CONSERVATIVES keeping our community InTouch LOCKS HEATH – Summer 2018 Fury as new housing criteria wreck Fareham draft plan NEW HOUSING levels forced tional requirements and consult on Fareham by Government on the new recommendations. will wreak havoc with the “All this will take additional draft planning strategy, put- time and leaves the Council ting hundreds more acres of exposed to even more unwel- countryside under the bull- come applications.” dozers. Fareham had already met Whitehall moved the goal previous Government criteria posts by applying a new factor by objectively assessing the relating to the ratio of aver- 5-year housing supply require- age income to average house ment. prices. This showed 11,300 homes Fareham must now find yet were needed. After discounting more space to cram in another Welborne (3,840), comple- 1,500-2,000 homes – doubling tions and permissions (2,995) the current number of greenfield and remains from the existing houses required. plan (208), the Council had to Work preparing the well-advanced draft local plan has accommodate an extra 4,250 and had managed to find been halted and much of it will have to go back to the brownfield and windfall sites for around 2,000. drawing board. When developers learned the rest had to come from And there’s worse to come when yet another Government greenfield sites, it sparked a Klondyke-style rush with over rule change – the Housing Delivery Test – comes into 100 proposals totalling 12,700 homes submitted against force in November. the 2,500 still needed. Furious councillors rounded on the minister responsible, As Fareham cannot now publish its new plan, it must James Brokenshire, telling him enough is more than consider applications without the protection of the usual enough. planning policies. Council Leader Seán Woodward and MP Suella Braver- Under the fresh Government diktat, the 5-year housing man will meet the Secretary of State and lay it on the line land supply (5YHLS) will see the current annual need for that the Borough should not be expected to cope with an 487 dwellings raised to 571, assuming a 5% buffer. ever-rising volume of housing thrust on it by Whitehall. If Fareham fails the Housing Delivery Test, the figure Councillor Keith Evans, executive member for planning could go up to 653 per annum for the next 5 years, with and development, said: “We responded to the Government massive extra impact on the suspended draft local plan. by rejecting the proposals as unreasonable and unachiev- PHOTOS: 45 acres at Great Abshot could accommodate able in the short term. It fell on deaf ears. 250 homes. Inset: 1,100 homes could go on 270 acres “ We now have to decide how to incorporate these addi- between Longfield Avenue and Stubbington. Fareham pioneers first conference to deal with rough sleepers problem GIVING money to begging rough Its aim was to share information and Council Leader Seán Woodward sleepers will not help to remove identify strategies to support the work said: “We are determined to help rough them from the Borough’s streets. of agencies and to launch ‘Fareham sleepers off the streets rather than Donating it directly to many local StreetAid’, a new initiative through helping them to stay on the streets. charities which are working hard to which joint communications can be “It is so important that people who help the homeless is a far better idea. published. wish to offer support such as mon- This was the conclusion of more than Outreach workers said drug addic- ey, food, sleeping bags, clothing etc 70 delegates who attended the first tion was one of many issues they were should give it to the local charities who, conference hosted by Fareham Coun- dealing with daily, so any money given with support agencies, deliver what is cil to tackle the problem. would simply be used to fund that habit. needed to these vulnerable people.” Almost England’s lowest district council tax – thanks to CONSERVATIVES 2 InTouch 35,000 people use Holly Hill Leisure Centre every week. CONSERVATIVES promised it. We delivered. I nT ouch 3 THEY CYCLED OVER 2,000 MILES IN BLISTERING HEAT TO RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITIES It’s second time around NEWS for Fareham Mayor Susan ROUND NICE one, Tony and Allan Duo deserve yellow jerseys, too and Consort Brian IT WAS as tough as the famous Tour de France. THEY’D probably claim cycling the 874-mile length of the Tony Hopkins, chairman of Age Concern Hampshire, and his land is tougher than the Tour de France. friend Allan Button, set off on a 1,155-mile charity cycle ride to Nice on France’s Warsash Councillor Mike Ford and his friend Côte d’Azure. Pete Brown spent 15 days It