Isle of Wight News on Ventnor Blog

If you’re planning to have some quiet nights in, why not try out the DVD or book collection at your local library?

Here are the latest acquisitions for Ventnor Library.

DVD
An Education – 3 Oscar nominations
Julie and Julia – Meryl Street – Oscar nominated for Best Actress

Fiction
Clive CUSSLER Spartan Gold – a Fargo adventure
Annie GROVES Hettie of Hope Street – heart versus head…
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If you fancy a night in watching a DVD, then take a look at the selection available at Island Libraries. At just £1 per night, they’re a great bargain. Ed

Written by Ronnie Christensen and starring Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson – an actor of immense bravado for appearing in the extremely intense ‘Hard Candy’.

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Last Friday, we gave you the heads up that a key decision was going to be made by the Isle of Wight Council about the future of the Pan Development, which has been dubbed Super Pan, including the selection of the developer.

We’ve just heard that the go-ahead has been given by the IWC and ‘bidder A’ has been selected to build 846 housing units including 254 affordable housing units.

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Are you interested in researching your family tree but have no idea where to start?

A two and a half hour course being held at Ventnor Library may be just what you’re looking for.

Using the Internet and with helpful advice from those who know where to look, you could leave the sessions knowing much more about where you came from.

Check Events on the Wight for full details of where and when.

Image: Rick under CC BY-SA 2.0

As the Isle of Wight Council embarks on its ‘transformation’ of social services, service staff and stakeholders complain that they have never been directly consulted or informed about the budget cuts and implications for services.

The Riverside Centre will respond on Saturday with their Riverside Stakeholder’s meeting to host ‘direct dialogue, not conversation through the media’.

“We have written repeatedly to officers of the Local Authority to seek clarification on the implications of the Budget proposals and have still yet to receive any response,” said Riverside Centre Manager Shirley Sharp.

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‘Gonna Make a Change’ is the theme for this year’s Wight 2B Heard event.

On Friday next week 200 young people from across the Island will descend upon Cowes Yacht Haven to take part in the annual debate.

This year the all day event features workshops focusing on binge drinking, work opportunities, body image and rural transport.

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Later this month Today sees the deadline for residents’ views to be heard regarding a development on the site of 26 Bellevue Road, Ryde (VB readers will remember an article published last October regarding a previous application. Ed).

The Ryde North East Heritage Group have contacted VB regarding their fight against the plans for a development of sheltered housing in the road, consisting of 21 flats.

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Four years’ hard work by fire officers and councillors earned the Island’s Fire and Rescue Service glowing commendation last week, with the service being named Fire Service of the Year in the South East region.

Isle of Wight Council’s Chief Fire Officer Paul Street and Councillor Barry Abraham collected the prize in London on the 4th of March, at a ceremony run by Improvement and Efficiency South East (IESE).

Paul Street said the award had delighted all those involved. “It recognises the efforts of all of our staff,” he said.

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If you’re recently retired and looking for something interesting and constructive to do in your spare time, then why not head to Ventnor Library tomorrow?

All throughout the day, they will be giving advice and information on how to widen your horizons.

Details of local groups from Wight Squirrels to U3A, St Catherine’s Lighthouse to the Badger Trust, Sam the Health Trainer to Quarr Abbey, Canine Partners (with puppies!) and many more will be at Ventnor Library.

Normal Tuesday opening hours apply: 9.30am – 12.30pm and then again between 1.30pm – 5pm

Image: Jason Swain

Before Friday 12th March, the next stage in the development of ‘Super Pan Development,’ will take place.

Cllr Peter Bingham and Cllr Dawn Cousins will either select the development partner between a choice of two organisations, or halt the scheme.

Clearly getting a huge project like this moving is not a simple task and many stages have been gone through already, which we’ve abridged below.

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From time to time we receive letters from our readers who wish for them to be published on VB. This unedited letter from Brian Rushton of Newport which we received today, is one such request. Ed

I despair when I think about the likely impact cuts in funding in excess of £100,000 are likely to have on the Riverside Centre for the disabled, everyone knows what an asset this centre is to the island community and we should all be aware of the excellent job they do.

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This article was sent to us by Daft Old Duffer prior to the news regarding David Pugh that came out yesterday. Sorry Duffer for not getting it out sooner. Ed

A couple of things need to be said, l think, about David Pugh being referred to the Standards committee.

One is that the councillors doing the referring did so, in my opinion, not because they have suddenly seen the light and become angelic defenders of the right and truthful, but to gain a political advantage for themselves.

I don’t infer they are wrong. Simply that they are kicking a man when he’s down, just like all politicians.

