to be a huge amount of work still required. The aim for the Isle of Wight is to ensure
GCSE passes are 2% higher than the National Average (rather than 4% below, as
it stands currently).
It is fully understood that until standards
are raised, this will remain a disincentive for investors wishing to relocate
here. The view was also expressed that all parents, and most of the Island’s
population should understand the importance of raising expectations, and become
more actively involved
It was stated that in the short term: 35% of
schools will receive high levels of challenge and support; 43% will receive
medium levels of support and 22% will receive limited support. The statement is
available via the following link:
http://www.iwight.com/Meetings/committees/cabinet/9-1-14/Paper%20D%20-%20Appendix.pdf
Recycled
Computers.
Digital Recycle, part of Computer Express
(IW) has teamed up with the Footprint Trust to encourage the reclamation and
recycling of personal computers, tablets, laptops and mobile phones.
Digital Recycle is ‘Waste Electronic and
Electrical Equipment registered. Individuals and organisations can support this
scheme by donating old devices which will be reclaimed and recycled. All data will be securely erased for free.
Computer Express, also offers
reasonably-priced reclaimed computer for students, schools and households
For further information telephone 01983
537322; Email: info@digitalrecycle.co.uk or visit www.digitalrecycle.co.uk.
Cowes
Floating Bridge.
Following an enquiry from Cowes Town Councillor
Cllr David Walters, Cllrs Julia Baker-Smith, Luisa Hillard, Lora Peacey-Wilcox and
I met with Floating Bridge staff and the lead officer, to discuss options for
replacing the Ferry.
It was noted than in the past the £3m
allocated for replacement was the projected cost for the 2015/6 Capital
Programme within last years budget. This money, it is acknowledged would either
need to be accrued from capital receipts or borrowed.
Contrary to local belief, there was no money
set aside historically to replace the Ferry and therefore, if there is a
requirement to replace the Ferry (We all believe there is!!)- It seems
necessary to impose a small nominal charge for pedestrians. This will be in
line with similar services operating elsewhere by both the private and public
sector, and is necessary to support the Floating Bridge’s procurement and
replacement in the coming years. It will take 2-3 years to build a new bridge!!
In the coming weeks and months partnership with
the private sector and local businesses for potential sponsorship will be
assessed.
Telephone
Preference Service.
I continue to receive calls from residents
that are getting fed up from unwanted telephone calls from call centres.
The TPS can block a large number of
speculative calls, although not all.
This service is free.
For further information, please visit: http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/; or telephone: 0845 070 0707
Outcomes
from Meetings.
Full
Council: Members Allowances.
Following dialogue from last month’s Cowes
Town Council Meeting. I voted against
the proposals to freeze Council Members Attendances, due to the fact that I
would be happy to receive a smaller allowance than I do for being a member of
the Isle of Wight Council. This is
something that I have been done consistently
for four years, and in light that Town and Parish Councillors, School
Governors work voluntarily and by the fact that savings are required from next
year’s budgets, I voted accordingly!
The final vote was 31 members supporting the Independent Remuneration
Panel’s proposal to freeze allowances, 1 abstention and 1 voting against.
This is an issue I have discussed within the
Independent Group, and look forward to discussing with the abstainer Cllr Chris
Whitehouse, in the hope that next year I may find an ally to second a proposal
to cut members allowances!!
Full
Council/ Planning Committee: Wind Turbines.
At Full Council Cllr. Jonathan Bacon reported
that the decision to refuse a Wind Turbine at land off Betty Haunt Lane,
Newport had been upheld by the Planning Inspectorate.
On this subject, I sought clarification from
Cllr. Bacon on whether there is scope given the limited size and impact for any
on-shore wind turbines given objections from the AONB Partnership, or from
residents affected?
Because of the Island’s limited size, and
opportunities to harness renewable energy from other more practicable and less
controversial means, would there be scope to remove the wind turbine policy
from the Island Plan?
Planning
Committee.
Apart from the Cliff Road Roof Terrace,
Planning Committee members also considered proposals to demolish the Broadway
Centre and replace this with a new Community
Centre and 5 new homes, Sandown..
This application was recommended by officers for refusal. However following feedback, I proposed the
application was deferred pending further negotiation on 5 dwellings. This couse of action was approved 6 votes to
5.
Other applications approved included a small
cattery in a residential dwelling in Bullen Road, Pondwell and a dwelling to replace a garage in Littlestairs
Road, Shanklin.
Audit
Committee.
The cost of administering Council Tax,
clauses for the PFI not reaching targets, and Sickness Absence from the
Community Safeguarding Team were put under scrutiny by last week’s Audit
Committee.
Another issue raised at Audit was the volume
of Freedom of Information requests, and how very high volume compared to
elsewhere. It was noted that compliance
rates to requests ranged from 85-92%.
Also the Committee noted that a self-referred
data protection breach had narrowly avoided a financial penalty.
Also
this month:
·
I
have made a number of phone calls (NOT IN A COLD CALL MANNER...) to residents, when it was pointed out to me
that some had not received recyclable waste bags. From the calls that I initiated, I discovered
this is a problem though not widespread. However, I am responding to residents’
calls.
·
I’ve
had discussions with Island Enterprise, following concerns raised over the
perceived interference with a badger sett.
·
I’ve
spoken to Chesterton Humberts, agents for the Crown Estate over works last year
in Gurnard. They have advised that dialogue
is required with Parks and Beaches, and am awaiting a response to forward to the IW Council.
·
I
have attended Members Briefings on improving Public Participation at Planning,
Car Parking and attended a briefing on Flooding.
·
Following
the briefing, I have discovered that the IW Council is Lead Flood authority-
and am using what I’ve learnt to support a Cowes resident!
