Surgeries.
4:30-5pm. Monday 4th July, Cowes Library, Beckford Road, Cowes.
5:30-6pm; Tuesday 5th July, Isle of Wight Community Club, Park Road, Cowes.
10:30-11am;
Thursday 7th July, Gurnard Press, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
5:30-6pm,
Wednesday 13th July, The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
10:30-11am, Wednesday 20th July, Benches adj. Watersedge Kiosk, Shore Road, Gurnard.
11-11:30am,
Wednesday 20th July, The Woodvale, Princes Esplanade, Gurnard.
5:30-6pm,
Wednesday 27th July, The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
10:30-11am,
Thursday 28th July, All Saints Church Coffee & Chat, Gurnard.
11:30am-12pm,
Thursday 28th July, Eegon’s, 85 High Street, Cowes.
Planning Decisions.
·
Sunnycott
Caravan Park, Rew Street. (Ref: 22/00726/FUL)
Proposals to increase the number of mobile
holiday homes at Sunnycott was refused
by officers. This followed concerns
expressed by Gurnard Parish Council at their meeting last month.
·
The
Dottens, Baring Road. (APP/2114/W/21/3277258)
The decision to increase dwellings at the
Dottens was refused by the Planning
Inspectorate. Following feedback, from
the Appeal, further concerns were raised concerning the apparent loss of the
wildlife corridor conditioned as part of the original application.
·
Six
dwellings adjacent to Greenacres, Baring Road. (APP/P2114/W/21/3278577)
The application to refuse in March 2021 has
been overturned and approved by the
Planning Inspectorate.
The Planning Inspector noted that because the
IW Council ‘cannot demonstrate a 5 year
housing supply’, ‘its plan for housing delivery is out of date’ and by the
suggestion within 2012’s Island Plan that
the site is ‘immediately adjacent to the
settlement boundary’ this application was approved. This observation in
itself demonstrates the importance of adopting the Draft Island Planning Strategy to be considered by Full Council in
September.
For several months now and key to the
Council’s recent Peer Review on Planning, it remains imperative that the DIPS
is adopted at the earliest opportunity. With major controversial applications
pending, it should remain a priority for Councillors.
Other Planning issues.
Apart for rallying for support acceptance of
the Draft Island Planning Strategy, I’ve been asked to:
·
Monitor and take appropriate action with
respect to the development of new dwellings, which could be used as second homes. This follows examples of local councils elsewhere
implementing Neighbourhood Plans. Recently
St Ives, Salcombe and Whitby have adopted plans, whilst Brighton and Hove is
the first city looking to do the same. At present this cannot be incorporated
within the DIPS as second home ownership on the Island is not as high as many
places. That said, there are some Island spots where second home ownership is
beyond the 22% tipping point level. This is a notable issue in Seaview,
Yarmouth and Bembridge.
·
Planning
Enforcement continues to be a priority. In my new Cabinet Position
as Member for Planning and Enforcement, the IW Council are seeking to
strengthen the team following the local support of local councils. This will mean that Planning Case Officers
can concentrate on their roles, rather than chasing enforcement matters. In addition to this role, I continue in my
role liaising with Parish Councils as well as now being the Cabinet Member
responsible for Flooding.
·
Although I have not been Cabinet Member for
Housing Delivery for some time (this position is now the responsibility of
Deputy Leader, Cllr Ian Stephens- also responsible for Poverty), I continue to
be approached by a growing number of residents concerned over the lack of social and affordable housing.
·
In my role as Cabinet Member responsible for
Building Control in recent months Government has introduced legislation which
bans the use of combustible materials on
the external walls of buildings.
This follows in the wake of the Grenfell fire.
Waste Collections.
Please ensure your households refuse and
recycling is ready to collect by 7am. Residents are permitted to leave bins
from 7pm, the night before.
To note back door (or nominated location)
collections are free for those residents who are unable to leave their waste
and recycling at the kerbside due to impaired mobility. For other able bodied residents, particularly
those who are unable to leave out or collect bins owing to work commitments the
IW Council offers a similar collection plus service. This costs £60 per year, and is available by
calling 01983 823777 or emailing waste.contract@iow.gov.uk.
Police Matters.
·
No
Cold Calling.
In the last month, I’ve been advised that
Anglian Double Glazing and the Great Ormond Street Hospital charity has been
cold calling. On this, Trading Standards
have been approached. In the meantime,
please let me know if your home is without a No Cold Calling sticker.
·
Thefts
and Burglaries.
The police has asked that during summer, to
avoid opportunistic burglaries that front doors are secured and not kept on the
catch as walk in burglaries are sadly commonplace at this time of the
year. The police also ask that
outbuildings such as sheds and garages are kept locked after use.
School Numbers.
I have been approached by School Leaders
following concerns raised regarding the falling numbers of children entering
the school system on the Island. It is
projected that if numbers continue to fall the intake within 5 years could fall
from 1,500 to below 1,000. This will
impact upon staffing, school curriculums and the diversity of choice that
schools are able to offer and may impact upon some schools remaining open.
Highways Matters.
·
Hedgerows.
Following being cutback earlier this spring,
the hedgerow which borders the pavement from Cowes Enterprise College needs to
be cut back again. This follows
complaints received of low lying brambles. The cutting back of hedgerows has
also been requested for Place Road,
Crossfield Avenue, Baring Road, Tuttons Hill, Worsley Road, Woodvale Road
and Newport Road.
With
respect to the planting at Bucklers View, Worsley Road I am seeking a long term
solution to deal with the overgrowth at this spot.
·
Community Speedwatch
Are
still seeking volunteers to join them. This month, I hope to join in with the
fun in Tuttons Hill. Please let me know if you wish to
volunteer!
·
Highway Mirrors.
