Here we have the November 2014 newsletter. It covers a lot of the material on the blog so that residents without computer access (or who have not discovered the website yet!) can keep in touch with what is going on.
Sincere thanks to the 12 volunteers who deliver the newsletter for me and without them it would not be possible to get them out nearly as often. Thank you.
To download the newsletter, click on this link here: Downs Ward Newsletter November 2014
White Dirt Lane has been a concern for local residents and users for some time. The narrow lane, absence of a footpath and regular use are key factors when combined with the speed some people drive the lane.
Cllr Marge Harvey has tried to take this forwards to look at how the lane might be improved and Hampshire County Council held a consultation to seek further views (see article on this blog dated 26th October for further information and a breakdown of the options).
The initial results of the consultation show that Closure was the most popular option with the residents, and Hampshire County Council advise that the next steps are to consult with other organisations to see if a trial closure would be an option. These include the Parish Councils (who have not been consulted yet), Emergency Services and other organisation.
If this looks like it would be supported then the trial closure would be carried out with traffic monitoring on adjacent roads to monitor the ‘Before’ and ‘After’ effect.
National Tree Week 1st December 2014 at Horndean Parish Council.
Take part in National Tree Week celebrations here in Horndean. Tree week is the UK’s largest tree celebration annually launching the start of the winter tree planting season. This year Horndean Parish Council is celebrating the week by planting cherry trees at Downs Park. Tree planting week is a great chance for the whole community to get involved in enhancing green areas. Nationally over this week it is expected that upwards of a quarter of a million people will be getting involved and getting their hands dirty.
The plan for Monday: All meet at Downs Park at 10am (off Wessex Road, Horndean, PO8 0HS), the planting will take us till lunch time. Refreshments will be provided on the day. Wear old clothes and possibly waterproofs!
Looking forward to seeing you then
Countryside Team @ Horndean Parish Council
Carole Burnett
Grounds Manager
Horndean Parish Council
This years Carol Service will be on the evening of Tuesday 9th December and will start at 7:00pm. As usual all are welcome.
This years 100th Anniversary of the start of World War 1 saw a record attendance at the War Memorial for the Remembrance Service with an estimated 1,000 residents taking part. The newly restored memorial looked stunning in the bright blue skies. We did remember them.
Photo – Steve Dawson
The Surgery in Horndean has for some time been looking to move into bigger premises to offer a better and more services. With the planned housing between now and 2028 this need is also a key priority to plan for. EHDC and the Surgery in the past identified this need and the current Havant Road Development was earmarked as a site, but when Gales Brewery was closed and plans for development came forward, this was thought to be a better option with its village centre location, especially as there was no interest in the Havant Road site at the time.
The planning permission for the Gales site made provision for this new building and an innovative agreement to fund the construction and space using developers contributions was set up to ensure this could happen. This has taken longer to conclude, and a key problem has been that the original developer who secured the planning permission at the Gales Site, Burton Properties, could not make the scheme stack up when the care home provider who went bust pulled out. This is how Linden Homes then came on board.
The key message is that a new surgery is coming and below is a Question and Answer session with Dr Coombe, the Director of the practice, that gives the latest information. Dr Coombe if you did not know, started his career in the Royal Army Medical Corp where he served with Distinction under fire.
What is the anticipated date for signing with Linden Homes?
The next meeting is 19 November, there is considerable legal work to complete but we would hope to achieve this by the end of this year or early 2015.
What is the anticipated date for moving in?
Once EHDC have final agreement of the ‘detail of the deal’ and the legal documentation is completed and signed it will take 4 months to fit out the building to surgery standard. Realistically Summer 2015.
How much bigger is the new surgery?
The new surgery is about 3 times the size. The current building 150m2 and was built in 1968 for 800 patients. The new surgery will be 450m2 and built to cope with our current 5000 patients and the new residents in all the various developments locally.
Do you plan to bring in more services?
Absolutely, we will be able to offer space for community NHS services like visiting consultant specialists, a wider variety and more frequent chronic disease management clinics including asthma, diabetes, heart disease, COPD, dementia, mental health and leg ulcer dressings. We will also have space for complementary services like physio, chiropractor, acupuncture, chiropody etc.
Will you have more GPs?
Currently we have no plans to increase GP numbers (it is worth pointing out that there is a recruitment crisis in GP). This would change if our numbers increase by more than 1000 patients in which case we can make the job desirable for other GPs to want to join us. We will however have the space to change our working practices which will increase the number of routine GP appointments.
Will the new surgery be able to cope with the forecast new housing for example Land East Of Horndean if this is approved?
In the current site absolutely not however in the New building we should be able to guarantee a surgery in the village for the foreseeable future.
If patients in nearby surgeries wish to move across can they?
Patients have the right to register with the Surgery of their choice.
Will the pharmacy remain in the spar?
