IW Councillors Report June 2019

Surgeries.

4:30-5pm, Tuesday 4^th June, Cowes Library, 12-14 Beckford Road, Cowes.

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

10:30-11am, Friday 7^th June, Gurnard Press, Worsley Road, Gurnard.

1-1:30pm, Wednesday 12^th June, The Woodvale, Princes Esplanade, Gurnard.

3-3:30pm, Tuesday 18^th June, Cowes Enterprise College, Crossfield Avenue, Cowes.

6-6:6:30pm, Wednesday 26^th June, The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.

10:30-11:30am, Thursday 27^th June, Coffee & Chat, All Saints Church, Tuttons Hill, Gurnard.

Parking.

·         Worsley Road.

Early last month I received a flurry of complaints concerning bad parking in and adjoining Worsley Road.

One of the suggestions put is to request double yellow lines to fully restrict parking.  In response, this needs evidence to back up that a health and safety issue exists with proposals supported by residents.  As Ward Councillor I am tasked to provide sufficient evidence to reinforce any request.

On the plus side, a restriction would limit parking/ waiting times, improve pedestrian safety and help the throughput of wider vehicles using Worsley Road. On the negative side, this will mean more vehicles parking on adjacent roads, limiting the ability and availability of parking spaces.

This was delayed due to the Bucklers View planning application, which may affect feedback to the survey.

·         Parking Permits.

Cowes Town Council are working alongside the IW Council to expand parking zones in the town where there is a lack of parking in town for residents.  Local Councillor, Cllr. Peacey-Wilcox is leading on this on behalf of residents of Pelham Road, Bridge Road and Thetis Road.

Another issue of concern is the introduction of charges off street in car parks after 6pm from this month. This was   delayed by the IW Council who originally considered introducing proposals from April.

·         Cowes Traffic Order.

I am told that the Cowes Traffic Order remains on course.  In the last month alongside Gurnard Cllrs Smith, Wood and the Head Teacher we met with Parking Services Officers outside Gurnard School.

In response, parking services have targeted anti-social parking whilst a number of residents have through me requested action taken against parents who have obstructed driveway accesses.

Because of (16) objections to the order (mainly from a proposal in Belle Vue Road!!) this continues to be delayed.  I have again highlighted that the order as advertised for Baring Road/ Woodvale Road and Parklands Road/ Park Road is implemented in full as advertised.

·         Parklands Avenue: Former Turning Circle.

A parking ticket was issued to a motorist who had parked their car ‘a considerable distance away from the kerb’ on the turning circle in Parklands Avenue.  Under legislation where a vehicle obstructs the thoroughfare of traffic a ticket can and will be issued.  However, in this instance no obstruction was attributed and following intervention this was challenged and the motorist was recompensed.

Parking:  Can you help?

To improve parking provision, do you have off-road parking that you would be prepared to enter an arrangement with neighbours or residents/ commuters to park?  If so, please let me know!

Grass Cutting and Hedgerows.

The cutting of verges in Gurnard last month took place following me receiving complaints from residents.  In addition, I have requested action to cut back verges on the Crossfield Estate and vegetation in Newport Road and Nodes Road.

This is an issue I will be taking up with Highways with the onset of future savings- Please see later within my report!

Highway Updates.

Carriageway resurfacing due to take place this summer is listed below.  Please note these dates/ timescales can slip!

Date	Carriageway
05/07/19 – 06/07/19	Terminus Road/High Street/Carvel Lane
12/07/19	Gurnard Heights
15/07/19 – 16/07/19	Moorgreen Road
15/07/19 -  18/07/19	Bellevue Road
19/07/19	Victoria Road
22/07/19 – 31/07/19	Crossfield Avenue
11/09/19 – 13/09/19	Worsley Road

In addition, minor repairs to the delineated carriageways in Pine Tree Close and Magdalen Crescent.

Elsewhere, I have requested that cleansing and repairs takes place to the bus shelter in Carvel Lane, Cowes and cleansing takes place to the entrance of Fountain Yard as well as to the Blackberry Lane footpath to Edinburgh Close.

Island Roads Meeting.

I have arranged to meet with Island Roads to discuss ongoing items with officers and Councillors from Cowes, Gurnard and Northwood Parish Councillors.  This meeting will take place on Monday 24^th June.  Please let me know of any questions you wish me to raise before Monday 17^th June.

Issues to be discussed include updates on carriageway resurfacing and arrangements for Cowes Week/ Sail GP Event.

PFI Savings.

Please let me know of instances of overflowing litter bins.

Following contacting the IW Council, it was highlighted that the issues concerning overfilled bins not being emptied was due, in part to the hot weather during the Easter Holiday. Since then, bins continue to be monitored.  In addition, the Environment Officer will be discussing concerns with Gurnard Parish Council this month.

Last month the IW Council Leader (in response to find savings within the PFI contract) has suggested smarter emptying of bins. At the Town/Parish Forum it was suggested that there would be fewer bins where they weren’t needed, but larger bins where they were.  However, Cllr Stewart again made it very clear that seafront bin capacity would not be affected.     

Other areas which the IW Council are investigating is reducing cuts of grass verges and dimming/ trimming street lighting. According to the leader the cutting of grass verges on the Island exceeds the ‘statutory minimum’ required(!) In addition to the proposed savings, the IW Council (like many other authorities) will no longer actively man CCTV coverage.  However, consideration is taking place to monitor CCTV during busy periods by local town and Parish Councils.

Planning Applications.

·         Bucklers View.

The long awaited proposal to extend Bucklers View by an additional 13 sheltered housing units was advertised last month.  The deadline for comments is Monday 3^rd June.  A letterdrop and a drop-in for residents took place during May.

