HHRA Update 21 January

Questions for meeting on 26 February. You will recall that at our next meeting (and AGM) on 26 February, outgoing Leader of Fareham Borough Council Sean Woodward will be with us, as will our own councillors.  Councillor Woodward will tell us about the consultation on the regeneration of Fareham town centre, but both he and our local councillors will be happy to take other questions. 

Please will you let me know of any issues that you would like to know about, so that we can brief the councillors and they can gather the information they need before the meeting.  I already have a significant list of hedge cutting concerns, as well as non-enforcement of regulations in car parks eg long term parking and noisy use by late night ‘joy riders’.

Meanwhile, you may wish to look at the information below on the FBC website on the town centre: https://www.fareham.gov.uk/planning/regeneration/farehamtowncentreregeneration.aspx

Consultation about councils’ budgets.  A reminder about the consultation being undertaken until 31 March by Hampshire County Council about  expenditure for 2024/25, including potential areas for major cuts, including buses such as the 21 which receive a subsidy from HCC:   https://www.hants.gov.uk/aboutthecouncil/haveyoursay/consultations/future-services-consultation. 

There is also a period of consultation on Fareham Borough Council’s budget, which runs until 12 February: https://www.fareham.gov.uk/have_your_say/consultation/helpusplanourbudgets

Road closures. Considerable work is needed to provide the access to and from the new houses in Oakcroft Lane. The works include widening of Peak Lane to provide a new pedestrian refuge island and right turn lane. Oakcroft Lane has already been closed by the developer to allow the safe access for new residents and construction vehicles. Following completion of the works, Oakcroft Lane will be permanently closed as a through route, with access being provided via the new access road being built by the developer. Access will remain from Peak Lane/Mays Lane for the residents at the eastern end of Oakcroft Lane.

Those works commenced from the 8th January 2024 to construct the new access road off the highway and the works across the already closed Oakcroft Lane. Residents have been asked to follow the diversion route that is already in place. 

The next phase of the project to complete the works on Peak Lane will start on Friday 2nd February for approximately 11 weeks. The works on Peak Lane will be carried out using a southbound only closure of Peak Lane from the junction of Daedalus Way to Mays Lane. Access northbound will be maintained at all times. Details are shown on the attached plan

Local police contact.  You may have read during the week that Hampshire Constabulary have increased the number of neighbourhood police officers – the ‘local bobbies’.  The detail and phone number for our officer is included in the following extract from the police website: https://hampshirealert.co.uk/Content/LocalArea/37257/Hill%20Head 

Scams. I am very aware that, with the departure of Co Chair Peter Wason, we are no longer being alerted to the most recent scams (though he assures me he is still receiving them!)  I can only urge everyone to be alert to anything that looks too good to be true, or too illiterate to be convincing and to report any fraudulent contacts to the National Cyber Security Centre via report@phishing.gov.uk  Meanwhile, my thanks to the member who has alerted us to one allegedly from Amazon, saying that his Amazon Prime subscription needs to be renewed but there are problems with the payment.  It doesn’t and there aren’t: he comments ‘the ‘from’ address looks dodgy and the address that comes up if I hover the cursor over ‘Update Payment’ looks dodgy too - and my payment method does not need to be updated’.

Subscriptions for 2024. Many thanks to those who have already paid their subscription for the current year.  For those who still have it on a ‘to do’ list, the details are:

Subscriptions are £3 per household. It would be very helpful if as many as possible can pay by bank transfer or by standing order. HHRA's bank account details are:

Hill Head Residents’ Association; sort code 30-98-97; account number 74507262. 

For those who prefer to pay by cash, do bring your £3 to the AGM on 26 February, or drop through our new Membership Secretary Julie Taylor’s letterbox at 53 Knights Bank Road PO14 3HZ.  Cheques should be made payable to Hill Head Residents’ Association and posted to same address.

Next members’ meeting and AGM. A reminder to have on your calendar 7.30pm Monday 26 February at the church hall, Bells Lane (and do remove 4 March from the calendar).  Papers for the AGM will be sent out in mid February.

HHRA Update 9 January 2024

Next meeting changed to Monday 26 February 7.30pm.  The next meeting was scheduled for Monday 4 March, but will now be held one week earlier.  Please put the new date in whatever form of calendar you use!

The reason is that Councillor Sean Woodward, leader of FBC, tactfully mentioned that HHRA was the only residents’ association in the borough that had never invited him to speak…. and, given his departure from the council in May, time was getting short. As you know, Councillor Woodward has been immensely supportive over our bid for Haven House and many of us also remember the very positive partnership with the council over the Old Street fields planning application and appeal.

Our own councillors, who were scheduled to do a Question & Answer session on 4 March have courteously agreed to stand aside and Councillor Woodward will join us.  He will focus at least initially on the plans for the town centre redevelopment but will doubtless be happy to answer question on a range of issues.

