IW Councillors Annual Report 2019-2020 from Paul Fuller, Independent County Councillor for Cowes West and Gurnard

Isle of Wight Councillors Report 2019-2020 from Paul Fuller

Independent Isle of Wight Councillor for Cowes West and Gurnard.

 

Please contact me:

 

By Post to:  45 Oxford Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight. PO31 8PT.

 Telephone: 01983 289595 (24 hours)/ 07 935 090 835 (Mobile & Text); Email: paulfulleriw@gmail.com

 

Visits and Surgeries.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact me. I am always happy to meet at a time and place convenient to you.

 I also hold regular surgeries/ drop-in’s. No appointment is necessary. As a rule of thumb these take place:

 

4:30-5pm, 1^st Tuesday of each month at Cowes Library, Beckford Road, Cowes.

5:30-6pm, 1^st Tuesday of each month at The Sports Bar, IW Community Club, Park Road, Cowes.

10:30-11am, 1^st Thursday of each month at Gurnard Press, Worsley Road, Gurnard.

1-1:30pm 2^nd or 3^rd Wednesday of each month at The Woodvale, Princes Esplanade, Gurnard.

5-5:30pm, 2^nd and last Wednesday of each month at The Portland, Worsley Road, Gurnard.

3-3:30pm, 3^rd or 4^th Wednesday of each month at Cowes Enterprise College, Crossfield Avenue, Cowes.

12:30-1:30pm, 3^rd or 4^th Friday of each month at the Little Gloster, Marsh Road, Gurnard. [April-September]

10:30-11am, 4^th Thursday of each month at All Saints Church Coffee & Chat morning, Tuttons Hill, Gurnard.

12-12:30pm, last Thursday of each month at Eegon’s Café, 72 High Street, Cowes.

 

Please visit paulfullercc.blogspot.co.uk for updates, monthly reports and confirmed details of surgeries.

 

Representing our Community in County Hall, rather than County Hall in our Community:

This is my eleventh annual report and summarises my work as your Councillor for the past 12 months.

Campaigning to protect vital services, I am committed to ensure our Councils say yes, rather than no. It remains in the forefront of my mind that I am only here because you re-elect me. As Councillor my priority is simply to put our community first.

I do this, because I thoroughly love it! Because I enjoy my ‘work’, I hope that it shows and I achieve the very best outcomes possible for residents.

Your Independent Councillor: Putting You First.

As an Independent, I continue putting the needs of Cowes and Gurnard first.

Having no activists, sponsors or leader shadowing me, my loyalty to represent every resident in Gurnard and Cowes is absolute.

Within my role, I am committed to be a hardworking, transparent, effective and enthusiastic councillor.

If you feel that I, or the Councils where I represent your views get things wrong, please tell me. Unless I am aware, I’m not in a position to listen, ask questions, put things right and fight on your behalf!

Since 2018, I have reduced my IW Council commitments to give more time to focus more on those local issues which impact on residents.

In the last year, to evidence feedback on a number of issues I have co-ordinated and extended outreach sessions, surveys and face to face approaches.

 

In a Nutshell: Key issues I’ve been pursuing during the last year:

For details of these and other campaigns pursued, please visit paulfullercc.blogspot.co.uk

 

April

 

·         Overflowing Bins were reported. Action was taken with the IW Council residents, businesses and holiday homeowners to limit re-occurances.

·         Following making safe woodland, the Zig Zag steps were reopened.

·         I supported a resident who had a planning application refused.

·         Land at Westwood Close was tidied up.

·         I took action to ensure local bus stops became accessible.

 

May 

 

·         Work commenced to repair the Watch House Shelter.

·         I undertook a parking survey with residents in and adjoining Worsley Road.  The key priority was to improve visibility at the Church Road junction.

·         Island Roads was approached to remove unnecessary street clutter.

·         With a Planning Application pending for Bucklers View, a public information event took place in Gurnard.

·         My term of office at Cowes Mayor came to an end.

