Isle of
Please contact me:
By Post to: 45
Oxford Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight. PO31 8PT.
Telephone: 01983
289595 (24 hours)/ 07 935 090 835 (Mobile & Text); Email: paulfulleriw@gmail.com
Visits and Surgeries.
Please do not hesitate to contact me.
I’m always happy to meet at a time and place convenient to you.
I hold regular surgeries/ drop-in’s. No
appointment is necessary. These normally take place each month at:
·
1st Monday of the month, 4:30-5pm at Cowes Library,
Beckford Road, Cowes.
·
1st Tuesday of the month, 5:30-6pm at the Isle of
Wight Community Club, Park Road, Cowes.
·
1st Thursday of the month, 10:30-11am at Gurnard
Press and Bistro, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
·
2nd Wednesday of the month, 5:30-6pm, The Portland,
Worsley Road, Gurnard.
·
3rd Wednesday of the month, 10:30-11am, Benches adj.
to the Watersedge Kiosk, Shore Road, Gurnard.
·
3rd Wednesday of the month, 11-11:45am, The Woodvale,
Princes Esplanade, Gurnard.
·
4th Thursday of the month, 10:30-11am, Coffee &
Chat, All Saints Church, Tuttons Hill Gurnard.
·
Last Wednesday of the month 5:30-6pm, The Portland, Worsley
Road, Gurnard.
·
Last Thursday of the month 11:30-12:30pm, Eegons Café, 85 High
Street, Cowes.
Please visit https://paulfullercc.blogspot.com for updates,
monthly reports and confirmed details of surgeries.
The nine Issues which I promised to address prior
to my re-election in 2021.
·
You
said: Significantly reducing the annual housing figure from 1045.
·
I did: Within
the Draft Island Planning Strategy (DIPS), I support significantly reducing the
annual housing figure to 453. This
figure was 1/3 lower than Government imposed figure for the Island of 730. However,
recent Government changes and delays to the Island Plan by Full Council, is
likely to reverse proposals for lower housing numbers.
·
You
said: Prioritising Local Housing for Local People
·
I did: Within
the DIPS policies are prioritised to deliver affordable housing for local
residents (Policy H5). This is a priority for the Alliance Administration,
which I am part of and is now supported by most Councillors.
·
You
said: Support Working Families.
·
I did:
Supporting low paid working families through increasing Council Tax benefits from
65% to 75%. .
·
You
said: Support road safety outside schools.
·
I did: New
Traffic Regulation Orders were implemented as a result by the IW Council
outside local schools.
·
You
said: Scrap proposals to charge for car parking on Cowes/ Gurnard seafront.
·
I did: No
ifs, no buts, no woolly compromises.
These were scrapped within days by the Alliance Administration.
·
You
said: Improve access to Town Centres and review car parking.
·
I did:
Ongoing supported action for Town Centre regeneration. Parking charges have
since 2023 have been frozen..
·
You
said: Supporting an IW Council that listens, is inclusive and acts on feedback.
·
I did:
Supported Parish Council involvement at Scrutiny and Planning Committees. The
IW Cabinet continued to support feedback from Scrutiny when shaping policies
and decisions such as with schools planning and budgets. Greater involvement
for all IW Councillors will become potentially a reality within the new Committee
system.
·
You
said: Review Council Tax Expenditure
·
I did: Scrutinise
Council Tax. On this, I’ve shared and responded to resident’s concerns.
·
You
said: Ensure Government supports the extra costs needed to support the Isle of
Wight.
·
I did: The
Council continues to campaign for its promised Island Deal. Although the Alliance achieved small wins,
this has not gone far enough or addresses the cost (+£20m per year) to Island
residents for our severance by sea.
Representing our Community in County
Hall, rather than County Hall in our Community:
This is my 15th
Annual Report as Councillor for Cowes West and Gurnard.
I have been ward
Councillor for Cowes West and Gurnard since 2009, and as a Isle of Wight
Councillor this is my sixth term of office, since being first elected as an
Isle of Wight Councillor for Ryde in 1995.
