TO: Shalfleet Parish Council

by email to:

Mrs Sally Woods clerk@shalfleet.org.uk

Cllr PamBroadhead pamkelsey@hotmail.co.uk
Cllr Stuart Hutchinson Ward Councillor, for info

From: Wellow Residents' Group

22nd January 2017

Wellow Residents' Group Meeting held on 17th January 2017

Dear Cllr Broadhead,

At last Wednesday's meeting of the Wellow Residents' Group I was asked to write to the Parish
Council on a number of points.

1. Patients' Participation Group representative to the Brookside Medical Practice. The

Group unanimously considered that representatives to the PPG must be patients at the practice. The
NHS guidelines also make this clear. David Walter spoke to Mrs Shirley Stables at the PC meeting
before Christmas and Mrs Stables declined to receive input from our Group saying that she is too
busy. There are a number of important issues that need to be raised with the practice such as
appointments, dysfunctional online service, etc. and clearly our representatives must be patients at
the practice.

We ask the Parish Council to apprise the PPG and the Brookside Medical Practice of this situation
and open the vacancy up to another person. It is possible that a member of our Group could spare
the time if you would please advise us and/or advertise the position within the Parish.

The Group agreed that whoever is our representative must have their telephone number and email
available so that residents can approach them directly and in confidence. It was suggested that all
the reps' names, phone numbers and emails should be published in Village News in the Useful
Numbers section.

2. Defibrillator The Group concurred with the Parish Council that if we are going to acquire a
defibrillator Wellow is not the best location. We discussed the alternatives of the Shalfleet Stores
and Ningwood. Our consensus was that the Horse and Groom (outside, of course) would be the
best location being on the main road, parking, and the largest number of residents will see that we
have one in place. We believe that at least one, maybe more Wellow residents would be happy to go
on the training course. Please let us know if this is going ahead and we will provide a list of
volunteers with their prior experience, etc.

3. Planning The Group feels very strongly that the Isle of Wight Council has not paid due
attention to the Parish Council on planning matters. We questioned whether this is illegal under the
Localism Act? Feelings on the matter were very strong given that the Parish Council has taken the
time to visit sites, study plans and often debate these matters for an hour or more. The Parish
Council also has the most local knowledge and is the local elected authority. We ask the Parish
Council to write to the Isle of Wight Council in the strongest terms to complain about this behaviour
over the last few years.

4. Communications from the Parish Council The Group consider that there is problem in
communications between the Parish Council and the majority of residents. This has probably arisen
because of the swing to Internet, the reduced number of people reading physical newspapers, and
fewer people looking at notice boards. The Group were not being critical of the Parish Council but
simply observing that there is now a serious gap in communications. Perhaps this is a matter that
can be raised as an agenda item at the next PC meeting? If you agree, we will ask our Group
members to make any suggestions. For example, many have dysfunctional Internet, some have no
Internet at all. We need to take some action.

5. Dog Poo Bins There are at least two places in the Wellow area where dog poo is a serious
problem yet we have no bins. None of the members present had any knowledge of how to go about
getting dog poo bins installed and emptied. Will the Parish Council please tell us how we can go
about this?

6. Wellow Post Office Subsequent to the meeting we have heard that there is a potential
problem with the Wellow Post Office presently re-instated at Rossiters. The Group is following this
up with Mrs Pritchett. The last time this was discussed by the Group there was strong support for
continuation of Wellow PO and it seems likely that if we lose Wellow it won't be long before we
lose Shalfleet as well. That would a serious loss of amenity.

7. May Elections We discussed the forthcoming May elections. All of those present had heard
informally that some present councillors do not plan to stand again. However we did not know
whether this is 'official' or whether just rumour. The Group wish to encourage at least one if not
more Wellow residents to stand for the council in May. Obviously it would help if we know more.
We intend to provide information to all residents explaining how they could stand, if they wish to.
Any help that the Parish Council can provide would be warmly welcomed.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Rosalind Neary JP

Chairman Wellow Residents' Group