IW Council Press Release regarding Fly Tipping

A CRIME NOT TO CARE ABOUT FLYTIP

It’s a #CrimeNotToCare when it comes to getting rid of your rubbish is the message from the Isle of Wight Council and Keep Britain Tidy.

The council is linking up with a national campaign to tackle an issue that affects communities across the country.

On the Isle of Wight between October and April 2016/17 there were 410 fly tip incidents and in the same period for 2017/18, this fell to 364.

#CrimeNotToCare aims to help householders learn about the right thing to do with their rubbish and to reduce the amount of household waste that is fly tipped by rogue traders who offer to take people’s waste away for money and then dump it.

The campaign aims to get the message across that if an individual’s waste is fly tipped, even if they gave it to a third party to dispose of, they can be prosecuted.

“Fly tipping is an unsightly and damaging crime that leads to the degradation of our natural environment here on the Island and we want to do all we can to continue the decline in fly tipping,” said Cabinet member for waste management, Councillor Michael Murwill.

“This new campaign is aimed at those who do not realise that by using a ‘man in the van’ and not checking they have a valid waste carrier’s license, that more than likely, their rubbish will end up being fly tipped. The key message is that your rubbish is your responsibility to dispose of legally.”

Keep Britain Tidy chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton, said: “#CrimeNotToCare is an important campaign for our country and we are delighted that the Isle of Wight Council is partnering with us on it. There are almost a million fly tipping incidents in England every year and cleaning it all up costs us £50million a year. It blights communities and our countryside and is a menace. We need the public to understand that their rubbish is their responsibility and they must do the right thing with it.

“Giving it to a ‘man with a van’ who offers to get rid of it cheaply could prove costly for people and result in them getting a criminal record. They have a duty of care and this campaign will help explain to them exactly what that is and how to protect themselves.”

A social media campaign with key messages will be running in June on the council’s Twitter and Facebook pages and posters and leaflets will be delivered to local communities via town and parish councils.

You can also pick up a leaflet with further information from your local library. Further information can be found at: www.iwight.com/waste  

END

IW Council Press Release regarding the Island Environmental Conference, in Cowes, on 26 June.

COUNCIL LOOKS FOR GREEN ACTION AT ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE

The Isle of Wight Council is bringing together local and national experts and enthusiasts for an interactive environmental conference in Cowes on 26 June.

The Island Environmental Conference will consider the Isle of Wight’s environmental future.

Cabinet member for environment and heritage councillor John Hobart, said: “At the conference we will ask participants to think about how the Island can secure a low carbon, resource efficient and environmentally sensitive future. The best suggestions will shape a new Environmental Action Plan which the council will develop during 2018.”

Working groups will discuss the Island’s future energy system, tourism, promoting the biosphere, electric vehicles, low carbon fuels, water supplies, farming and rural enterprise, circular economy, local food, green growth, regeneration and the environment.

The conference will include a speech from Professor Matthew Cragoe, Chair of the UK Man and Biosphere Committee, who is attending as a part of the proposed Isle of Wight Biosphere Nomination.

The Green Impact Programme for Island businesses will be launched by the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce at the conference, and Island secondary schools will be making poster presentations on the theme of ‘Our Future Island’.

Jim Fawcett, principal officer at the Isle of Wight Council said: “People, businesses and organisations with an interest in sustainability and the environment on the Island can apply for tickets to the event on the conference website, iweconf.org.uk.

“We’re looking forward to a great day, and some insight into a sustainable future for the Isle of Wight.”

END

IW Council Press Release advising of the success of The Friends of Northwood Cemetery

CONSERVATION AWARD FOR NORTHWOOD PROJECT

The Friends of Northwood Cemetery have been announced as winners of a prestigious Isle of Wight Society Conservation Award for 2018.

The award scheme is for the promotion of buildings and the environment on the Island. The society works with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA, Isle of Wight). The aim is to encourage a high standard of planning, architecture, and the conservation of buildings and their setting on the Isle of Wight.