·         Woodvale Road.

In addition to the above, an application was also received to considerably extend a bungalow in Woodvale Road.  In response, I have received concerns and am offering support to neighbours.

Trees.

Work has taken place on the removal of a large sycamore tree, within the church yard, Church Road, Cowes.  This tree according to the IW Council’s tree officer had extensive decay to the tree’s base.   

Oak Trees adjacent to Woodvale House, Woodvale Road are have their crown raised to 5 metres and cleaned, whist a TPO’d sycamore tree will be removed (due to decay at the base) and replaced within 2 years.

Fourteen trees (Oaks, Holm Oaks, Sycamores and Monterey Pines) are to be cut back or removed and replaced at The Hawkins, Egypt Esplanade.   Also, a sycamore tree at Egypt Copse is also due to be removed and replaced.

In Place Road, BAE systems have confirmed that trees on the grass verge will not be removed.  However, some of the trees/ shrubs on the junction from Three Gates Road will be cut back to improve site lines.  Elsewhere, in Place Road I have requested clarification of 4x Horse Chestnuts planted in close proximity of each other at The Range.

Street Clutter

Please let me know of any unnecessary street furniture/ signs that are in place.  I am in the process of working alongside Island Roads to ensure that inappropriate signs are removed from the highway.

An example of this are school signs for Gurnard Primary School that has not been (as yet) taken away by Island Roads.

Neighbourhood Watch/ Police Request.

Every year, once the warm weather and sunshine appears, I receive requests from the police to let residents know to leave sheds and household doors locked as opportunistic burglaries can and do happen!  

In the past few months there has also been cold callers attempting to sell their services across the Island.  I have requested an updated supply of ‘No Cold Calling’ stickers from Environmental Health and once these are received, I will circulate these to residents who have requested theirs.  Please note (sadly!) the No Cold Calling initiative does not apply to religious or political canvassers. 

The Police reported their priorities are Non-Dwelling burglaries, Drug related crime and prevention of knife crime.  It was reported that £6.7k was seized in respect to drug related crime in the Cowes area.

Please note Cowes is a safe and generally crime free, with crimes reported falling from 1300 to 600 in the last 5 years.

European Elections.

Following last month’s European Elections the following MEP’s were elected to serve the South East England constituency of the European Union

Candidates Elected	Political Party	Share of vote (SE region)	Share of vote (Isle of Wight)
Nigel Farage, Alexandra Phillips, Robert Rowland, Belinda Claire De Camborne Lucy	Brexit Party	36%	47%
Catherine Bearder, Antony Hook, Judith Bunting	Liberal Democrat	26%	16%
Alex Philips	Green	14%	17%
Daniel Hannan	Conservative	10%	9%
John Howarth	Labour	7%	6%
	Change UK	4%	2%
	UKIP	3%	4%

Despite the overwhelming frustration of not exiting the European Union, it was reassuring to see the depth of interest that these elections when I met with voters on election day!  It will be interesting to see how the big political parties respond!

Also this month:

·         I ended my term of office as Mayor of Cowes.  My grateful thanks and appreciation to Cowes’ clerks, and to deputy Cllr. Lora Peacey-Wilcox who has taken over.  Cllr Paul Bertie will now serve as Deputy Mayor.

·         I have made representations to the IW Council over the availability of parking for volunteers.

·         Work has commenced on the repairs to the Watch House Shelter on Cowes Parade.

·         Advice and support has been provided to a resident wishing to dispose of hazardous waste.

·         I have received feedback from the water regulator concerning charges imposed on Gurnard Pines residents.  In the meantime, I await with interest feedback from OFGEN.  

·         Flytipping of Garden Waste in Cow Lane has been reported to Island Roads/ The IWC Environment Officer. 
 ·         Planning Enforcement has been requested on a property in Worsley Road.  In addition action is pending following action taken in Oaklands View.

·         I have been appointed as Deputy Leader of the Isle of Wight Group of Independent Councillors.

·         Police have reported that surveillance continues on the beach between Gurnard Marsh and Sailing Club following historical reports of anti-social behaviour from gatherings.

·         At Full Council concerns were expressed in diluting the role of the IW Association of Local Councils within Scrutiny.  It was noted by most Councillors that proposals to do this was not welcomed, particularly at a time when the Corporate Scrutiny Committee were monitoring the impact of Town and Parish Councils.  Concerns (which I supported) were also expressed about debating petitions.

·         Northwood Parish Council has shared a letter received from the Minister for Housing and Planning concerning the IW Council’s Housing numbers.  In light of this, I continue to challenge the housing numbers pitched at 641 new homes per annum.

·         In light of advice, a list is being created to highlight what local priorities residents would like to see funded through Section 106 contributions from developments.  On this, please let me know your thoughts!

·         Volunteers are needed to drive the local community buses.  If you are interested please let me know!

·         Cowes Primary School are seeking two new School Governors.  Again, please let me know if you are interested.

·         I enjoyed the latest meeting of the IW Council’s Audit Committee.  Items being considered included proposals for investment at Nicholson Road, Ryde; Health and Safety Risks within the IW Council’s Estate and Brexit…

·         At Cowes’ Parking Strategy meeting, I share concerns that more parking permits are being issued than there are spaces available. This is something that Cowes Councillors will take up with the IW Council.

·         At the recent Town and Parish Council seminar, it was reported that following a lack of investment by Housing Associations in new homes, the IW Council are considering forming their own housing provider to invest in low cost energy efficient modular housing.  This is something I look forward to discussing further with officers.

·     Two meetings are taking place with officers concerning the forthcoming consultation on the English Coastal Path.