In Twithouch our community & PARK GATE – SPRING 2006 Tory ‘hat-trick’ puts Fareham at top of lowest tax league... CONSERVATIVES have scored a hat- frozen pay and display trick of successes by keeping and pay on foot parking Fareham’s council tax at another charges, having raised national record low level – despite the prices only once in the receiving one of the meanest grants last 5 years. from the Government. Announcing overall net It comes at a time when every neighbour- expenditure for 2006-07 ing council is announcing cuts in services, of £11,106,350, redundancies and increases in charges Councillor Woodward along with record council tax rises. said the most significant And they managed to do it despite a big issue the council had to shortfall in the Government’s grant towards face was the concessionary bus fares. Government’s free travel “We have been able to do all this whilst scheme for over 60s.. still keeping the council tax rate at the Costs for implementing lowest in , which is good electoral reforms, mainly Top billing: Ferneham Hall has been selected as one of news for everyone,” said Council to prevent recurrences of the top five entertainment venues from189 British towns Executive Leader Councillor Seán last year’s Labour postal – thanks to hard-working staff and good management of Woodward. vote factories scandal, council taxpayers’ money. Fareham’s Band D property owners will had to be added. have to pay only £2.43 more a year – a rise Although the Government made extra a fact freely admitted by John Prescott’s of less than 5p a week – and for Band C money available for the concessionary office. taxpayers it will be even lower. fares, the council’s fears that the extra Fareham will receive an extra £624,000 Councillor Woodward commented: “As costs would not be covered by the annual in what appeared to be a generous 12% most Fareham properties are in Band C, Local Government Finance Settlement increase. the council tax rate for two adults will be proved well founded. When the figures were broken down and £114.40 – an increase of just 4p a week. “At first glance it appeared to be a gener- the shortfall in funding the concessionary “I am delighted we have been able to ous settlement. But only at first glance!” he fares plus the electoral administration costs keep the increase to a minimum and that said. taken into account, Fareham received only for the third year in a row we have kept the The Government changed the method of £57,000 (1%) in extra Government support council tax increase below the rate of infla- distribution which made it impossible to for ALL other services. tion - an impressive hat-trick!” identify how much extra grant had been “A paltry sum by any standards,” added As an extra bonus the Council has also received to cover the new responsibilities – Councillor Woodward. Midwife crisis may be solved, but will Blackbrook be re-born? BLACKBROOK birthing autumn. centre was closed last year However, the Chief Executive of the Fareham and Gosport because of ‘staffing’ difficul- Primary Care Trust gave a strong indication that the £700,000 cost ties caused by sickness of upgrading Blackbrook might make this impossible. and maternity leave among Also, a plan for future midwifery services is being prepared that the staff . might concentrate all services at Queen Alexandra Hospital or at Although the Blackbrook and best, provide 2 or 3 peripheral, low technology units. This plan is Grange (Petersfield) units being prepared and with a consultation in the late 2006 early 2007. were not directly affected, it Executive Member for Health Councillor Brian Bayford stated: “If was decided to maintain Fareham’s long awaited Community Hospital was being now being staffing levels at Blake (Gosport) and the Mary Rose unit built as promised in 2004, the problem of funding improvements to (Portsmouth). Blackbrook would not now be a consideration,” A public meeting at Ferneham Hall recently heard the Head of Since St Christopher’s Hospital and Blackbrook closed, Fareham Midwifery confirm that staffing levels should be adequate by the (population 108,000) has no major health facilities.

