BUSMAN'S HOLIDAY

Back from Glastonbury, which was a bit like a busman's holiday. Lots of mud and filth to battle with - a bit like being an opposition councillor here ! It was fun as well and I have come back newly in my fifties.....

A quick read of the County Press (see Charlotte Hofton) tells me that I was missed at Full Council - like a hole in the head, I suspect.

Anyway, we have a new Prime Minister and a nearly all new Cabinet at Westminster. Immediately we take a significant opinion poll lead. Fourth term here we come.

HAVING A BREAK

After today I am having a break as I am off to Glastonbury festival for the next week. Hope the picture shown from 2005 does not repeat itself in 2007; particularly since it is a significant birthday for me whilst I am away !

'UP TO 50%' AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PAN DEVELOPMENT

At last night's Pan Neighbourhood Partnership Board AGM, we were told that the % of affordable housing in the new development will be 'up to 50%' by the IW Council's Director of Community Services. This would represent a 20% increase on original plans and is exactly what I have been asking for for the last two years. The extra 20% would be low cost ownership schemes for Islanders, with the other 30% available for rent.

We also learnt that over 98% of lettings of rented affordable housing on the Island currently go to Islanders, and that it would be similar for the Pan development rented housing.

I asked that this sort of good news be promoted by the IW Council........

We also learnt that when the development starts in April 2009 contractor access will be via a temporary road off Pan Lane.

Finally we were given the headlines from a recent MORI survey of 400 Pan residents:

*** 88% are satisfied with Pan as a place to live;

*** 41% feel that Pan has improved in the last 3 years;

*** satisfaction with the local police service has increased from 39% to 64%;

IRREPLACEABLE ?

Clearly I am proving to be irreplaceable as Scrutiny Chair ! There is no agenda item for next week's Full Council

SILAGE OR SCRUTINY ?

That was the choice facing the councillor for Shalfleet & Yarmouth tonight, and he decided on Scrutiny. I wish I had such exotic choices, though I doubt Scrutiny as currently constituted would win that much if I did.

This was the first Scrutiny Committee since I stood down as chair last month and it was quite odd not being in charge. Of course I am going to have to get used to that as this reformed committee is very, very different. The newly elected Tory Vice Chair was in the chair, whilst the Tory Council leadership decides how best to get a new non-Tory chair. If I praise them all here now then that should scupper the chances of anyone hoping to be the figleaf for the new set-up- "Adams, Knowles, Bowker, Miller, Humby, Stephens, Hancock, Chapman, Foster; what fantastic jobs they would do".

Anyway, to be fair the Vice Chair did very well in circumstances she tells me were not of her choosing, in a meeting with an uncontroversial agenda. There was no public there at all, though we were graced with an appearance by the Council Leader - his first time since I wouldn't let him interrupt the busy meeting last July. Clearly his "determin(ation) that the (scrutiny) committee remains out of the hands of this administration" is almost worn out.

MORE MONEY TO BE THROWN AT UNDERCLIFF INVESTIGATION

My reservations about the mounting costs of the Undercliff investigation were posted here on 21 May. Today we learnt that even more money will be thrown at the solicitors servicing the enquiry. My estimate of costs now stands at £750k.

Is it really worth that amount of tax payers money ?

NO MIXING WITH HOI POLOI FOR TORIES !

Tory Council leader and chairman at leisure over at Seaclose
(see photo left)

2 HOURS TOO LONG

From 7pm spent over 2 hours getting into the IW Festival this evening. There were thousands of us queued right down Fairlee Road; mainly Islanders. We felt like Solo had robbed us of 2 hours when we saw how under-staffed their admission area was. Of course that is what capitalism is like when it has a captive market - organised robbery.

And all for safe Snow Patrol..........tomorrow should be much better.

WHEN SUTTON WAS A MEMBER OF THE 'PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION' !

At Tuesday's Cabinet the current LibDem spokesperson (?) reminded the Council Leader, and me, that he was once a member of the Executive (aka Cabinet) that he so regularly, and rightly, maligns. Of course he denied it, claiming it was only for 8 months and that he took no real part

This got me scurrying off to my records, which go back many years. These show that the first Executive was created in April 2000 and that it was politically-proportional with 11 members - 4 LibDems, 3 Tories (including Sutton and Mike Cunningham), 3 Independents and one Labour. Minutes show that the Tories attended most meetings right through to the elections in June 2001 and seemed to fully participate.

SHOOTING THEMSELVES IN THE FOOT

Some free advice to the Tories. Please listen because you won't get anymore on this subject. It was not a very good idea for your Communications consultants to tell you to fill the void in your Cabinet agenda last night with a Q&A session.

I went to the meeting in Yarmouth, which was attended by (excluding IW councillors) - three ex-LibDem IW councillors, one aspirant LibDem, one Tory activist, a co-opted member of the scrutiny committee who is a local resident, 4 Newport taxi drivers, and SEVEN other local people.

Whilst there were a few good questions from the local people, I counted 9 politically-motivated questions from the LibDems. The Leader described this as exactly what the Cabinet wanted. Bravado I think.

My party colleagues deliberately kept out of this session believing that it was for ordinary people. If this ever happens again, we will think again.

CABINET OR WHAT ?

Tomorrow the Cabinet meets in Yarmouth. As it has no business it wants to deal with in public - for the second meeting running - it is going to be some sort of Q & A meeting.

I will go along to see what its like, but its always a pity not to see executive powers in action >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SOAPBOX DERBY DRAWS CROWDS TO PAN

Popped along to the annual Soapbax Derby in Pan today. This is the 2nd year it has been held on Downside recreation ground.

Thanks to the glorious weather there was some excellent support from both within and without Pan.

LEST WE EVER FORGET.......

........what Tories are really like behind all the 'hoodie hugging' and other pretences:

Parking bay MP branded 'an oaf'

A Conservative MP who said the number of disabled parking spaces across the UK was "disproportionate" has come under fire from a motorists' group.

Douglas Campbell, of disabled transport group Mobilise, branded Anthony Steen a "pompous oaf" over the comments.

The row erupted after Mr Steen was fined for leaving his car in a disabled bay at Newton Abbot railway station.

The Totnes MP said there was an "absurd number of handicapped spaces" and national regulations should be changed.

He said he had been "rushing" to Westminster and had used the disabled bay because the car park was full.

He said: "It's not a requirement that you provide so much for the handicapped and comparatively insufficient for the un-handicapped.

"Of course we want to help the handicapped, and of course they've got to be given provisions, but not against the interests of the majority".

But Mr Campbell said the MP appeared to be a "pompous oaf".

He added: "To suggest that disabled people's needs should not be met at the cost of other people's needs, presumably also Anthony Steen thinks that all disabled people should sit at home twiddle their thumbs, not have a job, and perhaps just go to the day centre in an ambulance every day."

SHOOT THE DEPUTY ?

With the impending elevation of Gordon Brown to Leader of the Labour Party and consequently Prime Minister, thoughts turn to the crowded race to be his Deputy. With six candidates Hilary Benn (pictured), Hazel Blears, John Cruddass, Peter Hain, Harriet Harman and Alan Johnson - it seems like there is a massive choice for party members; but not for me as I won't vote for any of them.

The reason ? None of these saw fit to allow party members a choice over the leadership - they all nominated Brown. So none of them have the democratic credentials I seek. Consequently I will abstain in the ballot.

Our local party made a supporting nomination for Hilary Benn last week. Meanwhile Unison have nominated Alan Johnson. Good grief !