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Leading on from news today that Cllr Pugh has been cleared by a sub committee of the Isle of Wight Ethical Standards Committee (ESC) for shouting expletives at the partner of the Island MP, we learn that this is not the only complaint that hasn’t been taken as far as the ESC.

Complaint lodged by Patrick Joyce
Following a press statement made by Cllr David Pugh on Tuesday 26th January, a complaint was lodged against him by Patrick Joyce (suspended councillor for Bembridge Brading and St Helens).

On 5th February, Mr Joyce wrote to Steve Beynon calling for an investigation to be made by Standards of England, following what he claims was a breach of the Code of Conduct by Cllr Pugh.

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A press release just in from the Isle of Wight Council (IWC) informs us that from April a new type of parking permit will be available to Island residents.

Replacing the current Island Residents Parking Permit, the ‘Long Stay Parking Permit’ allows all day parking in any IWC run long-stay car park.

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Following the successful launch of football training for 8-11 year old girls across the Island, we hear that a new girls football club is being created in Ventnor.

Supported by Sport England, the council Sports Unit and Extended Schools Service, weekly coaching sessions start next Friday, 12 March for girls aged between 8 – 11 years old.

Taking place each week at the Rew Valley Sports Centre between 5.30-6.30pm, the training will cost just £1 a week.

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If you fancy a night in watching a DVD, then take a look at the selection available at Island Libraries. At just £1 per night, they’re a great bargain. Ed

From the ‘land of the brave’ hails a DVD that throws new light on the role of the detective and how they work and gives pursuit to solving a murder that at first seems almost impossible to even begin to understand.

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A fancy new inflatable mobile cinema is making its way to Sandown Primary School today.

The iDome cinema will be at the primary school today and tomorrow and screening a new animated film about the importance of recycling.

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At 7am this morning IW Radio were reporting that a sub-committee of the Ethical Standards Committee (ESC) at the Isle of Wight Council have concluded that David Pugh did not break the Code of Conduct when he shouted expletives at the partner of local MP, Andrew Turner in the car park outside the Valentine’s Ball of the Council Chairman.

The findings have not been officially be released by the council.

They say that the Assessment Sub-Committee of the ESC found that David Pugh, Leader of the Council and Shanklin County Councillor, was not “acting in an official capacity,” so therefore did not break the Code of Conduct.

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Today the Isle of Wight Council announced that they’ve received confirmation of £364.6 million of free grant for the Highways Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project.

Naturally, the news has sent cheers around County Hall, and those who have been waiting for the approval of the outline business case for PFI can breath a sigh of relief.

The figure allocated is some £40 million higher than the previous figure sum set aside by the Government.

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If you’ve listened to our most recent news roundup podcast, you will’ve heard the latest news about funding for Ryde public realm work.

Readers may remember back in October last year that after years of negotiation and deliberation, the Isle of Wight Council (IWC) pulled the plug on the long awaited Ryde Interchange Project.

In its place, they promised a sum of £1.5 million for “improvements to the public realm and Council assets in Ryde aligned with the Council’s corporate priorities” (as recorded in the minutes of the Cabinet Meeting).

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“We are not taking this decision, the government is taking it.”

This month is crucial for support staff and clients at Westminster House, with further consultation on whether or not they will face closure. A paper will be brought to Cabinet on 30th March.

Regardless of whether the facility remains open, big changes are implied. Isle of Wight Council (IWC) still aims to save £1,473,000 by ‘redesigning’ social services.

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A small increase to the maximum taxi fares has been agreed by the Isle of Wight council after a month long consultation.

The council tell us that it’s the first rise in maximum taxi fares on the Island since April 2004.

The new fares which come into force from 31st March will be as follows:

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Most readers are probably already aware that council tax payers who live on their are entitled to a 25% discount on their annual bill.

To ensure that they are receiving the full amounts due, it’s this time of year when the Isle of Wight council carry out their review of council tax discounts.

The purpose of the review is to make sure that only those eligible to the discount are claiming it.

People’s situations often change over the course of a year. Lucky love birds who once lived apart may now be sharing their love nest and forgotten to let the council know.

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Need some distractions for the weekend ahead?

Try the library for a new DVD or book. DVDs at 50p for children overnight and £1 for adults

FICTION
J L CARRELL The Shakespeare curse – a sickening modern killer…Best Seller
Alexander McCall SMITH Tea time for the traditionally built – Best seller
John CONNOLLY The lovers – Best seller
Linwood BARCLAY Fear the worst …can anything be more terrifying?…
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Following the sad death in late January of former Isle of Wight council chairman John Effemey, a memorial service to celebrate his life will take place in three weeks time.

The service, led by Canon Richard Emblin will take place at Newport Minster on Monday 22 March 2010 at 10.30am (seated by 10.15am).

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