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Here is the latest news from the Parish. 
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NEWS RELEASE Dozens of organisations in and around the New Forest are inviting people to join in with the New Forest Awakening Festival which runs throughout March 2024. Run by the New Forest National Park Authority, the annual festival around climate and nature focuses on the special qualities of the New Forest, the small actions we can all take to help protect it, and what organisations are doing to help tackle the twin climate and nature crises in the National Park. Now in its fourth year, the festival offers a month-long timetable of activities including wildlife walks and talks, free bike maintenance drop-ins, litter picks and composting masterclasses. You can find out more about the New Forest’s trees, enjoy a farm tour, and learn more about sustainable woodland management. Help sow wildflower seeds, have a go at hedgelaying, go behind the scenes at a local sustainable brewery, and meet local food producers. There’s also a chance to join Forest rangers to learn more about New Forest ponies, the history of the Forest - from Royal hunting ground to current day National Park, and even get valuable training tips for your dog to protect local wildlife and livestock. The New Forest is a very special place. More than 50% is of international importance for nature, and many areas have the highest possible conservation status. It has the largest area of lowland heath in Western Europe, shaped by the free-roaming animals owned by commoners. Commoning is the traditional system of land management with rights attached to land and properties allowing people to turn out ponies, cattle, sheep and pigs onto the open Forest. The rare heathland and wetland habitats in the New Forest are an ark for nature, supporting rare wildlife, some of which are declining in other parts of the UK. Ground-nesting birds such as the curlew, Dartford warbler and mystical nightjar can all be found in the New Forest. All six species of the UK’s native reptiles live here too, as well as 63% of Britain’s 24,000 types of insects, 75% of all dragonfly species and over 2,700 types of fungi. The climate emergency is putting these fragile landscapes and habitats under threat, with hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters changing nature’s balance. The global crisis for nature is mainly due to land management practices, pollution and urban expansion. It is being worsened by a changing climate that is driving changes in the numbers and distribution of our wildlife species. David Bence, Chair of the New Forest National Park Authority, said: ‘It takes a Team New Forest to work together to help protect this vitally important area for wildlife. Organisations, volunteers, community groups and individuals are all taking action for nature, but there is more to be done. ‘Now in its fourth year, the New Forest Awakening Festival has gone from strength to strength, showing people just how special this area is, and how taking a few small steps can all add up to make a positive impact on our fragile New Forest environment.’
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Local Plan review
A Local Plan is a framework for the future development of an area and is used to assess planning applications.
Since our current Local Plan was adopted in 2020, there have been several significant changes that our new Local Plan will look to address. This includes lower than expected housing delivery, our climate change and nature emergency declaration in 2021, and the opportunities that the Solent Freeport will bring.
After our next Council meeting on 26 February, we’ll start identifying the issues that this new Local Plan should address. This information will be formed into a draft version of the Local Plan, which is expected to be formally consulted upon next year.
In the meantime, you can find more information about our planning service on our website.
Did you know you can watch all our public meetings on our YouTube channel? The next meeting is Planning Committee on Wednesday 14 February at 9am. You can watch this on YouTube.
New CCTV camera installed
We have installed a new CCTV camera in Fordingbridge high street.
We’re testing new 4G camera technology which produces high quality colour images and uses infrared to capture images at night or in low light conditions.
Fordingbridge was selected for the trial as it currently doesn’t have any CCTV cameras. We’ve been working with Fordingbridge Town Council for this trial.
In the future, we’re planning to expand our CCTV network across the district to areas that do not have cameras. This is part of our commitment to maintain low crime levels in rural communities.
We’re hosting a community event where you can learn more about the project and ask questions. Join us at 6pm at Fordingbridge Town Hall on Thursday 22 February. The event is open to anyone who lives or works in the area.
Community grants awarded
29 groups and organisations in the New Forest will receive community grants from us this year.
The funding has been given to groups across the district who support vulnerable residents and communities.
These organisations include Honeypot Childrens Charity, New Forest Basics Bank, Forest Forge Theatre Company, New Forest Disability Information Services, and Youth and Families Matter.
Read more about the funding on our website.
Voting for British citizens overseas
Do you know a British citizen living abroad?
A change in the law means they can register to vote in parliamentary elections, no matter how long ago they left the UK.
Find out more on the GOV.UK website.
Please share this information with family and friends who are living abroad.
Improving the energy efficiency of your home
Since October 2023, 224 of our residents have used our free Cosy Homes online tool to see how they can improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
You can create a refurbishment plan to make your home warmer, reduce your carbon footprint, and cut energy bills. All you’ll need to get started is your postcode and an idea of how much money you want to spend.
