Report from I.W. Councillor John Nicholson

Posted by Admin on 15 November 2021, 9:00 pm

COUNCILLOR JOHN NICHOLSON

Ward Member for Northwood & Cowes South
Chairman of Policy & Scrutiny Committee for Adult Social Care & Health

SUNNYSIDE

PALLANCE LANE

NORTHWOOD

PO31 8LT
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Tel: 07918 757843

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Email: cllr.john.nicholson@btconnect.com

See the I.W. Councillor’s section

WARD REPORT – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

The Report appearing in the December 2021 / January 2022 edition of Northwood News:

Roads Update

Persistence pays; this is the story of highways concerns around Northwood. And, at the beginning of November we have, after many years’ persistence, finally got the roadside gully extended, in the stretch below the Travellers Joy, to channel the land-water that was seeping right across the road as it flowed downhill, rain or shine.

There is a consistent patter illustrating how persistence pays; the double yellow lines being extended above the Wyatts Lane junction took years of persistence and being turned down before we got what residents wanted. And, now, it has transformed that stretch of road, vastly improving the safety and stopping forcing vehicles coming down on to the wrong side of the road on a bend and junction!

The signage, too, was a bit of a battle, to try to improve pedestrian awareness along Pallance Road, and the Parish now has a working party making for some sort of pedestrian demarcation as being better than nothing, which is what we have now. If you live in or use Pallance Road and have not filled in a Parish Survey form, then please ask for one (contact the clerk, Cllrs Wilcox or Burgess).

There are still battles to be won, like getting the ponding rectified that leads to flooding of land opposite at the bottom of Pallance Road. And, there are the drainage issues that I discussed in last month’s newsletter, which, again, after much persistence, are finally being addressed.

Cowes Medical Centre

Several people have contacted me concerned that they have not had vaccines or boosters following prompting from government advice that they should contact their local surgery and ask for an appointment. The government advice in this case, I am afraid has not been helpful, indeed, it has been counterproductive, causing unnecessary calls to local surgeries that increase the load on them. I am told that all surgeries are working to a schedule that enables them to see and treat patients as efficiently as their resources allow them to by operating a priority call system that contacts the most vulnerable people first. This allows them to treat people in a measured and controlled way. The government national advice, well-meaning as it may be, is not helpful in this case, so please wait for your turn to be contacted and do not jump to call asking for an appointment for vaccines, unless you have circumstances that increase the urgency of your case.

Cross-Solent Travel for Patients

Over the years several people have contacted me, concerned about the way that they have been required to travel on the ferries, particularly the vehicle ferries. The ferry companies have always asserted that regulations stipulate that all passengers must vacate their vehicles on the crossing, but, it is now revealed, after seeking dialogue with the Marine and Coastguard Agency, who certify and regulate marine activity, that this is not the case, that it is in the consideration of the captain to permit passengers to stay in their vehicles. Obviously, this carries some risk, but risk has to be balanced and it is reasonable, even humane, to allow people who suffer a severely disabling condition that make it tortuously difficult to leave their vehicles for the ferry lounge to stay in their vehicles. This argument can also be extended to apply to patients that are particularly vulnerable and risk infection or that are infected and risk spreading. We (Health Scrutiny) have asked the Health Partners if they could make a statement concerning this and support some system of certifying that, in their opinion, a patient should stay in their vehicle when making a crossing.

Developing Place

Northwood and Cowes are looking at developing a Resilience Plan with our very adept Resilience Coordinator, who has served the Cowes peninsula so well. We will be seeking to align with Gurnard and East Cowes as well, making it an area Resilience Plan. This fits very well with the implementation and development of the Place Plan, and we had a very stimulating opening discussion on this at Cowes Town Council Projects Committee, drawing in Cowes Business Association and Northwood Cemetery. We also discussed a shared Local Cycling Walking and Infrastructure Plan involving Cowes, Northwood, Gurnard. The three areas have so much in common, so much overlap, that we are far stronger working together to secure common interests.

John Nicholson

Ward Councillor for Northwood & Cowes South

See the I.W. Councillor’s section