Surgeries:
4:30-5pm,
Tuesday 2nd August, Cowes Library, Beckford Road, Cowes.
5:30-6pm,
Tuesday 2nd August, Sports Bar, IW Community Club, Park Road, Cowes.
12:30-1:30pm,
Tuesday 9th August, The Little Gloster, Marsh Road, Gurnard.
Planning
Applications.
Applications have been approved for a boat
store in Marsh Road, conditions have
been amended for the new development at the former Gurnard School site off Cockleton Lane.
Proposals to redevelop 13 Shore Road have been refused, whilst an application for 23 Shore Road (conditioned with
consistent roofing to Gurnard Sailing Club) has been approved by Planners.
Waste
Updates.
Last month new Wheelie Bins and Food Caddies
were issued to new households in Glen
Place.
I am aware there remains confusion over what
goes out and when. Please note most
rubbish is now recyclable. Items that currently
cannot be recycled and must be deposited in the black wheelie bin are:
·Nappies/ Sanitary Products
|
Animal Waste
|
Polystyrene
|
·Plasters and Dressings
|
Cold Ash
|
Sweet & Crisp Wrappers
|
·Cling Film
|
Foil Pet Food Pouches
|
Contaminated (with food/oil)
|
·Bubble Wrap
|
Blister strips from pill packets
|
Recyclables
|
Waste and
Recycling Surgery.
In response to the roll-out of the waste contract, I’m holding a further
surgery alongside representatives from the Council’s Waste Contract Team and
Amey.
If you have questions about:
·
Receiving your
wheelie bin/ gull sacks.
·
Requesting either a
larger or smaller wheelie bin
·
Requesting a free
assisted collection (for mobility impaired residents)
·
Requesting a back
door collection, as part of Amey’s Collection Plus Service.
·
Confused about what
can/ cannot be recycled
·
Unable to register
on-line or contact the call-centre regarding waste/ recycling issues.
·
Communal Waste
Matters?
The surgery takes place:
10:30-12:30pm, Tuesday 2nd August at Gurnard
Press, Worsley Road, Gurnard, Cowes.
Lynnbottom
Civic Amenity Site closure 1-14th August:
The Island’s Principle Civic Amenity site will close on 1st
August. This is to allow for
improvements to the traffic flow on site, and will see an increase of recycling
bays.
During the closure
the Afton
Marsh Household Recycling Centre will remain open from 7am-8pm, 7 days a week
to allow for the disposal of household recycling and waste and bulky
items.
Residents may also take a limited number of
recyclables and garden waste to a temporary recycling centre that will be
provided by Amey at Smallbrook Stadium in Ryde.
Andrew Turner MP’s
Summer Surgeries.
11:45-12:00 noon,
Tuesday 2nd August at: The Clock (outside Bucklers View), Gurnard
and 12:10-12:40pm Tuesday 2nd
August, Terminus Road, Cowes.
In the past I’ve
joined Andrew, however this year these coincide with the waste surgery taking
place in Gurnard.
Highways Issues.
Last
month reinstatement works took place and were completed ahead of schedule in Ward Avenue.
For
Cowes Week extra traffic restrictions will be imposed on Princes Esplanade. This follows complaints received last year from
wide vehicles that were unable to pass during busy times.
A
further minor incident has occurred in Shore
Road. I have requested for remedial works to take place following the road
which is due to be resurfaced later this year.
Hedgerows have been further cutback in Baring Road, whilst vegetation
clearance is due to commence at the end of the bird nesting season on 1st
August on Rights of Way throughout
the Island. Because of the potency of this year’s growing season, officers have
advised this will take longer than usual, and asks for residents to be patient
when reporting any difficult to access footpaths.
Double Yellow Lines.
Whilst
attempting to justify the need for double yellow lines in strategic locations
(Church Road, Egypt Esplanade, Park Road and Woodvale/ Baring Road
junction. Are there any locations in the
Cowes area, where you consider double yellow lines are both unnecessary or due
to changes of circumstance are no longer required?
If so, please let
me know!
Litter
Bins.