 

June

 

·         I spent much of this month chasing up overgrown hedges, litter bin collections and seasonal warm weather.  This followed cutbacks by the IW Council

·         Dropped kerbs were requested in advance of this summer’s resurfacing programme

·         3 years on from my initial involvement, Biosphere Status was awarded to the Island.

·         I gave support to a family distressed by a lack of support given for end of life care.

Belated resident’s meetings took place to address concerns over sailing events.

 

July

 

·         I gave support to a disabled resident, who suffered from commuter parking in a bay nearby. Following a meeting with the driver, this matter was swiftly resolved!

·         A flytipper was caught, and action taken. Since this no re-occurances has arisen.

·         I supported a resident concerned by the spread of Japanese Knotweed nearby.

·         At Full Council I supported Climate Emergency initiatives.

·         I campaigned for improved support for non IT compliant residents following a proposed roll-out of digitalised services by the IW Council.

 

August

 

·         I spent a substantial amount of time in discussions with residents and Island Roads resolving highway access issues during Cowes Week.   

·         Developer contribution priorities were made. Locally, I requested improved disabled access and sustaining public transport.

·         Three contentious plans were considered. Two was refused, the other withdrawn.

·         Damage was caused to two bins and one beach hut by disposable barbecues.

·         At a special surgery called, I met with residents and businesses regarding Brexit.

 

September

 

·         I worked with residents to safeguard the future of the Egypt Light. Once the IW Council agrees its liability I hope to form a Trust/ Association.

·         Seafront Beach Steps required extra cleansing due to unseasonal warm weather.

·         Action was taken to address persistent fly-tipping in Shore Road.

·         Following a dust storm which affected residents in Magdalen Crescent, assurances were provided by the Community Club that incidents would not re-occur.

·         My request for a public forum providing information on the St Mary’s junction was (eventually) supported by the IW Council Leader and held in October.    

 

October

 

·         After 10 years of engagement, The Cowes Traffic Order was introduced. 

·         I met on site with Island Road’s to address a number of local highway matters.

·         Following complaints, a digital advertising board was removed from Cowes Road.

·         I called in two planning applications for Albert Road (successfully) and Bucklers View (unsuccessfully, given grounds for refusal could not be sustained at appeal)

·         I attended a Coastal Management Event with Cowes Enterprise College students.

 

November

 

·         I attended Remembrance Events at St Mary’s Church and All Saints Church.

·         I gave support to Havenstreet and Brighstone residents looking to improve their bus service and access to shops, ferries and the hospital. 

·         Registers for Priority Services were circulated to Gurnard Pines, Gurnard Press, Cowes Library and the IW Community Club.

·         In light of poor take up of Council Tax hardship funds, I requested the bar being lowered to support residents in need.

·         I launched the 200 for 2020 campaign to increase parking capacity in Cowes.

 

December

 

·         Floodlighting and Noise Nuisance continues to be an issue with Cowes Enterprise College’s 3G pitch. This was monitored by lighting consultants.

·         Highway Trees leaning at more than 20 degrees were cut down by Island Roads. I liaised with officers to safeguard against the unnecessary loss of trees.

·         I met with the Head of Planning to discuss Gurnard’s Neighbourhood Plan, housing need surveys and concerns to increase annual housing figures to 675.

·         Overfilled and unemptied bins were reported to Island Roads.

 

January

 

·         Two applications were advertised to develop a green field site in Baring Road. I will call-in any decision to approve housing on this gap between Cowes and Gurnard   

·         After perseverance part of Crossfield Avenue was resurfaced.

·         All telephone boxes are due to be removed from our area.

·         The newly built Gurnard Primary School opened!

·         I attended a presentation on the Cowes Enterprise College Lego Challenge entry. 

 

 

February

 

·         The first SailGP 2020 meeting took place with residents of Queens Road and Cliff Road. This meeting outlined lessons learnt since last year’s event.

·         Officers agreed to all fibre cabinets in conservation areas to be darkened.

·         I received confirmation the Bucklers View’s extension would not happen imminently.

·         A meeting was arranged to consider parking/ highway provision at Gurnard School.

