Report from I.W. Councillor John Nicholson

Posted by Admin on 23 June 2017, 5:02 pm

COUNCILLOR JOHN NICHOLSON

WARD MEMBER FOR COWES SOUTH & NORTHWOOD

MEMBER OF IW PLANNING COMMITTEE

MEMBER OF HEALTH AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING SCRUTINY PANEL

SUNNYSIDE

PALLANCE LANE

NORTHWOOD

PO31 8LT
.
Tel: 01983 209642 (evenings best)

Mobile: 07918 757843
.
Email: cllr.john.nicholson@btconnect.com

See the I.W.Councillor’s section

WARD REPORT – JUNE 2017

The Report appearing in the July/August 2017 edition of Northwood News:

GENERAL ELECTION
74,479 people cast their votes, around 67.3% turnout, and this was consistent in Northwood. Bob Seely gained 38,190 of those votes, nearly 10,000 more than the popular vote in 2015, and representing some 51.28% of total votes cast, and 34.5% of all those eligible to vote including 36,188 people, 32.7%, that did not vote. Knowing Bob personally, I was not surprised in this result. I know him as a most capable person, able to serve the Island as an MP, well connected, and with his feet firmly on the ground. For years, as an Isle of Wight Councillor, Bob has served his local community with passion and vigour, and has had a balanced and realistic perspective on how the Island, its assets and its needs, to enhance and develop its culture and its wellbeing. If you have an issue that you want your MP to look at for you, please do not hesitate to ask Bob, he can be contacted on 01983 522404 and bob@bobseely.org.uk
.
SOUTHERN WATER
The remedial works start on 26th June scheduled for 3 weeks. However, if the fault is found sooner, then the works will be terminated. It seems that the issue could be a manufacturing fault in the pipe that only shows up under the pressure tests. It is unfortunate, but the fault has to be resolved, and I, along with neighbouring Councillors, have worked with Island Roads to mitigate inconvenience as much as possible, and to ensure the roads will be open whenever possible. The only times any road will have to be closed is when crossing the roundabout at Somerton, and when lifting and replacing pipes up the 60m stretch of Newport Road, which will be done at night. During the day, Newport Road will be open and incorporate Enterprise Way, which is the other side of the hedge to Somerton, so traffic will have free movement.
.
DOGS
Being a dog owner myself, and having been bitten twice during my canvassing rounds, then seeing, on the TV, that some poor chap had to have his arm amputated after a dog bite infection, I want to alert myself and other dog owners to the hazards and responsibilities that we hold.
•   Make sure that your dog is up to date with all the recommended injections.
•   Make sure you hold adequate insurance (for unpredictable behaviour) and your dog is chipped
•   If you are transporting your dog in your vehicle, make sure it is restrained – there is a recent case where insurance pay-out was denied because a dog was travelling unrestrained.
•   Make sure you clean up after your dog, especially where there may be young children, as dogs can carry a worm that causes blindness, and youngsters are particularly susceptible.
.
If anyone has any other recommendations, please let me know, and if anyone knows how to train your dog not to want to go for postmen, please let me know as well. This could be an on-going subject.
.
WELLBEING
I am particularly encouraged that this Council will see some holistic inroads into wellbeing, sometimes referred to as mental health by people when they are talking of wellbeing in the deficit. I have already had discussions with other Councillors who share my interest and wish to see this happen, from every political quarter. My opinion on this, and I would welcome comment from those experienced in this subject, is that we should focus on the benefits gained though enhancement of emotional wellbeing, rather than just on the problem side, as after all, it was focus on this that has given us our sports success phenomenon in recent years!
.
If we talk about mental health, it implies illness; that there is something wrong, and brings stigma. What we are really talking about is mental state, and, by that we really mean emotional state, how we feel about ourselves and the outside world. Mental health is a term that is used that enables medicalisation of people’s emotional wellbeing, in a symptom-focused manner. Yes, there are people that suffer physical disorders and imbalances that affect their cognitive ability, but motional state is how you feel, and is influenced by how you think. How you think is influenced by what you believe and the values that you hold, through those beliefs, deep in your sub-conscious mind. But, these can be controlled, directed, changed, at will.

.
John Nicholson
Ward Member for Northwood & Cowes South.