Surgeries:
10:30-11am, Friday 4th January, Gurnard Press,
Worsley Road. Gurnard.
4:30-5pm, Tuesday 8th January, Cowes Library,
Beckford Road, Cowes.
5:30-6pm, Tuesday 8th January, Sports Bar,
Isle of Wight Community Club, Park Road, Cowes.
6-6:30pm, Wednesday 9th January, The Portland
Inn, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
3-3:30pm, Wednesday 16th January, Cowes
Enterprise College, Crossfield Avenue, Cowes.
10:30-11:30am, Thursday 24th January, Coffee
& Chat at All Saints Church, Tuttons Hill, Gurnard.
6-6:30pm, Wednesday 30th January, The Portland
Inn, Worsley Road, Gurnard.
12-12:30pm, Thursday 31st January, Eegon’s
Café, 72 High Street, Cowes.
Parking, Woodvale Road.
Work
commenced on the construction of the new Gurnard School in Baring Road last
month.
Due to the
closure of staff parking on site, this has meant that during term time there
will be less parking available close to the school. In light of this, and
concerns expressed relating to child safety can I please request that children
are dropped off and collected in a safe location away from the school.
This follows
incidents of very poor parking by mums and dads following the commencement of
work. Please note that double (and in
some cases, triple!) parking is dangerous for little people crossing and the
very last thing that myself, any parent, the school or resident wants is for a
child to be hurt by a motorist in a hurry.
In the
meantime, I’ve contacted the Planners to ensure the construction management
plan is adhered to by contractors. In addition, I’ve requested that parking is
monitored and action taken against those not using common sense.
Island Planning Strategy.
Consultation
on the new Isle of Wight Planning Bible continues until Monday 25th February.
For details, please visit: https://iow-consult.objective.co.uk/portal/planning/ipsdraft2018/ipsdraft2018
Within the
Plan, of note to me the IW Council are suggesting increasing the numbers of new
homes being built from 525 per year to 641.
Within Cowes/
Gurnard/ Northwood the following locations have been identified for potential future
housing:
Settlement
|
Location Details
|
Allocation
|
Plot Size (ha)
|
Dwellings
|
Cowes
|
HA018 ?
(Land North of Park Road, site of Parklands?)
|
Generic
|
?
|
20
|
Cowes
|
HA019
Medina Yard
|
Specific
|
5.8
|
535
|
Northwood
|
HA020
Somerton Reservoir, Newport Road
|
Specific
|
1.9
|
146
|
Gurnard
|
HA021 Land west of Baring Road
|
Specific
|
1.7
|
25
|
Northwood
|
HA022
Somerton Farm, East of Newport
|
Specific
|
9.75
|
80
|
Cowes
|
HA023 ?
|
Generic
|
?
|
7
|
Northwood
|
HA024 Land
west of Newport Road (South of Kingswell Dairy?)
|
Specific
|
1.0
|
10
|
Northwood
|
HA025 Land
to west of 84 Wyatts Lane
|
Specific
|
5
|
40
|
Northwood
|
HA026 Land
to West of Harry Cheek Gardens
|
Specific
|
2.4
|
34
|
Northwood
|
HA027 ? (Land
to East of Wyatts Lane?)
|
Generic
|
?
|
15
|
Northwood
|
HA028 ?
Land west of Newport Road (North of Kingswell Dairy?)
|
Generic
|
?
|
66
|
TOTAL
|
978
|
Public Toilets.
Before
Christmas, I was gutwrenched to report a further incidence of vandalism which
occurred to the newly refurbished baby changing facility and toilet in the Cut
at Cowes.
This
mindless vandalism has meant that the cost of retaining and improving these toilets
in our town centre is a further financial burden on the precept payers of
Cowes. If you have any information,
please contact the police on 101. I will
be asking that the stiffest financial penalties are imposed on those
responsible.
In the meantime
following residents feedback, I am advised that toilets in Post Office Lane,
Newport are scheduled to be refurbished and upgraded by Newport and Carisbrooke
Parish Council this coming year.
Abandoned Vehicles.