As an Independent,
I continue putting the needs of our Cowes and Gurnard community first.
As an Independent,
having no activists, no sponsors, no political party line, or leader shadowing
me, my loyalty to represent every resident in Gurnard and Cowes is absolute.
Within my role, I’m
committed to being a transparent, hardworking, effective and enthusiastic
councillor.
If you feel that I,
or the Councils where I represent your views get things wrong, please tell me.
Unless I am made aware, I’m not in a position to listen, ask questions, put
things right and fight on your behalf! If
I cannot achieve the outcomes you desire, I will explain why.
Campaigning to
protect vital services, I am committed to ensure our Councils say yes, rather
than no. It remains in the forefront of my mind that I am only here because you
re-elect me. As Councillor my priority is simply to put our community first.
I do this because I
thoroughly love it! Because I enjoy my
‘work’, I hope that it shows and I achieve the very best outcomes possible for
residents.
Monthly Reports.
Each month I write
a report. These provide regular updates
of my work and can be found at Cowes Library.
Reports are edited
for the Gurnard News and the Cowes Magazine. Full Monthly Reports can be found
on my website at: https://paulfullercc.blogspot.com. Each month provides details of between 30-50
items which I am dealing with, alongside matters which are of importance.
Organisations
and Outside Bodies that I am a member and support:
·
Cowes Town Council. Cowes North Councillor 2001-2005; from
2009- ;
Mayor 2017-2019. Re-elected 2025.
·
Gurnard Parish Council. Councillor
from 2005; Chair 2022-2024. Current Vice-Chair. Re-elected 2025.
·
Northwood Parish
Councillor. Founding Northwood Parish Councillor. Councillor since 2007; Re-elected 2025.
·
Local Access Forum. Chairman (2020- ). This statutory body oversees Rights of
Ways matters. The Forum works closely with landowners and user groups to
improve access to the right of way network. Since 2019, I have been actively
working on the Isle of Wight section of the English Coastal Path.
·
Footprint Trust. The
Trust supports lifting residents (often vulnerable) out of fuel poverty
·
Southern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation
Authority (SIFCA). Chairman
since 2024. Funded by DEFRA and local authorities, SIFCA regulates marine
conservation & fisheries for Hampshire, Dorset and Isle of Wight.
·
Solent Forum. This
organisation oversees Economic and Environmental challenges within the Solent.
·
Isle of Wight Natural
Landscape. This group
oversees challenges faced to the Isle of Wight’s Countryside.
·
IW Council Local
Pensions Board. This body
is an external body that monitors the £750m IWC pension fund.
I
am a Justice of the Peace serving
the Isle of Wight Adult and Youth courts
since 2001.
Within
the Isle of Wight Council, I was cabinet
member for Planning, Coastal Protection and Flooding between 2021 and 2025. As
a Councillor with cabinet responsibilities I had overview on all aspects of the
Council’s activities.
One
year in numbers. As your Councillor:
·
I
am contactable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
·
I
work between 40 and 65 hours each week.
·
I
attended 295 meetings associated with my role.
·
In
addition, I’ve attended 51 informal/ associated meetings, events, briefings,
exhibitions & site visits.
·
I
attended 42 Isle of Wight Council Meetings.
·
I’ve
received 4017 emails, 852 telephone calls, 718 texts and 5 letters. I aim to
respond within 3 days and attempt to prioritise calls from Cowes West and
Gurnard residents within 12 hours of receipt.
·
I’ve
resolved/ relayed 2009 enquiries. 32% of these relate to Gurnard residents; 27%
to Cowes West residents; 28% from other Cowes/ Northwood residents and 13% to
residents living elsewhere.
·
In
the last year I’ve arranged 105 surgeries. Supporting 412 enquiries to
completion for residents.
This
year I received a Councillors Allowance of: £18,921.15
IW
Councillors Report.
As
Councillor, I remain on call at all times. Much of the work I undertake is fed
back within monthly reports. I, in addition, have increased surgeries due to more
residents seeking support from across the Island.
