The Isle of Wight Council has been signing off on some very big and significant decisions recently, including backing the sale of a toilet block in a key tourism area for £1, granting a licence to a wedding and events venue and closing an enforcement case into the Ventnor Winter Gardens.
10th June – The local authority told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) its planning enforcement team has worked with the Winter Gardens’ landowner to address the building’s visual condition.
A spokesperson said the owner has been ‘cooperative’ and carried out all works requested by the council, with ‘visual harm’ now ‘resolved’.
They said that as a result, formal enforcement action has not been required.
Check out our original coverage here.
11th June – Members of the Policy, Finance and Resource committee (PFR) voted for a recommendation to dispose of the Pier Street Regeneration Opportunity, opposite Sandown Pier, to Sandown Town Council (STC).
The proposal from an officer’s report was to transfer the site’s freehold to STC for a ‘nominal £1’, subject to ‘due diligence’ and conditions ensuring continued provision of public toilets or their ‘suitable replacement’.
County Hall said the building has long been identified as a key regeneration opportunity, but investors have faced ‘ongoing delivery challenges’ in recent years due to the cost of potential public realm improvements and the requirement to maintain public toilets.
16th June – A licensing subcommittee approved a premises licence application for Commodores House at 74 High Street in Cowes, despite noise, nuisance and safety fears.
The decision was subject to conditions including a CCTV system being installed, maintained and in operation at all times that the premises are open to the public, outside signs instructing patrons to respect neighbours, and always operating in line with a written and approved noise management plan.
So,
The “county council” have a legal limit to the amount they can increase the council tax each year.
The town council have no legal limit.
Keep the county council toilets closed, out of use, people complain, so keep the people happy, transfer the toilets to the town council, they reopen the toilets and pay for them out of the town council budget, increasing it as much as they need to.
Effectively increasing the County council tax surreptitiously.
Why not just say that that needed doing to keep the toilets open in the first place?
What other things change hands for the same reason?
I know where the FREE PARKING LOT opposite SANDOWN PIER
IN A PEDESTRIANISED ZONE
You cannot make this shit up, knock it down and charge numpties to
park.
IW COUNCIL ARE BACKWARD WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING EXTRA
REVENUE, HOW THEY GOT THEIR JOBS I HAVE NO IDEA!
£1 is a complete joke. I suppose selling to a friend.
BIT LIKE WHEN THEY SOLD THE PIER OFF CHEAP MANY YEARS AGO.
Or Ventnor Botanic gardens for a £1.
The island is a joke.
Even the chancellor of the exchequer could make
a better financial decision than this lot, and that is saying
something.
It costs me £4.80 for a coffee in Seaview
Lol
Yet you can buy a GARDENS etc for a quid!
Bargain
I think you must be the joke who in there right minds would pay for £4.80 for a coffee especially in a tip like Seaview
And that’s in Puckpool Park
when you walk to Ryde it calls for a coffee on the way.
I must admit I don’t do it often, it’s daylight robbery.
CCTV! Watch this space
I’m somewhat confused by this article. Is there a problem with “users” making noise while using the public toilets? And Government is trying to regulate this and perhaps add an up-charge? Please explain