We keep In Touch throughout the year - not just at election time In Touch 2 Spring 2006 Council’s WARD Mindless parents on services NEWS the verge of vandalism go on-line VISITORS to Fareham BRIEFS Council’s website can see a presentation Meet the police about the council’s Sarisbury residents can services. meet local police to dis- The new ‘Building on cuss matters of concern Success’ presentation is at a Police and informative, interesting, Community easy to follow and offers Consultation meeting an excellent opportunity on Tuesday, April 11 at to learn more about how 7.30pm. the Council performs. It is being organised Councillor Marian by Sarisbury Residents’ Ellerton, Chairman of Association in alliance the Best Value Panel, with Councillor Seán commented: “Each of Woodward, the local Gotcha! Number’s up for the owner of this car who can expect notice of prose- the council’s seven cor- member of Hampshire cution. Tyre marks in what was grass show he or she is not the only culprit. porate objectives is Police Authority highlighted to show how MINDLESS parents who have Borough Council had planted a large He said: “It is very the council is perform- wrecked grass verges and spring number of bulbs. important that the police ing.” bulbs near a school will be prose- “Thanks to the parents’ thoughtless- have an opportunity to The presentation is cuted by Fareham Borough ness, these will now never see the light explain their methods of based on evidence from Council. of day. policing and to answer performance assess- Residents in Barnes Lane are furious “Some are even parking in the ceme- residents’ questions.” ments results, annual about the indiscriminate parking by tery itself.” residents’ survey, best parents taking and collecting their chil- Photographs will now be taken and Skittles value indicators and the dren at Sarisbury Infants’ School. the culprits prosecuted for the cost of Sarisbury & Park Gate Government Sarisbury Councillor David reinstatement. Conservatives’ next Inspectorate, which Swanbrow said: “Over the last few The Council has also been forced to social event is a Skittles together give a good months they have taken to parking all pay to install bollards to protect the Evening on Friday, indication of how well over the grass verge on the approach area which is being used even when May12. the council is achieving to the cemetery where Fareham spaces are available in the car park. Details about this, how its objectives. to join the branch or to help in any way, such as River users to have their say Builders forced to revise Park distributing In Touch newsletters in your Gate key workers flats scheme road, can be obtained UNOCCUPIED key worker flats for sale in from Susan Bayford on Middleton Mews, Park Gate have been causing 01489 880740. concern since completion over a year ago. However, Atlantic Housing stated that after discus- Better pavements sions with ward councillors, the Council’s Housing The following shemes Department and a representative from the Office of costing £220,000 to the Deputy Prime Minister, they have revised their replace pavements are policy and released them for renting. under way or planned As a result, 24 have now been rented to key work- over the next year: ers with 3 remaining unoccupied. Bridge Road, The key worker scheme considers employees of USERS’ concerns about lack of consultation Sarisbury (£80,000), the NHS, police, teachers, fire fighters, prison offi- over the imposition of harbour dues on the Botley Road, cers and social workers. Large numbers of key work- River Hamble will be discussed by a working (£50,000), Lower er flats have been built in the area, with little interest group. Swanwick Road, in buying them. It has been set up to look into all the issues around Swanwick (£16,500), Councillor Marian Ellerton said: “It is evident this harbour dues, including supervision charges. Swanwick Lane, policy should be revised to attract more likely first- All users will have the opportunity to give evidence Swanwick (£20,000), time buyers.” to the working group on Tuesday, April 18. Bye Road, Lower It will be chaired by Councillor Seán Woodward Swanwick (£34,000) Come and see what’s on offer (pictured above), who is the Vice Chairman of the and Duncan Road, Park WESTERN Wards Campus at Brookfield School River Hamble Harbour Management Committee. Gate (£14,000). is planning a ‘Picnic in the Park’ on July 15 at He said: “This is a valuable opportunity for any- Street lights will be Centre. one with concerns about the new charging regime replaced in Norwich It is hoped it will encourage young people and their to come and make their views known. Close and Vine Close, parents to come and see what the area has to offer “The working group will consider carefully every- Sarisbury as part of a in the way of sports, clubs and activities. Fareham thing raised and will make recommendations to the £2m programme for Council’s Executive has given £500 to help with the Harbour Board in July.” Fareham Borough. cost.

