YOUR COUNTY COUNCIL MAGAZINE SPRING 2015 Find out about See pages 20 & 32 Frozen Council Tax remains the same See page 8 Ensuring the best start Supporting children and families See page 18 WIN – One of four family tickets to Paultons Park See page 31 IN THIS ISSUE Making a Superfast difference broadband Change lives Sign-up to superfast through care – see page 10 broadband speeds – see page 14 www.hants.gov.ukwww.hants.gov.uk From Councillor Roy Perry Welcome Leader of Hampshire County Council For another year, onwards, and we would like to hear for the present and future needs of the County Council your views on the services that are employers in Hampshire. will be keeping its most important to you, and where part of Council Tax you think savings could be made – Social care in Hampshire is seeing frozen, maintaining see page 9. considerable changes. In response it at the same rate Our work to provide high quality to an ageing population, the social for six years in a and cost effective local services care system is modernising and we row – one of the remains our top priority and often are working closer with colleagues lowest in the country. We of course this involves working differently in the NHS. With growing numbers recognise a responsibility to those with partner organisations. Featured of older people wanting to live who need our services but freezing in this edition of Hampshire Now independently, we are backing the tax is a way to help all residents is our partnership with BT to bring a campaign to recruit more care and hard-working families as well. superfast broadband to as many workers. We know that care workers However, we continue to face parts of Hampshire as possible. have the potential to positively financial challenges, and savings Also featured is our collaborative transform people’s lives, as well as are becoming harder to find. From work with skills centres such as the lives of those who are, or become 16 March, we will be consulting CEMAST near Fareham, providing carers – find out more about their on our budget proposals for 2016 young people with a range of skills important role on pages 10 – 11. To find out more about your County Council visit www.hants.gov.uk or call 0300 555 1375* If this information is difficult to content of any advertisements Contact us 2 read, we can provide it in another placed in Hampshire Now and 3 Write: The Editor, Hampshire Now, format, for example, in large print, shall have no liability for any losses Communications, Hampshire, Braille, on audio tape/CD/memory howsoever caused in relation to such. stick or in another language. County Council, Elizabeth II Court South, Please call 0300 555 1375* Further, Hampshire County Council Winchester, SO23 8UJ. makes no endorsements whatsoever Email: [email protected] Hampshire County Council makes with regard to any advertisements no warranties in relation to the placed in Hampshire Now. Phone: 0300 555 1375* * Call charges may apply, see page 30 @hantsconnect Inside this issue 4 17 25 News around Hampshire Enjoy the outdoors this spring! Supporting Armed Forces What’s happening around the county Try our Outdoor Activity Centres communities Support for Hampshire’s Armed Forces personnel and their families 8 18 Frozen: Council Tax remains Ensuring the best start the same Early Help Hubs and opportunities for young people 26 Hampshire Walk 10 Visiting Stockbridge Making a difference http://lifelink.radian.co.uk 20 Change lives through care What’s on Ideas for things to do this spring 30 Contact us 14 How to get in touch with the Superfast broadband County Council Sign-up for faster speeds Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk Waste matters: changes to waste recycling centre News around Hampshire opening hours Opening hours at our Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) are Recording key changing from 1 April 2015. life events The change follows consultation with Each year, our Registration Officers residents on a number of options to deliver thousands of ceremonies, shape the service for the future. including marriage, civil partnership, These looked at affordable ways to baby namings/welcoming, renewal ensure the County Council of vows, commitment and conversion continues to deliver a modern, ceremonies (which enable couples value for money service for to convert their civil partnership to Hampshire’s residents. Our customer phone numbers have changed to 0300 a marriage). The overall response to the survey The Council has recently replaced option for contacting We are looking forward to another busy clearly showed that there was strong its 0845 contact numbers with 0300 Hampshire County Council. spring and summer and in preparation, support for the service and that it is numbers, as part of improvements You can also contact the we have been investing in our facilities, highly valued by residents. This was to the way residents access services. Hollywood needs you! Council through our website including moving the Winchester reflected in the decision taken to Fancy finding George Clooney Register now! Calls to 0300 numbers are www.hants.gov.uk where there Register Office to Castle Hill. implement changes which would relaxing in your living room? included in call packages. are self-service facilities to report You don’t need to own a grand help maintain current levels There are 140 licensed ceremony Customers calling the old 0845 problems, apply for permits Wishful thinking for some maybe, country house or historic building of service. venues in Hampshire which cater numbers will be advised of the and pay bills, as well as but did you know that you could to attract film crews. Film for a range of tastes, budgets The results of the consultation change and encouraged to use comprehensive information on be earning money from your home, Hampshire is getting an increasing and ceremony sizes. indicated that a later start in the the 0300 number as a cheaper all the Council’s services. number of requests for residential, land or commercial buildings by morning was the most preferred private houses and apartments. To find out more see our 2015 offering them up for filming? Some option in terms of reduced opening 4 It’s also not just Hollywood Ceremony Brochure available from our 5 directors will pay as much as £1,000 hours. Discussion with HWRC staff offices and libraries, or download it Celebrating the birth of Essential guide per day for the right location. looking for locations – your indicated that the first part of the property could fit the bill for a from our website: modern democracy for independent The Council’s Film Hampshire is the morning each day is crucial for the number of uses including TV www.hants.gov.uk/registration In 2015, Hampshire is marking the 800th living official film office for the county. It effective running of the sites to filming, commercials and anniversary of the signing of the Magna promotes Hampshire as a great film Follow us on Twitter @HantsReg ensure there is sufficient capacity for The new edition of our Guide magazine photoshoots. If you Carta. The county has strong links to the location and provides movie makers the day ahead and ensuring the to better care and support is think your property could have Children and Young document which, in 1215, limited the with a valuable free location-finding site is clean, tidy and ready for the available from the end of April. a starring role, then register your People’s Plan powers of the monarch and protected service. It currently has around 400 public to use. Analysis shows that details with Film Hampshire now. The Children and Young People’s personal liberties. The free, comprehensive guide locations on its books and is on the average peak usage times across Please note only property owners Plan is the overarching strategy for all sites are mid morning and lists a range of home care services lookout for more. Shortly before meeting the baronial may register. Hampshire Children’s Trust, which early afternoon. and provides a wealth of practical leaders, who wanted to curtail his With its wealth of scenery, historic represents all those working for and information on support for you, It’s easy and it’s free. Simply visit Taking all this into account, from houses, military space and popular with children, young people and powers, King John met the then Bishop your family and other carers. www.hants.gov.uk/filmhampshire 1 April 2015 the opening hours of tourist attractions, it’s hardly their families. of Winchester at Odiham Castle. Once and fill out the ‘register your HWRCs in Hampshire will be: There are sections on support surprising that Hampshire has the charter was agreed, the King issued property’ form. To show off your The Plan sets out the vision for for people living with disabilities, attracted the attention of Hollywood • 1 October – 28 February: 9am – 4pm an order from the Castle instructing the location, email a selection of good the Trust and how it will improve making your home safe, choosing royalty. See our Hampshire film map • 1 March – 31 March: 9am – 5pm Hampshire Sheriff to enforce it. A copy quality landscape images to outcomes for children and young home care services and alternative www.hants.gov.uk/filmhampshire of this order survives in Rouen, France. [email protected] people in Hampshire. It does not • 1 April – 30 September: 9am – 6pm housing options, including Extra Care seek to describe every service and We have been working with The Did you know? This is with the exception of Efford, assisted living.