Entries are judged mainly on their quality of design and the work overall and also the visual impact on the environment. With support from the council, the volunteer group restored the two chapels at Northwood Cemetery, Northwood, from near collapse, following the successful application for a Heritage Lottery Grant.

“This well-deserved Isle of Wight Society award highlights the significant achievement and dedication that the group has made in bringing back two dilapidated buildings for community use and the council has been proud to support them in this project,” said Cabinet member for environment and heritage, Councillor John Hobart.

“The goal was to bring the buildings back into use via a newly created partnership with the council and the Friends of Northwood Cemetery uniquely taking on the responsibility of being the accountable body and with the aspiration of trialling a new approach to major project development and delivery on the Island - one that potentially could be replicated elsewhere. It has been a pleasure to have been involved.”

Friends of Northwood Cemetery chairman, Peter Almond, said: “This has been a ten year story of a small group of passionate volunteers who, with support from the council, managed to obtain significant funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

“We are honoured to receive this award and it makes all those years of work - come rain, hail or shine - worth it. Now we are now able to offer wildlife and family history tours in this beautiful oasis of calm greenery in Northwood. We would still welcome new volunteers to join us as we continue the task of clearing undergrowth and bringing the grounds back to their natural beauty.”

The West Chapel was derelict and the East Chapel was in poor condition, following severe ground movement and Second World War bomb damage. Reparation works undertaken were extensive and included fifty foot foundations installed on the West Chapel, which was in danger of collapse. Structural repairs were made to both buildings, such as intensive stonework repairs; new oak floors, insulation and inner skin, electrics and heating provided.

In addition, a new kitchen was built to the west building, using original stone from a previous structure that had been demolished years earlier. Both building are now back in use for the community, with funerals taking place in the East Chapel and research and history recording in the West Chapel, (now the Heritage Resource Centre).

For more information on the Friends of Northwood Cemetery and to find out about volunteering with them, please visit: http://www.friendsofnorthwoodcemetery.org.uk/  

Revised Timetable for the Floating Bridge

REVISED TIMETABLE FOR FLOATING BRIDGE

A revised timetable for the floating bridge – aimed at resolving issues around its chain depth at certain tides – is to be introduced.

Currently, the required clearance between the chains and passing vessels during the spring mid-ebb and low water tide cannot be guaranteed.

The Isle of Wight Council and Cowes Harbour Commission (CHC) are working together to find a solution, while also ensuring the maritime economy is supported at a key time of year.

The move will require the service to be suspended for a few hours over approximately ten days a month at different times.

Council leader Councillor Dave Stewart said: “The days and times of the spring mid-ebb to low water tides are known well in advance, so we hope by advising people now we can limit the disruption.

“Solving the challenge of the chain depth during the spring mid-ebb to low water tide is the final piece of the jigsaw for getting the good and reliable service the council and the public are so keen to see.

“We are pleased to be working with CHC to get the right balance between the community and mariners’ needs, especially as we move into the peak yachting season."

The floating bridge will be able to run more efficiently and quietly during times of high and low water, offering an uninterrupted service for 20 days a month. 

A passenger launch will be available when the floating bridge is suspended.

The revised timetable for the next three months is available via https://www.iwfloatingbridge.co.uk/timetable/ 

The Phoenix Choir

Storeroom 2010 News for April 2018

Lost Tortoise

LOST TORTOISE

A tortoise has escaped from a garden this morning, in Wyatts Close, after someone left the gate unlocked and it then blew open.

She’s a Leopard Tortoise and approximately 8 inches long and 5 inches high.

She’s 8 years old.

She went missing from Wyatts Close and probably could have headed towards Wyatts Lane.

The owner is very worried for her safety.

If anyone hears of one being found please then contact me.

Barbara Herbert

Clerk to Northwood Parish Council

on 290086 or clerk@northwoodparishcouncil.org

Great News! Cowes has a NEW Men's Shed

Storeroom has a new community initiative, a NEW men's shed.

