I have almost completed my fifth year as County Councillor for Totton South & Marchwood. As this is my first Town report following re-election with a much increased majority, I would like to record my thanks to all who voted in the elections.
The conservative party hold the majority of seats on Hampshire County Council and I am one of a very large number of Liberal Democrat opposition members.

Thanks also to my fellow Totton County Councillor, Alan Weeks. We continue to work in close co-operation in the best interests of the town.

Tax & Expenses

The County Council have set the council tax for the year ahead. No surprises, as anticipated, the increase for this year again is 1.9%. The local press have showed much more interest in expenses and allowances claimed by councillors, (no doubt as a consequence of difficulties experienced by our MP’s). Details of our claims are published on an annual basis for all to see. Mine are lower than most because I often travel to meetings on two wheels. When I do take a car, I try to car-share and claim a lower rate of 40p per mile (against a rate of 53p per mile that I am allowed to claim).

Environmental Issues

I am actively supporting residents in The High Street over issues such as noise and vibration nuisance from HGV traffic. I have also been pressing for more effective action over Air Quality, especially in Junction Road, (designated and still being monitored as an “Air Quality Management Area” by the District Council.

I have lobbied the Minister of State, asking that the necessary funds are found to properly tackle the flood risk in Totton.

I have sought to better control HGV traffic movements, especially in the area of Eling Lane where HGV’s have been known to travel towards the area between the Tide Mill and Heritage Centre, sometimes damaging property as the driver attempts to turn around.

Highway Issues

Much of the focus of HCC expenditure and effort in recent months has been on safety improvements on the A326 Marchwood Bypass. Some further work will be commencing shortly along Jacobs Gutter Lane into Bury Road. In both cases this is the authority responding to road traffic incidents, especially fatalities.

I believe that at least £300,000 was wasted as a result of poor project management on the Rumbridge Street scheme. I have been pressing for a full inquiry in order to establish what exactly went wrong. A review 6 months post completion of the project was promised. I simply don’t know if this was done and have found myself asking the Town Council to press for the results to be published.

My case work involves a lot of more minor highway issues. The County Council have made two attempts at improving the pavements in Rushington Avenue. A lot of my neighbours remain dissatisfied with the standard of work. Generally, I think there is insufficient money available for things like protecting grass verges, especially in places like Sylvia Drive, Shakespeare Avenue and Valley Road. I do keep asking for these places to have protective grids fitted.

I have had some better success with white lines, sometimes re-painting ones that were lost through resurfacing work. A resident also came up wit the idea of a Keep Clear box on the Asda roundabout which I was happy to promote and is proving successful at reducing congestion.

Police Issues

Cllr. Weeks and myself pro-actively sought and were successful in holding a meeting with the Chief Inspector and his assistant. We congratulated them on managing the anti-social behaviour problems that flared up in Osborne Road / Rumbridge Street.

We expressed ongoing concerns about speeding traffic along some roads, highlighting The High Street and the A326 where there is a need for more enforcement work.

Schools & Colleges

I have continued to support schools and colleges in my division during the past year. I continue with my role as a board member on The Harbour SureStart Children’s Centre, located at Eling First school.

I was invited to Totton College to unveil solar panels fitted on to the Cove building, as a result of my role as Chairman of the Marchwood Power Station Liaison Panel and support for the Solar 4 Schools initiative.

I was also immensely privileged to raise the flag at Hounsdown school, which has succeeded in being awarded Eco – School status.

I have been invited to visit my old school, now Testwood Sports College and look forward to seeing how much has changed over the years.

Dibden Bay

The threat of a port development at Dibden Bay raised its head again this last year, with the government requiring ports authorities to draw up plans for future potential development. I’m pleased to say that all local authorities, at least this side of the River Test, have expressed strong opposition.

Fluoride in Tap Water

It is now a little over a year since the decision was made by the Strategic Health Authority that fluoride should be added to the tap water. This will impact on about 8,000 homes in Totton.

I have continued to use just about every opportunity I can to stop this from happening, through my work on the Health Overview Scrutiny Committee on Hampshire County Council, a joint complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman (along with the local MP) and a media campaign. I have in fact publicly demanded that the unelected quango resign unless they submit to the will of the people!