Spring 2006 In Touch 3 Sarisbury buildings in line for design awards and Hawthorne Court, both in Sarisbury. in March and the winners of the awards will The Mark Roe Centre for Performing Arts be announced in April. The winning build- was completed in September 2004 and ing will receive a commemorative plaque. includes drama classrooms which combine Hampshire County Councillor Seán into a large performing space, music class- Woodward said: “I am delighted that two of rooms, a control and recording room, and Fareham's new buildings short-listed for the practice rooms with acoustic hoods for over Society Design Awards have been 1600 children at Brookfield. designed by the County Council's archi- Hawthorne Court is a nursing care home tects. for 80 elderly people and is the first of ten “We are fortunate to have a very experi- homes being built as a part of a £60 million enced and talented team of architects and partnership project by the County Council designers, who are consistently innovative and the NHS to provide 500 and imaginative and I hope the judges nursing home beds across the like what they see when they county. It was opened in March make their decisions.” last year. The Fareham Society Design Awards aim to promote high Top care: Hawthorne Court nursing home standards of architecture and design in the borough. HAMPSHIRE County Council's Judges will consider how the Architects’ team has been shortlisted for building design complements its its work on two new buildings in the surroundings, innovation in con- Fareham Society Design Awards 2006. cept and execution and to what The shortlist of 11 includes The Mark Roe extent it uses sustainable tech- Centre for Performing Arts at Brookfield nology. Top performance: The Mark Roe Community School and Language College The judges visited the shortlisted buildings Centre for Performing Arts SARISBURY & PARK GATE CONSERVATIVES

We are very active with social and political events and membership WARD COUNCILLORS drives. If you would like further details, to join us, or to help in any way Sarisbury such as distribution of In Touch newsletters in your road, please con- Seán Woodward tact your ward councillors. 8 Persian Drive PO15 7BJ Tel: 01489 881030 ANY PROBLEMS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP email:[email protected] David Swanbrow Please write the details here and give the exact location 7 Mulberry Lane Sarisbury SO31 7LJ Tel: 01489 572723 ...... email:[email protected] ...... Park Gate ...... Brian Bayford ...... 1 Camargue Close ...... Whiteley PO15 7DT Tel: 01489 880740 ...... email: [email protected] ...... Marian Ellerton ...... 230 Botley Road Burridge SO31 1BL Tel: 01489 570774 Your name ...... email: [email protected] Address ...... Postcode...... COUNTY COUNCILLOR Tel ...... Email ...... Fareham Sarisbury Seán Woodward Please cut this out and post it or email or phone your councillors 8 Persian Drive Whiteley PO15 7BJ who are listed here. Tel: 01489 881030 email:[email protected] In Touch 4 Spring 2006 Councils can’t get their act together, so ... Your man in Westminster It’s chaos on the buses BUS PASS schemes across are in utter chaos. Unlike councils in Wales and Scotland, councils have opted to do their own thing, often to the confusion of the over 60s and disabled they should be helping. Hampshire is no exception By and standards vary from dis- Mark Hoban trict to district, depending on MP for Fareham how much they receive from the Government. Then Chancellor Gordon Free ticket to ride: Provided you’re over 60 or disabled Brown came into the equa- I am a great believer in local people hav- you won’t have to pay anytime, anywhere in the Borough. ing a strong voice in matters that affect tion by promising free off- them and their community. It underpins peak travel nationwide by 2008 in his Budget peak local bus travel inside Fareham,” said my political beliefs. speech. Councillor Woodward. That’s why I want local people to have Fareham was put in an impossible position Those eligible can buy a ‘First day’ ticket much more influence over housing and when the Government short-changed its grant, which gives unlimited travel on ‘First’ bus serv- development. It was one of my reasons leaving the Council to find more than double ices in Hampshire at any time on the date of for opposing the merger of Hampshire the amount from its budget. purchase. A ‘First day’ ticket costs £4.40 which Police with a neighbouring force. Had Fareham opted for free passes