(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 strategy has not stopped the Island from taking action during the cost of living crisis. There is a wide range of helpful information and advice on the council’s web site.

Among its aims the strategy will:

• set clear goals about how poverty will be tackled and how Islanders will be supported;
• improve co-ordination and empower key local groups and organisations to do more to address poverty, focussing limited resources and capacity;
• increase accountability by providing measurable targets to understand if the actions are making a difference.

Islanders can take part by completing the online residents’ survey. Interested organisations can get involved by filling in the organisational online survey.

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

• fly-tipping just off Hookes Way – Island Roads have now confirmed that this has been removed
• potholes in Forest Road – Island Roads have confirmed that they have been raised as “carriageway defect repairs”

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:

• Opposite the junction with Hogan Road – Island Roads have confirmed a repair job has been raised
• A utility cover opposite the junction with Noke Common – Island Roads have issued a notice to BT for repair

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 were agreed. There is extra money for play equipment, and for public realm improvements on Hunnyhill where the bee hotel and small bench are already in place. There is also money for community noticeboards. I would welcome residents’ suggestions for where these could go.

The following is adapted from an Isle of Wight Council press release with my comment added at the end.

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Isle of Wight councillors are looking at whether to change council decision making from the current Cabinet model to a committee based system.

At their Full Council meeting in July 2023 the council agreed to start work on changing its governance and the way elected councillors make decisions on local matters. At present, whilst some decisions are made by Full Council the majority of decisions are taken by a Cabinet, of 8 councillors, appointed by the leader of the council. This can mean that the remaining councillors can feel excluded from the decision-making process under this system.

A working group of councillors was established and in late 2023 the group set out their initial views and a framework for a committee system, which would widen opportunities for all members to get involved in council decision making. Under this system, instead of a Cabinet, the council would be divided into politically balanced committees that will make the majority of council policy decisions, allowing all councillors to take part in some way.

This initial framework suggests five service committees:

• Children’s Services
• Adult Social Care, Public Health & Housing
• Economy, Transport & Infrastructure
• Environment & Community Protection
• Policy, Finance & Resources

Alongside these would continue the existing separate committees that cover statutory functions, such as Planning and Licensing and a new single committee to undertake statutory scrutiny functions of Health and Crime and Flooding.

The next stage will be to set out more detail on a proposed committee system as well as a timetable that concludes in the Full Council making a formal decision.

The Council is seeking the views of Islanders about the proposed changes throughout the process and residents can make their views known via a dedicated email: future.governance@iow.gov.uk or in writing to “Future Governance”, IOW Council, County Hall, High Street, Newport PO30 1UD

I believe that the Cabinet system does not work well for the Isle of Wight and that a committee system will mean more councillors will have a say in decisions, whether as part of a ‘ruling group’ or otherwise. As representatives of their communities this will help residents know that anything they raise with their councillor is more likely to be taken account of.

Island Roads annual customer survey is under way with a closing date of 28 February.

The short survey invites residents to give feedback on the range of highway services delivered by Island Roads such as highway maintenance, road and pavement resurfacing, winter services, street cleansing and lighting, verge and grass cutting.

The feedback from the survey helps identify those services deemed to be performing well and also those where it is felt improvement are needed.

The survey can be accessed online with paper copies of the survey including large print versions available on request, by emailing info@islandroads.com

The planning application for 203 homes at Acorn Farm on Horsebridge Hill was passed by planning committee members last Tuesday (23 January 2024). No councillor voted against the scheme.

I’m not a member of the committee so didn’t get a vote.

In my remarks to the committee as ward councillor I highlighted:

• concerns about the impact for local residents using the junctions into side roads; one in particular raised with me by a resident was turning right out of Nicholson Street
• concerns about traffic growth and congestion along the whole route from Newport to Cowes; we’ve seen this week what happens when utility works mean there have to be temporary lights
• concerns about drainage both the localised flooding into gardens along Prior Crescent and into the River Medina. I welcomed the proposal for a new ditch to drain off the land should help with the Prior Crescent issue, and the pond and other measures which will help with slowing down rainwater run-off
• the welcome inclusion of a play area in an area of Parkhurst & Hunnyhill ward that lacks play facilities
• the welcome inclusion of solar panels and heat pumps to help reduce the growth in greenhouse gas emissions
• the welcome commitment that not only would there be affordable homes for key workers (we have both the prison and hospital nearby which would help staff find local housing) and the intention that SNG (previously known as Sovereign Housing Association) would take on the remaining homes for affordable rent and buy; it’s going to be vital that this ensures Island families in need are given priority

I said to the committee that, although it is regrettable that a greenfield site is lost, having a site used for housing that is much more likely to help Islanders who need affordable homes to rent or buy makes this scheme acceptable.

It isn’t a perfect scheme though.

In particular, having urged the committee to consider the highways impacts it was disappointing that they didn’t discuss these at any length. I will take up the need for Isle of Wight Council to look hard at what is needed along the whole route from Newport to Cowes, and bid for government money if any schemes can be worked out that would reduce the impact of the extra traffic that will arise from proposed developments along this route.

I have noticed that the pedestrian crossing on Forest Road seems to be acting as though the button is permanently pressed. Traffic is being held up when there is no-one waiting to cross.

I’ve alerted Island Roads, reminding them this has happened before. On one occasion this was, I understand, due to a microswitch that had been affected by the very cold weather.

A resident alerted me to the return of the water leak in Hampshire Crescent near the junction with Forest Road. Leaks are never good and with icy weather this could be hazardous.

I took this up with the council and they’ve confirmed that Southern Water have been informed. An inspector was due to visit yesterday (Wednesday, 17 January 2024). This post will be updated when I have more information.

The following is adapted from an Isle of Wight press release ….

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Eligible Island residents can now get free upgrades to make their homes more energy efficient.

The scheme is first come, first served so apply now by visiting the Warmer Homes website or calling the freephone number on 0800 038 5737. People can also email: retrofit@warmerhomes.org.uk.

These upgrades are worth up to £38,000 per household and could include insulation, air source heat pumps and solar PV panels.

The money comes from the Home Upgrade Grant and aims to help lower income households whose home is not very energy efficient and not heated by mains gas.

Energy saving measures could include solar panels, solid wall insulation and air source heat pumps which can cost thousands to install can be installed for free. These can go on to save households thousands of pounds in the future.