Northwood Community Partnership

Posted by Admin on 12 September 2005, 12:00 am

GRANTS

From our Committee meeting held in June, the Partnership had three requests for Grants.

This year the Community Partnership decided to allocate £400 towards grant applications for good causes that will benefit the Community of Northwood, for the coming year. It was decided by the Committee to allocate £100.00 to Northwood Women’s Institute towards extending their Hall car park. It was also agreed that £80.00 would be given to Northwood Scouts for improving access to the Scout Hut in Wyatts Lane. Our next Grants Committee will be held in November.

POLICE REPORT

The police report that twelve children have been questioned during the continued investigation in connection with the shed break-ins which occurred a few months ago. The police have also been giving advice to residents who have left windows open whilst they are out. Every summer in Northwood, we witness opportunistic break-ins through householders leaving windows and back doors open.

The Community Partnership are also sad to hear that the police have hinted they will no longer attend our Public Meetings which we hold on Friday evenings. The reason for this is that, for the police, Friday evenings are their busiest times. To overcome this John Pullen, our Neighbourhood Watch coordinator will be in regular monthly contact with Sergeant Cocks. Any information will be disseminated through John or via Northwood News / Cowes Beacon. If you have any information for the police they can be contacted on 0845 045 45 45, otherwise John is available on 01983 281250.

CELEBRATING THE END OF THE WAR … 60 YEARS ON !!

Were you there, and what were your recollections? The Northwood Community Partnership has just received an award for £1250 to recreate a themed celebration for the end of the war. Both Northwood Primary and Cowes High schools have enlisted their support for an event for later this year! More information to follow in the next couple of months.

PUBLIC MEETING FRIDAY 2nd September

Statutory Monitoring Officer, John Lawson, the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, is to be our Guest Speaker, at the next meeting of the Community Partnership.

John must have one of the more difficult jobs on the Isle of Wight Council, in these times of sweeping changes. If you have any views, opinions, questions or suggestions on how your Council can be more accountable, come along as all are welcome.

In addition to John, there will be reports from Councillor Roger Mazillius, a Crime Report by John Pullen, Japanese Knotweed leaflets and news concerning Northwood’s third bid to become Isle of Wight Village of the Year …

PEOPLE FOR NATURE, NATURE FOR PEOPLE – BIODIVERSITY UPDATE

You have no doubt come across the word Biodiversity in the news and you’ll know that it is the variety of life on earth and the places where it is found. Time after time surveys have shown that the natural environment is the single biggest reason why people come to the Island. It’s important to us – and we need to work together to make the best of it.

On the Island, many groups are involved in their individual promotion of Biodiversity. On 15th September there will be a presentation at Northwood House. If you wish to attend either as an individual, or as a representative of your local group, let me know as I have invitations up for grabs!! They will be given out on a first come, first served basis. If you require one please contact me.

NORTHWOOD IN BLOOM

Throughout the Summer, the Community Partnership has gone from strength to strength.

Following the hard work and grit determination of the Northwood Gnomes and those other villagers who shame the rest of us into keeping our front gardens top notch, Northwood won the category of Best Kept Large Village, in the Isle of Wight Best Kept Village Awards.

Local winners for Northwood In Bloom were:

Best Front Garden:

1st: Mr & Mrs R Willis, 3 Uplands Road.
2nd: Mr & Mrs R Leppard, 10 Green Lane, Medham.
3rd: Mr & Mrs D Frohnsdorff, 31 Green Lane, Medham.

Hanging Baskets and Containers:

1st: Mr & Mrs R Willis, 3 Uplands Road.
2nd: Mrs P Toms, 83 Wyatts Lane.
3rd: Mr & Mrs Mabey, 13 Coronation Avenue.

Congratulations to all winners and those who have made Northwood a joy to behold this year.

JAPANESE KNOTWEED

In recent months a number of instances have been registered concerning the spread of Japanese Knotweed in the village. Japanese Knotweed is a problem throughout Europe and North America. Its vigorous growth excludes native species and is well-known to be difficult to annihilate.

If you feel that you may have some on your property, now is the time to act, as Herbicide treatment tends to be more effective at this time of year.

If you require more information please let me know, so that I can let you have information supplied to us by the Environment Agency. Alternatively, the Environment Agency may be contacted by phoning 08708 506 506.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS / FORUMS PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY

Although we have received no complaints (I hope!!) regarding our transparency and accountability to local residents, in some parts of the Island questions have been asked on how effective Community Partnerships are. Are you happy with the service you get from us, or is there anything that we should be doing that we are not? Traditionally Town and Parish Councils have a statutory right to be open and accountable, and within our Partnership we have tried our level best to mirror this as a matter of course.

Every person who lives within the Electoral Division or has an interest in Northwood has the right to seek election onto, and can vote for, our committee every June, at our Annual General Meeting. All of our meetings are open to all residents, and are advertised on the notice board, adjacent to the Horseshoe Car Park.

Your Committee comprises 18 members, this includes 3 ex-officio members (The Headteacher of Northwood School, the local vicar and the local beat police officer) together with Roger Mazillius as local Councillor, who serves also as a local resident. Our membership includes representatives of most local groups, and sectors of the Village community. Consistently we have more requests to join us than we have vacancies for. Obviously, don’t let that put you off if you wish to join in putting something back into your community.

Until next month, goodbye for now.

Paul Fuller (Chairman)