Over
the years, a number of residents have requested mirrors to aid visibility when
pulling out of vehicular accesses. Please note these mirrors are not the
responsibility of either Island Roads, or the Highway Authority. The reason for this, is that mirrors can give
a wrong perceptive of oncoming traffic and therefore may be responsible for accidents. Where these do exist they have been placed by
private landowners on private land!!
·
Jubilee Tree.
A
very big thank you to Bert Jupe for watering the new Tree planted at Pond Green
in Lower Church Road, Gurnard to commemorate the Queens Platinum Jubilee.
·
Electric Vehicle Charge Points.
When
this was first raised two years ago, I thought this would never catch on…
However, with escalating fuel costs working with Paul Thorley from Vehicle
Consulting Solent we are seeking ideas for where would be an ideal location for
a local charge point for vehicles in and around Gurnard… Please let me know
your thoughts!
·
Improved Car Park Signage.
I
have requested signage for the under-utilised Mornington Road Long Stay Car
Park.
·
Memorial Benches.
Complaints
have been received concerning he sensitive matter of flowers, keepsakes and
other paraphernalia on memorial benches.
Because of concerns that items/ debris are left and often discarded this
causes concerns to residents. Although
benches can be a lovely reminder to those who pass away, please act sensitively
when remembering loved ones.
Southern Water
meeting, Gurnard.
This
meeting was held following up a previous meeting held by Gurnard Parish Council
in January. It was hoped at this meeting
Southern Water would be joined by the Environment Agency who monitors bathing
water quality.
Southern
Water reported its commitment to reduce storm water flows by 80% by 2030. The company mentioned it was in their
companies interest to do so, as with rising fuel costs it is expensive to pump
water and attributes nationally to 5% of the national grid. In addition, it was
reported that it costs the company £2.60 per litre to dispose of water at
Sandown, whilst with a water butt the cost was 12p per litre
One
of the key problem areas with increased storm water flows, was the fact that non-
permeable private parking has exasperated the problem in recent years. It was
reported that when creating a parking bay of more than 5m2 planning permission is
required! To assist addressing this and
meeting the 80% reduced storm flow target Southern Water highlighted their
intention to issue free Water Butts and new-fangled smart water butts to
households.
It
was reported that after Wootton and Havenstreet, Cowes and Gurnard would be the
second area chosen for the roll out. This is likely to take place in March
2023.
Further
discussion was had about raw sewage and why testing does not take place for
cryptosporoduim parasites. These
parasites are not necessarily as a result of sewage non treatment as they can
be found in the natural environment from Agricultural run-off and naturally
from animals and birds in the environment.
There
was further excited discussion at the meeting regarding discharges from boats/
yachts and some very interesting data on poo and what happens beyond the
U-bend… In the meantime, I am looking
forward to working with residents in the FAECES action group, from the Blue
Seas Protection Charity and Surfers Against Sewage.
Hedgehog Corner.
In
my capacity as Northwood’s Hedgehog Friendly Councillor, I have more facts
about our prickly garden friends:
·
A group of hedgehogs is called an ‘array’.
·
A hedgehog has between 5000 and 7000
quills. Each one lasts about a year before dropping out to leave room for its
replacement.
·
There are 17 different species of
hedgehog.
·
Hedgehogs have very poor eyesight, so rely on their smell and
hearing to navigate. This is the reason they are nocturnal.
·
Hedgehog quills are not barbed or poisonous. Quills are mostly
hollow, each containing air chambers making them light but strong.
·
Hedgehogs got their name from their love of garden hedges and the
grunting noises they make!
·
Hedgehogs are one of only three mammals in the UK that hibernate;
the other two being bats and dormice.
·
Hedgehogs are immune to snake venom, meaning that they’d probably snakes
in a fight. They could even eat it afterwards!
·
When exposed to putrid smells or tastes, they ‘self-anoint’ by
rubbing frothy saliva on their quills. Nobody really knows why!
·
Hedgehogs have small tails, we just
don't often notice them under all of their spikes!
·
Their litters are born in numbers ranging from one to eleven. The
babies will remain with their mums for
four to seven weeks before going off on their own. Mothers must guard their
babies from predators during this period, some of which can actually be other
male hedgehogs, who are known to prey upon the young of their species.
·
Hedgehog mothers have been known to eat their young if the nest is
disturbed, often thankfully they just move them to a new nest.
·
Hedgehogs breed between April and September. Litters born in September seldom survive their
first winter.
·
Hedgehogs travel between 1-2km each night!
·
There are now fewer than one million hedgehogs left in the UK.
Also
this month.
·
Martin
Lewis continues to provide updates on the best deals with the pending energy
crisis. These can alter on a regular
basis. For details please visit: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/
·
Illegal
flags (a skull and cross bone) in Cowes High Street and Highway Accesses have
been reported to Planning Enforcement.
·
I
have reported ongoing complaints regarding the IW Council’s Planning Portal.
·
I
am still awaiting a response from the Watersedge Café, regarding issues received.
To find out more visit: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=watersedge%20beach%20cafe%20gurnard
·
I’ve
received a complaint concerning coaches parking over on Cowes Parade. In response,
I am advised that coaches are free to settle down (this is necessary for their
hydraulic breaking systems). However, if coaches wait beyond 30 minutes they
are liable for a Penalty Charge Notice.
·
The
IW Council (or their contractors) missed planting up flowerbeds on Queens Road,
in time for the Round The Island Race.
In response the contractors are due to put this right and plant up beds
before July.
·
The IW Council are supporting calls to ensure
disposable barbecues are properly used and discarded sensibly. If disposable barbecues can be
avoided all together this would be brilliant!
If not, once cooled please ensure debris is safely disposed of. This
follows incidents where discarded barbecues on beaches has caused burns when
trodden on.
