IW Councillors Report: November

Surgeries:

4:30-5pm, Tuesday 6^th November, Cowes Library, Beckford Road, Cowes.

5:30-6pm, Tuesday 6^th November, Sports Bar, Isle of Wight  Community Club, Park Road, Cowes.

6-6:30pm, Tuesday 13^th November, The Woodvale, Princes Esplanade, Gurnard.

5:30-6pm, Tuesday 20^th November, Portland Inn, Worsley Road, Gurnard.

1-1:30pm, Wednesday 28^th November, Little Gloster, Marsh Road, Gurnard.

3-3:30pm, Wednesday 28^th November, Cowes Enterprise College, Cowes.

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

5:30-6pm, Tuesday 4^th December, Sports Bar, Isle of Wight Community Club, Park Road, Cowes.

PLEASE NOTE: Consultations continue on the Localisation of Council Tax Support continues until 30^th November. Residents can complete the on-line survey on iwight.com , or request a survey by calling 01983 823653.

New Planning Application for land adjacent to 44 Worsley Road, Gurnard.

A new application has been received to develop on land adjacent to Oaklands Lodge and Gurnard Village Hall.

This application for 21 dwellings, follows a previous proposal to develop 33 units, which was withdrawn earlier this year following over 100 representations being made to Planning Officers by local residents.

As with the previous application the site includes 6 dwellings, previously approved, whilst also containing 5 ‘affordable’ housing units and 10 remaining units. The dwellings will comprise of 2,3 and 4 bedroomed semi-detached and detached dwellings with access proposed via Worsley Road.

I have letter dropped information concerning this application to local residents, whilst the deadline for representations falls on 16^th November.

Planning: Floodlighting proposals, Cowes Enterprise College.

I’ve been in contact with a number of residents in Ward Avenue with respect to floodlighting proposals intended for the new school site.  The proposals advise that floodlighting columns proposed will be 15m high rather than 10m high, as was approved.

Since speaking to Planning Officers, I am advised that with fewer floodlighting columns there should be less spillage of light onto gardens in Ward Avenue.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to visiting the college later this week to witness progress on the phased opening of what will be an exciting community facility over the next 2-3 weeks.

Mornington Park.

I have received a number of enquiries (and know similarly has Cllr George Brown- Mornington Park is in Cowes North, whilst residents complaining are from Cowes West!), regarding trees that have been fell in Mornington Park.

Both Cllr Brown and I have received information concerning the limited lifespan of these poplar trees, particularly within this environment, and for the potential for these trees to be replaced in the future.  Before any decision on what species will be considered, I am looking forward to working with Cllr Brown and local residents on deciding how this will be progressed.  

Flytipping, Crossfield Avenue Estate.

I have been alerted to alleged commercial and domestic flytipping on the Crossfield Avenue.  I have spoken to the Environment Officer concerning this and the situation continues to be monitored.

Eco-Islands Conference.

I attended the Eco-Island Global Summit, over two days which was held in Cowes.  At the summit, I took advantage of opportunities to discuss issues concerning ‘localism’ with the Minister of Energy and Climate Change, John Hayes; find out more about sustainable housing; local waste & recycling; renewable energy  and doing more to challenge aspects of fuel poverty.

Although the summit has set some pioneering targets, there was a real opportunity to talk to others and find out more about what could be done to make the Isle of Wight Economy more sustainable and attractive to investors. 

 At the conference, I was very pleased to join several local residents and feel very positive about the local enthusiasm for doing more, and am looking forward to discussing local issues with the Eco-Island team when we meet in the coming weeks.

Egypt Hill.

In the last few weeks there has been increased activity from construction traffic on the former Rookstone site in Egypt Hill, Cowes.  Together with ongoing developments at Solent Heights and the Moorings this has caused difficulty with the road and driveways being regularly obstructed.

I have contacted both Highways and the Planning Deparment to enlist their support, whilst I have also reported this to the police.

Planning: The Moorings, Egypt Hill.

Officers are recommending the revision to conditions for The Moorings in Egypt Hill. Local residents have expressed concern over rendering being out of context with the conservation area, however officers feel these reasons are unsustainable due to similar work nearby.  Given these views, and my involvement with both parties on this application, I’ve requested the Chairman of the Planning Committee assesses this application.

Health and Wellbeing Consultation.

Public services on the Island are seeking views on their plans to make the Island a healthier, safer, wealthier and more environmentally-friendly place.

The vision of bodies including the police, Isle of Wight NHS, Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group and the Isle of Wight Council is called the Health and Wellbeing Strategy which will be a blueprint determining the priorities which all organisations will work towards between 2013-16.

The strategy addresses many of the findings of a major ongoing study called the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) which has highlighted a number of areas of concern.

The strategy focuses on five main areas:

·         Ensuring children and young people have the best possible start in life.

·         Helping and supporting people prepare for old age and to manage long-term health conditions and disabilities.

·         Enabling people to make health choices for healthy lifestyles.

