ABOUT WINCHESTER winchester.gov.uk SPRING 2020 DIGGING DEEP FOR THE CLIMATE NEWS IN BRIEF MEDIEVAL TOILET FLUSHED OUT Archaeologists unearthed a 13th Paul Waddon and daughter Siobhan planting trees century medieval cesspit and what at Newlands Walk, Waterlooville. could be the remains of early toilet wipes recycled from textile fragments when they excavated the In June 2019, Winchester City Meanwhile – we said we’d be Chesil Lodge site. Council declared a climate working with partners and residents emergency and committed to set to make this work and volunteers, LOCAL ELECTIONS - 7 MAY out within six months our action residents, businesses and local To make sure you're registered plan to make our organisation organisations all came together to to vote go to: carbon neutral by 2024, and the plant 334 new trees over two days www.gov.uk/register-to-vote wider district carbon neutral by at Newlands Walk Open Space, 2030. Waterlooville. DOG BREEDERS BANNED Unlicensed dog breeders who reared Well, we agreed the action plan just Thanks to all the volunteers, 193 litters have been fined more than before Christmas, and we’re all set Winchester Action on Climate £600,000 due to action by to go. From this point forward, every Change (WinACC), the University Winchester City Council. Turn to thing we do will be planned looking of Winchester, IBM, HSBC and the page 14 for more. through the lens of the climate teams from other local businesses emergency. Inside you’ll find out who couldn’t wait to roll up their DID YOU KNOW? more about what’s already started to sleeves to get started! Turn to pages In 1944 Southwick House was the happen and your own place in the 4 & 5 if you’d like to see what else nerve centre for the final planning of picture. We can’t do this without you. we’ve been up to... D-Day - see back page to get involved in VE Day 75th anniversary celebrations. IN THIS EDITION... CLIMATE CHANGE WINCHESTER SPORT & WIN A DAY OUT ON UPDATE LEISURE PARK: LATEST THE WATERCRESS LINE! Pages 4 & 5 Page 7 Page 19 1 A WORD FROM... LUCILLE THOMPSON We have also adopted a new individuals and local groups at our Council Plan setting out our meetings which shows that there is LEADER priorities for the next five years. a willingness to talk to us and we Welcome to the spring edition of Action on the environment will be are certainly willing to listen. at the forefront of everything we About Winchester! We still face many challenges and do, but improving the services that Since our last newsletter we have by the time you read this we will we offer to residents is high on our put together our plan to reduce our have set the budget for the next agenda too. We want to make a carbon emissions in line with our financial year. But we know where real difference to the quality of the declaration of a climate emergency we want to improve and, with lives of all our residents and this is a last June. your help, we will work together blueprint that gives us the ability to to move forward in the spirit of Just before Christmas we published do just that. collaboration and partnership. our action plan which concentrates Over the last six months we on three key themes – transport, have been changing the way we energy and housing. We have engage with you and making our already started on our tree planting meetings more accessible. We programme and are taking steps have introduced public questions to ensure that the energy used in at meetings of Full Council and are our council buildings comes from now audio live streaming our major a renewable source. You can read meetings which are also available more about these and more actions on our website. We have been very that we will be taking in this encouraged by the attendance of newsletter. LAURA TAYLOR Our environmental health team be part of the conversation going deals with 1,300 food businesses. forward, then email: CHIEF EXECUTIVE [email protected] and We look after nearly 30,000 trees. In this edition we share some of we’ll sign you up for news and the work that your council does Our new Council Plan puts tackling consultations – you can also get but there are a host of services that climate change at the heart of this newsletter via email to help us we provide every day, for example: all we do and over the next few reduce our carbon footprint going months we will make it easier for forward. Our customer service centre you to access the services you want answers 2,800 calls every week. online 24/7. The council's planning team We want to make sure you can received 3,393 applications last help shape the services you receive year. from us so if you would like to Declaring Sporting success Mayor of 4 a climate 9 celebrated in style 15 Winchester emergency was just the More of Council Budget beginning 10 the homes, 16 2020/21 less of the Holding back the carbon 5 elements Having your A day in the life... of 17 say is easier Air quality is improving 11 our Housing Income than ever 6 - but there's still more Team Leader to do What's on around 18 the district A greener Winchester Your bin Sport & Leisure Park 14 collection 7 just got Spend a day in greener 19 Alresford HIGHLIGHTS COUNCIL PLAN 2020-2025 The new Council Plan was adopted in January 2020 and sets out the key ways we’ll be improving our district’s environment, well- being, housing and economy while putting climate change at the heart of all we do. LIVING WELL HOMES FOR ALL We want all our residents to live Our district needs homes that are healthy and fulfilled lives and affordable and built in the right ensure the district offers the right areas for changing communities. mix of facilities for all ages and abilities. Page 8-9 for more Page 10-11 for more VIBRANT LOCAL ECONOMY YOUR SERVICES. YOUR VOICE Our district is home to a host of High quality, accessible, good value successful businesses with high services are needed to address the levels of employment in both urban changing needs of our customers. and rural areas. Our high streets, And we want you to have the towns and business centres also opportunity to make your voice need to attract new investment heard and are able to see and providing low carbon offices, understand how the council makes workspace and transport links. its decisions – and feed into them. Page 12-13 for more Page 16-17 for more Our Council Plan is on the homepage of our website: winchester.gov.uk DECLARING A CLIMATE EMERGENCY WAS JUST THE BEGINNING Over the coming months you’ll year – that's the equivalent someone else on our behalf – a see more and more from your of charging 630,000 mobile good example is the improved council to promote action on phones! Biffa bin lorries. climate change - we're focussing • Ecologically considerate • Changes to how we manage on reducing our carbon naturalised planting – tree parking will see further emissions and encouraging planting across the district, improvements to air quality. others to reduce theirs, and are and we have plans to both • Plans to increase the number taking action to promote climate safeguard the Garrison Ground of electric vehicle charging resilience. as playing fields and create points across the district to fuel In March, we are bringing together wildlife habitats too. the (commendable!) growing children from schools across our • Increased recycling – we’ve appetite for low carbon district for the first ever Climate introduced glass recycling vehicles. Emergency Parliament, providing collections to 50,000 a platform for the voices of young households across the district people to be heard. In June we will and are looking at improving hold a conference to set out how garden waste collections too. we can work together across the • Changes to the way our district to deliver this vital agenda. developments are shaped – turn We will measure and report all we to page 7 to find out what do so you can hold us to account measures have been taken to for our promises. lessen the environmental impact of Winchester Sport and Leisure Here’s what we've been Park. working on in the last six Interested? • Steps to see the council change months: Have a look at the plan - it’s on its contracting policies so low the homepage of our website so • In December 2019, we installed carbon is at the heart of all you can see what we’re planning 22 solar panels on the council’s services, whether we carry them to do and how you can get depot in Winnall, which will out or they are delivered by involved in future proofing the generate up to 7,000 kilowatt of eco-friendly energy each planet for future generations. 4 CLIMATE EMERGENCY HELP US MEET THE “Our Carbon Neutrality Action Plan is live. We are going to reduce, DISTRICT CHALLENGE eliminate or offset our own carbon Help us get the whole district to become carbon emissions and support you and neutral by 2030 by ticking off some of these handy others to do the same – and the ways to lower your personal carbon footprint… work has already begun.” Buy local and seasonal – our district is known as 1 ‘Hampshire’s larder” so we’re spoilt for choice! CLLR LUCILLE THOMPSON LEADER Defrost your freezer regularly – dealing with all that frost 2 build up means your freezer expends more energy..