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.