HThe newspaaper of Hr art District CoNuncil wwew.harwt.gov.uk s Autumn-Winter 2016 Moo-ve over! Canine carers Brave souls Hundreds turn out Meet our new dog We commemorate for educational and wardens Ayesha and our local WWI fun wildlife day at Carrie - and their heroes – p16 Fleet Pond – p4 companions – p12 Update on the Hart Local Plan Last February we published our Major milestone for ‘Local Plan 2011-2032 – Refined Options for Delivering New Homes’ consultation document. This was a major step in creating a new Local Plan for Hart. The Refined Options document was prepared to help us fine-tune the nHart Disetrict Cwouncil and WiLllmott eisure Centre alternatives for building new homes Dixon celebrated the ‘topping out’ of in the district up until 2032. the new Hart Leisure Centre in July. The government requires us to Representatives from Hart District Council, carry out an assessment of housing Willmott Dixon, Everyone Active and GT3 needs over the next 15 years. We Architects attended an event to celebrate the must deliver a further 2,500 new highest point of the building work being homes by 2032 just to meet Hart’s completed on the new £23m Hart Leisure own needs, but under government Centre. rules we may also have to plan for Work will now begin on the internal fixtures even more homes to cover and fittings which will provide extensive shortfalls in Rushmoor and Surrey facilities, including three swimming pools, a full Heath. fitness suite, male and female sauna and steam Our priority is to deliver new cabins, a climbing wall, a coffee shop, multiple homes on brownfield land (land sports pitches and a sports hall. that has previously been Cllr Tim Southern, Chairman of Hart District developed). Council, said: “I’m really pleased to be able to Work can now begin on We have recently been successful fitting out the £23m centre celebrate this milestone in the development of in significantly increasing the supply the new Hart Leisure Centre. The structure is of this land and we are working for the community to use.” expand Calthorpe Park School to cater for a impressive and, now the building is water-tight, with the developer, St Edward, to The new Leisure Centre is scheduled to further 450 places by 2021. we will see the centre come to life with the bring forward a major development open in spring 2017 and Hart District Council “We are very pleased to be able to support internal work. opportunity at Hartland Park (also has already appointed Everyone Active, a this ambition by enabling the school and the “This new facility will be a great asset to the known as Pyestock). See page 8 for management company, to manage the new County Council to consider the best possible community and my thanks to everyone more details on this development. site on its behalf. opportunities for developing the school. In working on this project for their continued However, even with this we do With the exciting delivery on the new Hart these straightened times for local government, hard work. In addition, we must also applaud not think that there is enough Leisure Centre, Hart District Council has we are delighted to offer the existing sports all those people who spent a lot of time and brownfield land available to meet offered to hand over the existing sports centre to the County Council at no cost – a effort in its planning.” our needs. Any development that centre to Hampshire County Council as soon real show of collaborative working across the Roger Forsdyke, Managing Director of cannot be built on brownfield land as the site is vacated. local government family, for the benefit of the Willmott Dixon, said: “It is great to be here to will have to be delivered elsewhere Cllr Stephen Parker, Leader of Hart District community.” mark the topping out of the new Leisure and this will essentially be on Council, said: “The County has recognised, that Centre. The team is making fantastic progress For more information on the new Hart greenfield sites on the edges of our to continue to deliver the necessary school and I look forward to coming back to see Leisure Centre, see page 9 or visit towns and villages. places for the children of Fleet, it will need to the centre when it is completed and ready www.hart.gov.uk/new-hart-leisure-centre We received more than 4,480 responses to our consultation. The majority of respondents New contract to improve services and reduce costs were in favour of a new settlement, Building upon our shared service miles apart, Hart District Council, councils have looked beyond its Vinci has been appointed to with a high response for a new working, Hart has now formally Havant Borough Council, Mendip immediate neighbours to share deliver Facilities Management and settlement and distribution of new joined a ground-breaking deal to District Council, South services through a joint contract. Property Services. The new homes if a combined solution is share back-office services with Oxfordshire and the Vale of Capita will be continuing to services started for South required. All responses, including other councils across the South White Horse District Council will deliver a range of corporate Oxfordshire and the Vale of those received which did not to improve services and reduce collectively save more than £40 services, including HR, IT, Revenues White Horse in August and the costs to the Council. million over a nine-year period. & Benefits and Finance – with the remaining councils will start Despite b eing more than 85 This is the first time a group of addition of Local Land Charges. between now and October 2017. Continued on page 2 e 2 News www.hart.gov.uk Devolution at the ‘Heart of Hampshire’ Council to spend £1.2m on What is devolution? Devolution is the transfer of powers by central government to local or environment and leisure projects regional administration. provision of a ‘Teen Fit’ area with £480,000 via a S106 agreement community and the wellbeing of What does it mean for Hart? Hart District Council’s There have been many discussions, Cabinet has approved a bike and skateboard park in the for district leisure projects over those who use it. both locally and nationally, about three-year programme of Edenbrook County Park. the next three years. Without “It’s no secret that access to the what devolution means to local improvements to enhance Other projects include two Hart District Council identifying natural environment makes for a councils, such as Hart. the local environment for informal picnic benches on QEB these projects we would simply safer and healthier community We are having ongoing residents, visitors and Fields and pond restoration in miss out on the opportunity to and we would like to encourage conversations with all local wildlife. Hartley Wintney. collect funding to invest in our and improve this for our future authorities in Hampshire to establish A total of £1,176,000 has been Cllr Anne Crampton, Cabinet future environment. generations and our local wildlife.” what services, or responsibilities, can allocated to deliver a variety of Member for Leisure and “Hart is consistently voted as For more information on be transferred to offer our projects throughout the district. Environmental Promotion, said: the best place to live in the UK enhancement projects communities the best possible They will include a range of “We have secured £696,000 of and we believe that our rural, please visit service delivery in the most cost- improvements such as the Fleet developers contributions so far natural environment plays an www.hart.gov.uk/local- effective way. Pond access track and the and we aim to secure a further important part for our countryside-projects There are a range of benefits that could arise from striking a deal with central government, which include: l Securing new powers from government to give communities more say l Boosting economy and growth, creating new jobs l Investing in infrastructure and transport l Building homes that people need Devolution is fast-moving and for the latest information on Hart’s position, visit our website www.hart.gov.uk/devolution Promoting better mental health Hart District Council is signing up to Developer’s contributions breathe the Local Authority Mental Health Challenge as part of efforts to new life into former beauty spot support the health and wellbeing of Many of you would have driven right past about restoring this pond back to its former residents. Cricket hill pond, along Cricket Hill Lane in glory. Launched by a partnership of Yateley. After months of planning, the pond has national charities and The Royal But most wouldn’t have noticed what now been dredged to provide a suitable College of Psychiatrists, the lurked hidden behind overgrown trees and depth of water for aquatic plants to grow. Challenge supports councils to invasive rhododendron – until now. Invasive non-native plants, such as Japanese promote better mental health in Over the generations, the once prominent knotweed and rhododendron, have also been sculpture to be found on the island, nestled their area. pond has gradually slid into the background removed from around the pond. between the reeds in the middle of the The Council will be joining 82 of the landscape. To speed up the process of native plant pond. other local authorities which are It had become dark and dank place colonisation, aquatic and flowering plants With the main pond work complete, now already signed up. covered by self-seeded trees and has have been added around all the banks.