Find out more about the tool, and the funding options that are available.
How to dispose of vapes
Research from Recycle Your Electricals has shown that around 5 million single use vapes are thrown away in the UK every week.
It’s important to dispose of single use vapes correctly and safely.
Vapes should never go in your black or clear rubbish sacks, like any item containing a battery.
If batteries are crushed in collection vehicles or at recycling facilities, it can cause devastating fires.
To find local drop-off points to recycle vapes, add your postcode to the Recycling Locator tool on the Recycle Your Electricals website.
You can recycle vapes at Household Waste and Recycling Centres, also known as the tip.
Electricity bill discount
You could get £150 off your electricity bill through the government’s Warm Home Discount Scheme.
The scheme is running until March 2024 and the one-off discount is applied directly to your electricity bill. If you use a prepayment meter, you’ll be given a top-up voucher instead.
You can receive the discount if you either get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit or are on a low income and have high energy costs.
You would have received a letter in January 2024 if you are eligible.
If you didn’t receive a letter but think you are eligible, you can apply before 29 February 2024 by calling the Warm Home Discount Scheme team on 0800 030 9322.
More information is available on the GOV.UK website.
You can find cost of living advice and support on our website.
Explore more of the New Forest
Follow the New Forest Code
Thank you for following the New Forest Code. It continues to help protect and care for this unique place.
Go New Forest
There are lots of places to enjoy and discover in our area. We work with Go New Forest, who celebrate and highlight all the New Forest has to offer to residents and visitors.
To hear more about places to visit, plan cycle trails, and local events you can visit the Go New Forest website.
Go New Forest is part-funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The fund aims to improve pride in place, and invest in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.
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Latest affordable housing in Totton
We’ve completed our latest social housing development in Totton.
The 12 new homes meet the government’s proposed Future Homes Standard. They include air source heat pumps, triple glazed windows, increased insulation, and electric vehicle charging points.
The development is called Penman House and is named after Councillor Neville Penman. Five years ago, he identified the site as an opportunity for affordable housing after Testwood Social Club closed on Salisbury Road.
Penman House has been financed through our Housing Revenue Account with nearly £700,000 in additional grant funding from Homes England.
The rented council homes will be allocated to people on our housing register. New residents are due to move in from as early as next month.
You can read more information about the development and the Future Homes Standard on our website.
Register to vote
To have your say in elections, you need to be registered to vote.
Registering to vote means that your name appears on the electoral roll. If you are not registered, then you will not be able to cast your vote.
If you are already on the register, you don’t need to register again, unless your name or address has changed.
Find out more and register on the GOV.UK website.
February Cabinet meeting
Our next Cabinet meeting is on Wednesday 7 February.
The meeting will include community grant awards, a Local Plan review, and a financial report.
You can keep up to date with all our upcoming meetings on our website calendar, and access links to watch our public meetings live on YouTube.
Plastic bottle recycling
Any type of plastic bottle can go in your clear recycling sack, including drink and milk bottles, shampoo and shower gel bottles, and cleaning products like bleach and laundry detergent bottles.
Before recycling plastic bottles, remember to:
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How to recycle plastic bottles with a pump:
Some plastic bottles, such as hand soap bottles, contain a pump. The pumps in these bottles contain a spring mechanism which cannot be recycled. If safe, please remove the pump and recycle the plastic bottle. The pump will need to go in your black rubbish sack. If you cannot safely remove the pump, please reuse the plastic bottle or add to your black rubbish sack.
How to recycle plastic bottles with a trigger spray:
Some plastic bottles, like bottles used for cleaning products, contain a trigger spray. You can recycle these plastic bottles with the trigger spray on, you do not need to remove the trigger spray.
Currently, plastic bottles are the only type of plastic you can recycle from home in Hampshire. If you have a different plastic item, you may be able to recycle it elsewhere in the New Forest. For example, many supermarkets collect soft plastics for recycling. Soft plastics include items such as plastic bags, plastic film, crisp packets and sweet bags.
Find your nearest location by adding your postcode to the Recycling Locator tool on our website.
In the future, we are planning to collect more plastic items from households. To do this, we are reliant on Hampshire County Council’s plans for new recycling facilities. Find out more about future changes to our household waste and recycling collections.
Being prepared this winter
Taking a few simple steps can improve your resilience this winter.
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Find more information about how you can be prepared this winter on the Met Office website.
You can visit the Met Office website to sign up for severe weather warning text alerts in your area and get further advice for preparing for all weather conditions.