Following
additional complaints, support from Gurnard Parish Council and monitoring by
the IW Council, litter bins on Gurnard Green will be collected each day during
the Summer Holidays!!
Ferris Wheel, Cowes.
Residents from
Marinus have contacted me about the Ferris Wheel which is due to be located adjacent
to them within Sheperds Wharf during Cowes Week. Contrary to resident’s beliefs
on this, the Isle of Wight Council have limited responsibilities, as they
neither own Sheperds Wharf, or Northwood Park where this was relocated from.
The local Councillor
for the area (Lora Peacey-Wilcox) has taken a lead on this, and are taking up
resident’s concerns with the IW Council’s Planning and Licensing Officers.
Maintenance of Sea
Defences.
In the last few years
residents/ landowners have approached both myself and the Coastal Protection
team of the Isle of Wight Council concerning maintaining and upgrading sea and
flood defences at both Shore Path and Marsh Road. This follows statements made from Government
promoting self-help initiatives, following the withdrawal of funding.
This has
resulted in the investment to maintain coastal defences in Marsh Road, and has
also meant that funds were accrued to reinstate the public footpath CS35 which
was closed. Following work being
undertaken, an approach has been made to the Council to move forward to defend
this area for the longer term. On this,
discussions are ongoing.
In the meantime,
Coastal Defence Maintenance has taken place between Gurnard Marsh and Shore
Path. This work has received necessary
consents from the IW Council.
Devolution
Consultation has
commenced on devolution, or combining local authorities through a ‘Solent
Deal’. A statement issued makes the
following points:
‘The Isle of Wight
Council, Portsmouth
City Council and Southampton City
Council are
negotiating a deal with government to secure extra powers and funding for our
area. The deal would give the region £900 million over the next 30 years to
improve infrastructure, transport and housing, and provide training and skills
and support for business.
This will be £30m per year
in new funding. The deal would also mean significant decision making powers and
funding, currently held by central government, being passed down to our local
area so we have more local control over local issues. The aim is to improve
economic prosperity by bringing decision-making and accountability closer to
local people and enabling funds to be spent on tackling local problems and
taking advantage of local opportunities to improve economic growth.
The
three councils would continue to exist and operate independently. This would
not involve creating one big council to control the whole area. However we
would need a way for the three councils to work much more closely together to
manage these new funds and powers. Having reviewed the options for our area,
and what Government expects, we believe the best way to achieve this is to
establish a Solent Mayoral Combined Authority which would include the three
unitary local authorities and the Combined
Authority would be led by a Directly Elected Mayor for the area who would work
with the Leaders of the three councils and the LEP (Local Enterprise
Partnership!) to manage the new powers and funding.
The aim
is to keep extra cost and bureaucracy to an absolute minimum. The Mayor is the
only new political role that would be created and the majority of work for the
combined authority would be carried out by officers working for the member
councils. More information on the structure of the combined authority, including
its relationship with neighbouring local authorities, is available via the
following link: http://www.solentdeal.co.uk/’
This public consultation continues
until 18th September.
Public Rights Of Way Consultation.
Consultation
continues on the IW Council’s Rights Of Way Improvement Plan. The purpose of
this is to explore options which make Public Footpaths, Bridleways and Byways
better for residents and visitors.
Key
objectives include:
·
Maintain a high quality rights of way network.
·
Develop the network to benefit as wide a range of users as possible.
·
Identify a programme of achievable improvements.
·
Improve access for those with mobility difficulties.
·
Promote the network and countryside to non-users.
·
Promote the network for health and leisure.
·
Promote the network as an option for sustainable journeys.
The
consultation continues until 16th
September. For further information
please visit:
Also:
·
At Full Council
in May, I was the only Isle of Wight Councillor to suggest that Councillors
allowances were cut.
·
I monitored the
durability of new biodegradable Garden Waste Sacks. The sack which I tested in accordance with
Amey’s instructions survived (just) for 14 days. Amey are considering making sacks a further
10 microns thicker.
·
A bathing Water
survey took place on Cowes beach during July.
I am awaiting the response from this.
·
Loose stones and
gravel was removed from the bottom of Hilton Road following a request made to
Island Roads. In addition to this,
developers have also been asked to keep road frontages of debris.
