SCHOOL GHOSTS

Went along to the Cabinet meeting tonight that was making the latest decisions on school reorganisation. It was like a Dickension scene with the Ghosts of Education Past (Patrick Joyce and Standards not Tiers) stirring the ashes of old conflicts and 3-tier education, the Ghost of Education Present (the Council leader) going on, and on, and on, and on about what they were proposing to do under 2-tiers - and the Ghost of our children's Education Future yet to be realised.

Apparently the leader's speech was due to last an hour, without the questions, but I had had enough after an hour and three-quarters (7.45pm) and went home for my evening meal. When I last checked Ventnor blog (8.45pm) it is still going on, and on, and on, and on............

On my way out I bumped into someone who had only attended the meeting for the second item on the agenda - next year's Concessionary Fares Scheme. She could not believe that anyone was expected to have to wait for more than 2 hours for an agenda item. I agreed with her and told her to complain to County Hall about the agenda planning tomorrow morning.

NB: Just after 9pm the Cabinet did what they were going to do at the 6pm start - agreed the proposals submitted by the leader of the Council. What on earth were they trying to prove by this charade ?........but I have no idea what happened to the Concessionary Fares paper.........obviously not that important to them !

TALES FROM THE SHEEPFOLD

Full Council last night. Not many there and those that were made me wonder why they bother given their total silence. I suppose that is the price of dumb loyalty, but it must get a little tiresome to have to put up with speeches from the same people in and close to the leadership and the small group of opposition councillors (including me) who contribute. No wonder the Full Council barely gets 10 members of the public present - we always get 15-20 at Newport Parish Council...........

Anyway the biggest debate was on the sudden expulsion from the Council of 'Win Laden' after she hadn't attended meetings for over 6 months. I don't condone that sort of absenteeism, but I do think you should at least get a warning from officers, especially when you are the carer of a sick partner and haven't kept track. However, that cuts no mustard if you aren't in the Tory sheepfold and her expulsion was confirmed by 20 votes to 11, with just 2 of her erstwhile colleagues abstaining (Ward & Arnold).

I was then the only person to argue against the Council's revised plan of polling districts and polling stations for the revised ward boundaries, as I feel they missed an opportunity to make voting more accessible, and preferably away from schools (all of which I had suggested for my own ward). I got the support of 2 Liberals and 1 ex-Liberal, but as so often the sheep voted withouta bleat. Funny how their electoral addresses are full of how they will speak up for their communities until they get into County Hall......

Later on I had my usual enjoyable exchange with the Tory bovver-boy from Kite Hill over how he demands more public funding from central government for things like concessionary fares, when his own party's national 'leadership' has just performed a U-turn and announced it will reduce the current levels of public expenditure should the horror of a Tory government ever befall this country again. Thankfully, I think the people of the UK are waking up to that particular nightmare (cue for anonymous Tory-blog-comments).

FROM LION TO LAMB ?

Although I try not to respond to anonymous comments on this blog, one or two recent ones about me 'turning into a lamb' and' retreating into a corner' in recent times merit a response.

For fans and foes alike I will admit that I have not been as combative over the last 6 months or so about the disgrace that is this Tory IW Council leadership. For three years I hammered away at the IWC administration, but I have felt increasingly that the post-Sept 07 regime was not worth the effort, given their undemocratic tendencies and their foot on the throat of much of the local media (with some very notable exceptions).

Instead I have been focussing my energies on my ward and on Newport as a whole, rather than tilt Don Quixote-like at the arrogant asylum.

However, just because I am not as visible as I once was does not mean that I have given up. Far from it. There are more ways to skin a cat....................

As Arnie said - I will back !

ARE THE LUNATICS IN CHARGE OF THIS ASYLUM ?

Schools reorganisation latest - Weeks to prepare. Lots of fanfare. Press releases. Briefings to all and sundry - except Labour members - and parents.........

BUT the papers still aren't actually available on the website.

£29k FOR NEWPORT PARISH OFFICE ?

The CP today reports on page 5 the debate at the Newport Parish Council meeting last Monday:

http://www.iwcp.co.uk/News/29000_office_for_parish_2.aspx

As the Chair I feel I need to explain a little more. Newport is one of the four new parishes created last April, after the IW Council said in 2005 they would tax them as if they were parished and some of us said 'no taxation without representation'. So we successfully petitioned for a parish council for the Newport area.

This year's budget, handed down for year one by the IW Council, allowed for accommodation costs of £5000. To date we have not used that as our Clerks work from home and we hold our meetings in venues all around the Newport parish. However, a proposal was made by a parish working party set up to look at potential accommodation needs to take out a lease on a property in Quay Street for 3 years that will cost a minimum £29,000 gross per year; though they expect to get £12,000 pa from sub-letting. So with the actual budget provision taken into account that means an extra cost next year of £12,000 pa.

On Monday the debate around whether to take up those option split between those who want to establish an early presence in the town centre with community access, and those who feel that demonstrating the value of having a parish council should come first. The debate was our most contentious so far and when I called the vote there were 7 in favour (Cllrs Whittaker, Jones-Evans, Ball, Downer, Humber, Page and Reid), 5 against (Cllrs Coburn, Craven, Hawkins, Lumley and Smart) and one abstention (Cllr Flambard). Councillors Foster, Swan and Wilmott had sent their apologies.

ON THE EVE OF THE NEXT SCHOOL PROPOSALS

Just got home from the Downside Middle School Awards Evening. As ever it made me proud to be associated as a governor for so many years - 10 now - with a school that does so much terrific stuff with young people and the local community. Downside is now a two site school, both the Furrlongs (Pan) site and the Kitbridge (Parkhurst) site on Forest Road. There have been some real pressures associated with the merger, but I really think it could work well given time. The guest speaker and awards presenter Alex Dyke also seemed to enjoy himself and hopefully he will 'big it up' it on his radio show tomorrow.

One of the consequences of being at the evening was that I was unable to fit in a County Hall briefing for opposition councillors on the latest proposals for schools re-organisation that go to Cabinet on 24 November. So I won't know what is being proposed until the proposals are in the public domain tomorrow lunchtime.......

Opposition group leaders got notice of this briefing only yesterday afternoon. 'Confusion' was blamed. That is an example of the disregard this Council has for non-Tories.

AT LAST !

Nearly 5 years after some money was first set aside by the IW Council for youth facilities in Pan - as part of the plans to get the community on board for the proposed lucrative Pan development - the new Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) behind Downside Middle School is now open (pic), and will formally be opened this Thursday.

£100k was set aside by the then IW Council leadership and it has since been topped up with £300k of Sport England monies; thus delivering a quality facility.

For the last 3 years both PNP and I have been pushing for delivery of this scheme which has taken an inexplicably long time. At last its here, but I hope the community won't have to wait as long for the other promised benefits from the development..... once it actually starts.