Northwood Parish Council

Posted by NPC Admin on 12 April 2015, 8:16 pm

NORTHWOOD PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Northwood Parish Council, held in Northwood Primary School, Wyatts Lane, Northwood, Isle of Wight on Tuesday, 7 April 2015

Present: Councillors Chris Riddet (Vice Chairman), Paul Fuller and David Jaggar
Also in attendance:
Barbara Herbert (Clerk and RFO)
Mr Paul Savill, Voluntary Sector Locality Link Officer for the presentation

There was one member of the public or press in attendance

225/14-15 To receive and approve any apologies for absence
Apologies had been received from Cllrs John Pullen, John Nicholson, Malcolm Nicholson, Derek Smith and PCSO Derek Howard

226/14-15 Members’ interests
There had been no written requests received for Dispensation on items forming the agenda.
Cllr P Fuller declared a personal interest in Minute No 232/14-15b Town and Country Planning, being the IW Council’s Executive member for Planning and Licensing

227/14-15 To receive a report by the Local Safety Neighbourhood Officer, plus an opportunity to discuss local policing priorities
In the absence of a representative from the Local Safety Neighbourhood Team councillors noted the email received from Sgt Mark Lyth. This set out a number of changes to the organisational structure of the Hampshire Constabulary on the Island. The newly named Wight Rural West Neighbourhood Policing Team would now fall under the responsibility of Sgt Lyth and be based over two sites, one in Yarmouth and the other in Cowes. PCs Knight, Pringle and PCSOs Howard, Clarke, Paul and Anker would form the team based in Cowes.
Due to the teams’ workload individual crime statistics would not in future be provided. However, it was anticipated that a member of the Neighbourhood Policing Team would attend meetings of the Parish Council on a quarterly basis, with a monthly report being provided in the interim on their work undertaken.
Councillors considered this to be rather disappointing and suggested that invitations be sent to Sgt Lyth to attend the June meeting of the Parish Council, and also for a representative of Gurnard Parish Council and Cowes Town Council to be in attendance

228/14-15 To confirm and authorise the Vice Chairman to sign the Minutes of the previous meeting of the Parish Council held on 3 March 2015

RESOLVED :

THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 March 2015 be confirmed and the Vice Chairman authorised to sign them on behalf of the Parish Council.

229/14-15 To receive any matters arising on the Minutes, not requiring a resolution
a. Minute 209/14-15 “Isle Drive Safe – Remember Evey” – Councillors noted that the donation of 100 speed limit stickers had been declined due to the lack of opportunity to distribute them.
b. Minute 211/14-15 Litter – The clerk advised that she had not yet written to the two organisations as she had noticed an employee clearing the litter from the periphery of one of the sites. Details of the Best Kept Village award scheme had been received earlier in the day.
c. Minute 214/14-15 Parish Council website – The web manager of the Northwood village website had confirmed that to upload all the meeting papers would be very time consuming and overload the website with Parish Council matters. In order to comply with the Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities details of how a member of the public could obtain a copy of the meeting papers had been included on the Parish Council home web page and again on the agenda. The clerk wold also have a copy of the papers with her at future meeting.

230/14-15 To receive an update on the post office services in Northwood
Email correspondence had been circulated to councillors following the circulation of the agenda. This advised that successful negotiations had taken place between Ms Sue Calver, the postmistress of the Pallance Road post office and Mr Robert Worley, Field Change Advisor, of the Post Office Ltd. With effect from 13 April, the Pallance Road branch would be open on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. A notification poster was being sent to the branch to inform customers of the change. The clerk had spoken to Ms Calver earlier in the day and she was content to maintain the service on a part time basis for the foreseeable future.
In the light of this development councillors had agreed that Mr Worley’s attendance at the meeting was no longer necessary

231/14-15 “My Life – A Full Life”
The Vice Chairman welcomed Mr Paul Savill, Voluntary Sector Locality Link Officer of the new project. The project had been formed following collaboration between the IW Clinical Commissioning Group, the IW NHS Trust, the IW Council and the wide range of voluntary and community organisations on the island. The aim of the project was to fully integrate services and information sharing to improve the care of the elderly and the vulnerable. On the Isle of Wight 25% of the population was over 65years of age compared with an average of 17% across the South East. The target was to make a real difference to people, their carers and families whilst making better use of resources within the care and support system, as well as the wider community. A copy of the Care passport required to be completed by each client was circulated. This would provide very simplified but detailed information on the care and needs of each person, thus facilitating a seamless service from the multi-disciplinary teams involved.
Following a number of questions from councillors, the Vice Chairman thanked Mr Savill for attending

232/14-15 Town and Country Planning
a. The Minutes of the Planning meeting held on 17 March 2015 were duly approved

b. To consider the following planning applications received and make comments in accordance with the guidance for material planning considerations listed at
http://www.iwight.com/council/departments/planning/appsdip/MakingCommentsInfo.aspx
TCP/32123/A Agricultural storage barn rear of 67 Oxford Street, Northwood – Demolition of agricultural building; proposed detached dwelling (revised plans)(readvertised application)

RESOLVED :

THAT Northwood Parish Council re confirms its concern with regard to application TCP/32123/A, which could set an unwanted precedent for future backland development in this vicinity. The application site lay outside the development boundary. The concept to demolish an agricultural building to be replaced by a permanent residential dwelling was opposed. Councillors also maintained that the footpath alongside the proposed development was an important ancient footpath, and forming part of the Definitive map should be retained.

c The decision taken by the Local Planning Authority since the last meeting of the Parish Council was duly noted:
TCP/32155 – 22 Oxford Street Northwood – Conditional Planning Permission for a two storey side extension and single storey rear extension

233/14-15 To consider commenting on the draft Island Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2015 – 2017
Councillors had received a copy of the draft Strategy prior to the meeting. A number of questions were raised with regard to the document and the clerk was requested to seek further clarification
• There is a lack of clarity as to who has the ultimate responsibility for achieving the success, or not, of the priorities, as detailed
• With regard to the lack of self-esteem in young people, stronger emphasis should be made to encourage parents and the family unit, not just teachers, to support and instil higher aspirations and achievements in young people(Page 7)
• How, practically, can the key organisations be monitored and held to account (Page 11). Is this to be an extra arc of management?

