Boldre Parish Council November 9th 2020
The Council received an update from the working group looking to renew and relocate the current play area next to Boldre War Memorial Hall. This is necessary so that a play facility can be maintained during any construction that may take place to allow the Pilley Community Shop to relocate to the Hall premises. In addition, some of the play equipment is starting to show its age and needs renewing. The new site will be adjacent to the existing play area so it’s not moving far! The working group will be making a survey available online and at the village shop for your ideas. There have been meetings with several equipment suppliers to discuss feasibility and budgetary costs as well as site surveys. The Council will be funding some of this work but will be looking for grants and donations to meet additional costs.
The council was pleased to grant £380 towards the upkeep of the phone box next to Pilley Community stores. The book exchange hosted there is very popular and the Council was glad to support this community project.
The council discussed the draft waste management strategy announced by NFDC this month. There is a public consultation on the strategy and you are recommended to have your say by filling in the online survey here: https://www.newforest.gov.uk/wastestrategy. The Council welcomes attempts to improve recycling rates but will be raising questions regarding how the proposed strategy works in a rural environment. Issues such as bin storage, long driveways and the visual impact in the Parish were discussed.
With all the recent rain, the Council would like to remind Parishioners of the need to clear ditches of the Autumn leaves and other blockages. Water on the highway can obscure hazards and water flowing over roads can lead to potholes and other damage to the road surface. The below from Hampshire County Council provides guidance on ditch ownership.
Also remember to report damage to the road surface directly to Hampshire Highways for repair. The Council continues to work with Hampshire Highways to highlight key problem areas and we welcome information from parishioners on high priority issues.
The electoral window for the two vacancies on the Parish Council has closed and the Council will now be looking to co-opt members. We would very much like to encourage people to contact us if they would like to join the council. Joining the Parish Council is a great way to contribute to our community and new ideas are always welcome.
The date for the next Parish Council meeting is December 14th. This will be an online meeting and details will be made available for the public to join.
