HHRA Update 4 October 2023

Haven Visitor Centre. The text below is a summary of an update circulated today by the THCH Trustees to those on the THCH circulation list.

We met with Councillor Russell Oppenheimer and officers in Winchester yesterday afternoon. Councillor Oppenheimer had definitely understood the strength of opinion which you have all expressed in the vast number of emails he had received. He had also recently met with the Leader Cllr Humby, the Deputy Leader Cllr Chadd and the Executive Member for Universal Services Cllr Adams King: they too had taken note of the strength of opinion conveyed in your emails. He had also met with Cllr Woodward who repeated strongly the views included in the letter he and the two MPs had sent last week (see www.thcommunityhub.org.uk Latest News).

The less good news is that Haven House will be going on the market by the end of this week with Savills estate agents. To be honest, we always expected that would be the case so we were far from surprised to have it confirmed. They expect to assess what bids they have received within six to eight weeks.

However, our bid - the original one submitted 13 June with the additional proposals sent in on 14 September - will 'remain on the table' to be compared with what they receive via Savills. Councillor Oppenheimer and the officers requested some clarification of aspects of our bid and we will be glad to supply that. An important part of that is the description of the community benefits which would be achieved if Hampshire were to agree the sale - at less than market value - to THCH. They have also asked us to send information showing our 'confidence levels' about raising the funds necessary to both purchase and refurbish Haven House. We feel able to indicate that our confidence levels are high, thanks to all of you.

For reasons which we frankly do not understand, Councillor Oppenheimer and the officers remain of the view that it would be far better for them to continue with their plan of putting visitor reception and staff facilities in a new building in the back yard, rather than continue to use the existing entrance, plus the room we have offered for staff. This seems particularly incomprehensible in the light of Hampshire’s well publicised financial difficulties, since our proposal would not only save them capital but would generate far higher visitor numbers and the resulting revenue

It is difficult to know what message to leave you with, as it is more than possible that Hampshire may receive some extremely attractive offers for Haven House and they may well settle with a private buyer. But the door has at least been left open a crack for THCH and we shall continue to do all we can to press our case.

Local Police Stations. As some will already be aware, the Hampshire and IOW Police Commissioner Donna Jones has just announced that under her drive to make the Police more visible and accessible, 10 police stations will be opened/reopened over the next 18 months, all with "front counters" for direct access by members of the public; a rise from 13 to 23 across the Constabulary. Locally, they will include ours at Park Gate as well as Gosport, Portsmouth Central and Cosham.

Overgrowing Vegetation. You may recall that we alerted our councillors to overgrowing vegetation along Crofton Lane and an adjacent road that was impeding the safe passage of mobility scooters and pushchairs. We understand that the houseowners concerned were all asked to take the necessary action and it is very pleasing to see how quick the response has been. Many thanks to our councillors and to the residents concerned. Do contact Hampshire County Council if you encounter further such problems.

Postal Collections. As we reported some weeks ago, the time of last collections from local post boxes has been changed. Although the notice on the post box gives (or at least implies) 09.00 as being the collection time Monday – Friday, in fact the collection is made by the posties who deliver; you can therefore estimate the approximate collection time as more or less matching your delivery time. On Saturday, however, it is earlier, though whether it is the 07.00 shown on the box, who knows?

Consultations. There are no new consultations. The Hampshire consultation on care in the community/care homes continues until 12 November. The link is -

Public consultation opens on transforming nursing and specialist care | Hampshire County Council (hants.gov.uk

Scams.

- Fraudsters on Facebook. If something on offer seems too good to be true .....; or if you are pressurised to pay immediately ...... Ideally try to look fo a local seller so that you can see your potential purchase first. Especially if from a distance, avoid paying by bank transfer, ask to use a credit card and if they won't accept that then.....

- "Temporary Promotion act now.....Top Deal.......Your £500 VISA card is reserved........ " Oh yes?

- From "Halifax" - "We have noticed some discrepancies in your account........etc" Well, I don't actually have a Halifax account! As usual, the clue is in the sender's address; plus it doesn't address you personally by name, which your genuine bank/building society would.

- Again "We've-BEEN-trying-to-reach-you .....etc". Very poorly composed so unlikely to fool many.

- And still lots and lots of the old ones!

HHRA Update 15 September 2023

Haven and Haven Visitor Centre. As those who are on the THCH circulation list will know, a revised – and final – bid was submitted by the THCH Trustees to HCC on 15 September. The bid is on the website www.thcommunityhub.org.uk Latest News. In simple terms, THCH have confirmed that, if they were to own Haven House, HCC would be very welcome to continue to use the existing area for visitor access and information and a room would also be made available for staff and admin. This would save HCC the £610,000 they included in their business case for a new visitor access and staff facility in the back yard.

