The recent elections saw David Newbury stand down and Tony Denton was successfully elected as Davids successor. Tony has started up a blog that covers the Clanfield area and I am sure will be a very popular resource locally. Please visit his Blog on www.cllrdenton.com and a link to his blog will be on the side bar of this blog.
Chief Inspector Beth Pirie, our new District Commander, is taking a very proactive role in community engagement, and one of the tools she would like to us to consider using is ‘Hampshire Alert’.
http://www.hampshirealert.co.uk is a free web based system which the public can sign up to and choose what information they want to receive and in what format – email, text or phone message – so the ‘alert’ is personal to them. People can sign up via the website, via their neighbourhood teams or via a portable kiosk that can be taken to events. People don’t need to have access to the internet as details can be added manually. Hampshire Alert is also linked to the Neighbourhood Watch network so anyone in a scheme can also access information about their specific Watch and NPTs can communicate directly with the database of members. Hampshire Alert is nothing like Facebook, Twitter or any other social media site. All the information is kept secure and private; you do not need to set up a social page or add pictures. Once registered, members only need to log into the system to update their details or preferences. Alerts will be sent to their chosen email or phone number. From April, Hampshire Alert will be the primary community engagement tool and the only method for how information is sent direct to communities.
What do we use it for? Primarily, NPTs will use Hampshire Alert to send out appeals, warnings about incidents, engagement events, Trading Standards warnings, crime prevention advice, good news – pretty much anything that would be included in a beat newsletter or Neighbourhood Watch communication. The benefit of it over our current distribution networks is that it can be used to target the community much more effectively using geographical or demographic data. It is also run via an external site so teams can send messages at any time from any internet enabled device. It is not linked to the force network. It also means that the whole team has access to all the community information, unlike now where many NPTs store lists in their own email contacts, or communication is reliant on a certain person being on duty. By using alerts and sending out information as and when incidents happen, teams will be communicating regularly with the public on the matters that they are interested in which is a much more effective and efficient use of their time.
Here is an example of a recent alert for the Horndean and Clanfield area:
Clarvoyant Scams
Hampshire residents are advised to be cautious of scams involving clairvoyants and psychics.
The scammer will make an unsolicited approach, usually by post but also by telephone, email or in person. They will use the person’s name, normally bought from a mailing list, and warn about some sort of trouble which they can help resolve. This may include selling a lucky charm, the removal of a curse or disclosing winning lottery numbers. However, they will ask for payment. If they do not receive this they will warn you that the bad luck will continue.
It can be very frightening to receive this type of communication. Although scammers tend to use mass marketing lists they will sometimes stoop as low as checking death announcements to hand pick their victims who are at a low ebb.
This scam plays on the wants, needs and fears of a person to make them feel safer in the future, in return for a one off or ongoing payments.
Council Tax Scam
Hampshire Trading Standards Service is warning residents to be wary of receiving a call from someone claiming to work at the local council:
Real life case study
Mr H received an unsolicited call from someone alleging to work at his district council. The caller said that Mr H had overpaid his council tax for many years and was due a large rebate. The caller then asked for Mr H’s bank account details so they could refund the money. Mr H had recently been in touch with Trading Standards about another matter where they had advised him not to disclose personal information to an unknown caller. Bearing this in mind Mr H terminated the phone call.
Local authorities have advised they never cold call residents asking for bank account details and the best advice is to terminate the call and report to the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0345 04 05 06.
Energy Saving Device
This scam involves the sale of bogus energy saving devices.
As with most scams, this originates from an unsolicited call, normally made by telephone. The caller will make claims that they can help reduce a customer’s energy bill with the sale of a plug-in device. The call will sound very credible and ask for the customer’s bank details. The device is normally sold for £100.
Once received, the device will not work. Tests have shown that many of these devices are unsafe and do not save energy at all.
Real life case study
Mr C received a cold call from someone offering an energy saving device. He agreed to buy it and paid £129 by credit card. The device arrived without a plug. Mr C contacted his energy supplier who advised him not to use the device as it would be of no benefit and unsafe. Mr C contacted his credit card company and they agreed to refund his money.
Bogus phone call from Hampshire County Council
Real life case study
Mrs A reported she had received calls over two nights from a man asking about her home security arrangements. This included him wanting information on her locks, double glazing and details on who lived in the house and how old they are. When Mrs A asked the man where he was calling from, he said ‘Hampshire County Council’. Mrs A phoned Hantsdirect who confirmed this was not a genuine call and she should report this to the police. Mrs A wanted to warn Hampshire residents about this incident, and to report similar concerns to the police.
If you are worried about a potential scam please contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline:
By telephone on 03454 04 05 06
Web site: Online consumer complaint form
Trading Standards Service
Montgomery House, Monarch Way
Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 5PW
It had to happen sooner or later, and there have been reports of scammers impersonating Trading Standards officers. Details below:
Bogus Trading Standards Officers
Hampshire Trading Standards Service would like to alert the public to a spate of incidents where a cold caller to their home falsely states they are a Trading Standards Officer. Under this guise, the bogus caller attempts to defraud the householder by claiming that they are due money in connection with previous work that has been done on their property. In some cases thermal wall coatings have been mentioned.
The home-owner is told that they will have to pay court costs or other admin fees which will be refunded at a later date. Residents taken in by these false claims have lost several thousand pounds.
Trading Standards Officers, the Police and other officials do not ask for money. If you are suspicious of a cold caller please dial 101 or in an emergency 999.
