Report from I.W. Councillor John Nicholson

Posted by Admin on 15 October 2021, 4:05 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 – OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021

The Report appearing in the November 2021 edition of Northwood News:

Pedestrian/ Road Safety Concerns

Northwood Parish Council have set up a working party to look at pedestrian road safety issues in the Parish, particularly in areas where there are no pavements and people are walking alongside traffic.

All we can do is to record the experiences that people relay to us and make a case for some mitigating action to be taken, possibly with some suggestion of what we think might work. Funding of such works can be a problem, as IW Council operate a priority list that puts the greatest blackspots at its head. In the last round of improvements, we were able to draw on money that had been set aside for the Parish through developer contributions when Planning Applications are approved and a condition is imposed that the development must contribute to the community infrastructure. This is called S106 money, and, as far as I am aware, the Parish’s account is drained at the present time.

Highways Drainage Issue Progress

The flooding and lifting of the manhole cover under pressure of water halfway along Wyatts Lane, in front of the Scout Hut, has, residents tell me, only been happening in the last 18 months. Before, no matter how heavy the rain, it never flooded. So, something has changed to cause this.

After a joint meeting, on-site, with Island Roads and Southern Water, the two agreed to work together to resolve the issue. I am very grateful for the helpful input of the neighbours who have witnessed the problem at first hand, and also know the history, so could testify that it was not just because of heavy rainfall.

We also looked at the long-standing problem with foul water drainage further down Wyatts Lane, outside the school, where toilet paper regularly discharges from the manhole as the cover lifts under pressure. And, the even worse issue down Pallance Road, where foul water, in stormy weather, backs up into people’s toilets, often filling to the brim and sometimes flooding into the bathroom. Southern Water have now proposed a localised solution to affected properties and we are waiting for this to be implemented so that we can see the results.

The Scourge of Dog Mess in Our Midst

I am receiving a growing number of reports concerning the, quite frankly, inconsiderate and anti-social behaviour of people who let their dogs mess in public places and fail to clear it up. Do such people really not care? Do they not care that children playing in the recreation ground may get covered in it?

One conscientious resident told me that they have observed quite reasonable people letting, or not noticing, their dogs, while they are chatting, pooing in the recreation ground or peeing against equipment that children touch as they play on it. This is really unacceptable, and if otherwise reasonable people cannot keep their dogs under control or out of children’s play areas, then there is only one thing for it, and that is to ban dogs completely from the recreation ground, and I say this as a dog owner myself. If you cannot be responsible then we will have to make rules that ensure adequate protection and decency is enforced. The few spoiling it for the many again!

Cowes Medical Centre

There is no doubt that the Centre has made effort to respond to patients’ concerns regarding access. A new phone system is now in operation and, after some teething problems, is working pretty well. We also have a phlebotomy service, and many people have said how good it is. Some people are still finding difficulty, though, in getting phone calls returned when they need urgent attention or treatment, and it is important that we know about these occasions so that we can continue to monitor and give constructive feedback to help drive improvement to where both patients and staff would really want it to be.

I think everybody recognises the pressures that medical staff are under, and the marvellous way that they have stepped up to be world leaders in rolling out Covid vaccinations, etc. So reassurance through a two-way dialogue that informs the community, gains timely feedback and facilitates aid to improvement should be welcomed and I know that both Cowes Town Council and Northwood Parish Council have reached out to the Centre asking that such a dialogue might be commenced.

John Nicholson

Ward Councillor for Northwood & Cowes South

See the I.W. Councillor’s section