With
finance becoming tighter, it becomes more and more challenging to provide the
help, assistance and support that residents need and deserve. Having dealt with
hundreds of issues over the last 12 months, it is difficult to quantify those
issues most relevant, I know what could be a minor issue for some keeps others
awake at night.
As Isle
of Wight Councillor, Town and Parish Councillors for Cowes, Gurnard and Northwood
act as my eyes and ears, and I really appreciate the support that they provide
for our communities.
With
discussions underway over the mayoral authority, it in my opinion is essential
for the IW Council to remain at the table. Government has been clear, that this
will be imposed upon us if we like it or not!
With
increasing costs for Adult Social care sky-rocketing faster than inflation
(last year the increase costs for Council Tax payers increased by 22%), the
level of support for all Councils continues to grow.
Road
resurfacing for many streets remain a priority particularly for Worsley Road in
Gurnard and Crossfield Avenue in Cowes. As recent events demonstrate, my
concern over the PFI contract has caused me concern. In my opinion concern over disputes within
the contract since being reassessed by the IW Council in 2018 has meant that
things that should happen, hasn’t. The more that I learn of the nature of
disputes, the more concerns I have.
The
impact of falling school roles (these have fallen by one third over six years
in primary schools), has had a local impact, meaning that schools across the
Island will need to close. With Cowes Primary, I worked through a number of
options with stakeholders to seek alternatives to closure.
Across
the Island, inevitably the new Education Committee will be seeking to close a
further ten schools within the next few years.
The cost to school deficits to not close schools and the impact on the
quality of education is insurmountable and requires all working together to
improve educational standards for our children.
In the
meantime, with your support I continue to fight and seek solutions to address
the challenges our Island faces!
Annual
Report as Cabinet Member for Planning, Coastal Protection and Flooding
Planning and Planning Enforcement.
·
Inspectors
considered the Island Planning Strategy with hearings taking place at County
Hall.
·
Our
Government has introduced housing expectations for planning authorities, with
numbers reflecting those of the previous government to deliver 300,000 new
houses across the country this year. As
Cabinet member, I’ve indicated that for the Island, 1103 new homes per year to
not be sustainable in recent consultations
·
Planning
Officers were asked to prioritise and fast-track planning applications for
social and affordable housing.
·
Free
Planning Advice continues to be offered on Wednesday afternoons at
Seaclose. Proposals for developers are
also available by appointment at no cost.
·
New Local Cycling
and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPS), Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS)
and Health Contributions Supplementary Planning Documents were adopted.
·
A number of
high profile Enforcement cases took place, with the support of Local
Councils.
·
The AONB
Management Plan 2025-2030 was formally approved by Full Council.
·
Proposals
for a CO2 pipeline crossing the Island from Fawley to the English Channel was
shelved.
Coastal Protection and Flooding.
·
Section 19 priorities were issued, with new Flood Resilience
Forums were created, such as one in Gunville taking positive action to
alleviate Flooding in their areas.
·
In partnership with the EA meetings and bespoke solutions to
Binstead residents were provided to residents affected by floods.
·
The IW Landslides and Coastal Loss Forum has met to receive
feedback and provide updates to both local communities, residents and local
councils impacted by land instability. In addition, I met individually and
attended public meetings with residents and businesses in Bonchurch, Ventnor
and St Lawrence following landslips.
·
The Island hosted a meeting with the EA and the SRFCC to show
damage caused by landfalls in Ventnor.
·
In recognition of Coastal Protection Works at the Eastern Esplanade,
Ventnor the IW Council Coastal Team received the award for ‘Collaborative
Working’ at the national construction SECBRE awards.
·
During this winter restoration and upgrades took place to
groynes, slipways, seawalls and navigation markers.
Town, Parish and Community Council Liaison.
·
Monthly meetings
have continued to take place between IWALC and other Local Councils, offering
feedback to both the Cabinet and Officers.
I am ever hopeful that under the new Committee regime liaison will
continue.
·
Liaison
continues with local Councils on how best to support and enhance service
provision across the Island.
Outside Bodies, that I represent as IW Councillor.
Southern
Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (SIFCA).