was a mammoth task to raise money for their in sweltering heat biking from volunteer Village Agents Service. Land’s End to John O’Groats. Susan says ‘Thank you’ En route to Portsmouth ferry on May 23 they called The intrepid pair’s “I was delighted to be re-elected to at Lockswood Day Care Centre where they were gruelling ride had at the the Locks Heath Ward of Fareham wished ‘bonne chance’ by Fareham Mayor Susan time we went to print Borough Council on May 3 and I Bayford and Consort Brian Bayford. The latest we raised over £1,000 for would like to thank the residents who have heard is that they arrived at their destination the Mayor’s Charities – supported me. and are on track to exceed the target of £2,500. Abby’s Heroes, Acts of Kindness and the RNBT. “It has been a great pleasure and The Mayor said: “A magnificent effort by Tony and Allan and we send our congratula- “What a fantastic effort,” said the Mayor, Council- privilege to represent all of the tions to them,” lor Susan Bayford. Mike is pictured at both ends. residents of Locks Heath Ward and I look forward to continuing to do so. FOUR YEARS after being Fareham’s first “If you have any queries or con- citizen, Susan Bayford took the chain of cerns, please contact me on 01489 County cost-cutting causes invasion of weeds office for a second time at the Council’s annual meeting in May. 577772 or at [email protected]. WEEDS are running riot in streets weeds, which were then removed by Fareham uk and I will do all I can to help you.” Her husband, Brian Bayford, who is also a and footpaths across Fareham Bor- Council’s street sweeping service. former Mayor, is once more her Consort. ough. But Hampshire reduced the treatment to once a Susan is very proud to represent the School places Warm weather and thunderstorms year to cut costs. For the present year, 92% of pupils Borough once again and looks forward to have combined to help them grow at an Councillor Susan Bayford said: “It’s a false meeting many people involved in the com- were offered their first choice of sec- alarming rate. economy as it simply allows the weeds to take ondary school and 97% of transfers munity during her year in office. Residents are demanding that the greater hold and causes damage to the highways The Mayor recently invested her husband, from infant to junior were offered their County Council, which is responsible for which the County Council will have to pay to first choice. a former Park Gate Ward councillor, and for highways weed control, should take put right. Arthur Mandry and Dennis Steadman as urgent action to clear up the unsightly “We are working with the Borough Council to Highways funding Honorary Aldermen following their retire- mess. find ways of introducing new weed removal meth- ment in May after many years of service on Hampshire has managed to secure Up to this year, the County Council ods which will not involve the use of pesticides £12.9m from Highways England. the Council. undertook pesticide spraying on roads and working with the County Council to bring the PHOTO: The Mayor presents Brian with This, with £6.6m from the County, and pavements twice a year to kill the weeds back under control.” will enable improvements to junction his investiture certificate as Honorary 9 of the M27 and the Parkway South Alderman of the Borough. Whiteley roundabout. Danger drain World Jamboree scouts meet the Mayor Service charge victory joy County funding issues RESIDENTS Joan and Philip Hartle TWO enterprising They met the Mayor who was for Roxburgh residents County Finance identified additional feared somebody might trip over a young ladies are invited to attend the group’s potential constraints for 2021 to raised drain in St John’s Road and pictured with Fare- agm in Titchfield Village Hall. 2022 – an estimated £80m short- injure themselves. ham Mayor Councillor Susan said: “The Scouting fall due mainly to unfunded inflation So they contacted Councillor Susan Susan Bayford and Movement across Fareham is and increased demand arising from Bayford, who promptly called Hamp- Consort Brian Bayford. admirable and has a great many population profile changes. shire County Council and work was Paige and Lucy, mem- members, which is fantastic for This £80m is in addition to the done swiftly to eliminate the danger. bers of Fareham West all of the young people involved. £140m having to be saved over the Phil and Joan, pictured with their District Scouts, are raising money to attend “The leaders, who spend many hours of their 2019 to 2021 period. grandchildren Isobel and Eildh the 24th World Scout Jamboree in West Vir- own time supporting the Scouting Movement, Hooper, were delighted.