Hampshire County Council Trading Standards Service
Montgomery House Monarch Way
Winchester Hampshire SO22 5PW
Tel: 01962 833620
Fax: 01962 833698
E-mail: doorstep.crime@hants.gov.uk
Network Rail are currently running a public consultation on their long term strategic planning process for services on the South West mainline over the next 30 years, covering services from London Waterloo to Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Dorset . Passenger numbers and freight are expected to continue to grow rapidly therefore the study is looking to address the need to provide sufficient capacity in the peak periods, specifically to and from London. The study proposes some urgent options and recommendations for control period 6 (2019-2024) as well as looking ahead to the longer term to 2043.
Network Rail are welcoming comments on the study document. It is lengthy and the deadline for responses is Wednesday 18th February 2015. Comments will need to be sent to either of the following addresses:
Email: WessexRouteStudy@networkrail.co.uk
Post: Wessex Route Study Consultation, Strategic Planner, Network Rail, The Cottons Centre, Cottons Lane, London, SE1 2QG
Click on this link to down load the Long Term Planning Process Strategy
On behalf of all 5 Horndean District Councillors we would like to wish everyone in Horndean a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy, Prosperous New Year.
Guy Shepherd – Downs Ward
Sara Schillemore – Catherington Lovedean Ward
Dorothy Denston – Hazleton Blendworth Ward
David Evans – Kings Ward
Lynn Evans – Murray Ward
And all of the Officers and Staff at EHDC
Also from
Marge Harvey – HCC Councillor
George Hollingbery MP and team.
In lieu of Christmas Cards we have made individual donations to charities of our choices.
Bank Card ‘Courier’ Scam
The Trading Standards Service is continuing to receive calls from Hampshire residents who have been caught out by a sophisticated and malicious scam. Although variations of this scam have featured in the past two bulletins the circumstances of how it operates keep changing. Please read the case study that follows which demonstrates the lengths the fraudster will go to make this scam sound plausible.
Real Life Case Study
Mrs G received a phone call from a woman who said they worked at her bank, and there was a problem with her debit card. They told her not to use it and that a new one had been ordered which would be delivered in the next couple of days. The next day Mrs G visited her bank and they told her the card was fine to use. When Mrs G returned home she received another phone call from the same woman who told her the new card would be delivered on Monday. The woman gave Mrs G a security number to quote when the card was delivered. Mrs G later received a phone call from a man who said there was fault on the phone lines in the area and she must remove all her receivers from the hook. Later that day a man arrived at Mrs G’s door and said he had her new bank card. He asked for her current card which she gave him. Mrs G felt very uneasy about the situation and returned to her bank for advice. On checking, the bank discovered £2000 had been withdrawn from her account. Mrs G understands she has been the victim of a fraud, and she wanted to share her story to warn others.
Should you receive a call of this nature do not engage with the caller and hang up as soon as possible. Do not use your phone to check the plausibility of the caller, as there is a chance they may leave the telephone line open, which will reconnect you to them.
NEVER disclose personal information or bank details over the telephone.
International Lottery Scams
Hampshire Trading Standards Service continues to receive reports from residents receiving notifications that they are the winner of an international lottery. The unsolicited post typically carries a post mark from Australia or Canada, but it may claim to be from anywhere in the world.
This type of lottery scam has been around for a long time. Although fake lotteries may be easy to spot, scammers are becoming more sophisticated with the documentation they use, providing official looking certificates and authorisation stamps. They may also use genuine sounding addresses or websites to make the lottery appear convincing. They will often personalise the letter which makes the recipient believe they have won a valuable prize.
Real Life Case Study 1
Miss C was referred to the Trading Standards Service as it was noticed she was receiving a high volume of unsolicited mail. An officer visited her and discovered Miss C received on average fifty letters a day from various lottery companies claiming to be based in Australia. Although Miss C did not respond to every letter, she had replied to some, often sending cheques upwards of £10. Steps are being taken to reduce the amount of unsolicited mail Miss C receives.
Real Life Case Study 2
Mr B’s daughter was concerned at the high volume of unsolicited mail he received from foreign lotteries. Included in the mail were personalised items including a hand written Christmas card asking for his telephone number so they could let him know when his prize was ready. Mr B believed the scammer was his friend and that they were trying to help him. Thankfully Mr B did not disclose this information and he is now receiving support to protect him from similar scams in the future.
Remember do NOT send any money, pay a fee or disclose bank details to an unsolicited person claiming you have won a prize. The only winner will be the person operating the scam.
Postal Scam Alert – A Warning from Phonepay Plus
PhonepayPlus are the regulator for premium rate phone numbers and phone paid services in the UK. They have asked that the following warning is issued about an old postal scam using a premium rate number.
The Ghost of Christmas past – what to do if you receive an email about a 09066 611911 Number
With the nights drawing in and a chill in the air, it’s clear that Christmas is approaching faster than we all think. With people doing most of their Christmas shopping over the next 6 weeks, and having more and more packages delivered, it’s perhaps predictable that a ghost from the past has given its chains another rattle.
We have recently received a large number of number checker hits for a 090 number that was shut down by PhonepayPlus in December 2005. The number was originally part of a postal scam where a card was posted through consumers’ letter boxes telling them to call a premium rate number, 09066611911 in order to find out how to retrieve a parcel. On calling the number they would then immediately be charged £15.
Despite our best efforts chain emails still sometimes circulate on the internet warning about this number even though it is no longer operating and hasn’t been for some considerable time. If you do receive an e-mail referring to this we would like to reassure you that the number is not in service and should not be a cause for concern. You don’t need to send the warning e-mail on to others but it would be helpful to us if you could forward this information instead.