They would however still need the £670,000 they estimate as being needed for repairs and upkeep to the Reserve: assuming that the proceeds of the sale of Haven Cottage will make a significant contribution to this, THCH have additionally offered £200,000. The THCH Trustees have commented:

We believe our bid is wholly logical and it has the benefits of:

· enabling HCC to achieve its capital target for funding repairs and improvements to the Reserve;

· increasing visitor and member numbers to the Reserve and therefore boosting HCC's revenue receipts;

· allowing for a swifter conclusion to the purchase compared to other buyers, given THCH's position regarding planning consent and the condition survey

Above all, it has the benefit of enabling HCC to recognise the true community benefit to so many people of this building in its unique position.

Meeting with FBC Planning. At HHRA's request our councillors facilitated a meeting with Mr Lee Smith, Head of Development Management at Fareham Borough Council. Our agenda was wide ranging, designed to give us an insight as to how planning officers approach individual planning applications and apply the regulations, so that we can be better placed to advise Hill Head residents if they have concerns, and to make our own comments from HHRA. Co-Chair Peter Wason with our planning lead committee members Colin Hardy and Andrea Titcombe represented HHRA and both Councillors Kay Mandry and Steve Dugan also took part. During a very open discussion Mr Smith gave us a candid explanation of the regulations and constraints under which planning officers have to work. For our part, residents/neighbours/HHRA need to be vigilant and raise concerns with the planning officer assigned to a particular application, asking our councillors to follow up their concerns as appropriate.

Holes in sleepers adjacent to harbour. Anyone walking round the harbour between the sailing club and Meon Shore will have noticed the appearance of a number of deep and quite dangerous holes in the sleepers. We were glad to encounter a very pleasant HCC Highways officer on site on Tuesday: she had received the notification from a member of the public at 13.39 and by 14.50 she was there. A team of workmen was doing immediate work by 16.30 and safety barriers are in place. We await with interest the definitive solution but well done Hampshire Highways for a swift response to an immediate problem. The officer’s comment to us was ‘Please always report such problems online: we would rather receive a dozen notifications than none’.

Fraudulent offer to seal and clean your drive We hear of some men in a white van targeting home owners with composite drives offering to seal and clean them for a great deal of money. Needless to say, if you have such a drive, it doesn’t need sealing and cleaning and they should be sent on their way – though you might like to note van registration details and notify Hampshire Trading Standards on 0808 223 1133.

Scams. Only two new ones to report, though plenty of the old ones are being repeated in various forms.

"Confirm - Your free Dewalt Power Station" - Don't!

London ULEZ Payments. For anyone travelling into London and liable to pay the ULEZ charge, beware a fake organisation calling itself ULEZpayservice. Legitimate charges are via the Transport for London (TFL) website.

HHRA Update 29 August 2023

Haven House The trustees of Titchfield Haven Community Hub have asked us to send this correction to the figure given by HCC for the sale price of Haven Cottage, which was included in their Update and ours last week:

Since our last update which reported Cllr Oppenheimer as saying that Haven Cottage was being sold for £500,000 we have been informed that the actual price paid was in excess of that sum. For reasons of confidentiality we are not able to report the actual figure at this stage but it is important that we clarify that the figure promulgated by HCC was not the sum paid.

Whilst any increase in the receipt from Haven Cottage is good news, the remaining amount needed by HCC to raise their target of £1.3 million would be even more significantly reduced, by some £520,000, were HCC to accept our offer to continue to locate their visitor facilities in Haven House, as they have been doing for the last nine months, rather than provide alternative facilities in the yard. As THCH is the only potential purchaser who would be likely to offer this, it would be central to any bid we put in to HCC, if we decide that any further proposal is worth making.

We will make a decision on that in the next week and will let you know what we decide to do.

Scams.

From "Brookdale" saying that on review of your recent PPI compensation they have calculated that you are owed a further £11,767 - click here for your personal review.... This is a very sophisticated message and looks very authentic. Beware.

From "Rewards" - "You have been selected..... Response needed!" Don't!

From "McAfee" - "Your subscription is abour to be suspended - active now." (Note bad spelling twice - also not nearly as professional as some.)

From "Boots" - "You have won an Oral B toothbrush". No you haven't! This, as most, is easily seen as a scam from the strange sender's address.

From "your bank" - in this case from "NatWest" but we imagine that they will vary the names - "We are making significant changes to your online banking that will affect you....." Another one that looks authentic until you look closely at the sender's address.

From "Screwfix Department" - "You have won an [note spelling] Stanley tool set". No you haven't!

‘Charlie Talks’ One of our members has a number of talks coming up at Stubbington, Fareham and Gosport libraries – details below.

https://shop.hants.gov.uk/products/charlie-talks-the-life-times-of-tommy-cooper-a-potted-history-from-the-cradle-to-the-grave-stubbington-library-saturday-16th-september-2023?variant=4330381829749.

Next Members’ Meeting is this coming Monday 4 September 7.30 at the church hall Bells Lane. Our speaker will be William Murray who is one of the Directors of The Daedalus Development Company, who have been working with Homes England and Gosport Borough Council to develop a new vision for the Daedalus site.