through- equates to £2.20 for pass holders. Local organisations listen closely to the out Hampshire, it would have meant either The Council is spending £1.1m on travel con- views of communities they serve. Unlike increasing council tax by 10% or charging £60 cessions in 2006/7 and was granted £351,000 larger, more distant organisations, they for a bus pass. by the Government, leaving £745,000 to be set priorities to meet our needs. One rea- “These options were unacceptable to the met from its budget. son why our Borough councillors set the Council or to users we spoke to, so the difficult Almost two thirds of the 750,000 concession- lowest council tax increases in decision was taken to adopt a concession that ary journeys funded by the Council are within Hampshire is that, as well as running the Council, they know that you want good far exceeds the statutory minimum, but the borough. Each bus pass costs the Council services at low cost and respond to that. regretably does not offer free travel across the £107 (£214 for couples), which is more than John Prescott’s suggestions that coun- county,” said Executive Leader Councillor any couple pays to Fareham in annual council cils should merge puts this at risk. Do Woodward. tax. we really want to merge Fareham with People qualifying for concessionary bus Despite this, Fareham kept its council tax to a high spending councils? Do we want a passes will be able to record low. council that does not reflect the needs of travel free anytime (not IT’S NOT ALL FARES FAIR Current holders have Fareham, but is dominated by the views just off-peak), any- been told when and of people from Portsmouth or Eastleigh? where in the Borough Portsmouth: Off-peak travel in Hampshire. where they can renew It is part of a trend by this Government from April 1. Travel tokens also offered. their travel passes. to take more and more matters out of the They will also be enti- Southampton: Off-peak travel in city only. Newcomers can col- hands of local people and give them to tled to a half fare reduc- No alternative concessions. lect their pass from the larger organisations. For example, our tion when they cross Winchester: Off-peak travel in Hampshire. Civic Offices, Fareham local Primary Care Trust, which decides the Fareham boundary No other concessions. from Monday, April 3. on our behalf what health care should be into Hampshire. Gosport: Free all day travel in Hampshire. Contact the Council’s available to Fareham residents, will Tokens also offered. probably be scrapped in favour of either “We are offering more Customer Service than the government’s Havant: Free off-peak travel in Hampshire. Centre 01329 236100 one body for the whole of Hampshire or No alternative concessions. become part of a Primary Care Trust requirement for free off- for more information. covering the east of the county. Decisions about our health will no longer be made by people living or This Mosquito won’t sting, but it will ‘do your head in’ working in Fareham, but by people from PIERCED noses, pierced navels, piercing spray can appears and vandals are spotted loi- Alton or Petersfield.We must stand firm sounds from iPods ... they are all part of tering with intent. against this growing trend to take power young persons’ culture these days. The high-pitched assault on their eardrums is out of our hands and start to turn the tide But they won’t want their eardrums pierced harmless, but so unbearable that they flee. so we decide local issues in Fareham by high-pitched acoustics generated by a new Fortunately, it can be heard only by the 10-24 and not allow them to be taken else- weapon Fareham Counci is trialing in the war age group and older people are unaffected. where by people who are interested in against anti-social behaviour. Councillor Brian Bayford said it was secretly our money but not our views. The Mosquito, costing £500 and the size of a tried in a room at the Civic Offices and the •You may contact Mark via his office garden pet scarer, can be mounted wherever younger work- 14 East Street, Fareham PO16 0BN. potential hooligans congregate. ers there In Touch is published by Sarisbury & Telephone: 01329 233573 Coupled in some cases with CCTV, it can be quickly left Park Gate Conservatives, 8 Persian email: [email protected] Drive, Whiteley PO15 7BJ and print- switched on at random or immediately the first their desks. ed by Tollwood, Unit 2, Lysses Court, High Street, Fareham PO16 Visit our website www.farehamconservatives.org.uk 7BE