Councillor John Medland

Annual Report 2023

I continue to be a member of the Isle of Wight Corporate Scrutiny Committee and Vice Chair of the Policy and Scrutiny Committee for Neighbourhoods and Regeneration and Director of Community Action IW.

At the IW Annual Council Meeting of 17 May 2022 I was elected as Chairman of the Planning Committee.  The following day I heard the damning feedback from the LGA Peer Review on our Local Planning Authority.  As chair of Planning I learned I had a key role in fixing things.

I have had weekly meetings with the Strategic Manager and other staff to resolve cases ‘called in’ by councillors, and to prepare future meetings.  Every fortnight we meet with Cllr Fuller as Cabinet member and senior staff to guide and report progress on the Peer Review.  Additional training sessions and legal updates in new committee workshops have enabled some of the subjects that were causing verbal conflict to be resolved.  We also hold ‘steering group’ meetings with representatives of the housing associations, developers and architects and local councils.

As ward councillor I attend whenever possible meetings of the Freshwater Parish Council and public meetings of the Freshwater Bay Residents Association.  I have continued to drop in weekly to the Our Place Café on Tuesday mornings and now volunteer at the WW Heritage Centre on Friday mornings.  I act as the parish representative for the Heritage Centre and was successful in applying for a Lottery grant to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee of just under £10,000.  I am also a member of the Freshwater and Totland Archive Group and now its Minutes Secretary.  I also regularly volunteer with the Freshwater Speedwatch, with the Friends of Freshwater Library events every month and the local Timebank events every Friday.

John Medland

March 2023