Surgeries.
4:30-5pm, Monday 2nd
November: Cowes Library, Beckford Road, Cowes.
5:30-6pm, Monday 2nd
November: IW Community Club, Park Road, Cowes.
7-7:30pm, Monday 2 November: The Horseshoe, Newport Rd., Northwood. (with Cllr Gordon Adam)
10:30-11am, Thursday 5th
November: Gurnard Press Bistro, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
5:30-6pm, Wednesday 11th
November: The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
10:30-11:30am, Wednesday
18th November: The Woodvale,
Princes Esplanade, Gurnard.
11:30am-12:15pm,
Thursday 19th November: Phoenix Café, Gurnard Pines, Gurnard.
5:30-6pm, Wednesday 25th
November: The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
10:30-11am, Thursday 26th
November: Coffee & Chat, All Saints Church, Tuttons Hill, Gurnard.
11:45-12:15pm, Thursday
26th November: Eegons, High Street, Cowes. (with Cllr Gordon Adam)
New Play Area,
Gurnard Seafront.
Old
equipment has been replaced. A huge
thank you to Gurnard Parish Councillors for ring fencing funds to allow for
this work to take place prior to the Half Term Holidays.
Before
completion the port and starboard lights on our new boat needed to be swapped, as contractors missed this, otherwise the
feedback received from little people and grown-ups have been positive and worth
the wait.
Pre Consultation:
Traffic Orders (Gurnard).
Over
the last three or four years, a number of requests for traffic restrictions were
received. These were passed to the IW Council and Island Roads for
consideration. So far, (limited to
Gurnard only) these include:
·
Church Road.
Extended to meet junction with Bucklers View Car Park.
·
Lower Horn Hill, Rew Street. Restriction imposed to protect gated
access and visibility to Coastal Path etc.
·
Princes Esplanade, Shore Road,
Woodvale Road junction. To
improve visibility for pedestrians.
·
Worsley Road. Extension from Church Road junction to
include entrance of Bucklers View.
·
Worsley Road. Junction with Glen Place.
·
Worsley Road. Removal of parking immediate north of
Gurnard Press. Parking to be retained opposite.
·
Worsley Road. Removal of parking on the junction of
Westbrook Lane.
These
proposals arose following access roads frequently being obstructed (Glen Place
& Westbrook Lane) and parking without due care, particularly in Worsley
Road, often obstructed meaning HGV’s and the community bus not being able to
proceed due to poor parking. With these proposals, a formal consultation will
follow.
Seafront Car Park
Charges. Resurrected (and abandoned?)
Another
big thank you to Adam Provis from Wight Hat, for stepping up with a third
petition and supporting the campaign against proposals from the IW Council to
charge for parking on Cowes/ Gurnard seafront.
Whilst
we were again successful in the IW Council’s Economy, Regeneration, Transport
& Infrastructure Committee recommending abandonment of proposals,
experience tells me not be convinced this has concluded.
In
the meantime, the 3100+ petition remains live. If you have not signed this, this can be accessed at: https://c.org/nDjCnTMcZh.
This, I hope will act as a reminder, should the IW Council and its
Councillors change their mind
Footprint Trust:
Winter Help Café:
This
takes place 10am-1pm on Thursday 5th
November at 64 High Street Newport (opposite Correo Lounge). Get FREE Hot
Drinks & information to cut household bills, maximise income and stay warm
and well in your home. For details contact: info@footprint-trust.co.uk; phone: 01983 82 22 82.
I
understand once set up, the Footprint Trust hope to attend the new Cowes
Community Hub. On this, more information will follow!
Cowes Banking Hub.
Work
will soon begin to open up the new hub in the old Poundland store for December.
Badgers.
I
have been liaising with the Isle of Wight Badger Trust following a large number
of deaths as a result of poisoning in the Baring Road, Battery Road, Crossfield
Avenue, Egypt Hill and Queens Road area.
