January 2012 Bulletin

A Safer New Forest

The Safer New Forest Partnership offers some very useful advice on a range of safety issues including safer homes, safer streets and safer vehicles.  The Partnership even offers advice for boat owners.  Information on the Partnership can be found at www.communitysafety.newforest.gov.uk, by contacting Stephanie Bennett on 023 8028 5588 or by e-mail to stephanie.bennett@nfdc.gov.uk  

 

Success for New Forest Tour

Businesses in the New Forest are celebrating after the success of the ‘red’ and ‘green’ New Forest Tours which take passengers around the New Forest on an open-top bus.  The green route has been operating for the past six years and has seen its popularity grow year-on-year.  Passenger numbers have more than doubled since 2006.  In 2011 some 20,000 people went on the green Tour visiting Beaulieu, Brockenhurst and Lymington.

The red route was introduced as a pilot scheme during the school summer holiday and ran for six weeks.  Two open-top buses took visitors around Burley, Ringwood, Fordingbridge and Lyndhurst.  It is hoped that the red route will become a regular fixture in the north and west of the Forest during the summer months.

The Tours helped visitors learn more about the Forest with a fascinating audio commentary, encouraged them to visit local businesses and reduced traffic by encouraging people out of their cars. 

 

New speed limits

The new speed limits recently approved for the parish have now been put in place.  In particular these include two new 30 mph limits from Cadnam roundabout, one running eastwards along Southampton Road and the other running northwards along Romsey Road.  There is also a new 40 mph limit in Romsey Road from the Pollards Moor Road junction to Barrow Hill Road.

One of the unfortunate results of the new 30 mph limits is that there are no repeater signs.  Highway regulations preclude the use of 30 mph repeater signs on roads with street lighting.  This is often a bone of contention as it relies on drivers’ supposed knowledge of the Highway Code.  Regrettably the regulations do not allow any variation.

 

Splitwind Pond

Sadly, the Parish Council has been unable to carry out routine maintenance of Splitwind Pond this year after loss of its regular contractor.  The Council is exploring various options for future maintenance and in the meantime will undertake some general tidying by way of a Council working party.  However, if any local residents are interested in becoming involved in pond  maintenance the Council would be most grateful to hear from them. 

 

Planning

A reminder that the Parish Council discusses all planning applications in the parish at each of its meetings – on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month.  If you are likely to be affected by a planning application, the Council would like to hear from you so that it can take any views into account when sending its comments to the planning authority.  Equally, the Council also welcomes comments from individual applicants.  Views can be submitted by way of a letter or e-mail to the Clerk or by attending the Council meeting in person and speaking during the public participation session (7 pm prompt).

 
Copythorne parish is mostly in the New Forest National Park so the majority of planning decisions are taken by the National Park Authority.  However, a small section in the north of the parish is outside the Park (Ower, Wigley and East Wellow) where decisions are taken by New Forest District Council.  It is important to note that the Parish Council is only a consultee in planning matters and that any comments on planning applications should also be sent direct to the relevant planning authority.

 

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 November crime figures:

 

Anti-social behaviour	4	Assault	4
Dwelling burglary	3	Non-dwelling burglary	3
Criminal damage	3	Drug offences	3
Theft from vehicles	6	Theft of a vehicle	0
Theft	8	Road traffic collisions	11

PC Dee Faulkner continues to hold beat surgeries at various locations in the area.  These are held on the first Wednesday of the month as follows:  Minstead Village Shop (10.30 – 11.30 am);  Bartley Stores (12 – 1 pm);  Bramshaw Village Store (2 pm – 3 pm).  There is also a surgery every fourth Friday at the Trusty Servant pub in Minstead at 6 pm.

 

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 10 January 2012                         Planning
Tuesday 24 January 2012                         Council
Tuesday 14 February 2012                        Planning

 

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@btinternet.com.  

 

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