Radio Active Waste

I have lodged objection with the Environment Agency as regards the transportation of radio active waste into the district from Sellafield, Cumbria, for processing in the Waterside. I strongly believe that central government should ensure arrangements are in place to process such waste in Cumbria, not bringing it hundreds of miles into the New Forest.

Waste Movements / Quarry Activity

I have opposed an application to extend the life of quarry activity for a further 12 years on the grounds that the area is already too stressed with HGV movements. Similarly, I opposed a change to conditions relating to importation of waste from outside the County, for processing at the Marchwood Energy Recovery Facility. I am very closely monitoring what is happening regarding the movement of waste materials, including a recent site visit to the Veolia transport depot, attendance at liaison panel meetings at the The Dome and freedom of information requests to HCC, asking to see any reports looking at the possibility of increasing the capacity of waste handling at Marchwood.

Community Rail Partnership

I am pleased to be directly involved in a new development, a partnership looking at the possibility of re-introducing a rail passenger service down the Waterside. Very clearly, it should only proceed if it involves no extra problems to the train gates in Junction Road (already closed for up to 20 minutes in the hour).

HAT Meetings

New Forest County Councillors are again meeting regularly in order to discuss and deal with issues that are of particular significance to the New Forest. Issues that I have flagged up for attention include the threat to the Minstead Study Centre (as a result of the withdrawal of HCC funding) and the poor state of road surfaces and pavements.

Community Engagement

I continue to keep in touch with the views and concerns of the people I represent through the use of surveys, Street Surgeries, attendance at meetings and a very heavy load of case-work. I generally file reports such as this on my personal web-site, always inviting feedback.

I am also of course an active member of the Town Council, The New Forest District Council, Hampshire Fire & Rescue Authority, the New Forest National Park Authority and Eastleigh Community Safety Partnership. All of these help give me a very rounded and up to date handle on what is going on in this area.

Health bosses who want to add fluoride to tap water are to get another stinging rebuke from elected Councillors in Hampshire.

The Strategic Health Authority, (SHA) are fighting a Judicial Review into the decision to add fluoride to the tap water in about 8,000 homes. In a series of blows, the decision by the unelected quango has been undermined by all the local councils who have decided that the measures should not go ahead, at least without public consent.

The result of the consultation undertaken by the SHA showed that nearly three quarters of the people who responded did not want fluoride added to the tap water.

The matter was again reviewed by the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Hampshire County Council today. Councillor David Harrison, a leading critic of the proposals told members “The latest development is that Southampton City Council has changed policy and are now of the view that fluoride should not be added to tap water without clear evidence of public consent, through a referendum. This effectively removes the last fig leaf of democratic accountability that the SHA could hold onto. All local authorities in the area, all MP’s and even the Prime Minister are saying that the plans should be dropped until there is public consent”.

The Committee Chairman is to write to the Strategic Health Authority calling on them to shelve the plans.

On the anniversary of the decision by the Strategic Health Authority to impose the fluoride in the tap water in thousands of Hampshire Homes, a leading County Councillor has called upon them to scrap the proposals for moral reasons.

County Councillor David Harrison, the Liberal Democrat Member for Totton South & Marchwood has been a long-term critic of plans to add fluoride to tap water. About 8,000 homes in Totton will be affected.

Cllr. Harrison has already put in a joint complaint to the Parliamentary & Health Ombusdsman, working with the local Conservative MP, Dr Julian Lewis. However, a decision on the complaint has been put on hold whilst a legal battle takes place. The matter is subject to a Judicial Review, following action taken against the SHA by a resident in Southampton.

Councillor Harrison told a reporter for Radio Solent “It is clear that the Strategic Health Authority has a moral duty to abandon the plans. They actively promoted the alleged benefits of fluoride whilst undertaking the consultation. It was not done in a balanced way. They simply cannot ignore the fact that nearly three quarters of those responding said that they did not want fluoride added to tap water. Whatever the result of the legal action and the Ombudsman complaint, I really hope they will appreciate they have a moral duty to stop what they are doing”.

A leading Totton Councillor has called upon Hampshire County Council to “Own up and admit what went wrong” with a scheme to improve Totton’s Rumbridge Street.