Following a letterdrop
which I’ve supported, The Trust ask if you know of anyone having a problem with
badgers, or foxes, maybe digging lawns, or living under sheds, damaging fences,
then please get in contact as they can help advise of solutions. There is also
information at: https://www.badgertrust-isleofwight.co.uk/
Your thoughts: Local Listings.
I’m
gathering residents thoughts on ‘heritage assets’, missing out on being
protected in the same way, as the below listed buildings are. So far, I’ve been contacted concerning
Gurnard’s beach huts, Egypt Light, the Drinking Fountain and Plaque on Princes
Esplanade and the Wall of the old Ward Estate which bounds Baring Road and Park
Road.
To
note locally listed buildings/ heritage assets can be seen as material considerations
when considering nearby planning applications which may impact upon any
proposal. At the moment there are no
locally listed in Cowes West and Gurnard.
The locally listed structures most local to our area is Northwood Park,
the Northwood Cemetery’s chapels and Princes Green.
Within
Cowes itself there are 80 listed buildings/ structures. With respect to those
buildings/ structures already protected by formal (Grade A and B) listings (in
Cowes West and Gurnard) are:
·
Egypt House, Egypt Esplanade;
·
the
Lion, Queens Road,
·
the
Toll House 218 Baring Road;
·
18th Century Outbuilding (Former
Farmhouse), Cockleton
Farm;
·
37 Lower Church Road;
·
Dottens Farmhouse.
·
Barn and Outhouse Range to Rew Street
Farmhouse to Westside of Yard, Rew
Street.
·
Barn to the North West of Gurnard
Farmhouse, Cockleton
Lane.
·
Barn to the South West of Dottens Farm, Woodvale Road.
·
Cart Shed to the north of Gurnard
Farmhouse, Cockleton
Lane.
·
Cart Shed to Rew Street Farmhouse on
west side of road opposite yard entrance, Rew Street.
·
Cow Byre/ Barn to Rew Street Farmhouse
on east side of yard, Rew
Street.
·
Dottens Farmhouse, Woodvale House.
·
Gurnard Farmhouse, Cockleton Lane.
·
Rew Street Farmhouse, Rew Street.
·
Stable/ Cow Shed Range to Rew Street
Farmhouse on North Side of yard, Rew
Street.
·
The Roundhouse, Place Road.
Please
let me know of other structures you consider worthy of a local listing. This can then be incorporated within the IW
Councils list, or if in Gurnard added to its local Neighbourhood Plan or Cowes
to its Place Plan.
Trees.
Following
our first storms of Autumn, trees in Cow
Lane and Shore Path have been
reported following damage. With the
onset of ash die-back please let Island Roads know of damaged/ precarious
highway/ footway trees.
A
tree in Spencers Copse/ Lynda’s Wood
caused damage to handrails of the steps. I have approached Rights of Way, as
well as the woodland owner who is liaising with arborists to make good the
footpath.
Concern
was raised regarding removal of trees at the junction with Worsley Road in Westbrook Lane. To note that this was authorised by the
Council’s Tree Team, as the trees were considered dangerous and not
protected.
Elsewhere,
regulars to Northwood Park will have
noted that one of the cedars and the adjoining beech tree has been fenced
off. This is to allow the removal of branches
that have become unsafe on both trees.
A
local resident has spoken to me concerning improving
biodiversity of their land, and the need to allow sunlight to access the
floor of woodland currently shaded by the canopy of trees.
In
the meantime our local councils are on the lookout for volunteer tree wardens. There is free training
available for those interested!
For
details of Trees, Ancient Woodlands, Listed Buildings, Flood zones,
Environmental Designations etc. please visit: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ea71ca0febcd44a8a928fe2e0c7c17e8?draft=true
Apple Day and Barn
Dance.
A
big thank you to the organisers, volunteers and attendees to last month’s Apple
Day and Barn Dance held at Old School Meadow and the Grow Gurnard site next
door.
Again,
another brilliant local event organised and built upon the tradition of
celebrating our legacy of celebrating harvests in the village.
