Chairman’s Annual Report for Year 2023/2024
Sandleheath Parish Council Annual Meeting
Thursday 25th April 2024
Welcome to everyone. I am Thomas Ward the current chairman of the Parish Council. The other councillors are Steve Smith who joined the council on 8th June along with Brian Martin who re-joined. Steve is now vice chair. Caroline Worsley signed up May last year. In March Abbey Simmons left us and Caroline Kemp stepped down as Chair in December after 5 years at the helm. Many thanks go to both for all their commitment and hard work.
Our Hampshire County Councillor remains Edward Heron and in May we welcomed a new NFDC councillor Janet Richards. Sandleheath Council is grateful for their continuous support and input.
As we are mainly a new Parish Council, many of us have been on NFDC courses to learn what are the duties of a PC councillor and to get a better understanding of what we can and cannot control. We also learned about the need for a village resilience plan and the requirement for regular tree surveys.
News
Speedwatch started last August with 11 volunteers. The police designated 4 appropriate sites around the village and it was soon confirmed that speeding was still a prolific problem. Hampshire police do follow up on recorded data and apparently we keep them quite busy.
In September we experimented with the placement of a new bench and two planters by the shop for public use and this received positive feedback.
On 18th November woodland clearance continued on the Upper Common– about a dozen volunteers turned up in wellies to clear feral laurel and non native species from the undergrowth. The weather was kind and it was a good day spent developing friendships and community.
A village Newsletter started in January, which goes to every home in the village every other month with Parish news. Please contact the Parish clerk if you have anything interesting or local news to publish.
After a number of years of abuse the Common track entrance was reinstated with many compliments. The council hopes to use this vernacular organic style throughout the village as we journey forwards into villagisation. Hopefully everyone has now seen the draft and had an opportunity to input into this great opportunity.
The village hall was furnished with new oak gates and a solid path. £2000 was donated to Western Downlands School for a new playground,
The Parish Council paid for the village Christmas tree.
1000 daffodil, cyclamen and croci bulbs were planted throughout the village. Thank you to Abbey.
Hedgehog doors were purchased for £150 and we couldn’t give them away. I have It on good authority that he hedgehog community is most disappointed.
Planning
CEMEX have applied for gravel extraction rights at Midgham Farm on the Somerley Estate. It’s a 15 year project and will in all probability be granted as it is an extension of their works at Hamer Warren which is winding down. Cemex states there will not be an overall increase in lorries on the roads and 90% of the lorries will go south to the A31. We will see.
Dudsbury Homes applied for 1700 homes in Alderholt. This would more than double the population. Planners quashed the application but Dudsbury are now appealing the decision and Alderholt have raised enough money to buy the legal services necessary to fight them. Dudsbury say they are going to build a medical centre and have 35% as affordable housing but unfortunately many builders seem to promise much and deliver little with various excuses as to why they couldn’t or wouldn’t fulfil their promises.
This quite naturally leads us to the Sandleheath Neighbourhood Plan. A Neighbourhood Plan is a legal document with teeth, which gives Sandleheath a real say in all building and development that goes on in the parish. The PC made the decision this year to begin the process of writing a plan. We have just formed a team and about to embark on this.
These and other developments in the pipeline are in all probability going to cause an increase in traffic through the village. We are already seeing that with the new developments at Harnham near Salisbury as extra traffic is avoiding the A338 and coming through Rockborne and Alderholt Road to travel between east Salisbury and Bournemouth. Due to this Sandleheath Council did lodge an objections to the 1700 homes at Alderholt.
Trees
A complete tree survey was carried out in February by NFDC. They highlighted essential works to village trees, which will be carried out soon. We are all saddened that the Coronation terrace oak has to be removed. Despite best efforts by the PC NFDC tree officer has condemned it. Therefore, there is no choice but to comply with this advice.
Finances
The precept received was £8913.00 which covers fees, wages, expenses and maintenance of the village. Community Infrastructure Levy grant monies received in the year was £4088.00 which goes towards infrastructure that benefits everyone in the village. Just over £14k was spent on disabled access for the village hall, common track restitution, bench, planters and donations. Cash held at end March was £31,201.70.
Looking forwards to the coming year ,all received CIL monies to date are now allocated to the STA Villagisation Project