No we would hope that the pharmacy will be under the same roof especially as a close working relationship between the surgery and the village pharmacist can only improve and enhance patient services. We would also hope to offer wider services – Blood pressure monitoring, prescription reviews, weight loss clinics etc in conjunction with the pharmacist.
Is it likely to be a surgery linden deal or surgery, linden, EHDC deal?
EHDC will be parenting and overseeing the deal but the final legal agreement will be between the surgery and Linden homes.
I know the planning process was stressful but is there a positive note about Julia Mansis’ (EHDC Planning Case Officer) work to help get the plans through?
Yes EHDC have always wanted a new surgery in the village. It is all about local services for local people with our ageing population who need local medical support and our increasing population. At a time of funding crisis in the NHS there would not be a future for a surgery in the village without the support of local residents, EHDC and in particular all the hard work of Julia Mansi, Julia Potter, Chris Fairhead and Guy Shepherd. Despite all the bureaucracy Guy has literally dragged the process to the very promising position we are today. (Note by Guy, Several other people also deserve a mention. Derek Chard for raising the slow progress with the developer as a concern, Lynn Evans at HPC for supporting this at meetings and with Officers at EHDC and other members of the team at East Hants. Mark Carrington, a new member of the Linden Homes team, also made this a key priority of his when he joined them)
Do you have a few quotes about the next 6 months and how you see the surgery developing in the future?
To ask the patients to be patient. They have waited a long time for a new surgery because with out their support this would have never happened. We have struggled for many years in very poor conditions but the staff have worked over and above to keep it going. Despite great adversity in the last 5 years overall our patient feedback is outstanding and we are recognized as one of the leading training practices in UK. With new facilities we hope to provide something really special without losing the small surgery friendly atmosphere.
In the last two weeks there has been a noticeable increase in burglaries in the area from Clanfield to Horndean, Lovedean, and Waterlooville. PC Nicola Robertson, one of the South of Butser Safer Neighbourhood Team has given the latest update below:
Hampshire police are investigating a series of burglaries in the Waterlooville area. We would like to remind you about home security in the run up to Christmas and ensure you lock windows and doors when leaving your property. Timer switches are a great way to give the impression that someone is home and there is more guidance below.
“We believe that the person(s) responsible may be cold calling at properties first, and if there is no answer then targeting the premises. If anyone has a cold caller that they have concerns about please report this to police immediately – particularly if they don’t have a genuine reason to be knocking on your door. As a result, please ensure you keep your gardens as secure as possible by locking gates and be extra vigilant for your neighbours who may not always be at home.
We are appealing for any information on who may be committing these burglaries, and if you have any information to offer you can call 101 or call crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.”
If you are not at home then do not make it easy for them.
Leave a couple of lights on in the home to make it look occupied.
Invest in some timer switches to turn lights and radios on and off.
Homes which look unoccupied are more at risk.
Secure your home by locking all windows and doors before leaving.
Only tell people you trust if your home will be empty for a period of time.
Do you have an alarm?
Share this with friends and family.
Currently Developers make contributions towards local infrastructure through a mechanism called “Section 106 Contributions”. Early next year this is changing to a new mechanism called ‘CIL’ – Community Infrastructure Levy, which is a rate per square metre of the new building.
EHDC is now consulting on this and copies of relevant documents are linked below.
There are exemptions, for example self build, residential extensions etc. CIL is intended to ensure the organisation profiting from the development or building, especially on larger scale schemes, makes the improvements needed to the surrounding infrastructure and not the existing community or tax payer.
The consultation runs to 5.00pm on Monday 22nd December 2014. If you wish to make any comments then please send them to EHDC either by email to localplan@easthants.gov.uk or by letter to:
Planning Policy
East Hampshire District Council
Penns Place,
Petersfield
GU31 4EX
If you have any queries concerning either the document or the process then please do not hesitate to call the Planning Policy team on 01730 234280 and ask for Valerie Dobson.
East Hampshire District Draft Regulation 123 list Final
East Hants District Council CIL F A Q v2
Horndean Parish Council look after most of our open spaces, play areas, and a number of halls. They are the front line in community service and very accessible. The parish has 15 Councillors who are voted in and work hard to improve our community. Sadly, too few people take an interest in what is going on and it is often the same faces that turn up at each meeting.
Localism gives the support for us to take control of local issues but the concept is flawed in that most people live busy lives and struggle to engage with what is going on. If you are interested in local issues why not attend a parish meeting. There are normally representatives from the District and County Council there too who can answer questions or follow up on issues on your behalf. This might be local flooding, crime, vandalism, community improvements or anything else you are interested in.
The next Horndean Parish Council meeting is on the 17th November at Jubilee Hall, Crouch Lane, Horndean starting at 7:00pm.
