August 2011 Bulletin

Closure of Cadnam Post Office

 

At the time of writing there is still no official news about alternative Post Office facilities for Cadnam following the recent closure of Cadnam Post Office. However, there is confirmation that vehicle licensing facilities won’t be transferred to Bartley.

 

The Parish Council has been told that there are already four other Post Office branches within five miles of Bartley offering car tax facilities and on these grounds the service cannot be offered to Bartley Post Office at this time.

 

M27 noise barriers

 

There has been further bad news about the proposal for noise barriers between junctions 1 and 2 of the M27 at Cadnam. A letter from the Department for Transport to Dr Julian Lewis MP confirms that the project does not qualify for implementation following the recent spending review.

 

New priorities have been set in order to contain expenditure and cash is no longer available for projects such as the one planned for Cadnam. The letter goes on to say that the position is unlikely to change during the current spending review period, which ends in March 2015.

 

Adoption of red telephone boxes

 

Previous news bulletins have mentioned BT’s current drive to dispose of existing red telephone kiosks around the country. Many telephone boxes are no longer viable in the context of mobile phone technology and BT has offered to sell the kiosks to parish councils for £1 each. This will allow parishes to retain any boxes that are deemed important to the rural landscape and preserve them for future generations.

 

The telephone equipment is removed once the boxes are adopted and parishes are then free to decide on their future use. The kiosks can simply be maintained as an iconic structure but there are some innovative examples of parishes elsewhere using redundant kiosks as book exchanges and information points and for the sale of local produce.

The parish council had previously decided not to adopt any of the red telephone kiosks currently situated in the parish. However, following the recent elections, the new council has reviewed the position and agreed to adopt any available boxes in Copythorne.

 

These are at Winsor Road, Pound Lane and Newbridge Road. The Winsor Road kiosk has already been renovated by a group of volunteers led by parish councillor Stuart Bullen-Jarvis. A Newbridge resident, Elizabeth Howard, is also willing to organise volunteers to maintain the Newbridge Road box. If anyone is interested in helping to maintain the telephone boxes, please contact the Parish Clerk.

There is also a fourth kiosk in New Inn Road Bartley which the parish council has considered adopting. However, BT has to carry out a consultation under Ofcom rules before deciding whether to offer the box for adoption.

 

New speed limits for Copythorne

 

Hampshire County Council has recently advertised proposals for new 30 mph speed limits in the parish, principally covering Southampton Road and Romsey Road in Cadnam. A report has now been prepared which contains any consultation responses, including any comments from the Police. The report will then be considered by Councillor Mel Kendal, the Executive Member for Environment and Transport who will decide on whether the new limits will be introduced.

 

Is your home suitable for solar?

 

In some cases solar panels can be an attractive investment for homeowners who have savings. However, there are some points to consider before chasing quotes:

1) Which way does my roof face?
A south facing roof is best but panels can deliver very good results facing anywhere between east and west, through south

2) Do I have the roof space?
A minimum of about 10m2 of panels are needed for solar photovoltaic panels (PV) and approximately 4m2 for solar water heating (SWH) (based on a household of 4 people). Sections of roof shaded by trees or buildings are to be avoided.

3) Will I get the most benefit?
Daytime users of electricity and hot water have much to gain by directly replacing energy they’d otherwise have to pay for with free solar energy

4) Can I afford it?
An ideal budget would be in excess of £8000 for PV and £3500 for SWH. It’s important to remember that in order to be eligible for any new government incentive schemes your system must be installed by an MCS certificated installing company.

To find out more, check out Cocoon’s new on-line ‘Solar Suitability Checker’. This tool allows you to find your roof on a satellite map, check its size and orientation, and see what returns an investment in solar might deliver. No personal details are required. The tool will go live in Summer 2011 at www.cocoonyourhome.co.uk

The website also gives information on available insulation grants.

 

Local policing

The local Safer Neighbourhood Team covers the parish of Copythorne as well as Tatchbury, Bramshaw, Brook, Fritham and Minstead. Here is a summary of the June crime statistics for the area:

Assault 0

Dwelling burglary 0
Non-dwelling burglary 3

Criminal damage 0
Theft from motor vehicle 12

Theft 6
Theft of motor vehicle 0

Road traffic incidents 6
Anti-social behaviour 10

PC Dee Faulkner continues to hold beat surgeries at various locations in the area.

Parish Council

 

The Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 7 pm in the Copythorne Parish Hall (rear extension). Members of the public are very welcome to attend the meetings and speak on any matter of concern at the start of the meeting.

The dates of the next few meetings are:

 

Tuesday 9 August 2011 Planning
Tuesday 23 August 2011 Planning**
Tuesday 13 September 2011 Planning
Tuesday 27 September 2011 Council
**Please note there is no full Council meeting in August.

The Clerk to the Council (Mike Derrick) can be contacted at

3 Chichester Close,

East Wellow,

Romsey

SO51 6EY.

 

Telephone and fax 01794 322080

e-mail copythornepc@tiscali.co.uk

Web site: www.copythorne.org.uk

 

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