·         I opposed the IW Council’s Budget, and colleagues tabled a credible alternative.

 

March

 

·         Proposals were made by IW Councillors to charge for parking on Gurnard and Cowes Seafront. Once proposals are made, I intend to fight these.

·         I met with residents affected by floodlighting, and arranged a follow-up to take place with Officers.

·         I successfully supported a business at an impass with the Equalities Commission.

·         I’ve actively supported drafting the IW Council’s Climate and Emergency Strategy.

·         A meeting is being arranged to address those roads that have not been resurfaced.

 

Organisations and Outside Bodies that I am a member and support:

 

·         Cowes Town Council. Town Councillor for Cowes North 2001-2005; from 2009. Mayor (2017-2019); Projects Committee and Finance & Acquisitions Committee; Island Roads liaison Councillor (2015- );  Cowes Mobility Forum (2018-    );  Cowes Parking Strategy Member (2019-    ); Environment and Sustainability Committee Representative (2019-      )

·         Gurnard Parish Council. Vice Chairman (2017-   ); Isle of Wight Association of Local Councils (2015-   ); Personnel Working Party (2018-    )

·         Northwood Parish Councillor.                  

·         Local Access Forum. Vice Chairman. This statutory body oversees Rights of Ways matters. The Forum works closely with landowners and user groups to improve access to the right of way network. In the last year I have been actively working on the Isle of Wight section of the English Coastal Path.

·         Footprint Trust. Trustee. The Trust supports lifting residents (often vulnerable) out of fuel poverty

·         Solent Forum.  This organisation oversees Economic and Environmental challenges within the Solent.

·         Isle of Wight AONB Partnership. This group manages and oversees challenges faced to the Isle of Wight’s Countryside.

 

In addition, I am a serving Justice of the Peace and sit on both Adult and Youth Benches, and am trained to consider domestic abuse matters.

 

Within the Isle of Wight Council, I am a member of the Council’s Licensing Committee.

 

With reduced corporate responsibilities this has enabled me to dedicate much more time to focus on local issues.

 

I am the current Deputy Leader of the (Opposition) Independent Group.

 

One year in numbers. As your Councillor:

 

·         I am contactable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

·         I work between 35 and 55 hours each week.

·         I attended 293 meetings associated with my role.

·         In addition, I’ve attended 21 informal/ associated meetings, briefings, exhibitions & site visits.

·         I attended 14 out of 14 Isle of Wight Council Meetings.

·         I’ve attended 11 out of 11 Cowes Town Council monthly meetings, 11 out of 11 Gurnard Parish Council meetings plus 40 further meetings/ events associated with Parish/ Town Council activities.

·         I’ve received 3300 emails, 1200 telephone calls and 7 letters! I aim to respond within 3 days and attempt to prioritise calls from Cowes West and Gurnard residents within 12 hours of receipt.

·         I’ve resolved/ relayed 1037 enquiries. 36% of these relate to Gurnard residents; 25% to Cowes West residents; 28% from other Cowes/ Northwood residents and 11% to residents living elsewhere.

·         I’ve arranged 107 surgeries in 7 different venues. Supporting 331 enquiries from residents. 

·         I’ve leafleted 2,300 Annual Reports, sent out 260 local newsletters and made 41 home visits.

·         I’ve written 12 monthly reports. Please visit www.paulfullercc@blogspot.co.uk for details. These are available from Cowes Library and Gurnard Press and edited for Gurnard News, the Cowes Magazine and the Beacon. Monthly reports provide updates, decisions taken and feedback to issues which I am pursuing. Each month I provide updates on between 30 and 55 items in each report.

 

This year I received a Councillors Allowance of:  £8355.12.

 

£124.15 Annual Report 2018/2019.

£993.00 Towards Broadband, new telephone, use of home as office.

£108.97 Office Supplies (ink, paper, postage, printing, newsletters etc.)

£ 20.00 Donations.

£ 47.55 Travel.

£ 63.50 Meetings, Surgeries and Associated Costs.

 

£1357.17 Total Expenses.