Northwood Parish Council

Posted by Admin on 22 March 2012, 5:59 pm

NORTHWOOD PARISH COUNCIL

MEMBERS:

CHAIRMAN – JOHN PULLEN
86 Wyatts Lane, Northwood PO31 8PY
Email: pullenjd@hotmail.co.uk
Tel: 01983 281250

VICE-CHAIRMAN – PATRICK BENTLEY
95 Noke Common, Newport PO30 5TY
Email: pat.bentleyready@gmail.com
Tel: 01983 248287

PAUL FULLER
74 Wyatts Lane, Northwood PO31 8QA
Email: paulfuller@onwight.net
Tel: 01983 289595

RAY MEW
63 Horsebridge Hill, Newport PO30 5TJ
Email: ray.mewvl@gmail.com
Tel: 01983 245234

CHRIS RIDDET
‘Vert Bois’ 46 Cockleton Lane, Gurnard PO31 8JD
Email: ringwood49er@hotmail.co.uk
Tel: 01983 245033

DEREK SMITH
85 Venner Avenue, Northwood PO31 8AG
Email: tjoy@globalnet.co.uk
Tel 01983 281522

MEGAN MOORE
108 Pallance Road, Northwood PO31 8LS
Email: megan.moore@googlemail.com
Tel 01983 291250

CLERK & RFO TO NORTHWOOD PARISH COUNCIL – BARBARA HERBERT
11 Wyatts Lane, Northwood PO31 8QB
Email: barbara.herbert@sky.com
Tel: 01983 290086

MEETINGS
Meetings of the Parish Council are held on the first Tuesday of the month, commencing at 6.30pm.
The meeting of the Planning Committee, if required, is held on the third Tuesday of the month, commencing at 6.30pm.

ALL MEETINGS ARE HELD AT
NORTHWOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL, WYATTS LANE, NORTHWOOD.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE PRESS ARE VERY WELCOME TO ATTEND.

The comments made in the following articles represent the views of the individual contributors, rather than Northwood parish council

Parish Council Report
The Chairman welcomed Dr John Yelland, a resident of the Camp Hill area who was to make a presentation on the Camp Hill wind energy proposals.
Dr Yelland, with the aid of a power point presentation and scale models explained his concerns about the Camp Hill wind energy proposals. The proposed wind turbines with a height of 410 feet would be higher than Big Ben. The turbine blades would be 295 feet in diameter and would totally dominate the area. The proximity to residential properties is unacceptable. In Denmark and New Zealand wind farms must be set back at least 2KM and there are similar guidelines in Scotland. In Germany the clearance is 1.5KM. Eon imposes a 750M clearance on its developments and Vestas Operations Manual requires a 400M clearance. In England there is currently no legal limit although two bills are before Parliament which would deliver a 2KM clearance.
Dr Yelland used models to demonstrate the dominance of the turbines over nearby properties and also using a picture taken from Rew Street one and a half miles away from the proposed wind farm site.
Finally, Dr Yelland stated that he was not against turbines, just against them being sited in the wrong place.

Northwood House
The Chairman welcomed, Mrs Ann Thwaites, Chairman of the Trustees, who referred to the progress made since the group had taken over Northwood House. The Rotunda car park had been a mess with free parking on the approach road and in the car park, often by people not using the house or park. The car park has been cleaned up and parking bays have been marked. A management company has been appointed for a set fee to manage the car park and issue penalty notices. After the payment of the management fee all income comes to the Trust. The previous free parking for the first hour arrangements have been replaced with a 50p charge.
There are now six trustees appointed who do not take any pay or expenses. There are also a number of unpaid advisers who bring specific skills to the organisation.
The Chairman reported that the applications to the Isle of Wight Council’s Economic Improvement Fund towards the cost of replacement flooring to the Chapel at Northwood Cemetery and towards the costs of planting and watering the 28 tubs and planters around the village had been approved. However, the application towards the cost of a Housing Needs Survey had been rejected.
Following a meeting at the Cowes Enterprise College to discuss youth representation on the Parish Council, It was suggested that a Year 10 student at the College, preferably living in Northwood could be asked to attend Council meetings and to get involved in the Housing Needs Survey.
The Traffic and Transport Issues Working Party reported that the Bus Group finally has a bank account, although it is not currently known how much money the Group has. The community bus is running well and there will now be two daily journeys via Rew Street which the drivers will monitor. One journey has been cut out altogether because of the tight timings. The new arrangements will become operational on Monday 2 April.
With regard to the issue of road works members drew attention to the delays caused by ongoing works. It was considered that fundamental mistakes had been made in the IW Council not setting up diversions and it was also noted that the signage was of a very poor quality.
It was understood that the works in Mill Hill Road and Newport Road Cowes were due to the replacement of gas mains and this was outside the control of IW Council. Members considered that it would be helpful if more notice could be given of proposed road works.
Northwood in Bloom Working Party: the Chairman reported that the £4,000 funding by the Isle of Wight Council has been put back into the budget for the coming year. There is also Wightlink sponsorship of £2,000. Grants to individual groups have been cut down from £300 to £200. Plants are now available through a mainland nursery owned by the John O’Connor Group which has now won a contract with the Isle of Wight Council. Members expressed disappointment that plants are no longer being supplied through Ryde House Nursery.

Safer Neighbourhood Report for Northwood
PCSO Oatley reported that February had been a very good month with only eight calls to the village of Northwood and one reported crime, the theft of a bottle of milk. There were problems at Lutons Farm where fences and horses had been moved at the area near the pond. This is not currently being treated as a criminal matter but is causing some concern. The Police would welcome any information from the public about this matter.
There has been a theft from Northwood Cemetery. A considerable amount of cut timber was taken, by unknown people using a pick-up truck. This wood is normally allowed to dry and then distributed to elderly people around the area.

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I have a supply of No Cold Calling window stickers, paid for by the Parish Council, if anybody needs one. Ring 281250.

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Do not forget Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. You do not need to identify yourselves and the calls are not recorded.

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John Pullen