·
I continue to
receive feedback from residents concerning the future of railings on Gurnard/
Cowes seafront. Many thanks for the
feedback received so far!
·
A number of
residents have had missed rubbish collections. These were collected within hours
of being reported.
·
Following a
recent ward walk I’ve reported and seen dog bins replaced.
·
I was successful
in requesting the Devolution consultation (see above) was extended for Town and
Parish Councils.
·
A ‘Friends Of’ Group are
to take on day to day running of the Gurnard Open Space project in Partnership
with Gift For Nature. The Group are
seeking contributions for a Picnic Bench for the open space to commemorate the
life of community stalwart, Jenny Thomas. For further information on the
Friends Of Cockleton Meadow please contact Chairman, Martin Bilson: martin@vectisvet.freeserve.co.uk
·
During the hot weather complaints were
received by Environmental Health concerning Bonfires in the Baring Road bowl. I am grateful to
residents for their assistance in ensuring these were acted upon swiftly.
·
Further requests have been received from
residents chasing up their replacement blue badges. If you are seeking to
replace your badge, please contact the Council early, as I’m aware that these
can take several months to process.
·
I have supported a beach hut resident
liaising with the IW Council about the stabilisation of land.
·
I am in the process of calling a meeting
between IW Councillors and Cowes Medical Centre.
REPORT FROM THE EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR ENVIRONMENT (SUSTAINABILITY)
AND LOCAL ENGAGEMENT TO THE MEETING OF FULL COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY, 20 JULY 2016
Lynnbottom Civic
Amenity Site closure 1 to 14 August
The Island’s principal household waste
recycling centre will close temporarily for two weeks on 1 August. This is to
allow for improvements to the traffic flow on site, an increase of recycling
bays and the introduction of a new commercial waste recycling centre that will
allow business to dispose of their waste on a pay as you throw basis.
During the temporary closure at Lynnbottom,
the Afton Marsh Household Recycling Centre will remain open from 7am to 8pm,
seven days a week to allow for the disposal of household recycling and waste
and bulky items. Residents may also take a limited number of recyclables and
garden waste to a temporary recycling centre that will be provided by Amey at
Smallbrook Stadium in Ryde. The Smallbrook Stadium temporary facility will be
open every day from 1 to 14 August 2016 from 8am to 4pm and will accept limited
number of recyclables and garden waste. It should be noted that there will be
no disposal facility for household asbestos and plasterboard for this two week
period.
Prior to the Lynnbottom Closure, I have
requested for steps to be taken to further reduce congestion in Briddleford
Road. Options are being considered by Amey, but in the meantime I ask that
wherever possible busy periods (between 11am to 2pm) are avoided.
Recycling
On a positive note, recycling rates for the
first two months (April/May) of this contract year (April 2016 to March 2017)
have shown significant improvement. Amey’s target for this contract year is
52.7 per cent and the first two months have achieved a year to date total of
59.27 per cent recycling and composting for all municipal waste.
There has also been a significant increase in
the diversion from landfill rate which now stand at year to date 59.29 percent;
this is noticeably connected to a 15 per cent decrease in non-recyclable waste
across the Island.
Waste contract
surgeries feedback
I
met with 120 residents at surgeries across the Island. Issues raised to me
included:
•
Delays and update requests in dispatch of wheelie bins, inserts and gull sacks
(85 requests).
•
Reassessment requests/updates (20 requests).
•
Complaints regarding the strength of garden waste sacks (11 requests).
•
Flat assessments (9 requests).
•
Specific insert/food caddy only requests (8 requests).
•
Complaint regarding call centre delays (8 requests).
•
Removal of ‘rejected’ black bins (7 requests).
•
Missed collections (6 requests).
•
General enquiries about recycling (5 requests).
•
General health and safety concerns/updates (3 requests).
•
General complaints regarding accessing website/logging in etc (2 requests).
•
Queries on whether recyclables are actually being separated (2 requests).
•
Can bin men close lids after bins are emptied? (2 requests)
•
Obtainability of waste sacks, black bins being too small, early collections,
gull sacks being too large (one enquiry each).