However, if you do receive a delivery card through your letterbox which you do not believe is genuine and asks you to dial a premium rate number (usually beginning with 090, 09, 070, 118, 0871, 0872 or 0873) you can use our Number Checker or contact us on 0800 500 212 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.00pm) for further guidance.
If you are worried about a potential scam please contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline:
By telephone on 03454 04 05 06
A warning from Royal Mail:
Christmas is fast approaching, Royal Mail & The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:
A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a Premium rate number).
If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed £315 for the phone call.
If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 020 7239 6655.
For more information, see the Crime Stoppers website: http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/crime-prevention/helping-prevent-crime/scams/postal-delivery-scam
Please be aware that the premium rate number may change but nevertheless please do not call any number stated on a card from PDS. Please make all your family, friends and neighbours aware of the above
Following a recent drugs caution in the South Warnborough area, Hampshire Police are reminding members of the public, particularly Neighbourhood Watch members, that drug offences can occur in any house, in any street and the importance of reporting any suspicious activity to Police on 101. This recent incident was aided by members of the public being the eyes and ears of the neighbourhood and voicing their concerns to officers; demonstrating how important it is to report to Police anything suspicious in your area. In the last 18 months 2 Cannabis Factories have been found in Horndean too.
They have issued the following advice on how to spot a cannabis factory: “How To Spot A Cannabis Factory”
Cannabis Factories
The constabulary works hard to rid our communities of drugs, and rental properties are increasingly being used as a convenient way for criminal gangs to hide their activity from public gaze. The cost of cleaning up these properties huge and the impact on landlords is devastating. Help us identify these properties in your area:
Landlords responsibilities
Landlords and property managers have a duty to report any suspicious drug activity to police, or face the prospect of prosecution themselves.
Hampshire Constabulary is sending out clear advice and guidance to property managers and landlords who rent out private accommodation across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Following the increasing number of rented properties across the two counties being used for the production of illegal drugs, the force has produced a landlords’ guide, explaining that property managers have a duty to report any suspicious drug activity to police, or face the prospect of prosecution themselves.
The A5 booklet, entitled “Don’t Turn a Blind Eye – A landlord’s guide to keeping illegal drugs out of rented property” includes advice and guidance, and highlights the signs to look out for if you suspect a cannabis factory or chemical drugs laboratory has been established at a property.
Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, a landlord/property manager can receive a maximum of 14 years in prison and/or a fine, if they turn a blind eye and allow the production of controlled drugs to take place in rented accommodation. Under this legislation, there is also the potential for premises to be seized or forfeited.
The constabulary works hard to rid our communities of drugs, and rental properties are increasingly being used as a convenient way for criminal gangs to hide their activity from public gaze.
The cost of cleaning up these properties is huge, and could lead to large-scale loss of earnings over a prolonged period. A house may even need to be demolished if it is deemed unfit for human habitation following the manufacture of highly toxic drugs such as the Class A narcotic, Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth). Landlords can find out more on this link here: “Advice For Landlords”
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
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.
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.
DISCUSSION FORUM: COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SELECT COMMITTEE.
By Cllr Elaine Tickell, Horndean Parish Council
Earlier in the year, I made a submission as an individual to the investigation by the Communities and Local Government Select Committee into the impact of the first two years of operation of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). I was absolutely thrilled to receive an invitation to participate in the discussion Forum of the Committee held last Monday on the 1st September at Portcullis House at the House of Commons.
There were in the region of 60-70 delegates from around the country. The discussion was a little like speed dating. We were divided into tables of seven and an MP or representative of the committee then sat at each table with a note taker to take views on specific questions. The four questions asked were
1) An overview of the NPPF,
2) The provision of housing,
3) Local Plans and
4) The effectiveness of consultation.
Each table had 20 minutes to give an opinion and air concerns. After each 20 minute slot, the MP/ representative then moved on and we got a different person. I think that it worked very well and that MP’s were surprised and sometimes shocked to hear the reality of the impact of the NPPF on communities. I spoke to Clive Betts, the Chairman of the Select Committee, Mrs Mary Glindon MP, Kelvin McDonald a lecturer in Planning at Cambridge University and Glenn McKie, the Clerk to the Committee.
In my view, Horndean is an ideal case study into the operation of the NPPF. The Parish has a large site that not only could (if approved) deliver the 700 homes required for the period up to 2028, but also would deliver employment land, a care home for the elderly, housing for the elderly, a school, allotments, many community facilities and infrastructure. It is supported by the majority of the Parish. It is a showcase for sustainable development as required by the NPPF.
The aim of the NPPF was to provide for effective planning inter alia to deliver housing. Sustainability lies at its heart with a core principle of empowering local communities to give input into development in their areas. The three elements of economic, social and environmental should be sought jointly to achieve sustainable development. The planning and appeal decisions that are coming through are clear that the five year land supply (see next paragraph) is one matter in the planning balance.
The planning authority for Horndean Parish is East Hampshire District Council. EHDC does have an adopted Local Plan but at present does not have a Five Year Land Supply. The effect of this has been discussed in previous articles on Horndean Matters. The reality of the operation of the NPPF in Horndean is that developers have manipulated the provisions of the same to their own ends and tried to drive through planning applications on a “first come, first served” basis with applications on inappropriate sites outside settlement policy boundaries, out of character with the area, in the Countryside and in Local Gaps without the support of the Local Population. Public Consultation has been flawed and what is reported by the developers as part of their applications flies in the face of the Public Consultation carried out by EHDC and now embodied in LIPS and in separate polls. The result has been the complete antithesis of the effective planning envisaged by the NPPF.
