News and views

At its meeting on 1 May 2024, Isle of Wight Council agreed to take the draft Island Planning Strategy to its next step. This will be a statutory consultation with residents. The draft strategy sets out the overall approach towards future development on the Island and the policies to be used in assessing planning applications. The draft plan includes policies that mean that: The plan balances social, economic and environmental issues and fronts up to some difficult decisions such as planning for 453 homes per year until 2037 — although 2,358 of these homes across 44 different sites already have planning permission. By allocating just 24 more sites that don’t already have permission for the next 15 years, the plan…

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[Adapted from an Isle of Wight Council press release] Isle of Wight Council decision-making will be under the committee system from 2025, replacing the current Cabinet model. This means instead of a single Cabinet of up to 10 councillors (usually from one political group), decisions will be made by committees with representation from all political groups on a proportional basis. Some decisions can only be taken by all councillors at a full council meeting such as setting the budget and council tax. Other other committees that deal with any regulatory matters such as planning and licensing will carry on as they currently do. The new committees will include a policy, finance and resources committee, and four other service committees covering:…

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(Adapted from an Isle of Wight Council press release.) Isle of Wight Council is asking about the impact of poverty on Island residents (either themselves or people they know) and what would help most in tackling poverty. Recent big increases in food and energy costs, and general inflation, have meant seen more and more people experiencing poverty. The council, working with others, is now working to create a sustainable and effective anti-poverty strategy for the Island over the next five years. This has been a long time coming but I’m pleased that work is now under way. In 2021, when the council’s corporate plan was adopted, I got addressing poverty included as an overarching consideration. The lack of an anti-poverty…

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On a recent morning walk I spotted and reported the following:

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It’s that time of year when wet and cold weather mean our roads start breaking up even more. Over the last few days I’ve spotted and reported potholes in Horsebridge Hill:

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Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council set its budget in early February. The increase is 5.1% following last year’s ‘freeze’ given cost of living pressures on residents. Among the services and facilities the community council will continue to fund are four toilets, maintenance of four recreation grounds, all school crossing patrols, the 39 bus service, an environment officer, many of the area’s litter and dog waste bins, support for planning enforcement, and the immensely popular Christmas event. In addition next year the Council will increase support for voluntary youth services in the parish, arrange a ‘D-Day 80’ event at Victoria Rec in June, and continue support for the IW Children’s Story Festival. I was really pleased that suggestions for Parkhurst & Hunnyhill ward…

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