Northwood Parish Council

Posted by Admin on 21 May 2010, 12:00 am

NORTHWOOD PARISH COUNCIL

Cllr KEITH CLATWORTHY
37 Pallance Road, Northwood.
Tel: 01983 296635
Email: kclatworthy@googlemail.com

Cllr COLIN CRAMP
37 Greenways, Northwood.
Tel: 01983 289996
Email: colin.cramp@yahoo.co.uk

Cllr PAUL FULLER JP CC
74 Wyatts Lane, Northwood.
Tel: 01983 289595
Email: paulfuller@onwight.net

Cllr JOHN PULLEN
86 Wyatts Lane, Northwood.
Tel: 01983 281250
Email: pullenjd@hotmail.co.uk

Parish Clerk & RFO: BARBARA HERBERT
11 Wyatts Lane, Northwood.
Tel: 01983 290086
Email: barbara.herbert@sky.com

NORTHWOOD PARISH COUNCIL REPORTS
(coordinated by Barbara Herbert)

Future Meetings of Northwood Parish Council

The next meetings are currently scheduled for:

June 1st Full Council
June 15th Planning Committee

July 6th Full Council

Meetings are held in Northwood Primary School hall and start at 6.30pm. Confirmation that any meeting is proceeding as scheduled may be obtained from the Clerk – contact details above.

CO-OPTION OF FOUR COUNCILLORS
Following the recent parish council elections Northwood Parish Council needs to consider and formally co-opt four persons willing to serve on Northwood Parish Council at the meeting to be held on 1st JUNE 2010.

Any persons wishing to be considered and who are eligible* to serve as a Parish Councillor should submit their application to the Clerk in writing, under their own signature by 28th MAY 2010.

Prospective candidates may be asked to make a short presentation prior to the meeting on how they can contribute to the Parish Council and the community of Northwood.

* A local councillor must be 21 years of age or over and a British subject or citizen of the Irish Republic. He/she must also be a local government elector of the Parish or a person who has:
i. During the 12 months before nomination occupied land or premises as owner or tenant in the parish or,
ii. During the same period resided in the Parish, or within 3 miles thereof or,
iii. During the same period had his/her principal or only place of work in that area.

NORTHWOOD PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2009/10

Northwood Parish Council has been in existence for two years, and elections will be held in May this year.
Mrs Barbara Herbert is our Parish Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer.
The Council holds meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at Northwood Primary School. The meetings start with the public forum, at 6.30pm. The move from the W.I. Hall was to facilitate an earlier start time.
Council members are:
John Pullen – Chairman – 01983 281250
Paul Fuller – Vice Chairman – 01983 289595
Roger Mazillius – County Councillor – 01983 295556
Peter Brooker – Chairman of Planning Committee – 01983 296958
Colin Cramp – 01983 289996
Marie Ely – 01983 299673
Colin Palmerton – 01983 282242
Eileen Turner-Palmerton – 01983 282242

The Parish Council, shortly after being established, adopted the Northwood Parish Plan. The Plan is based on the views of the community following various consultation mechanisms. This is due to be revisited and, where necessary, updated. From the plan came the core projects listed below.

HOUSING NEEDS
Working party – Cllrs Cramp-Ely-Brooker
The Housing Needs Survey Report, produced in December 2008, demonstrated the local need for a small scheme of affordable housing and also showed positive support for this. A joint scheme with the neighbouring parish of Gurnard was considered, but no suitable land presented itself. In view of the current economic situation, it was resolved to dissolve the working party until further notice.

ALLOTMENTS
Working party – Cllrs Mazillius-Ely
Allotment holders put in a lot of work during the spring and summer of 2009. The bare field transformed into a growing area that was a credit to all concerned. The winter, however, with snow and unprecedented rain, caused heavy flooding. We are grateful to IOW Fire and Rescue Service, who pumped away most of the water. Sadly, the landowner, for various reasons, decided not to renew the agreement of tenancy, but did agree to allow the allotments to be worked until September 2010. Preliminary discussions have taken place for the use of an alternative field in Northwood and we are hopeful of a successful outcome. The Allotment holders have elected a committee to represent their interests, and they will be consulted and kept fully informed.

YOUTH FORUM
Working Party – Cllrs Fuller-Pullen
Consultations have taken place with the Island Youth Council and advice sought from other parish councils.

TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT ISSUES
Working party – Cllrs Fuller-Pullen-Mazillius
Following concerns identified by villagers in the parish plan questionnaire and at the Safer Neighbourhood Forum, it was decided to set up a Traffic and Transport working party. Several villagers have joined the working party. Points from these meetings have been raised at the Parish Meeting and with the I.W. Council Traffic Manager.
It has a wide brief, covering traffic concerns, bus services and safe routes to school.

VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT
Working Party – Cllrs Brooker-Mazillius
Sadly, we have been unable to enlist the support and participation of villagers in producing this important document, a key tool in helping to preserve and improve the village of Northwood. A task that the new Parish Council may wish to pursue.

PROJECTS
Playbuilder.
A working party has been set up, under Cllr Eileen Turner-Palmerton, to make an application to the year 2 Playbuilder Scheme and make comments to the Parish Council for its consideration. It will cater for young people aged 8-13, providing an activity based play area.
Working Party members are – Cllrs Ely, Pullen, Palmerton, Turner-Palmerton.

NORTHWOOD IN BLOOM
Working with the members of the Community Partnership, and volunteers, this working party maintains the various planters and million-blooms gardens around the village. A fourth million-blooms garden was established at Somerton roundabout and new square wooden planters were purchased for the Nodes Road site.
A Northwood Village sign was purchased for the Pallance Road entrance to the village.

PARTNERS
Working closely with the local Community Police team, who normally are represented at the meetings.
We have an excellent relationship with our Environment and Neighbourhood Officer,
Jacqui Darby, who attends the Parish meetings when possible.

Precept
We have no major projects that require funding, so felt a decrease in the Precept of nearly 11% was a prudent way of reducing the financial burden on parishioners.

Policies and Procedures
These are kept fully up to date and Councillors have taken advantage of training through the Parish Team at County Hall.

Consultations
The Parish Council takes part in a wide range of consultations.

Representation on other bodies
IWALC – the Island wide body for Town and Parish Councils. We have a named councillor and deputy to this organisation who attended all meetings during this period.

Planning
The planning committee meets separately to the Parish Council, to comment on applications affecting the village. A Village Design Statement would be a foundation for our comments. Planning consultations are an important part of the work of the Council and we have been successful in making our views known to the planning officers.

Big Tidy Up
Big Tidy Up has occurred on several occasions and councillors and villagers collected a large amount of litter. Litter Pickers, bags and gloves were purchased, and some are held by villagers, who carry out regular litter picks during the course of the year, particularly on the play area. We are grateful for their work.

Recycling
With the assistance of Biffa Waste Management, Councillors obtained a supply of black and green waste bins for distribution to residents.

Communication
Efforts ensure villagers are aware of the work of the Parish Council, with all meetings held in public. Agendas and minutes are placed in the notice board and on the Northwood Village website. Reports of council meetings are written and regularly published in I.W. County Press and Village Talk.

Isle of Wight Councillor
The council is fortunate to have the services of the Isle of Wight Council Member for Northwood, Cllr Roger Mazillius. His hard work and dedication is an asset to the community.