Moa Place Parking Petition Update + Open Letter to IWC Councillors

I am pleased to report that I have an appointment with Isle of Wight Council Executive Member for Finance and PFI Contract,  Cllr Jonathan Gilbey, to hand over the Moa Place Parking petition on Tuesday 3rd June at 1230, at the Council Offices in Newport, County Hall, in the main reception.

Cllr Gilbey kindly offered to discuss the matter, after I addressed the Full Council Meeting on Wednesday 21st May.   There had been press coverage suggesting that petitions from other parishes had been disqualified because they do not all have full addresses.  Cllr Gilbey has stated in the Council Chamber that the petitions will be 'listened to'.  I'm sure we'll all hold him to that!

Open letter to IWC Councillors regarding the Parking Consultations

Dear IWC Councillors,

I am writing to all IWC councillors because the matter of parking and the so-called 'consultation' is becoming a political football.  This 'ball' actually belongs to the residents. The people, not the Councillors.  The parking protest has come about by private individuals setting up petitions, both online and hard-copy.  These include:

Deborah Connor, Newport
Rachael Brown, Wootton Bridge
Tony Gibbs, Ryde
Jean Orman, Sandown
David Walter, Wellow (re Moa Place) - me.



A surprisingly large amount of work is needed to get a petition up and running.  In my case, I spent several hours online, printed dozens of sheets for names and addresses, printed and laminated a dozen or more in-shop display sheets, and spent many hours talking to shopkeepers and residents. I still have to go back to Freshwater on Monday to 'mop-up' the final sheets and tell people what is happening.  No doubt the others have done likewise.  There is very strong feeling in Freshwater about this; the proposed changes to the charging in Moa Place would cause real hardship in some cases, as well as being a safety issue.

I make a plea to our Councillors of all political parties: It's great to see you engage and support this important campaign, and thank you, but keep in mind that it is a huge people issue.  Residents would like to see you work as a team to get this sorted out.  We all know that we have seemingly insurmountable problems with the budget.  Maybe there is some way to make parking self-funding to an extent, without taking yet more money from motorists to the detriment of residents, visitors and local businesses who are all already struggling during the worst depression since the 19th Century?  As our Councillors, many of you have local businesses, business or professional skills as well as the authority to get things done.

It was heartening to see Councillors on last Sunday's 'protest march' in Ryde, and our MP, Andrew Turner.

We are looking to you to sort this out for us - whether Conservative, LibDem, Labour, UKIP or Independent.  This is about the Community, not the politics.  It is true that many of you, as politicians, are making fair and valid points but regardless of how we got here, we are here and we need it sorted.  Thank you.

Best wishes and regards,

David Walter