To invite Cabinet Members to provide a brief update on matters concerning their portfolio.
Minutes:
The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Digital Transformation, Housing, Homelessness and Povertyannounced that he and the Leader had attended the ‘Winter is Coming’ event at the Riverside Centre, meeting representatives from various organisations offering help to residents over the winter period. A list of their services had been included in a compendium which would be published on the council’s website from the following week.
Information was also being gathered regarding organisations and places offering warm spaces over the winter, including libraries, churches and leisure centres. This list would be published at the end of October.
A visit had also been made to Pan Together with the local member, Councillor Brodie, and met a very supportive team there.
Ten new advisors had been recruited to the Citizens Advice Bureau helpline. The council had given some financial help to the Footprint Trust and it was hoped that it would do the same for Citizens Advice.
The Cabinet Member for Planning and Enforcement announced that several councillors had asked for an update report on the Island Planning Strategy, and read out a statement with the next steps.
The Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment, Heritage, Human Resources and Legal and Democratic Services reported that in response to queries received regarding Dark Skies status, the criteria had changed and a refreshed application would be submitted before the end of 2022. Applications for membership of the Biosphere Steering Committee were open until the following day. There had been a good number of applications.
Following speculation that the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Jacob Rees-Mogg, was coming to the island to visit a renewable energy company, it was confirmed during the meeting that the visit had taken place and members expressed disappointment that he had not made contact with the council.
The Cabinet Member for Levelling Up, Regeneration, Business Development and Tourismreported that the council had been allocated £536,000 from the Rural England Shared Prosperity Fund, for small businesses and rural communities. An Investment Plan would be drawn up in November for allocation of the funds.
The first island cultural conference was to take place, which would see the launch of the cultural strategy consultation. A wide range of speakers would be attending.
Sandown and Shanklin Town Councils had agreed to contribute to a place plan for their area. Lake Parish Council would be considering it at their meeting the same evening. The High Streets Task Force had given a clear steer to regenerate Sandown High Street with focus on derelict and empty sites. A vision for the town was being developed.
The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Lifelong Skills had attended the IW Safeguarding Children Partnership annual conference. Links had been strengthened with the island’s Youth Council and Youth MP. The Cabinet Member had also been visiting schools around the island, building relationships with staff and finding out their issues.
There was to be a jobs, careers and education fair at the IW College on 26 October.
The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health expressed thanks to all the people involved in the voluntary sector and said that there was no need for anyone to suffer in silence as there were a lot of services providing help.
More than 200 Ukranians had come to the island. Their work ethic and contribution to island society had been outstanding.
The Director of Adult Social Care had gone the extra mile in respect of hospital to home where the situation continued to be difficult. Extra staff would be needed to return to Adult Social Care for the coming winter.