It is widely believed that a series of project management blunders led to very long delays completing the works and additional costs to the taxpayer, in excess of £300,000.

Liberal Democrat Councillor David Harrison, represents the Totton South at Town, District and County level. He says “It is very clear that those running Hampshire County Council are seriously embarrassed about what happened in Rumbridge Street. The list of blunders included a failure to sort out drainage problems before investing in street level enhancements, poor co-ordination with other bodies, the wrong sort of soil brought down from Scotland and damage caused to completed works”.

Councillor Harrison adds “We were promised a full review within 6 months of completion of the scheme and that nothing would be swept under the carpet. It is now over 12 months, with no information released about the review.”

Councillor Harrison this week raised the issue at a meeting of the Town Council’s Policy & Resources Committee. Members agreed that a formal letter should be sent to Hampshire County Council expressing concern about the lack of information and asking when results of the review will be shared.

County Councillor, David Harrison visited the Veolia Transport depot, located next to the Marchwood Energy Recovery Facility in order to find out more about future plans for transporting waste in the area.

Councillor Harrison was accompanied by the Interim Chief Executive of the New Forest National Park Authority, Barrie Foley, who shares similar concerns about increases in HGV movements in and around the New Forest.
The visit was hosted by the Veolia Transport Manager, Paul Stocker along with senior officers from Hampshire County Council.

Councillor Harrison says “We were shown details of a satellite tracking system, which allows the company to monitor where all the vehicles go. I was reassured that there are no plans to purchase and use even bigger HGV’s than the current fleet. They are also utilising some very good driver improvement programmes and promise to respond positively to community concerns.

It seems that press reports that waste might be imported from the Isle of Wight and transported by lorry across the forest are wrong. I was promised that the only way waste from the Island would be permitted to enter the site would be by sea. In this respect, some exciting news – Veolia are purchasing a barge and it is hoped that in future, at least some waste materials can be barged to the ERF, to help reduce HGV movements”.

Cllr. Harrison adds “Veolia are one of the more responsible companies operating in the area. Officers attending our meeting accepted that communication about operations and future plans could be improved. I hope that this will indeed be the case”.

I have undertaken a site visit with a local resident and the Head of Parking Operations, New Forest District Council, in The High Street, Totton.

It was a useful meeting. The resident concerned was annoyed about vehicles parking on yellow lines on a regular basis, without being ticketed. We did see examples of this at the time of our visit. Whether by co-incidence or design, a civil enforcement officer did show up and put a ticket on a car parked fully on a pavement, directly in front of us.

We were assured that tickets are issued on a regular basis in the area. A gap that has appeared in double yellow lines, (as a result of resurfacing work), will be shortly attended to.

We felt that it was not necessary that parking restrictions should apply on Sundays, as now. We will therefore have this matter reviewed at the next town traffic management meeting. I would welcome any views on this, especially from local residents, before the meeting takes place.

Bus Services

The Marchwood Bus Services Focus Group met on the 19th February, Chaired by Cllr. Shooter. We dealt with a few issues concerning services to and from the village, with the assistance of County Officers and Mr Alex Hornby from Solent Blueline. Fortunately, Marchwood services have survived the most recent round of reductions in the county as money available becomes ever tighter. I do think former campaigns and the continued existence of the group has helped Hampshire County Council understand the importance of local services.

Waste Matters

I have had a private meeting with Cllr Kendal and a senior officer, Mr Paul Archer, expressing my concerns about the possibility of increasing capacity at the Marchwood ERF. They have not been prepared to release copies of reports commissioned to consider these aspects, even when I lodged a Freedom of Information request.

I have been invited to visit the Veolia transport depot, something I will be doing this Thursday, along with Mr Barrie Foley (Interim Chief Exec. Of the New Forest NPA).

Highways Matters

Still no news, (shared with me), as to exactly what HCC will do with regard to further HGV restrictions in Hythe Road. Cllr Kendal has had a meeting or meetings with local HGV operators. He has been and is being lobbied by myself and residents for a complete ban.

Work is underway, installing the new, safer crossing on the A326 at Twiggs Lane. Initial residents concerns about crossing arrangements whilst the work is underway have been sorted out. There is a temporary ban on right turns out of the junctions, for safety reasons.