Hopefully, the evidence given by the individuals on the 1st September will form an important part of the evidence presented to the government that will lead to changes to the NPPF to ensure an effective planning system that is balanced and not just driven by special interest groups.
The Parish Council represents the views of the residents of Horndean. Please let us represent you better – let us have your views on contact@horndeanpc-hants.gov. The more evidence supplied to us, the better the input that we can have into the planning process with a better outcome for Horndean.
A lot of work is being carried out by Parish and District Councillors and it is important that readers know that we are doing all that is possible to achieve a good planning outcome for Horndean.
Cllr Elaine Tickell. Horndean Parish Council.
Note from Guy – That Elaine as an individual made the effort to write to the select committee raising concerns, and delivered a sufficiently robust set of views to have been asked to meet with the Select Committee is a very big deal. Bloody well done and an excellent narrative to share with the community. Thank you. Guy.
For the last few months Waterlooville Police Station has resumed a counter service, but this is not a 24 hour service. Opening times below.
Friday 8:00am to 8:00pm
Saturday 8:00am to 8:00pm
Sunday 9:00am to 2:00pm and 2:45pm to 5:00pm
(Closed on Bank Holidays)
It’s a great time to be in East Hampshire!
That is the message from East Hampshire District Council as it reviews its achievements and successes of the last twelve months, and looks forward to an exciting year ahead. Through the publication of its Annual Report Summary 2013-2014, up-beat Council Leader Ferris Cowper and Chief Executive, Sandy Hopkins are proud to report on how the authority continues to deliver successful services to its residents and businesses, whilst giving even greater value for money.
Partnership working with other authorities and the streamlining of services has enabled East Hampshire to keep the Council Tax low, with the intention of keeping it frozen for years to come.
Ambitious plans to make East Hampshire free from government funding are already underway. Innovative ideas and strategies for the future have been put in place as the council strives towards its vision of building a high performing organisation at the heart of a prosperous, vibrant and active district. Making East Hampshire one of the best places in Britain in which to live, work or visit.
Cllr Ferris Cowper, Leader of the East Hampshire District Council, said: “So we are aiming high. We are a very ambitious Council and have a clear vision for the future so that East Hampshire communities will be increasingly prosperous, vibrant and active. We need to make sure we do the right things, for the right people, at the right time. Traditionally Local Authority working has been entirely about delivering services based on legislation or local need. Today, we no longer just deliver these one-size-fits-all services. We now provide services to individuals and businesses based on their particular needs.”
To find out about the great things happening in East Hampshire right now and to see what the future holds, download your copy from
Annual Report Summary 2013 – 2014
I am an avid fan of Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. The sheer brilliance and uncomfortable truths of the series amused vast audiences, and Local Government has some comparisons with the ‘Political Will, and the Staff Won’t’. The Right Honorable Jim Hacker’s vision of ‘Open Government’ and Sir Humphrey Appleby’s desperate attempts to prevent this from happening. You may remember the Cabinet Secretary’s advice (Sir Arnold) that ‘Open Government is a contradiction in terms. You can be open, or you can have Government’.
Is seems that Eric Pickles, Minister of the current day successor of the ‘Ministry of Administrative Affairs’ has made one last push for this with new legislation covering public meetings, the use of modern technology (video recording, blogging, twitter) and encourages as much transparency as possible. He has succeeded where Hacker failed. Oh, how we miss Sir Humphrey. The details are below:
Transparency and openness should be the fundamental principle behind everything councils and other local government bodies do, and new rights have now been introduced by the Openness of Local Government Bodies 2014, which will enable members of the public to know how decisions are made.
These rights allow members of the public including citizens and professional journalists to:
1 – Use modern technology and communication methods such as filming, audio-recording, blogging and tweeting to report the proceedings of the meetings of their councils and other local government bodies
2 – See information relating to significant decisions made outside meetings by officers acting under a general or specific delegated power.
This guide provides practical information that will help the public to exercise their new rights under the Regulations, and what they should expect from their councils and other local government bodies.
Click here for the link to the guide book.
On final quote:
Bernard Woolley: “It used to be said there were two kinds of chairs to go with two kinds of Ministers: one sort that folds up instantly, the other sort goes round and round in circles.”
Email scam alerts are becoming more common, and some of them more sophisticated. In the last month my email address has been used in spam emails, and the presence of a trusted, or email address you recognise, can result in your own account quickly being hacked.
One of the common scams going around is where an email arrives from someone you know asking for urgent help. Typically they say they had been mugged in a country like Turkey, everything stolen except passports, hotel would not let them leave until bill paid and could you send them £2100 asap – you are their only hope!
Emails with no content apart from just a website link are usually viruses to extract information like your address book. This is then used to send out emails to people you know which appear to come from your own address. Once the address book has been hacked it is impossible to prevent it being used again and again.
If you receive suspicious emails then do not open the email or any of the attachments, and delete it.
How to spot scam emails:
These often contain alarmist messages and threats of account closures, Promises of money for little or no effort, Deals that sound too good to be true, Requests to donate to a charitable organization after a disaster that has been in the news. They also regularly have bad grammar and misspellings.
What to do if you have been targeted:
Change the passwords or PINs on all your online accounts that you think might be compromised. If this is linked with online banking or other online services where you have financial details – Paypal, Ebay etc then change your password and contact the merchant. Routinely review your bank and credit card statements monthly for unexplained charges or inquiries that you didn’t initiate.