The reason for the changed date is that 4 March is the date of the meeting of the Executive committee, chaired by Councillor Woodward, hence going a week earlier.

We shall also hold our AGM on 26 February.  We shall be at our usual location, the church hall in Bells Lane.

Consultation on HCC budget for 2024. Many of you will have seen coverage of the proposals under consideration by HCC to try and balance their books for the coming financial year.  Potential cuts include bus services subsidised by HCC (of which the number 21 is one); closure of some household waste recycling centres; closure of some museums including Westbury Manor and the Ashcroft Centre in Fareham; complete removal of the budget to support people who are homeless; ending of various grants to community groups….and more.  The link to the consultation, which runs until 31 March, is https://www.hants.gov.uk/aboutthecouncil/haveyoursay/consultations/future-services-consultation   HHRA will certainly respond as an organisation but do please send in your individual comments as well – if you don’t respond, they don’t know what you think.  (Yes – we know the experience with Haven House consultation is not encouraging, but we have to keep trying!)

‘Cloning’ of car key codes. Further to our note sent out on 5 January about the vulnerability of car key codes if the keys are left in an accessible location - ie close to the front door/letter box/window – a number of members have reminded us that it is wise to keep coded car keys in what is, in effect, a Faraday cage.  That can be purchased from your usual online supplier as can a pouch which does the same job whilst your key is in your pocket or bag.

Haven House.  There is no definitive new news, but we are happy to include the latest communication circulated by the THCH Trustees:

We wanted to provide a brief note to add to our 21 December message, reporting the news that Councillor Oppenheimer had accepted a bid from a private purchaser for Haven House.  He did make contact later that day to draw our attention to the press release issued by Hampshire County Council and, in particular, the phrase 'We hope that the aspirations of the local community will be met by the successful bidder'. The full press release is on the website www.thcommunityhub.org.uk Latest News.   It would be marvellous if the purchaser wanted to re-open the cafe and we would be delighted to speak to them at any appropriate time.  We do appreciate that the process of moving from an offer being accepted to contracts being exchanged can be a long and sometimes difficult one, so we shall remain patient and be glad to respond if we are approached.   Indeed, should the accepted bid not come to fruition, ours will still be there on the table!

Crofton pub planning application for two houses. As many of you will have learned from the local publicity, the Planning Committee on 13 December refused planning permission, despite the officer recommendation to approve.  There were deputations from local people and Councillors Kay Mandry and Pal Hayre also spoke, opposing the plan.  The basis for the refusal recorded in the draft minutes is the permanent loss of eleven car parking spaces from the Crofton pub and the resulting effect on the surrounding roads.  It is of course possible that the applicant may appeal and we will keep you updated on that.     

Subscriptions for 2024.  Subscriptions of £3 per household are now due for membership in 2024 – our thanks to those who have already paid. It would be very helpful if as many as possible can pay by bank transfer or by standing order. HHRA's bank account details are:

Hill Head Residents’ Association; sort code 30-98-97; account number 74507262. 

For those who prefer to pay by cash, do bring your £3 to the AGM on 26 February, or drop through our new Membership Secretary Julie Taylor’s letterbox at 53 Knights Bank Road PO14 3HZ.  Cheques should be made payable to Hill Head Residents’ Association and posted to the same address.

HCC press release on Haven House

See highlighted sentence in para 4

County Council agrees sale of Haven House to generate vital funds for National Nature Reserve

Investment plans for Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve have taken a step forward following an agreement by Hampshire County Council to accept an offer for Haven House

This comes after an assessment of several formal offers for the property, considering both the financial and community benefits of the bids, with the chosen offer expected to both raise funds for the Nature Reserve and meet the aspirations of the local community.

Councillor Russell Oppenheimer, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Countryside and Regulatory Services said: “Last year we identified a funding gap in the projected running costs of Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve totalling £1.8 million over three years. This included a pressing need to invest in the Nature Reserve to deliver our obligations to the site, which is of international importance to wildlife, and to improve the visitor experience. Selling Haven House is an essential step to generate these much-needed funds. 

“I am keenly aware of the strong local interest in the future of Haven House. County Council officers and I have dedicated a significant amount of time over the last 12 months to support local residents by providing information and guidance in developing their own alternative proposals. The fact remains that the County Council is facing significant financial pressures, and it needs to ensure best use of public resources.  We hope that the aspirations of the community will be met by the successful bidder. As a next step, we will now progress the details of the sale with the prospective owner and hope to provide further information in due course.”

Agreement to accept an offer for Haven House was made at Councillor Oppenheimer’s Decision Day on Thursday 21 December. Details of the bids received for Haven House are commercially confidential.