A campaigning Isle of Wight Councillor is claiming ‘good progress’ after what he termed a ‘breakthrough compromise’ in relation to debate over an overgrown pond and the surrounding land.
Councillor Chris Whitehouse (Conservative, Newport West Ward), says:
“Pritchett’s Pond, at the heart of my ward of Newport West, has long been a source of local concern. In recent years the grass-cutting regime has been changed, so that it is overgrown and untidy, the trees are in desperate need of considerable pruning, and the pond is overgrown with bull-rushes. The length of the grass means that even responsible dog-walkers find it difficult properly to clean up after their animals. But I think this morning we reached a breakthrough compromise between residents and the Footprint Trust which does so much to look after the site.”
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On Thursday morning the councillor was presented with a petition organised by local resident, Glenys Poole, who lives in Priors Walk, overlooking the pond. Signatories to the petition, backing the councillor’s efforts to resolve the problem, added comments that the site is “very messy and unsightly”, “looks untidy” and “it just looks a mess and can have hidden dog excrement”.
Cllr Whitehouse explains:
“The Footprint Trust were keen to stress the importance of the pond and surrounding land as a centre for biodiversity, particularly for rare newts, and local residents accepted this, but felt a compromise needed to be reached.
“After a robust, but constructive discussion, it was agreed to propose to the Isle of Wight Council that the majority of the grass be mowed, but one area that is less used be allowed to grow to full height. We now need to get that change to the Island Roads mowing contract costed and then identify a source of funding, but at least we’re all now pulling in the same direction.”
Present at the site meeting were Cllr Whitehouse, representatives of Island Roads and the Footprint Trust, along with concerned residents. Isle of Wight Council officers had assisted Cllr Whitehouse in facilitating the meeting.
Other issues discussed were overgrown trees that need to be pruned, and the pond itself were the bull-rush growth needs to be better managed.
Cllr Whitehouse concludes:
“I’m delighted by the outcome of this meeting, it’s been a bit like getting the terms of Brexit agreed, but I really think we made great progress in balancing the need to encourage biodiversity and the need to acknowledge that this site isn’t in the open countryside, but is a much loved facility at the heart of a residential urban estate.”
It seems the Council can’t even look after a pond
It’s not the Council’s pond (but don’t let facts bother you too much!).
Have. The locals got lawn mowers. Amey are supposed to cut our verge 5 times a year but we do it more than that AND PICK UP THE GRASS.
Surely the islands ‘responsible dog owners’ can find somewhere easier to walk their dogs? After all there can’t be more than two or three of them looking at the brown stuff on every street.