The Cowes Men's Shed is a member of the UK Men's Sheds Association and will be open from May 14^th to welcome you Monday to Friday 10am-3pm, 50 weeks of the year.  Free parking is available at the Cowes Park and Ride bus stop just a couple of minutes’ walk away.

Find the NEW shed at 25,26 Somerton Industrial Park, Cowes, PO31 8PA. 

What is a men's shed?  Men’s Sheds are similar to garden sheds – a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, to practice skills and enjoy making and mending. The difference is that garden sheds and their activities are often solitary in nature while Men’s Sheds are the opposite. They’re about social connections and friendship building, sharing skills and knowledge, and of course a lot of laughter.

Why not come along and see what’s happening? Fix something, build something, invent something, share your skills with likeminded men with an interest in drinking tea!  This may just be what you have always needed, don’t be bored at home and if you have nowhere to practice your carpentry or gardening skills – this is for you!  Everyone 18+ welcome.

The info below from the Cowes Men's Shed page on Storeroom Website at   storeroom.org.uk  and reproduced from the UKMSA site. The Cowes Men's Shed is a member of UK Men's Sheds Association and carries Public Liability Insurance.

What is a Men’s Shed?

Men’s Sheds (or Sheds) are similar to garden sheds – a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, to practice skills and enjoy making and mending. The difference is that garden sheds and their activities are often solitary in nature while Men’s Sheds are the opposite. They’re about social connections and friendship building, sharing skills and knowledge, and of course a lot of laughter.

Sheds are whatever the members (or Shedders as we call them) want them to be. Although labelled sheds, they often aren’t sheds at all. They can be empty offices, Portakabins, warehouses, garages, and in at least one case, a disused mortuary. Some Sheds are purpose-built workshops, but they rarely start out that way. Many don’t have premises at all in the beginning and instead form a group that meets regularly for the social connection, company and camaraderie until they can find somewhere to kit out with tools. Many Sheds get involved in community projects too – restoring village features, helping maintain parks and green spaces, and building things for schools, libraries and individuals in need.

Activities in Sheds vary greatly, but you can usually find woodworking, metalworking, repairing and restoring, electronics, model buildings or even car building in a typical Shed. Sheds typically attract older men, but many have younger members and women too. Whatever the activity, the essence of a Shed is not a building, but the connections and relationships between its members.

Why are they needed?

For a long time, research has shown the negative impact of loneliness and isolation on a person’s health and wellbeing. Recently we have seen more evidence come to light that shows loneliness and isolation can be as hazardous to our health as obesity and excessive smoking. Surveys from mental health charities are finding that millions of people report feeling lonely on a daily basis.

Men typically find it more difficult to build social connections than women, and unlike women of a similar age, less older men have networks of friends and rarely share personal concerns about health and personal worries. It is not the case for all men, but for some, when retirement comes, it can feel like personal identity and purpose is lost. Men’s Sheds can change all of that.

Sheds are about meeting like-minded people and having someone to share your worries with. They are about having fun, sharing skills and knowledge with like-minded people and gaining a renewed sense of purpose and belonging. As a by-product of all of that they reduce isolation and feelings of loneliness, they allow men to deal with mental health challenges more easily and remain independent, they rebuild communities and, in many cases, they save men’s lives.

Men's Sheds are vital

Royal British Legion Drop-in sessions 2018

The Local Government Boundary Commission

 

Northwood Parish Council

A consultation on ward boundaries for Isle of Wight Council has begun 

 

Have your say now via our consultation portal

 

 

 

Today is the start of a 10-week public consultation, during which the Local Government Boundary Commission for England is inviting proposals for new warding arrangements for Isle of Wight Council.

The consultation will close on 9 July 2018.

After considering all representations made during this consultation, the Commission intends to publish draft recommendations in September 2018.

There will then be a further period of consultation on the draft recommendations. Final recommendations are expected to be published in January 2019.