Attendee
numbers at the surgeries were as follows:
•
Ryde 63
•
Newport 23
•
Cowes 16
•
Sandown 11
•
Freshwater 3
•
East Cowes 2
•
Ventnor 2
It remains my intention to contact all
residents who attended surgeries, to ensure issues have been positively
resolved. I have organised a surgery to take place from 9.30am to 11am, Monday
18 July at Ryde Library and will be accompanied by Amey and council representatives
to resolve any outstanding Ryde issues which require a resolution. In the
meantime, there will be a greater focus in coming weeks to resolving ongoing
(and some historical) issues, where there are high concentrations of dwellings.
Rights
Of Way updates
·
Coastal access. The first meeting
between the council and Natural England takes place on 1 September and will be
resource focused.
·
The
Rights of Way team has provided support to Niton and Whitwell Parish Council
which obtained grant funding (Tesco bag grant) to improve a section of Ashknowle Lane (NT18) linking Niton and
Whitwell for year-round use.
·
The
Autumn cutting programme is due to
start on 1 August (after the bird nesting season). This year, the rate of
growth has been unprecedented due to very wet and mild weather. Patience will
be required as the team work around the Island.
West
Wight Coastal Flood and Erosion Risk Management Strategy
Consultation Feedback took place with
officers from both the IW Council and the Environment Agency on the Coastal Management
Strategy. From my perspective, I attended two drop-in events which took place in Cowes and Yarmouth. In excess of 100
residents attended both events, and in respect of the consultation the council
received 83 responses to the 3 month public consultation, which closed on 30
June.
These comprised 68 questionnaires submitted
online and at the roadshows, plus 15 written comments. Responses are being
analysed and with the results being published in full as part of the final
strategy in Autumn 2016.
The following answers to the two key
questions provide a summary of the results which were received:
‘Are you in support of the Strategy being
taken forward to guide coastal flood and erosion risk management over on the
Isle of Wight for the next 100 years?'
64 per cent said 'Yes', 28 per cent said
'No', and nine per cent said 'Don't know'
'Do you support the proposed strategic
options to manage coastal flood and erosion risk in the areas that are relevant
to you?'
Zone 1 (Needles Headland): 71% Yes, 7% No,
and 21% Don't know/not applicable.
Zone 2 (Totland and Colwell Bays): 65 % Yes,
23% No, and 13% Don't know/not
applicable.
Zone 3 (Yarmouth and the Western Yar): 83% Yes, 11% No, and 6% Don't know/not applicable.
Zone 4 (Newtown Coast): 60% Yes, 12% No, and
28% Don't know/not applicable.
Zone 5 (Gurnard and Cowes Headland): 56% Yes,
22% No, and 22% Don't know/not applicable.
Zone 6 (Cowes, East Cowes and the Medina): 75%
Yes, 4% No, and 21% Don't know/not applicable.
Transferral
of public conveniences.
The process of transferring the freehold of
public conveniences has commenced.
The government’s Valuation Office, has
reassessed business rate liabilities. This may have a financial impact on both
the Isle of Wight Council and at the current time a small number of town and
parish councils.
On this decision, I will work with officers
to ensure that any such rate liability has been correctly applied by the
Valuation Office.
Sustainability
Forum
The forum met last month. I have requested
that this organisation is given more focus on priority areas and have requested
that members take a lead on initiatives. Current priorities for members include:
Healthy homes (including fuel poverty),
biosphere, sustainable transport and community energy.
Since last Full Council:
• I’ve hosted six waste surgeries.
• I attended a Community Waste Forum.
• I attended the meeting of the Economy and
Transport Select Committee.
• I attended a meeting of the AONB
Partnership.
• I attended a meeting with Newport Parish
Council regarding waste contract roll-out issues.
• I attended a meeting of Lake Parish Council
regarding potential transferral of principal parks.
• I arranged and attended a meeting with
Cowes town councillors to discuss options regarding sea front railings.
• In partnership with the Isle of Wight Cycle
Forum and Southern Vectis the ‘Go Wider of the Rider’ to promote safe cycling
has been rolled out.