234/14-15 To consider commenting on the proposed possible changes to charges for respite care and sitting services

RESOLVED :

THAT Northwood Parish Council makes no comment on the proposed changes to charges for respite care and sitting services

235/14-15 To consider commenting on the consultation on the review of the strategic housing policy (policy SP2) of the Island Plan Core Strategy

RESOLVED :

THAT Northwood Parish Council supports the conclusions of the review into the Island Plan Core Strategy policy SP2 (Housing) indicating a further 960 dwellings within the Medina Valley, during the period up to 2027 and generally accepts that the option should prevent any settlement coalescence between Northwood and either Cowes or Newport

236/14-15 To consider an appointment for the on-going maintenance of the six flower beds in Northwood
Three quotations had been obtained for the upkeep of the six flower beds around Northwood. This would involve the pruning of the shrubs twice per year to ensure they grow no larger than they are at present and for weed control to take place three times per year – in the spring, summer and autumn

RESOLVED :

THAT Mr Green Fingers, be appointed to undertake the pruning and ongoing maintenance of the six gardens in Northwood at a total cost of £240, as set out in the report

237/14-15 Community Well-Being in the Community
In the absence of Cllr J Nicholson councillors were referred to his report attached to the agenda. A reminder was made of the Action Based Community Development (ABCD) workshop to ttake place at the Riverside Centre on 20 & 21 April.

238/14-15 To receive progress reports for information from Working Party leads
a. Traffic and Transport Issues Working Party
Mentioned was made that Island Roads had advised of the closure scheduled for the coming Friday for the resurfacing of Pallance Road had been moved forward to this Thursday instead. To minimise the disruption to local businesses three work gangs would be involved to focus on completing the work as soon as possible. The resurfacing would commence from the Rew Street end of Pallance Road, moving uphill until all works completed. In Cllr J Nicholson’s absence, Cllr Fuller had spoken to the landlord of the Travellers Joy to appraise him of the situation
b. Northwood in Bloom Working Party
The clerk advised that she had received notification that it appeared likely that grant funding of £200 would be paid under the Wight in Bloom scheme, as in previous years. The scheme organiser had requested assistance in the judging under the various categories, with the best gardens in each area going forward into a final. Cllr Pullen, in his absence, was nominated for this task.
c. Parish Plan Working Party
In the absence of Cllr Ward no report had been received
d. Emergency Plan Working Party
In the absence of Cllr Smith no report had been received. However, Cllr Smith, in email correspondence, had advised that he had met with Iain Lawrie, one of the Resilience co-ordinators at the IW Council, which proved to be very informative. As a result he had several templates to work from and would continue on his own until Cllr Pullen returned from his break
e. Northwood Post Office Working Party

RESOLVED :

THAT as this matter had been satisfactorily resolved, for the time being, councillors agreed that this should no longer be a standing item on the agenda

239/14-15 To receive the report for information of Cllr J Nicholson, the IWC Ward Member for Cowes South and Northwood
In the absence of Cllr J Nicholson councillors were referred to his report attached to the agenda. This covered his work as the Ward Councillor and his responsibilities at the IW Council.

240/14-15 To receive a report on the Executive meeting of IWALC held on 19 March
Councillors had been circulated with a copy of the Minutes of the meeting of IWALC, held on 19 March.

241/14-15 Clerk’s Report
Finance
i. The interim budget statement to the end of March 2015 and the bank reconciliation with Statement No 80 were received and duly noted

ii. Payment of cheque No 000398

RESOLVED :

THAT the respective payment made with regard to 000398, Community Action IW, £788.25, for the clerk’s salary, on 14 March, be duly approved

iii. To authorise payment of cheques:

RESOLVED :

THAT the following cheques be approved for payment:
000399, £48.90, Mrs B Herbert, Clerks expenses
000400, £12.00, CommuniCorp, Clerk and Councils Direct, Annual Subscription
000401, £391.04, IWALC Affiliation Fees, Annual Subscription
000402, £229.76, Go South Coast Ltd, supply of a driver for February
000403, £287.20, Go South Coast Ltd, supply of a driver for March
000404, £488.85, Isle of Wight Council, Remedial works for the football pitch area at Venner Avenue play park

iv. To approve the clerks attendance at the training on the new audit requirements that start from this April and also on the transparency regulation requirements, at a total cost of £10

RESOLVED :

THAT it be approved to attend the training session on the new audit requirements application and transparency regulations at a total cost of £10.00

242/14-15 Correspondence
Correspondence received was listed in the report circulated with the agenda and updated further at the meeting.

243/14-15 Councillors’ reports
Cllr Fuller advised that his monthly report had been circulated to councillors for their information

244/14-15 Future Agenda Items
No additional items were requested

245/14-15 To undertake a brief review of the meeting
No comment was made

THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS THE VICE CHAIRMAN CLOSED THE MEETING AT 7.41pm
Signed ……………………………………………. Dated ……………………………..