Hampshire County Council (who provide the Waste Recycling Centres) are carrying out a consultation on its services, which ones are essential, and how they might cut some costs. There are 24 centres in Hampshire which cost £10m to run, or £416,000 each per year.
The new HWRC contract starts in 2015 so this consultation will be used to see what changes will be made in the next period. As HCC are looking to make 12% savings on their total budget they will be looking to consider some here too. Options they are considering include the following:
Closing one or more sites that do not represent good value for money.
Introducing measures to reduce the amount of trade waste wrongfully disposed of at sites
Accepting waste from small local businesses for a fee.
Charging for the disposal of DIY waste to help recover some of the cost of dealing with these waste types.
Reviewing our site opening hours to negotiate lower management costs
Working with charities or communities to increase reuse of furniture and other items
Some of the ideas will save cost, but almost certainly increase fly tipping which is a far more expensive way to deal with a bin of rubbish. the possibility of closing an inefficient unit will only be a problem if it is near us! The consultation closes on Friday 22nd August and here is the link to find out more and complete the survey
In our community we have dozens of clubs and organisations that work hard to support a particular activity, and many that spend a lot of time providing structured support and facilities for our children to play safely and engage in team sports and healthy activity with the right mentoring. Horndean Football Club is one of these clubs and has several very committed and enthusiastic volunteers who are very passionate about the sport.
HFC play in the Wessex League where they are known as ‘The Deans’ and anyone of any age interested in playing for a progressive forward thinking club should contact the club directly on 02392591363. Their first team and reserve team coaches have also committed to running guest training sessions this season with their younger members, something they are really excited about. Thank you to Tony Devaney from HFC for providing some words about the club below.
HORNDEAN FC
CLUB HISTORY – 1887 to 2014
Horndean FC was formed in 1887. The first recorded game was played on the 19th October of that year against Red Star of Havant, which Red Star won 1-0. Until World War 1 all matches were friendlies and on one occasion the game was controlled by two umpires, one in each half of the field. Shortly after the 1914-18 war, the club joined the Waterlooville & District League and it was not until 1926-27 season, when the club was reformed that it won the league title, further successes followed in 1930, 31 and 32 winning the trophies outright together with the local cup. During the 1931-32 season the late Frank Bryson scored 83 goals, and during his time at Horndean he scored a total of 384. Both records remain to this day.
In the early days the club played on a pitch at Blendworth Hill, on ground behind the old workhouse opposite what is now the Colonial Bar, and later in a field behind the Brewers Arms in Five Heads Road and the pub was used for committee meetings. The original club house was opened in 1948 having been built by club members and supporters on land donated by Harry Heath, whose family have continued with the support of the club to this day. Horndean entered the Portsmouth League and in the 1953-54 season they won the division 2 title. Mr A.J.Rowe put together a successful youth team and in 1961-62 they won every game scoring 125 goals with only 15 against. Many of these players graduated to the first team and gained promotion to the Premier Division, and after winning the Premier title for three seasons running 1969, 70 & 71 they were accepted into the Hampshire League Division 4 in 1972. In 1979-80 they won the double, which included the Portsmouth Senior Cup played at Fratton Park.
In 1986 we joined the newly formed Wessex League. The club house was rebuilt by Terry Cannon in 1987 after the infamous hurricane destroyed the old building. The dressing rooms and team room building was also built by Terry Cannon in August 1988. In June 2008 the management team of Denmead & Purbrook took over the running of trouble stricken Horndean FC which was established over 127 years ago. This makes the club older than Portsmouth Football Club. When Pompey’s plans are for a multi-million pound stadium, Horndean had to make do with the development of a 25 year old shed, and a club house new roof. But thanks must go to all the volunteers that have given up their time in making this happen.
We want to encourage the youth element so that there is a natural progression through the stages from youth to adult football. This is complemented by the new youth policy which is the start of our future.
We are a non-profit making organisation and really would like to see more locals supporting grass roots football. Our first friendly fixture takes place on Monday the 7th of July at Five Heads 7.45pm kick off. We have also been very fortunate to recruit two very competent reserve team Managers, Richard Bessey & Mick Webb who will be Managing and developing the reserve team.
We look forward to seeing you and your family’s at Five Heads, in addition we are always looking for volunteers to maintain the ground, there really are always things to do, from painting to putting in new fence posts, we would also welcome help from new sponsors to help fund the cost of materials.
Over the Christmas period there was a spate of ‘Non Dwelling Burglaries’ to Garages and Sheds, and this peaked at several a week. There were also a number of house burglaries too. The good news is that the police have targeted a number of offenders and this has resulted in a significant decrease in the number of burglaries to less than one a week to Horndean, Clanfield and Rowlands Castle. A very encouraging reduction, but the Police are working to reduce this further.
Inspector Humphries who currently leads the police team in our local Parishes has very kindly provided the following information about this which gives an excellent update on what is being done.
Over the whole of the last year (1st Apr 13 – 31st Mar 14) Horndean has seen an increase in burglary offences, both dwelling and non dwelling (a total of 78 compared to 45 the previous year.) This increase is attributable largely to the spate from Xmas into the New Year. In relation to these we have a number of people remanded in prison awaiting trial and we don’t realistically expect to see them again over the next year at least. There are also a couple of offenders that have been displaced elsewhere and I am hopeful they won’t return to the area although we are keeping an eye on that.