I organised a meeting at Sunnyfields Farm, with all interested parties, to discuss and agree safety measures due to be installed at Jacobs Gutter Lane / Bury Road.

The pot holes in Main Road are to be attended to later this month.
Some work to sunken drain covers in Normandy Way will be undertaken.
The County is carrying out a review of issues arising from the severe cold weather we had this winter, to which I have contributed to. I’m confident there will be more salt bins available by next winter.


Railway

I was asked and have joined a new body called the Waterside Community Rail Partnership. This is looking at the possibility of re-introducing a new passenger service along the Waterside, (possibly as far down as Fawley), utilising the existing track. There seems a lot of enthusiasm for this and would be very good for Marchwood. I will keep you posted on how things develop.

Council Tax

Hampshire County Council has set the council tax, resulting in a 1.9% increase for the coming year.

Grant Aid

Since last reporting, I have made a grant of £1,000 to the Minstead Study Centre and a grant of £250 to the Marchwood Twinning Association.
I am not able to make further grants now until June (due to the forthcoming General Election).

I attended the 13th, (but my first), Annual Fire Conference, run by the Local
Government Association today, 9th March 2010.

It is being held at The Hilton, the tallest building in Manchester. Hampshire
Fire and Rescue Service is very well represented, our own Chief Officer playing
a leading role in the first conference session in his capacity as Chairman of
the Chief Fire Officers Association.

The opening event was a very large gathering of all attendees, a mix of
Authority Members like myself and Officers from up and down the country.

The issues that came up included fire control centres. Each fire service
operates its own system of a call centre that handles emergency calls and
deployment of appropriate resources. However, central government decided that
all services should move to a new system of Regional Control Centres. There has always been a range of views as to the wisdom of this. The sceptics have been
proved at least partly right by long delays in getting the new centres
operational and massive cost over-runs.

The mood of the conference seemed to be one of mild depression that money had been wasted, doubts that it will ever work effectively and uncertainty that the new centres will survive a change of government.

Another significant issues raised was the challenges faced by all authorities
of protecting services in the face of expected future public spending cuts.
All members of the panel felt that there would be significantly less fire
authorities in the future.

John Bonney argued in favour of new statutory duties for fire authorities when
it comes to dealing with major flood incidents. Not everyone agreed that new
legislation was necessary.

There was broad consensus on the need for action to be taken on the growing
problem of the use of new building materials that add to the risk of fire,
particularly timber framed buildings. One speaker argued strongly in favour of
building regulations with a requirement to fit sprinkler systems. It was
generally agreed that we all had a role to play in lobbying for change.

In the afternoon I attended a session presented by the Chief Fire Officer for
Manchester on “how to care for the environment and save money”. I thought it quite thought provoking. In common with many other authorities, Manchester has saved money and reduced the carbon footprint by some really good fire prevention work, reducing the number of fires and the need to send fully crewed fire tenders out.

They have saved fuel costs by use of lighter vehicles. They have also undertaken a series of initiatives aimed at recycling, cutting heating costs, use of timers and sensors on lights. He also talked about monitoring water usage and how it might be necessary to treat it as a precious resource in the future.

Following the meeting, I suggested to our own Authority Chairman that we might
look at capturing rain water to reduce the need to take mains water. At present
this water is "free" but it may not be in the future.

We had a very political speech from a conservative MP, outlining what his party
would likely do with the fire service if the Tories form the next government.
It was a speech extremely critical of the current government, especially with
regard to attempts to impose Regional Control Centres. However, when asked what the Tories would do, he didn't give any clear answer. What he did make clear was less commitment towards equality and diversity and an unwillingness on the part of a future Tory government to resource efforts to address social inequalities - even when faced with a startling statistic that a child in a family that is in the lowest social economic class is sixteen times more likely to die in a fire related incident than a middle class child.

The second day of the conference was something of an ant-climax. The Government Minister was due to speak and was expected to get quite a hostile reception, especially over the problems relating to regional control centres. However, news filtered through by mid morning that he was unwell and would not be attending.

A civil servant delivered his speech. It seems that the present government are determined to press ahead with the plans. The Unions are worried about job losses. Authority members are concerned about whether the regional control centres will ever be able to work effectively. Only time will tell…