Items on the agenda include:
Discussion about the White Dirt Farm planning application
Improvements including fencing at Napier Hall and Catherington Lith, Play area at Merchistoun,
Works to improve the pathways at Hazleton Farm
Lighting to the War Memorial
Grazing on Catherington Down
Click on this link to download the Agenda: HPC Agenda 17 Nov 2014
Today’s threat to Horndean is the onslaught of developers coming over this hill (which we look like we will largely defend ourselves against), but in War Time Britain was Horndean just a sleepy rural collection of villages? After asking about, to my surprise it most definitely was not.
Dennis Longhurst, a current resident of Cowplain, was born in Horndean in 1932 and saw war time Horndean as a young boy and when old enough, a Cadet. In this remarkable article you are going to read about Bombings, Spies, Churchill, Doodlebug V1 Flying Bomb, Spitfires, Crashed German Planes, Blown Up Houses, POW’s, Lancaster Bombers, Tanks, Troops, Hidden Explosives, Montgomery, Eisenhower and so much more you will have to read it to believe it.
We have prepared a map of War Time Horndean to show the vast extent of the impact the War had on the villages. Dennis’ story is largely centred around Catherington and Lovedean. In 1932 the village centre in Horndean was a long way from the village centre in Catherington. It was ‘Over The Next Valley’.
We would like very much to hear from anyone who can help with further photographs, names of the home guard men or further details of the War, especially from the villages of Horndean and Blendworth.
The detail for much of this article has been researched and written by Sara Schillemore and Guy Shepherd. We would both welcome comments, please click on the ‘comment’ link at the top of this post.
To enjoy Dennis’ account click on this link here: Horndean at War – Dennis Longhurst
For a larger version of the map below click on this link here: Horndean War Map – Full Size PDF
In the last months the Taylor Wimpey proposals for White Dirt Farm have been with about 30 organisations for consultation. Some of the consultees have given no objection but some have raised issues that have lead to that organisation recommending refusal. For example, Hampshire County Council highways department were unhappy with the road traffic speeds, junction details and recommended refusal based on the plans. The applicant is entitled to make amendments that can address these concerns so the plans might be deemed to be acceptable.
Taylor Wimpey have submitted a revised set of highways drawings showing some traffic calming and tree planting. While the traffic calming solutions might be an area HCC will reconsider their objection against, the landscape and Gap issues remain. (The countdown to a five year land supply is marching closer and closer). What Taylor Wimpey are trying to do is to deal with a firm ‘Yes, No’ grounds for objection and then leave the more subjective landscape view on the table (EHDC feels very strongly about this as you will have read from the landscape officers report) and an argument about have we achieved the 5 year plan. In the meantime EHDC having approved at Cabinet the Draft Allocations Plan, which will also go to full council very shortly are able to construct very strong arguments that the most sustainable site is Land East Of Horndean and not White Dirt Farm.
Click here for the updated White Dirt Farm Documents and scroll to the bottom for entries dated 6th November.
We have until the 20th November 2014 to give any comments in, and the 300 or so people who have made submissions to EHDC have all received a letter or email to tell them about the updated plan. I have attached a copy below but you will need to follow the link above to see their proposed traffic calming options and they are the documents at the bottom of the page dated 6th November 2014.
Following a number of requests for bus shelters by residents I approached the Parish Council to seek their help securing three in Downs Ward (The Parish Council is responsible for the maintenance of shelters).
After confirmation HPC would support the project I approached First Group and Stagecoach to identify the most used stops. You may also recall an article about this in my newsletter and on this blog.
After further support from County Councillor Marge Harvey who was able to secure the funding from HCC and also a commitment to maintain them for 5 years I was delighted to see that they were installed a few weeks ago and just in time for winter. Thank you to the team at Horndean Parish Council for chasing this and also to Cllr Lynn Evans who spent many hours in meetings about funding, location and then installation.
EHDC are in partnership with other local authorities on energy saving improvements in the home and this can lead to grant funding and support in energy saving home improvements.
East Hampshire residents can receive help to keep warm this winter by getting at least £4,000 to equip their homes with solid wall insulation and £400 for a new boiler, for example.
Other measures on offer from East Hampshire District Council include cavity wall insulation, double glazing, loft insulation, high performance doors and more.
The first step in the process is a Green Deal assessment – this lets the homeowner know which energy-saving measures make the most sense for their home. This assessment is free if the homeowner goes on to install a measure, and if not it costs just £29 rather than the usual price of £150. The scheme is open to all East Hampshire residents living in a privately owned or privately rented home.
To find out more about the scheme and to register for an assessment visit http://www.easthants.gov.uk/greendeal or call 0800 052 2242
EHDC are, like everyone else in the community, concerned about crime. The Police are under pressure to work within budgets and currently there are 18 PCSO’s tasked to cover East Hants (in addition to the police officers we have). As a result the Police do need to prioritise and this means that some issues do not get followed up.
