Councillors Report for August/ September

Surgeries:


4:30-5pm Tuesday 14th August, Cowes Library, Beckford Road Cowes.

12:30-1:30pm, Tuesday 28th August, The Woodvale, Princes Esplanade Gurnard

4:30-5pm, Tuesday 4^th September, Cowes Library, Beckford Road, Cowes.

5:30-6pm, Tuesday 4^th September, Sports Bar, IW Community Club, Park Rd., Cowes.

6-6:30pm, Tuesday 11^th September, The Woodvale, Princes Esplanade, Gurnard.

5:30-6pm, Tuesday 18^th September, The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.

1-1:30pm, Wednesday  26^th September, Little Gloster, Marsh Road, Gurnard.

3-3:30pm, Wednesday 26^th September, Cowes Enterprise College, Crossfield Av., Cowes.

Road Surfaces.

The IW Council responded to concerns over the failure of the surface dressing binder on certain roads on the Island, which includes Newport Road.

I’m advised the contractor has accepted liability and will undertake necessary remedial works after the summer season.

Following a request made through me by a local resident (thanks, Chris!), over the lack of skid resistance warning signs, I requested additional warning signs which have now appeared on Newport Road.

A full response from the Director, Stuart Love features below:

Dear member

In light of the problems we have encountered with our surface dressing programme this year, I thought it would be helpful to give you an appraisal of the situation to date and the options for the future.

Background

A surface dressing programme was developed for implementation in 2012/13 intended to ensure skid resistance on roads met the minimum requirement and to seal surfaces to prevent the roads and road structures breaking up the effects of the winter freeze/thaw cycles. While the PFI will provide a comprehensive overhaul of the roads network, we nevertheless need to keep our network up to at least minimum standards.

Kiely Brothers were appointed to deliver the programme. Kiely Brothers are national surface dressing  contractors and have delivered similar programmes for the council over a number of years with no significant defects .  

The surface dressing programme was completed in April with the exception of three sites where work was postponed by wet weather. These remain to be completed.

Initial Binder Failure May 2012

In common with a number of other authorities, we faced some difficulties in May of this year with the failure of the binder used in the process. I am happy to give members a more detailed explanation but, in simple terms, what went wrong was that at the time the surface was laid, we saw a sudden increase from cold damp conditions with 12 degree temps to 25-27 degree temperatures almost overnight. This rapid rise (rather than the high temperatures alone) caused the surfacing material used to bind the dressing to be unstable – or ‘melt’ as the media report it.

The problem was intensified on roads with high traffic flows and heavy vehicles where the movement of vehicles over the sticky surface plucked the chippings out of the binder.

Kiely Brothers accepted full liability for the failure of the binder and committed to fund both the immediate intervention, longer term remedial works and compensation claims arising from damage to vehicles or accidents arising form the surface condition. A relatively small number of claims for ‘associated damage to vehicles have been passed to Kiely Brothers.

Further Binder Failure July 2012

Temperatures again increased beyond 25 degrees during the week commencing 23 July 2012 and we suffered an unexpected softening of the binder which was not anticipated. Although the road temperatures rose as high as 50 degrees the binder should have remained stable and this failure was not replicated as widely on the mainland as we found earlier in the year.

The same immediate treatment of dusting was undertaken. This proved effective in reducing the mobility of the binder which stabilised in the subsequent lower temperatures.

The ‘dusting’ process.

This short-term remedial treatment involves covering the affected surfaces with additional 0-3mm sized granite chippings. This reduces the temperature of the road surface and also prevents unstable binder bleeding out into the road surface (melting).

Though successful in its engineering aims, this process has raised some concerns for public health. However short-term exposure to such respirable granite dust does not create any long term health risk although may – as with any airborne particles - cause short term reversible effects such as an, irritation of the eyes nose and throat among those working at close quarters with the material or breathing in the dust in sufficient quality.

In view of the reported nuisance caused to some residents – primarily those in the main urban areas affected (the Cowes to Newport Road) we will be looking at using an alternative material in future (see Future Actions below).

Future actions

In response to comments received about the dust created by using granite, we will, if further treatment is required, trial the use of washed grit as a replacement for granite chippings in residential areas. This material should have the same positive effects in terms of stabilising the road surface but should not create the dust problems encountered. We will obviously review the success of this approach and, if successful in all aspects, may extend its use as appropriate. 

We will be keeping a close eye on temperatures this weekend as they are forecast to be around the level at which we have previously experienced difficulties with the surface dressing and we may need to treat some or all of the affected areas over the next few days.

As regards a longer term solution, this secondary failure of the binder throws a very different light on the situation as the current surface cannot now be relied upon to provide a stable base to which we can apply remedial treatments and the excess binder will need to be removed to ensure that we have a stable base before remedial treatments are applied.

Consequently the excess binder will need to be removed to ensure the new surface can be laid. There are various techniques that can do this and we are examining which will be most appropriate. However whichever method is chosen, disruption to traffic flow is inevitable. Therefore we intend to undertake this work later in the year and after the main holiday season.

Once the binder has been removed we will be able to see the extent of damage to the road surfaces properly and undertake immediate repairs to keep those safe. The final remedial treatment will be determined by the extent of damage which we find and will vary on different parts of the network.

We remain on standby should further high temperatures bring about further problems. We are also considering pre-emptive dusting on the routes to and from future major events such as Cowes Week, the garlic festival and the Bestival.