·
I took over as Acting Chair and Chair
of the Regional Authority last year following the previous Chair, Cllr Mark
Roberts losing his seat in last May’s Local Elections. The purpose of SIFCA is to balance the needs
of the regional fisheries industry and conservation duties within the
region. Since I first joined SIFCA in
2016, I have seen the fishing industry becoming much closer aligned to what
conservationists want to see. This I
believe is due to the fishing industry understanding the need to provide a long
term and sustainable industry.
·
In my role, I successfully campaigned
successfully to increase attendance by local authority Councillors. In the last 12 months, I have hosted
briefings whilst the Authority has afforded the opportunity to appoint
‘deputies’, when Councillors are unavailable.
·
Myself, my Vice Chair (Rob Hughes
from Portland) and senior officers have held a number of meetings with fishers
across the region. These have so far
taken place at Lyme Regis and Weymouth, with the third taking place in May at
Swanage.
·
Face to face meetings have also taken
place with Scallop fishers at Portsmouth and Warsash.
·
SIFCA held is first meeting in
several years when it came to Cowes last year.
·
I met with MP’s and Fisheries
Minister, Daniel Zeichner when the the Association of Inshore Fisheries and
Conservation Authorities hosted an event called to prote the Fisheries Industry
at the House of Commons. The provided an
opportunity for fishing communities to outline the challenges being faced by
the industry.
·
The Bottom Towed Fishing Gear byelaw,
which SIFCA has been working closely with conservationists as well as the
Fishing Industry is awaiting sign off by Government, following several years of
work through the SIFCA team.
·
In my role as Chair, I intend to
attend as many meetings as I can and whenever I get the opportunity, look
forward to attending virtual meetings of the South Coast Fishermen’s Council
and SIFCA’s Technical Advice Committee.
·
In addition, I have an oversight of member
appraisals. I also sign off requests for
fisheries enforcement action and meet with my Chief Executive Pia Bateman every
two to three weeks.
Southern
Regional Flood and Coastal Committee. (SRFCC)
·
The regional flood and coastal
committee is established by the Environment Agency. It brings together flood
authorities and experts, to assess flood and coastal protection risks;
investment in flood and coastal protection risk management and is a link
between Flood Authorities and the EA.
·
Over the past three years, I have
built up a positive relationship with the Chair Dr Martin Hurst, who has
visited the Island on several occasions to see how the Island puts the
Environment Agencies funding to best use.
·
In the past year levy funding was
successfully bid for, for community flood projects in Binstead, as well as
accruing funds for a Co-ordinator to support vulnerable communities affected by
landslides and coastal erosion.
·
As mentioned in my Portfolio Report,
Dr Hurst and members of his team visited landslips following 2023. This provided an invaluable insight and
understanding of the unique challenges we face on the Island.
Solent Forum.
·
Discussions took place regarding
‘abandoned vessels’. Giving a presentation
to members the Deputy Harbour Master for Associated British Ports, outlined the
challenges of abandoned vessel in the Solent and how this costed the Authority
£1.2m and how these were dealt with.
·
Water Quality and Marine Debris was
further discussed with the Blue Marine Foundation discussing solutions to the
issue
·
A study has taken place at Portsmouth
University by graduates investigating the harm of rubber from car tyres
leaching into waterways.
·
Saltmarsh restoration at both The
Hamble and at Lymington was discussed. Saltmarshes and their positive impact
upon our marine environment was discussed.
At the meeting proposals for saltmarsh restoration on the River Medina
was positively received by members.
Isle of Wight National Landscapes.
·
Throughout
the year workshops took place to consult and complete the 2025-2030 AONB
Management Plan. This, as earlier
reported received unanimous support by Full Council and is awaiting Ministerial
Approval.
·
As
was the case with SIFCA and the SRFCC, Defra funding arrived late within the
financial year. This has impacted upon
all bodies concerned.
·
Increased
concerns were outlined regarding the uncertainty to Farming Communities
following the new Government coming to power.
·
Concern
has been expressed concerning the potential of the re-introduction of beavers
across the Island.
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