Below are all of the reported dwelling and non dwelling burglaries for Horndean over the last two months:
11/03/14 – Southdown Road – Shed
13/03/14 – Lovedean Lane – Shed
19/03/14 – Lith Lane – Out building on building site
20/03/14 – Catherington Lane – Caravan in storage site
07/04/14 – New Barn Farm Lane – Farm Building
20/04/14 – Mundays Road – Attempt to gain entry to rear of house
21/04/14 – Catherington Lane – Attempt to enter garage
There have been none at all in Clanfield and Rowlands Castle has 5, one on 08/03/14 in Castle Rd to an out building and 4 in Redhill Rd on night of 15/04/14 to one commercial premises and 3 houses.
Whilst this is a return to much lower levels I would still prefer there to be nothing at all and the team are still working on raising awareness in the area which is where the perception of an increase may have come from. Also particularly in relation to outbuildings this can see a seasonal increase from this time of year into the summer (not just in Horndean but force wide) and so I would like people to be more aware of security to outbuildings and sheds at this time of year anyhow.
Generally we find that many people take a great deal of trouble in securing their home but leave valuable garden tools and cycles in sheds that are either unlocked or not maintained.
Garden crime is becoming more and more common. Tools such as lawn mowers, strimmers, hedge cutters, power tools and bikes are expensive items to replace and may incur the victim extra insurance premiums. This can also be an open invitation for thieves to use garden implements to break into their house or car.
High burglary rates from sheds indicate that they are not only easy to break into but there is a large market for the stolen contents. With this in mind, consider if the property kept inside would be better stored elsewhere.
If you can help with information about any of the burglaries above then please call Hampshire Constabulary on 101.
Inspector Dave Humphries
Many countries have quite a reputation for red tape, a myriad of organisations seemingly doing the same thing and unnecessary bureaucracy. Luckily, Britain isn’t considered that sort of country, but in one area of government here there’s a fair amount of confusion, not to mention a good deal of frustration, about what councils do, and which is responsible for what services.
Now to put this in context, if I went and asked people on the street who is responsible for emptying the bins or education, for example, I expect I’d mostly receive the vague reply, ‘the council’. This is not wrong of course, but it fails to take into account there are often three tiers of councils in most parts of the country and in most parts of Hampshire and each has very separate areas of responsibility.
So this article is a brief aide memoire to which council does what. I will add the rider it’s not an exhaustive list – that would be a seriously long article.
First is parish councils. These authorities are responsible for small scale issues such as allotments, bus shelters, drainage, footpaths, some parking, open spaces, like village greens, and war memorials. It is the level of local government closest to electors and many people who read this magazine will be very familiar with its important functions.
Next up the list is the district or borough and occasionally city council. These are responsible for much larger scale functions and it’s the authority that does in fact empty your bins. It also collects council tax, offers parking permits, scrutinises food safety and nuisances such as noise and pest control. It is also importantly the planning authority and it often manages housing and leisure centres.
Then we have Hampshire County Council and that is responsible for an even bigger budget and even larger services such as education, social services, roads (other than major routes like motorways and major A roads), trading standards, libraries, waste management, recycling centres and in some cases planning. It is also the authority in this potential age of fracking here in Hampshire that looks after licences for mineral rights.
So you can see that this is all far from straightforward, and you can see where the confusion might occur. And I haven’t even started on unitary authorities that do all these things as one authority – Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils here in Hampshire, for instance.
So it’s best to check and see who does what to avoid frustration, confusion and large phone bill, if you ever need any one of them.
Just to help, here are the contact details of the district and county councils:-
Winchester City Council: 01962 840222 http://www.winchester.gov.uk
Havant Borough Council: 023 9247 4174 http://www.havant.gov.uk
East Hampshire District Council: 01730 266551 http://www.easthants.gov.uk
Hampshire County Council: 0845 603 5638 http://www.hants.gov.uk
A reminder that the Taylor Wimpey White Dirt Farm Public Consultation is to be held at Clanfield Memorial Hall on Friday 7th March from 2pm to 7:30pm. It is important you go and give your views if you can. This has been prepared by Taylor Wimpey and should contain more detail than the single site plan that was attached to the EIA Screening Application (see earlier post). At this point, neither the Parish or District Councillors have seen any further details, and EHDC are organising a ‘pre-application’ meeting following a request from Taylor Wimpey.
The Consultation:
Taylor Wimpey should have a lot of display boards and staff on hand to talk you through their plans. There should also be a log book or forms ready to fill in with your consultation comments. I would be very grateful if in addition to commenting to Taylor Wimpey, you could comment also to either myself, or the ward Councillor, Sara Schillemore as we are keen to hear views on the plans as soon as possible. Please email us on guy.shepherd@easthants.gov.uk and sara.schillemore@easthants.gov.uk
I am fully aware that the proposals are a significant concern to the majority of local residents, but it is important to keep the emotion under control as best possible on the day. Giving clear and carefully thought out views on the consultation is important so that your comments are properly logged with the developer.
Development needs to be sustainable, and this means there needs to be a balance between Environmental, Social and Economy issues. Generally the environmental impact can be very harmful, and this is one of the key areas that provides grounds to object to this application.
Timescales:
Taylor Wimpey hold their public consultation on the 7th March. This then gives them comments which are fed back into their design. I would expect for this application for there to be a follow up consultation to show the changes that had been made to incorporate the communities views.
Taylor Wimpey will then prepare plans, reports and studies to show enough detail to submit an application. We do not know this timescale, but asking on the 7th when they are likely to submit an application is an important question.
When an application is received it takes 8 weeks to decide a minor application, 13 weeks for a major application and 16 weeks if an Environmental Impact Assessment is required. If the documentation provided lacks detail then this can delay the process a bit. It is not unusual for the case officer to ask for further information as the application progresses.