A communications plan has been prepared (of which this briefing is a part) to ensure members and residents are kept abreast of developments.

I hope you feel this information is useful and please feel free to use this to inform your residents.

Naturally, I will be happy to address any points not covered in this correspondence.

Kind regards

Stuart

Stuart Love | Director of Economy and Environment

Trading Standards: Speculative Cold Calls.

I have referred to Trading Standards complaints made over hard selling techniques being used by security firms.  If you’ve received such calls please contact Trading Standards 01983 823370.

Have you received  a ‘phone call concerning compute gliches? As I reported earlier this year such calls are bogus and residents are reminded not to disclose personal information.  As always, if a call sounds too good to be true, this is usually because it is!

Entitlement to Council Tax Benefits.

Next year, the amount of funding The IW Council receive from the government will be reduced by 10%.

As part of the government’s welfare reform programme, the existing scheme for people who claim Council Tax Benefit will be replaced with a new localised Council Tax Support scheme from April 1, 2013.

The final decision as to how Council Tax Benefit entitlement will be applied, will be considered by the IW Councillors following imminent consultation. At present it seems likely pensioners entitlement will remain intact.

Neighbourhood Plan Consultations, Gurnard.

The deadline for Gurnard’s Neighbourhood Plan survey falls on 10^th September.  If you have an unreturned survey, please ensure this is returned to Rusty Adams, myself, or a member of the Neighbourhood Plan Team by this date.

The extent of responses are brilliant and in many cases exceeds 40%.  This in itself will help give your Plan teeth to be effective.  Many thanks to residents’ who sent out and collected surveys and thanks to all who responded. It is much appreciated! For further details please visit www.gurnardneighbourhoodplan.org.uk.

Because of their proximity to one of Gurnard’s SHLAA sites (Comforts Farm), with Northwood Parish Council’s Chairman, I undertook a letter-drop to residents of Pallance Road.  Because of the impact this could have on Northwood’s residents, I have suggested Northwood Parish Council includes this potential location when consulted upon.

I am advised that Northwood Parish Council will discuss pending action on this, alongside the other 13 sites suggested for Northwood at their meeting on 4^th September.  A meeting with Planners have been confirmed to take place to support Northwood Parish Council with its consultative timetable. For further details contact John Pullen on 281250, or IW Councillor for Northwood Roger Mazillius on 295556

Esplanade Cycling.

I continue to receive complaints about dangerous cyclists using the pavement on the Esplanades.

Because the IW Council was successful in a recent grant to improve access, I’m anxious to know the views and observations of regular uses.  In the meantime, I continue to raise residents’ concerns about incidents to both the Council and Police. 

Planning: Wellow Wind Farm.

In July, I voted with the Offices recommendation to refuse the recent planning application for wind turbines in Wellow.

The main reason why I felt uncomfortable with this application was due to the very close proximity (513m) of the turbines on residential properties and how I felt this would adversely impact upon their living conditions. 

For any application, which alters the local characteristics of an area I feel that it is so important to win over the community which would need to live by this decision on a day to day basis. In this instance, there seemed little support for this proposal by those residents who would be affected, and therefore voted accordingly. 

Feedback on Blood Testing Waiting Times, St Mary’s Hospital.

Thank you to residents who contacted me following the appeal which I made in response to Blood Tests.

Dr Stainer from Cowes Medical Centre advised me that the Surgery had investigated taking blood themselves, however given issues which included parking availability in Cowes this proved problematic.

Cowes Medical Centre’s Patients Group also looked into this, and because of imminent changes at St Mary’s Hospital, no further action was taken.  I will continue to monitor, and continue to welcome feedback from residents on this matter.

Cowes Library- Book Signing Opportunity

Adrian Searle will be at Cowes Library on Thursday 6th September 7 - 9pm to talk and sign copies of his new book 'The Spy Beside the Sea, the extraordinary wartime story of Dorothy O'Grady'. You can bring your own copy, whilst Waterstones Bookshop will be at the event to sell copies of the book. The event is a free and tickets are available from Cowes Library. Refreshments will be provided by the Supporters of Cowes Library.

For further details contact the Library on 293341.

This month:

·         I have arranged meetings with residents and Rights Of Way to help resolve issues in respect to access to Gurnard Luck.

·         Following supporting the perseverance of local residents, I’m advised work will commence in the next year to refurbish the leaking sewage main in Shore Road.

·         During July and August, I bombarded the Isle of Wight Council with over 50 enquiries relating to Highway matters. Action has been taken to cut back hedgerows in Place Road, Baring Road, Cockleton Lane and Winding Way. Whilst I was also kept busy responding to Cowes Week Parking matters.  In the meantime,  I continue to monitor progress of all enquiries made.

·         I’ve requested action following a number of minor accidents and damage caused by vehicles leaving the carriageway in Rew Street.

·         I’ve called a further meeting with the IW Council to resolve the upkeep and disposal of Gurnard School’s former playing field and orchard.

·         I’ve been talking to Cowes Golf Club over a number of enquiries raised by neighbours.

·         Cliff Cottage in Cliff Road was supported by Planning Committee members by 5 votes to 4.

·         This year I was kept busier than usual chasing up replacement of street furniture for Cowes Week following it being removed for the Queen’s visit.