Hampshire County Council Future Services Consultation
Hampshire County Council (HCC) is asking for your views on the future of some local services.
The public consultation is about options to help meet a £132 million budget shortfall, by April 2025.
You can read more information about the proposals, and take part in the consultation on HCC’s website.
Register your appliances
You can register your electrical appliances online to make sure that you don’t miss a safety notice or recall.
Registering your electrical items means that the manufacturer can easily get in contact with you if the product you’ve brought turns out to have a fault, be dangerous or need recalling altogether.
To register your product, you’ll need the brand name, model, serial number and the date of purchase, or as near to it as you can remember.
Find out more and register on The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances website.
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Driving in wet weather
Recent storms and changing climate conditions have seen heavier rainfall over shorter periods of time. This has caused some localised flooding in the district.
By driving differently in flood conditions, you will protect yourself and your vehicle, other people, and reduce the risk of flooding to nearby properties.
During spells of heavy or persistent rain, try to travel only if essential. If you are travelling, check the latest transport and travel information, and monitor weather updates.
The advice from motoring organisations and the emergency services is not to drive through flood water, and to respect road closures. Wherever possible, turn around and find a different route if the road is flooded. And always obey road closure signs and barricades.
If you can’t delay your travel, or use a different route, The AA advise to drive slowly in flood conditions for several reasons:
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If you have no choice than to drive through flooded roads, please be aware not to increase the likelihood that nearby properties will flood. Driving quickly through standing water creates a bow-wave which can then overflow sandbags and other defences that properties have put in place.
See live traffic information on the Hampshire County Council website.
You can also check for flooding and sign up for flood alerts on the government’s website.
Garden waste wheeled bins – use from April 2024
We have started to deliver wheeled bins for the new garden waste collection service, which begins in April.
You will only receive a garden waste wheeled bin if you have signed up and paid for garden waste wheeled bin collections.
If you are a garden waste wheeled bin customer, please do not use your bin for collections until after 1 April 2024. Otherwise, your garden waste may not be collected.
Find out more about garden waste bins, including how and when we will deliver them.
You can sign up and pay for garden waste wheeled bin collections on our website.
If you’re a current customer for the garden waste bag service, you will need to join the new service if you would like to continue your collections from April 2024.
In the future, we will be introducing weekly food waste collections, and wheeled bins for recycling and waste collections. Read about changes to collections from 2025 on our website.
Help for people facing homelessness
Support for people experiencing homelessness is available all year round. This support is even more important when cold or extreme weather occurs.
If you know of someone who is homeless or sleeping rough in the New Forest district, or you’re homeless or in a position where you might become homeless, please get in touch on our website.
Our teams are out in the district in all weather conditions and find solutions for rough sleepers and people facing homelessness. We work to ensure they are safe, listened to, and have the right support for their individual circumstances.
Have your say about beachfront facilities
Let us know how we can improve beachfront facilities at Barton on Sea and Milford on Sea.
You can give your views about the accessibility and appearance of public facilities in these areas. This includes beach shelters and toilets, which are provided and managed by us.
This project is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda. This provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. Visit the GOV.UK website for more information.
Improving air quality in the New Forest
Burning wood at home releases harmful gases into the air, including carbon monoxide, benzene, and formaldehyde. This is as well as particulate matter, such as soot and dirt, which can be harmful to our health and the environment.
Caroline, our environmental health technical officer, says: “We monitor air quality and have found that levels of particulate matter can rise in residential areas, especially in the evening. We’re continuing to research the sources, but we have found that a proportion of the increases in particulate matter will be from domestic wood burning. Understanding the facts about wood burning will help us all to make informed choices when heating our homes.”
Wednesday 24 January is Clean Air Night, which aims to raise awareness about the impacts of wood burning, and we work with the Environment Centre to share this information.
To help keep the air cleaner, they advise:
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Find more information and advice on the Environment Centre’s website.
Supporting social housing tenants
If you’re a social housing tenant living in the district and have an issue you would like to raise, you can find advice on the Social Housing Complaints website.
We’re supporting the government’s “Make things right” campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the ways that social housing tenants can access support if they have an issue with their homes or landlord.
If you’re a New Forest District Council housing tenant and have a concern about an issue you have already reported, you can contact our housing team by emailing
National Park Authority’s volunteer fair
The New Forest National Park Authority are hosting a volunteering fair on 28 January at Brockenhurst Village Hall from 10.30am to 4pm. Over 40 groups and organisations will be offering roles for all ages and abilities.
Find out more on the National Park Authority’s website.
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