At a guess it will be 2 to 3 months to see an application, and then 3 to 4 months before a planning committee hears the application making a date of 5 to 7 months before we have an outcome, but this may well change when we know Taylor Wimpey’s timescale to application.
There will be long periods of inactivity for the community during this process and my local newsletters and this blog will be kept up to date with the next steps. There will also be a few meetings organised for interested parties, and this will cover why we need housing, what the other options are, and ‘material considerations’. There will also be 2 important new topics on another development in Horndean which I am minded to support, and some community consultation for a local allocations plan.
EIA Screening Application:
The EIA Screening application should be decided very soon. If one is required it adds a bit more work to the application, and the planning process can be 3 weeks longer. This clearly presents a benefit to us while the housing numbers across the district achieve those required in the 5 year plan. East Hants needs to formally respond to Taylor Wimpey as to if a EIA is required, but has strict criteria for doing so. Do not expect this to be a requirement here as this is very much steered to significantly large developments like Power Stations, industry, reclamation, infrastructure etc. If you are interested in reading more about Environmental Impact Assessments then this is the link for when they are required:
What If:
It is important to consider the ‘What If’ scenario. If all efforts from a large part of the community are focused on fighting this and we are unsuccessful then we could end up with a field of houses and little more. While giving views at the consultation please also ask about the community contribution Taylor Wimpey propose to make, and what you would like to see designed in. For guidance, the Green Lane site of 275 homes brings in the following to our community:
25 allotments on the green lane site
Community Centre
£75,000 contribution to a community project worker
£564,653 cash as an education contribution
£150,000 towards local environmental improvements
£65,600 to the PCT for health
£1,198.710 to HCC for Highways Improvements
MUGA (Multi Use Games Area for 5 aside etc)
children’s Play Space
2 sports pitches
This is detailed in something called a Section 106 agreement and here is the link to the Green Lane Section 106 agreement if you are interested in seeing the whole document. It is a large file and will take a short while to download.
I hope the notes above are useful and please don’t forget to copy me in on any comments.
Guy.
THIS WARNING HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM HAMPSHIRE CONSTABULARY WHO ARE KEEN FOR IT TO BE CIRCULATED
Attention all those who come into contact with elderly and vulnerable people
Elderly/vulnerable members of the public have been receiving unsolicited telephone calls from criminals purporting to be from their bank or the police. The caller states that they have spotted a fraudulent payment on their card or fraudulent activity on their account. The caller gains the person’s trust and explains that the bank will need to collect the card, or require them to withdraw large sums of money from their account.
The victim is then advised to place their card (or money withdrawn) into an envelope to disguise its appearance. The criminal will then arrange a courier, taxi driver or similar to call to collect the envelope. The courier is given the address (most frequently in London but now in Hampshire) where they are met by the offender outside the address to take the envelope enclosing card or money.
The advice from Hampshire Police is if you have the slightest suspicion about a transaction of this nature, contact the Police immediately by telephoning 101 or 999 if it is an emergency. Please also advise the victim that this maybe a scam.
Hampshire County Council Trading Standards Service
Montgomery House Monarch Way
Winchester Hampshire SO22 5PW
Tel: 01962 833620
Fax: 01962 833698
E-mail: doorstep.crime@hants.gov.uk
Home Start Butser is a very active and busy local charity and helps people across the District. I am very happy to support Home Start Butser with £500 from my devolved grant fund, but hope that the information below tells you more about the valuable work this organisation does, and to see if you can help out too. Currently Home Start Butser are looking for good people who can help a few hours a week, and are holding a training course on the 26th February. Please find information from Home Start Butser and their contact details below:
Home-Start is the leading family support charity in the UK and provides a unique service for families – recruiting and training volunteers to support parents with young children at home. Home-Start Butser is based in Petersfield and covers the area from Greatham in the North to Rowlands Castle in the South. Last year we were able to support 80 families and almost 200 children during the year.
We recruit and train volunteers to support families who have at least one child under 5. They are referred because they need help during a critical time in their lives, it could be post-natal depression, ill health, isolation, lack of family support, bereavement – any number of reasons. Families can be referred from many sources including Health Visitors, GPs, housing associations, Adult Mental Health.
Volunteers come from all walks of life and the only requirement is that they have been parents themselves and that they undertake a ten week Preparation Course.
Home-Start volunteers visit families at home each week, supporting parents in situations as diverse as isolation, bereavement, multiple births, illness, disability or who are just finding parenting a struggle. They provide non-judgemental practical and emotional support and help build the family’s confidence and ability to cope.
Parents often have great intentions of providing a loving, secure and happy environment but what if life gets in the way?
How does a young expectant mother cope when she learns that her husband has cancer which will require lengthy and difficult treatment? Her whole experience of pregnancy, birth and motherhood has suddenly become very different to the journey that she expected.
What happens to a mum who, after the birth of her second child, suffers from post-natal depression? Suddenly every day becomes an enormous struggle. Self esteem and isolation become issues which worsens the whole situation.
How does a mum cope when her husband leaves and she is left to bring up two young children on her own? This was never part of her life plan – she believed her partner was a reliable husband and father. Suddenly she has to deal with her own sense of rejection, isolation and acute sense of failure, whilst supporting her young children emotionally and practically.
There are many other examples of families struggling: children with Special Needs, twins, unexpected pregnancies, lack of family support, rural isolation and poverty. At Home Start Buster we meet families facing these and many other issues every day. Families who have the courage to admit that they aren’t coping and need help.