Northwood Warm Space.
Northwood
Parish Council welcome residents to the Village Hall from 12:30pm to 3:00pm
every Tuesday. The hall is a heated, safe and a friendly place to relax, chat,
craft, play a game and enjoy FREE refreshments. Bring a friend (human or canine),
or make some new ones!
Parish
Councillors are also on hand for a chat. For more information, or to organise a
lift, contact:
Cllr
Richard Martin 07961 829159 or rwm@northwoodparishcouncil.gov.uk
Northwood
Parish Council last month agreed that funding is assured until Easter
2027.
Cowes Warm Space.
Cowes
Town Council in partnership with Cowes Rotary are launching a Warm Space. From 10am-2pm, every Tuesday the Warm Space
will offer a warm drinks and provide information to support local residents.
For further information pop in to the Warm Space which takes place at the
Beckford Centre in Beckford Road, Cowes.
It
is hoped that agencies such as the Footprint Trust will be available to offer
support for residents.
E-Scooter/ E-Bike
Consultation.
During
the summer the Isle of Wight consulted on the creation of additional parking
bays for E-Scooters/ E bikes.
Following
the consultation it was agreed to scrap proposals to locate a bay outside Gurnard
Primary School in Baring Road. However, the Council did agree to implement a
bay at the Egypt Light and defer its decision for a bay at the Cut, Cowes.
Following
complaints, I have requested that bays are painted sooner rather than later.
Land Searches.
I
am providing support to Georgie from the McCarthy & Brooker Estate Agency
in Cowes following IW Council delays in processing land searches.
Because
of these delays Estate Agents and residents have complained that it can take
over seven weeks to conclude, compared to 2-3 weeks in other areas (however,
the IW Council suggests this is a national concern)
Having
received a response from the Strategic Director who acknowledges this is
unacceptable, I’m advised that changes are being made that will see an
improvement within building services where it is believed locally the impasse
exists.
Solent Forum: Update.
·
During
the summer, the Solent Forum relocated to Southampton City Council from
Winchester home of Hampshire County Council.
·
Subject
to consultation, dredgings from Cowes Harbour will be used in Cockleshell Bay
as part of salt marsh restoration.
·
A
report was provided to members on upgrades to Portsmouth Naval Base. Following recent Government investment.
·
Following
its recent consultation with members, the Forum agreed to ensure that Water
Quality was seen to be of priority. This
was followed by Coastal Erosion and Flooding and the challenge of coastal
squeeze.
·
Southern
Water provided an update on ‘Chemical Investigations’ and the impact of pharmaceuticals
on water quality, and the impact that these are having on fresh water and
marine life.
·
There
was a presentation from the Solent Mitigation Partnership and potential
funding, that could be available to the Isle of Wight.
·
The
Nautical Archaeological Society highlighted the international threat of
polluting wrecks. It was reported that
there are over 8500 wrecks, mostly from World War II responsible for leaking
650 billion tonnes of oil
·
The
National Trust reported how it was restoring nature to areas threatened by
coastal squeeze. Funding had been
provided to both Brighton and Portsmouth (this does include the Isle of Wight)
to improve ecology.
Bonfires.
Environmental
Health can be notified for the lighting of anti-social bonfires. If you do
decide to have bonfires and fireworks (before checking for hedgehogs) please
let neighbours know.
Economy,
Regeneration, Transport and Infrastructure Committee.
·
Whilst
I am not a member of the ERTI Committee, I did attend this meeting to fight
against proposals to increase car
parking charges. Not only in
locations that are currently free, but also in our Town Centres, many of whom
have retailers that are holding on by the ‘skin of their teeth’ to make a
profit.
I was heartened by most colleagues
that were in support of surpressing charges (unlike the last time I was an
opposition Councillor in 2021)
·
At
the meeting there also seemed widespread support for replacing the Floating
Bridge. However, I sense this may be
subject to review, given some do not share the appetite for doing this.
