News
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Each year Boldre Parish Council has small grants for local community groups.
Deadline for application - 30th April - Grant decided in May
Deadline for application - 30th September- Grant decided in October
Application for can be Downloaded - 
Here
Please send the completed form to the Clerk -
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Members of the Council and Parish met at 18.00 on Monday 28th April to officially open the new Play Equipment.
The Council would like to thank all who gave time and donations towards the New Equipment and we hope you are as pleased as we are with the result.
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A busy and productive year for Boldre Parish Council. Our Staff and Councillors have been working hard to consolidate progress, and to develop the support and facilities that we provide.
In May we developed a programme of work with Community Payback, who were able to improve access to the Shallows after the damage done by the wet weather earlier in the year. The staff and their crew worked hard, transforming the area, for a few months at least. It is important that we support this scheme and we are happy that Community Payback have come back to work with us again.
The Amenities Group were busy from the Fall of the year making final decisions on the second phase of the recreation area development. Planning and meetings with providers continued into the New Year. The Amenities Group’s vision, determination and commitment are reflected in the facilities now available for all ages. And there is more to come!
Our programme of Community Engagement continued with:
- a session on responses to invasive plant species, endemic in the Forest
- a well attended council meeting on a proposed CO2 pipeline through the area
- an event hosted by Wessex Internet on a fast broadband project for Boldre
- An Open Evening for local people in December, with a focus on plans for the Recreation Ground
- Two ‘planting days’ - in November (fruit and nut trees and bulbs) and in January (disease resistant elms, nut trees and further bulbs), in conjunction with Community Orchards and Hampshire Forest Partnership. The reward arrived in the Spring with an array of tulips and daffodils as well as blossoming fruit trees and sprouting elms, all looking splendid!
Our Planning Group have been assiduously vigilant throughout the year. Planning applications and enforcement situations have continued to increase. It is often a thankless task but our team have worked hard, as always, to preserve the character of the area while seeking to respond to local needs. Their experience and advice are invaluable to the Council’s work.
During the year, Boldre Parish Council took the decision to establish a ‘Staffing Group’ to support our work. The group will be able to identify training needs for the Council, ensure that personnel policies are robust and to provide support for our staff. This is a new departure for BPC but a welcome one.
The performance of our Highways Group, as ever, depends on the resources that we can mobilise from Hampshire County Council, which is the body responsible for Highways and Paths across the locality. The group has been persistent in reporting issues and exerting pressure on HCC representatives to improve the quality of the infrastructure. Currently the group is working with Countryside Services on plans to improve parts of our footpath network.
We are very grateful to our IT Officer (Oliver Moore) for the continuing expertise, advice and support that he kindly and efficiently provides. Similarly the Council is able to call on the continuing support, vigilance and responsiveness of our Tree Officer (Roger Bell) – Roger has been stalwart in dealing with a whole range of issues relating to trees within the local area – from planning applications, through advice on tree health, to support in planting, and monitoring our burgeoning ‘Community Orchard’. We are also fortunate to be able to call on the services of our Groundsman, Adrian Drodge, who continues to provide advice and practical support in the maintenance of our facilities.
The Council is facing significantly increased costs in the coming years but we are determined to continue improving our amenities and developing our service provision in new areas. With the continued guidance and support of our Parish Clerk, Victoria, we can be optimistic for the future.
Vincent Slattery
BPC Chair 2024-25
