Surgeries.
5:30-6pm;
Tuesday 4th January, Isle of Wight Community Club, Park Road, Cowes.
11-11:30am;
Thursday 6th January, Eegons, 85 High Street, Cowes. (Please note: NEW VENUE)
5:30-6pm,
Wednesday 12th January, The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
5:30-6pm,
Wednesday 26th January The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
10:30-11am,
Thursday 27th January, All Saints Church Coffee & Chat, Gurnard.
11:30am-12pm,
Thursday 27th January, Eegon’s, 85 High Street, Cowes.
All surgeries above are subject to change in
accordance with Government Coronavirus restrictions
Top Tips from the Footprint Trust to
help you keep Warm & Safe this Winter.
The Footprint Trust
advises:
·
Talk to your energy company. Are you on the best deal? Can you get the
£140 Warm Home Discount?
·
Keep safe in a power cut or water
failure. Join the free Priority Service
Register call 0800 294 3259 or visit www.ssen.co.uk/psr/southernwater
·
Lag your water pipes
·
Save £200 per year on utility costs! Talk to
the Warm Island team at the Footprint Trust on 01983 822282 or email: info@footprint-trust.co.uk.
·
Phone 0800 027 0800 and ask about the
Watersure tariff for those with high
water use due to illness.
·
Make sure your torch is charged, and you have
spare batteries.
·
Keep tinned and non-perishable goods in case
extreme weather prevents you going out to the shops.
·
Make sure you have enough medicine; don’t
leave re-ordering to the last minute.
·
Keep important phone numbers on your fridge.
Useful Helplines:
°
If
you are worried about your Fuel Bills call The
Footprint Trust on 01983 822282.
°
Islehelp for
advice and information on benefits, money issues, rent concerns. Telephone:
01983 823859/ 823898; Website: www.islehelp.me;
Email: enquiries@iwcab.org.uk
°
Isle
of Wight Council Covid-19 Support Telephone: 01983 823600
°
Struggling on your pension? Contact the Pension Credit helpline 0800 991 234.
Traffic and Highways Issues.
·
Trees,
Gurnard Green.
Highways
Trees have been removed from where dinghies are stored on Gurnard Green. I believe that these were removed as a
consequence of the trees overhang the road and leaning at more than a 15 degree. In addition, I also know that residents have
also complained regarding visability splays for those leaving the green via the
footway.
·
Cowes Traffic Order.
Following
12 years of engagement and consistent support from local Councils, Gurnard
Primary School its PTA, the police and residents the order for Baring Road and Woodvale Road was formally adopted on 17th December.
To
note the order was implemented owing to several thankfully minor traffic incidents
involving pedestrians outside Gurnard School at school drop off and collection
times. As a result there will now be
a no loading/ no waiting restriction between 8 and 9am and 2:30-4:30pm, this
will mean vehicles are prohibited from waiting to collect children and the 10
minute leniency to park will stop. This
also includes parking on the cycle lane.
Another
matter to note is the old bus stop in
Baring Road will be time restricted for 15 minutes. This bus stop, informally adopted as a drop
off/ collection point has changed to comply with formal traffic act regulations,
given that there is no regulated bus service now operating at this point.
·
Retaining Wall, Crossfield Avenue.
This
longstanding issue to repair the wall towards the junction with Baring Road, was
due to take place in December
Local Planning
Matters.
·
Proposed Eco Glamping site, Rew
Street, Gurnard. Ref: 21/02368/FUL
Concerns
have been expressed regarding a
proposed Eco Glamping site in Rew Street.
The deadline for comments on this application is 19th January
·
Land adjacent to The Stables, Woodvale
Road, Gurnard. Appeal Ref: APP/P2114/W/21/3280307
An
appeal has been lodged against development of a dwelling with parking. Any additional comments on this application
should be made to the Planning Inspector by 17th January.
Other Planning
Matters.
·
Following
statements made by the Prime Minister, there has been no legislation to
safeguard greenfield sites from development and the
manifesto pledge to develop 300,000 new homes each year remains intact, which
will obviously mean that greenfield sites will continue to be developed.
However the
new Planning Act may well do much more to incentivise the regeneration of brown
field sites as well as safeguard key greenfield sites… In recent months the
Government has unlocked funding to the IW Council and other planning
authorities to incentivise development of brown field sites
·
An
all member briefing for Town, Parish and County Councillors took place last
month to provide an update on the key headline features of the recent Draft
Island Plan Consultation. These were
concerns raised regarding future infrastructure as well as concerns being
raised that the 486 annual housing figure was too high and because of this the
IW Council should pursue a claim for Exceptional Circumstances.
·
A
review of Air B&Bs is due to take
place. This follows the transferral of
so many privately rented dwellings to holiday units, which is impacting upon
the availability of ‘affordable’ housing.
·
A
meeting is pending with local Councillors in Bembridge and Freshwater to discuss the potential development and
safeguarding of green field sites in these communities. Other matters that I would like to see
dialogue on is second homes as well as the potential of upgrading both
neighbourhood plans.
·
I
have requested engagement on empty properties with officers. This follows a number of properties on the
Island losing their habital status following anti-social behaviour.
·
The
Planning Committee recently approved proposals for tidal energy centre off Flowersbrook, Ventnor. It was argued that if successful tidal energy
could create over 1/3 of energy for the Island.
This application was unanimously supported by Planning Committee.
·
Recent
improvements have been made to the IW Council’s Planning portal. However difficulties accessing the site from
some Apple products still remain an issue, which I’m positive will be resolved
in coming weeks.
Beach Huts.
A number of residents have approached both
myself and neighbouring Councillors concerning the availability of beach
huts. Please note beach huts at Gurnard
are all privately owned and when wanting to sell the owners would advertise
their huts privately. Unfortunately the IW Council don’t get involved with a
sale or have a waiting list.
SIFCA (Southern Inshore Fisheries & Conservation
Authority) meetings
I have attended a number of SIFCA (Southern
Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority) meetings in the last
month. At the meeting it was resolved to
increase the SIFCA levy by 3%. This
follows freezing an increase last year and the need to increase staff wages in
line with inflation. It was reported
that unless the 3% increase was not supported the Authority would run at a
deficit and unable to balance its books.
Following approval it was proposed under the
Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 to apply for a byelaw (The Net Fishing
Byelaw) to safeguard future fish stocks.
This byelaw would create Prohibition Areas, Net Restriction Areas and Net
Permit Areas. Further details can be
found here: https://www.southern-ifca.gov.uk/
Dog
Bins.
It seems likely that the IW Council will be
doing more to promote dog owners using litter bins rather than dog bins to
deposit dog waste.
Each month the IW Council landfills between
20-24 tonnes of dog waste which is collected from dog bins. It is suggested
that by using litter bins, waste combined with other rubbish would be less
concentrated and can be disposed of at the facility at Forest Park.
Flytipping.
I am advised that fly tipping on the Isle of
Wight is the lowest in the region per head.
However, there remains an issue with building contractors (seemingly not including disposals into their
costs and quotes) and with the disposal of tyres.
Used tyres can be disposed of at
Lynnbottom, and it is noted that to book a slot at the moment, can often be
undertaken on the same day.
Also this month.
·
Following New Year celebrations, I received a
handful of calls regarding firework
parties, and the impact this has upon pets. The precedes a discussion by Full
Council seeking the IW Council acting as licensing authority for any events
taking place.
·
A flickering
street lighting has been resolved in Cowes
High Street.
·
I am supporting residents from the Dottens who
in recent months have had difficulty with issue concerning blocked drains. This continue to be monitored.
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