The reality is that we can have as much policing as we like to address and follow up on these issues if we are wiling to pay for it. Nothing is free.
Following a number of discussions between Chief Constable Andy Marsh and Cllr Feris Cowper, Leader at EHDC, it became apparent that EHDC could boost their resources to fight crime and this would be welcome. Importantly though these resources would be ring fenced to East Hants, and EHDC can direct their efforts through the local police to focus on specific problems identified by the council, including anti-social behaviour, drug-use, off-road driving and crimes such as the theft of garden machinery.
The three Police Community Support Officers, who will cost the council nearly £100,000 a year over the next three years, will be in addition to the 18 PCSOs currently assigned to the district. This works out at about £2.00 per home per year.
EHDC are also buying five Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras which would be used by the police in a second anti-crime initiative costing £61,000 over three years. This will increase the ability of the Police to track known offenders and provide evidence for prosecution.
The initiative, thought to be among the first in the country, will help to tackle issues including anti-social driving, vehicle crime, burglaries and rural theft. Between April 2013 and March 2014 there were 442 reports of fly-tipping, 160 reports of residential burglary, 462 reports of non residential burglary, 220 reports of theft from motor vehicles, 39 reports of vehicle theft and 386 reports of vehicle-related nuisance.
And, Yes, they will be seen in areas outside of Petersfield before anyone asks! As the scheme runs its 3 year course it will be monitored for effectiveness and then reviewed.
Horndean Biodiversity Action Group are holding their next meeting on Tuesday 2nd December at 2:00pm in Napier Hall. Anyone interested is welcome to attend and the meeting will discuss ‘The Way Ahead’ for the group after its BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) was published.
Horndean Parish Council is also carrying out a lot of winter works including tree planting and maintenance. They are looking for volunteers who are interested in taking part and helping with the tree planting in the Parish and if you would like to help then please contact Jordan at Horndean Parish Council on 02392 597 766.
James Tickell from the HPC Rights of Way Volunteer Group is organising a working party to help with the overgrown verges at the top end of Frogmore Lane, and the planting of new whips on 15th November so if you are interested in helping there please contact him on james@tickell.biz
The South Down Group and Horndean BAP (Biodiversity Action Group) have produced a joint newsletter which lists forthcoming meetings, topics of interest and how volunteers can help out locally. Click on this link here for the Horndean BAP Newsletter
Hampshire County Council Trading Standards have started a regular newsletter giving details on current scams and useful advice. A link to a copy of their October edition is at the bottom of this article which covers the following:
Bogus Police Officer Calls where information about credit cards and financial information is asked for.
Wine investment scam offering opportunities to invest in wine storage.
Nuisance calls or text messages and Silent calls. This gives advice on how to deal with these including TPS, OfCom etc.
Click on this link here for the October Trading Standards News Letter.
Horndean Football Club are expanding and doing some great work and I am very pleased to be able to help them with a grant of £472.80 for some improvements behind the lines to improve the disabled access and facilities for all spectators. As a Thank You the club have 8 season tickets to give away for home fixtures and the winners can claim their tickets at the next home game.
1: Name the Manager of Horndean first team?
2: What is the nick name of Horndean FC?
3: What two colours make up the Home team top?
4: Do you have to be a member of the football club to use the Club house?
5: What premier league do the senior First team play in?
Tie breaker: In less than 10 words describe why you want to win tickets for Horndean FC
Ts&Cs (judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into).
To enter all you need to do is email your entry to horndeanfccompetition@gmail.com by midnight on the 15th November 2014.
Good Luck!
In the last week EHDC have reached a significant milestone event in the second part of the Local Plan, or allocations plan, by publishing a Draft version. This is one of the key topics on the Special Planning Public Meeting EHDC are holding on the 10th November at 7pm, Barton Hall, Horndean Technology College.
The Planning Team will be giving us a good update on the following:
Current Applications
Housing elsewhere in the District
The three major applications at Whitehill Bordon
Where the South Downs National Park Authority are on their plan
The Draft Allocations Plan
The proposal to select the sites in ‘Land East Of Horndean’ is a good fit with much (but not all) of the community view. It is also a current application which means it is viable, so a very strong argument against other options elsewhere. This is NOT however a firm proposal and needs community support to say if it is the right or wrong option. Whether you support this or not, it is important you give your view.
The meeting will also have a questions and answers section. If you would like to submit a question on any of the issues above about planning in EHDC, SDNPA or more detailed questions about applications in the parishes of Clanfield, Horndean and Rowlands Castle then please use the contact form below by noon on Friday 7th November and it will go directly to the team at EHDC where they will sort the questions and make sure the topics are all covered on the night.
The planning team look forward to seeing as many people as possible on the 10th November.
