Report from I.W. Councillor Roger Mazillius

Posted by Admin on 18 October 2009, 12:00 am

COUNCILLOR ROGER MAZILLIUS
I.W. COUNCILLOR FOR COWES SOUTH & NORTHWOOD
21 OXFORD STREET, NORTHWOOD
ISLE OF WIGHT PO31 8PT
Tel: 01983 295556
Email: roger.mazillius@iow.gov.uk

REPORT – NOVEMBER 2009

VILLAGE GREEN APPLICATION

A settlement by which part of the field is given village green status has been discussed between the landowner and myself as applicant. I am holding a Public Meeting on Saturday 31st October at the W.I. Hall at 10am to gain residents’ views on this. A map showing what the landowner is proposing will be available.

(Please click here for an update on this meeting)

Although I am the applicant, I made the application on behalf of local residents and I NEED your views whether I am to accept the offer or continue with the application.

So I do urge everyone interested in this important local issue to attend the meeting on the 31st.

Those who are unable to do so can contact me for further details.

NO COLD CALLING ZONE

Northwood was one of the first of these zones to be set up on the Island and by and large the scheme has been and continues to be successful in deterring unscrupulous traders from trying to sell goods or services on the doorstep without prior notice of their calling and without the proper recall of your buying decision to cancel the transaction.

However such a zone cannot by itself prevent traders calling at your front door. Apart from the deterrent effect of the prominent yellow and black signs, the zones are there to inform and remind us about:

Identifying who is calling before opening the door.
Using a door chain.
Asking for identification.
Not making hasty decisions about purchasing what is on offer.
If you require further advice on any cold-calling occurrence, telephone the Council’s Trading Standards Department on their direct line – 01983 823370 or myself on 01983 295556.

If you have real concerns about the motives of any cold-caller to your home, then please telephone the local police information/assistance number – 101 in addition to the above numbers.

HOME INSULATION SCHEME

Following on from the cold-calling matters above, Northwood residents will in the next few weeks be receiving a leaflet detailing offers to insulate homes for free if you are over 70 years or qualify as a “vulnerable” person under this Government scheme to reduce carbon emissions by making homes more efficiently insulated. The leaflet gives quite full details of the scheme which has been approved by our Trading Standards officers.
About three days after this leaflet is delivered, an authorised person from the insulating company will call (the leaflet has a telephone number for you to use if you want to be left alone) with full identification to enquire whether you wish to take up this most useful offer.

You should especially be aware that the person calling will not attempt to ask you to sign for anything other than this particular free home insulation offer.

Again, if you have any queries, please telephone trading standards on 01983 823370.

MEDHAM CYCLE TRACK

With Council staff, Police Community Support Officer Steve Oatley, local residents and Parish Council Chairman John Pullen, I recently attended a site visit to thoroughly discuss the occasional unlawful use of this track by mini-motorcyclists coming from either Newport or Cowes. The nuisance and indeed dangers of such use are obvious and steps are being taken to apprehend such users and if necessary, confiscate the motorcycles concerned.

We also inspected the state of the track near its junction with the Cowes/Newport cycleway and the Council will be laying additional chippings particularly by the wet area next to the first gate.

The unauthorised removal of the kissing gate at the cycleway end of footpath CS33 on the other side of the Medham estate has also been reported and steps are being taken to install a more robust gate to protect what is a popular public footpath on which pedal cycles are not allowed.

UNDER-AGE DRINKING

Whilst we are fortunate in having two responsible pub landlords in Northwood, the issue of young people being affected by the consumption of alcohol continues to cause both national and Islandwide concern. Indeed a recent Island survey has shown a small percentage of youngsters under age of 11 being drunk at least once in the past four weeks and those between 14 and 16 being drunk three or more times in the previous four weeks.

These statistics are supported by hospital admissions of young people which unfortunately show the Island has the highest rate of under 17 year olds (male and female) alcohol-specific admissions in Hampshire.

The I.W. Health Authority and the I.W. Council are extremely concerned at this trend and are working hard to reduce this unhealthy lifestyle for young people, including specific information targeted directly through schools, youth clubs and other forums to inform and educate about the health dangers of high consumption of alcohol on the bodies of young people.

One such scheme involves an interactive theatre presentation at the High Schools and I will be attending the one at Cowes High on the 21st October to see for myself the reaction and input from students to this hard-hitting public information production.

May I urge parents to do all they can within their home setting to continue to warn of the dangers this social problem poses to children and young people and indeed of the impact this is having on the National Health Service, particularly here on the Island.

SURGERIES

May I finally remind residents that I do not give specific monthly times for Surgeries as I am and have been always available to assist or advise at home at 21 Oxford Street, by telephone or by email throughout the year.