The new electoral arrangements will come into effect at the local elections in May 2021.

If you represent a local organisation or community group on the Isle of Wight, please pass this message on to your members or anyone who you think might be interested in the review. You can share the message by email or through social media by using the buttons at the bottom right of the page.

 

What is an electoral review?

The electoral review will recommend new electoral arrangements for Isle of Wight Council. It will propose:

• the total number of councillors elected to the council in the future;
• the number of wards
• the number of councillors representing each ward;
• ward boundaries, and;
• the names of wards.

 

How to get involved

This is a public consultation and we welcome views from individuals and organisations from across the Isle of Wight on where they think new ward boundaries should be drawn.

The Commission is minded to recommend that 40 councillors should be elected to Isle of Wight Council in the future.

This is no change from the current number of councillors.

The Commission is now inviting proposals to help it draw up a pattern of wards to accommodate 40 councillors.

In drawing up a pattern of electoral wards, the Commission must balance three legal criteria, namely:

• to deliver electoral equality: where each councillor represents roughly the same number of electors as others across the Isle of Wight;
• that the pattern of wards should, as far as possible, reflect the interests and identities of local communities;
  that the electoral arrangements should provide for effective and convenient local government.

The Commission will treat all submissions equally, and judge each case on its merits and against the legal criteria.

If you wish to put forward a view, we would also urge you to ensure that evidence supports your submission. For example, if you wish to argue that two parishes should be included in the same electoral ward, make sure you tell the Commission why they should be together, providing evidence about community facilities, ties, organisations, and amenities, rather than simply asserting that they belong together.

There is more advice on our website about how you can get involved in the consultation.

Our website features technical guidance that explains the process and our policies, as well as guidance on how to take part in each part of the process.

We have also set up a webpage dedicated to the review of the Isle of Wight, where you can find all the relevant information.

You can also access interactive maps of the current ward boundaries across the Isle of Wight on our specialist consultation portal. The portal also allows you to draw your own boundaries, mark areas of interest on the map and upload documents directly to the site

Brown-tail moth caterpillars at Ventnor

IW Council Press Release

BROWN-TAIL MOTH CATERPILLARS

Sightings of Brown-tail moth caterpillars at Ventnor have been reported to the council.

Following the reports, the council has treated public sites such as the paddling pool in Ventnor to remove the creatures, whose hairs can break off as barbs, causing skin irritation and breathing difficulties.

“We are liaising with Ventnor Town Council to manage the annual influx of this particular young insect. I would remind the public that the hairs on brown-tail moth caterpillars can cause skin and eye irritation, particularly in children, so it is important to avoid handling them,” said Lee Matthews, recreation and public spaces manager at Isle of Wight Council.

“If you are unfortunate enough to be affected, you can expect a rash together with irritation similar to a severe nettle rash. Because the hairs can become airborne some people may experience symptoms affecting their eyes and breathing similar to hay fever.”

Normally this will give a few hours of localised discomfort. Washing the affected area with water and the application of calamine lotion on the skin may ease the itching. The hairs may also worsen symptoms of asthma for some people.

You should seek medical advice from your pharmacist or GP if symptoms do not settle down within a few hours.

The caterpillars become active in the spring. During March, caterpillars can be found in their winter tents. By April the caterpillars begin to emerge en masse from their tents and start to feed.

They gradually move further away from their winter tents during May until they become solitary. The creatures spin a cocoon and pupate, with adult moths emerging in July/August, ready to mate. Females lay eggs near the tip of shrub branches and then they spin a tent at the end of the shoots in readiness for winter.

FACT FILE 
Although the caterpillars prefer hawthorn and blackberry, they will eat leaves from any type of bush.
The creatures are between 7mm and 38mm in length (depending on age), dark brown in colour with a distinctive white line down each side; with the whole body covered in tufts of brown hairs and two distinct orange/red dots are noticeable on the caterpillars back towards the tail.
The insects have spiked and barbed hairs, which can penetrate skin, causing an irritant reaction.

END