·
The
Island’s Speed Review is scheduled for introduction in May 2027, subject to an
informal consultation.
·
A
concern was raised by a member of the public on the use by the IW Council of
Glyphosate.
Speedwatch, Neighbouhood
Watch and Emergency Planning.
Although
very much separate, we are still seeking volunteers for Speedwatch in Park
Road, Baring Road, Place Road and Pallance Road
Neighbourhood
Watch are also very anxious to resurrect its network of street co-ordinators in
Gurnard, with the likelihood of energy outages etc. increasing, so does the
need for local volunteers. With the
drafting of our new local emergency plan, it is hoped that this can improve the
resilience to our local communities if required.
Hedgehog Corner:
Do’s and Don’t’s to protect hedgehogs in your garden.
·
Do leave some areas of wilderness where the
hedgehogs can snuffle for insects.
·
Do put out water for drinking.
·
Do put out a bowl of dog food or meaty cat food
around dusk.
·
Do install, in a quiet part of the garden, a
hedgehog house.
·
Do look to see if your hedgehog is limping or
appears injured. In late Autumn look out for underweight hedgehogs.
·
Don’t put out bread and milk
·
Don’t pick up fit hedgehogs
·
Don’t leave black sacks lying around.
·
Don’t use slug pellets or other chemicals, they may
poison hedgehogs and other animals.
·
Don’t light a bonfire without checking to see if a
hedgehog or other wild animal has moved in.
·
Don’t fork over compost heaps in case hedgehogs or
other animals have taken up residence.
·
Don’t spray hedgehogs with dog or cat flea sprays.
It will be detrimental to the hedgehog.
Also This month.
·
I continue to receive anti-social parking complaints
of parents collecting children from Gurnard Primary School. Given dangerous
manoeuvres that I’ve witnessed, I am concerned regarding the lack of
consideration for the safety of other children.
Where appropriate these parents have been reported to the police.
·
I have undertaken statutory training as a member of
the IW Council’s Pension Committee.
·
Questions
have been relayed to the IW Council concerning beach huts at Gurnard. Issues
raised includes, public liability, lease calculations, the responsibilities of
the IW Council, access to drinking water, legal fees, bathing water concerns
and response times to enquiries.
·
Discussions are ongoing on where the axe is
likely to fall on our public services funded (by us!) through the IW
Council. Last month the Isle of Wight
Council met with members of the Isle of Wight Association of Local Councils to
ascertain which services were most important, which services could be shared
and which services could be cut.
·
I
am working with a small network of walkers with a view to potentially extend
our footpath network. As a result I am meeting with Officers and Funding
Agencies to explore opportunities to implement aspects of our LCWIP and
extending our footpath network and connectivity in and around Cowes
·
A
request has been made to restrict caravans parking on Cowes/ Gurnard seafront.
·
This
years’ remembrance service takes place at 10:30am at All Saints Church,
Gurnard.
·
Work
continues on Gurnard’s Neighbourhood Plan.
Discussions are also taking place in liaison with Cowes and Northwood’s
Place Plan.
·
I
have updated and posted my Declaration of Interests Online.
·
I
have been asked to raise awareness over the feeding of gulls. In Gurnard this is an issue!
·
In
the coming months all local Councils will be considering priorities and projects
for next year. In Gurnard please let
Richard our parish clerk know your thoughts. Richard can be contacted at
clerk@gurnardparish council.gov.uk
·
At its last meeting, Gurnard Parish Council
agreed to request Red Squirrel signage for Rew Street, as well as Cockleton
Lane. Place Road, is also being considered. However, this is subject to the IW
Council’s speed review.
·
At its last meeting, Gurnard Parish Council
agreed to request Red Squirrel signage for Rew Street, as well as Cockleton
Lane. Place Road, is also being considered. However, this is subject to the IW
Council’s speed review.
·
I’ve contacted the IW Council requesting updates
on the Watersedge site. This follows interest shown by traders.