·         Building and sustaining economic growth and supporting employment opportunities.

·         Making the Island a better place to live and to visit.

Please take the time to read the strategy and then share your views via the consultation which can be found on iwight.com.

Gurnard Parish Council.

Last month, I felt privileged to be co-opted back on to Gurnard Parish Council.  Since then, a number of residents have challenged me for doing this.

The reason for me applying, was due to the fact that there were three vacancies and that this term of office was for a relatively short period. Had it been for a longer period, and had more residents applied- I may have reconsidered this position.  In addition to this, the IW Council is becoming less involved in local projects and this offered me a greater opportunity to be involved in doing more as a local councillor.

For the last 3½ years, I’ve attended the duration of every monthly meeting and although I thoroughly enjoy doing this, it is very frustrating for me to remain and have minimal input, particularly when residents hold the expectation, I share their concerns as widely as possible.

If you have concerns about me doing this, or you wish to discuss any conflicts of interest that you feel that I may have, please talk to me.

Access Protection Bars.

Following meetings with local schools about parental parking, preventing access to residents’ driveways, I have been given further information about Access Protection Bars.

I understand from highways there is currently a backlog of applications, and it seems unlikely that current requests will be implemented before spring.  That stated, I have reproduced the Council’s Frequently Asked Questions concerning Access Protection Bars.

Question: What if I have an access protection bar and someone parks their vehicle across my driveway?

Answer: Access protection bars are advisory only and are there to highlight to the general public that the access is in use.

If someone parks in such a manner that it does not allow you to exit your driveway then they are causing an obstruction. If such a situation occurs, you can now report this to the Isle of Wight Council's Parking Services Department on 01983 823714 and one of the Council's Civil Enforcement Officers (CEO's) can issue a penalty charge notice, if the offending vehicle is still parked in contravention when they visit the site.
However, please note the CEO can only issue a penalty charge notice, they do not have any power to remove an obstructing vehicle. In this situation, you still need to contact the Police on 0845 045 4545 (local Police contact number).


Question: How much are access protection bars? 

Answer: Access protection bars are £58.80 for a single width driveway, £82.30 for a double width driveway and £141.00 for a treble width driveway. If the area the access protection bar is needed to cover is larger, then a site visit will be required to determine the cost. If you are a registered blue badge holder, access protection bars are free of charge, however there is currently an approximate waiting time of six months at present.

We also provide pedestrian access protection bars, which are supplied where the access from your house exits directly onto the highway, for example there is no pavement. The cost of this £29.35.

Question: How do I apply for an access protection bar?

Answer: Please contact the Isle of Wight Council on (01983) 823777 who will take your details. These will added to a waiting list and an application form will be sent to you by Highways Operational Support once you near the top of the list

Question: Once I have returned the application form and paid the relevant monies, how long will it be before the bar is painted?

Answer: A job ticket is issued on the last day of the month to paint access protection bars and depending on the weather should be painted within the first two weeks of the following month. No precise date can be given as the Councils statutory obligations must take priority. However, this service is temporarily unavailable at the current time.

Question: Can I have an existing Access Protection Bar repainted?

Answer: Yes. The current charges for a repaint are: £52.90 for a single width, £76.40 for a double width, £135.10 for a treble width and £23.50 for a pedestrian gateway. Please contact the Isle of Wight Council on (01983) 823777 who will take your details. These will added to a waiting list and an application form will be sent to you by Highways Operational Support once you near the top of the list.

Question: Can I have an access protection bar across my pedestrian gateway and how much does it cost?

Answer: Yes, as long as the gateway exits directly onto the highway (for example there must not be a pavement) and the cost is £27.90. However, this service is temporarily unavailable at the current time.

In the last month:

·         I requested information, in support to a resident who had a ‘shed’ built overlooking their back garden.

·         Requested further action is taken concerning Shore Road’s leaking sewer.

·         I took part in Gurnard’s Village tidy up.

·         Saw action taken following an illegal encampment on Gurnard Seafront.

·         Met with representatives from Cowes Enterprise College, on representing the views of students.

·         I attended meetings of the Planning Committees which determined applications on Ryde Speedway; a Marine Business Park, East Cowes; Whitecliff Bay Holiday Camp, Bembridge (conditions of winter residence); a replacement dwelling at Quarr, Fishbourne; alterations to a former public loo, Ventnor and alterations to the former Railway Station, Yarmouth.  

·         I attended the IW Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee where the slippage of timescales and the length of the 25 year was challenged.

·       Requested action taken to broken handrails in Worsley Road, Gurnard; repairs undertaken to potholes in Parklands Avenue, Dog Mess (at various location!); graffiti removal at Gurnard Green; and requested action be taken to fix a dodgy manhole cover at the bottom of Solent View Road.

·         I’ve been assured that resurfacing the cyclepath in Baring Road will be actioned once the weather improves(?!) and requested that special consideration is given to gritting Egypt Hill.