There
remains a number of so-called abandoned vehicles which in recent months have
been drawn to my attention. In all cases
the registered owner has been notified.
Please note
when an owner is found, if the vehicle left is insured, the Council/ DVLA has
limited powers.
Marriage Tax Allowance.
Are you married or in a civil partnership? If
so you may be entitled to a £900 tax break called the marriage tax allowance.
Yet about one million couples are still missing out. It's free money, so worth
checking – and you can now qualify even if your partner has passed away. Please note that awards can be backdated to
2015, when introduced.
The marriage tax allowance is a way for
couples to transfer a proportion of their personal allowance (the amount you
can earn tax-free each tax year) between them.
Who can
get it? This
is the most important factor as only people with these specific circumstances can
apply:
·
You're
married or in a civil partnership (just living together doesn't count).
·
One
of you needs to be a non-taxpayer, which usually just means earning less than
the £11,850 personal allowance (£11,500 for 2017/18, £11,000 for 2016/17,
£10,600 for 2015/16).
·
The
other needs to be a basic 20% rate taxpayer (higher or additional-rate
taxpayers aren't eligible for this allowance). This means you'd normally need
to earn less than £46,350 (£45,000 for 2017/18, £43,000 for 2016/17) or if you
live in Scotland, £43,430 (£42,385 for 2015/16).
·
You
both must have been born on or after 6 April 1935. If not there's another tax incentive. For details please
visit: https://www.gov.uk/married-couples-allowance.
·
Plus,
a rule that came into effect from Wednesday 29 November 2017 allows you to
claim even if your partner has died since April 2015 and all
the other criteria above apply.
In a nutshell, one of you must be a
non-taxpayer and one must be a basic rate taxpayer.
For further information and/or apply please
visit: https://www.gov.uk/marriage-allowance
Isle
of Wight Budget Consultation.
Islanders are being invited to
give their views on how the Isle of Wight Council should spend its money next
year.
The Isle
of Wight is facing further reductions in the grant it gets from the Government.
The council needs to save £5.5 million next year, as part of the £16.5 million
savings that need to be found over the next three years and residents,
businesses, and town/ parish councils are encouraged to have their say on
spending and service priorities for 2019/20.
You can
give your views by attending one of the public stakeholder meetings being
planned and can respond to the budget paper presented to Cabinet in November
2018 via budget@iow.gov.uk. Alternatively,
please take part by giving your views through the online
consultation, which can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6LTTQJK.
Councillor
Vacancies: Gurnard Parish Council.
Three vacancies have arisen for new
Councillors on Gurnard Parish Council. For details please contact Katie Riley,
interim clerk at: gurnardparishcouncil@gmail.com
Mayors
Report.
·
Cllr
Steve Reynolds was appointed as a new Town Councillor for Cowes West following
the resignation of Amanda Glendenning. Many thanks to those put their names forward,
but were disappointingly unsuccessful.
·
It
was a privilege to host the Annual Light Up a Life Christmas Carol Service at
the lovely Cowes Methodist Church. Thank you to all who attended this service
which supports the work of the Mountbatten Hospice.
·
Cowes Town Council largely supported the IW
Council’s proposals for Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO’s), but have
suggested that dogs are permitted in cemeteries (providing they are kept on
leads), and all beaches on the Island are covered by alcohol dispersal orders.
·
Following savings being identified, Cowes
Town Council’s precept has been frozen.
·
I am meeting members of Cowes Business
Association regarding concerns over town centre parking.
·
Members of the five local councils in Cowes
and East Cowes are scheduled to meet with the IW Council’s cabinet.
Also this
month.
·
Discussions continue with residents on
proposals to extend Bucklers View. I’ve
asked neighbours to also be notified.
·
Repairs were requested at Egypt Light and to
a dangerous manhole covers in Ward Avenue and Church Road.
·
Support was requested following clearance of
a TPO’d woodland caused by a contractor in Woodvale Drive. Officers have taken action against the
landowner and the contractor to ensure that reparation takes place to damaged
trees.
·
I continue to chase up the pedestrian refuge
(Place Road) and the implementation of Traffic Orders.
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