Our team of volunteers are amazing people. They give up their time each week to visit families, mainly because, as parents themselves, they recognise the difficult, challenging job that parenting is. Volunteering strengthens a person, developing them in ways that they could not have imagined. Families constantly praise their volunteers – ‘a lifeline’, ‘an amazing person’, ‘it means so much’. To families who are going through a critical time in their lives the visit of a non judgemental person, who just wants to help emotionally or practically, can really make a difference.
It costs £1000 to support a family for a year, just £20 a week. We continue to need to raise funds to help our local families. Referrals are increasing as the pressures on life grow.
If you know about being a parent and can volunteer a few hours a week you could become part of Home-Start. We are running our next Preparation Course in Petersfield, starting February 26th..
What families say about Home-Start Butser
“It felt hard to ask for help at first but once the volunteer started coming to visit, I wished I’d done it years ago.”
“Knowing she would be visiting got me through those early weeks. She helped me forget about all my worries and anxieties for a while which meant I could put them in perspective.”
“With Home-Start’s help I got through a terrible time, and now my house is full of hope and laughter.”
“Knowing that someone cares is wonderful. The feeling of loneliness and despair disappears entirely.”
“My volunteer has been a lifeline for me! She is so lovely, I can talk to her and the children think she’s wonderful. She plays with them or we all go out together to the local park.”
It costs on average £1000 to support a family for a year, or £20 a week.
We are always looking for more trustees, volunteers and ‘friends’ to help with our work. For more information please contact Nicola Winter, Senior Organiser 01730 233755, email office@homestart-butser.org.uk. Website http://www.homestart-butser.org.uk
The Hampshire Constabulary Police and Crime Commissioner is conducting a survey about the funding level for 2014 / 2015. As with all public services the amount of government funding is reducing, so the option is to work with the lower budget, or to top this up with an increase in the Police precept in our Council tax.
This online survey will take no more than 2 minutes and gives a chance for your view to be taken into account:
The war memorial in Horndean is recognised by everyone, but something feels just a bit out of proportion with the lamp at the top. The base is large, and suggests something magnificent was once displayed, but the small lamp is obscure and tiny in context.
The original monument was dedicated on July 21, 1920 and was unveiled by Lady Drury-Lowe. The statue displayed the ‘Goddess Of Victory’ which stood 2 metres tall. In 1964 there was a car accident and the statue was damaged beyond repair. At the time there was no option other than to take the Goddess down and replace her with a more modest and affordable symbol, the lamp that is there today.
These photos (I assure you they are of Horndean) show the Goddess and how the focal point of the village has since changed.
Horndean Parish Council have for the last months been in discussions with specialist statue makers in the UK and abroad, and also in detailed dialogue with organisations such as the War Memorial Trust who have strict parameters for work on war memorials requiring them to be reinstated in their original form. At the moment the Parish Council are hoping to conclude a contract for an identical replacement statue to be made, and installed before the 100 year anniversary of the start of World War 1.
Cllrs Schillemore and Evans on behalf of Horndean Parish Council are leading the project, and it is hoped this image may one day contain a Goddess (in addition to the two Councillors in the foreground).
Since it was erected the names of the Second World War casualties and one from Afghanistan have been added making a total of 115 names on the monument.
Monies were originally raised by public subscription and the council is hoping local businesses and residents give whatever they can afford to support the reinstatement and help find sufficient funds to support the grant funding that is being applied for now.
If you would like to know more about making a contribution to the fund then please Email contact@horndeanpc-hants.gov.uk or call (023) 9259 7766.
George on Potholes
Potholes in the road really do cause a considerable amount of trouble at this time of year and leave the public pretty angry too. It’s close to being the number one bugbear and I fear this year’s bad weather is not going to make it any better. It’s such a big nuisance that there’s even a website dedicated to them at http://www.potholes.co.uk – a real mine of information, including advice on how to claim for damage to cars.
On a more serious note, potholes can cause accidents – particularly for cyclists – and a car damaged could mean a hard working motorist is out of pocket, and that’s no laughing matter. It’s also costing lots of public money, as around £23.8 million was paid in compensation by local authorities across England last year due to the poor condition of their roads, according to the Asphalt Industry Alliance.
Saying that, I don’t think the situation is as bad in Hampshire as in other areas of the country – including some neighbouring counties.
There is no doubt that several recent bad winters and the economic situation have led to problems, but the Government has provided £3.4 billion to local authorities from 2011 to 2015 for road maintenance and says that, if the cash is used wisely by them, there shouldn’t be a problem. But one of the major issues is that councils need to be able to target potholes in a more efficient way. Now, there are some pretty talented people at the county council but no-one, I believe, has a magic ball telling them where the damage is. The fact is the council can only fill a pothole if they know about it. If you want it repaired, you need to report it.
This can be done by contacting Hampshire County Council. They have a webpage dedicated to pothole reporting at: http://roadenquiries.hants.gov.uk/roadproblems/highwaydefect/pothole.aspx Or call them on 0845 603 5633.
The Department for Transport has also pledged £30,000 to further develop a smart phone app for Android called Fill that Hole that has been used by cyclists on iphone since 2010 to report potholes. It should be in wider use next month, which is apparently the start of the ‘pothole season’.
More information about the app can be found at: http://www.fillthathole.org.uk
George Hollingbery MP
Member of Parliament for Meon Valley
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Home Secretary House of Commons │London │SW1A OAA │Tel: 0207 219 7109 or Constituency Office: 01962 734076 http://www.georgehollingbery.com
