Newtown Parish Assembly

 Monday 22nd May

Newtown Village Hall

 Drinks and nibbles from 7 pm

Meet fellow residents

Meet your parish, borough and county councillors

Raise any concerns on local matters

Newtown Parish Council

Parish Clerk:       Rebecca Cloke

Email: clerk@newtown-pc.org.uk

Chairman:           Tony Webb

Councillors:         Sean Curry, Tom Reseigh, Jo Exelby, Bob Ward

As many of you will have seen, the Village Hall car park has now been completed and the two access tracks repaired. Community thanks are due to Tom Reseigh, the VH trustees and the developer Stanley John, whose builder, Mark Smith has organised all the necessary work. The VH itself is now in a much improved condition and far more attractive to potential users.

Speed Awareness Initiative

A new mobile speed indication device (SID)  has been deployed on the C45 by the Parish Council since September 2022 with the objective of improving road safety –  particularly on the road leading to the narrow blind bends at Jonathan Hill.

Data from the SID has been and will be used to lobby both Hampshire Highways and Hampshire Police to ensure speed limits are observed. Currently average speeds are well in excess of national figures for similar roads – which on a narrow road with no lighting and pavement- poses a real danger to motorists and pedestrians alike.

Common Management

The High Level Stewardship (HLS) funding has been utilized to continue our annual Flail and Mulch activities both on the Wayleaves and adjacent to them. Additionally, Contractors have been utilised for 10 days to clear a vast area of Holly on the East Common.  Volunteer work parties have been successful in the winter and please come along next year to help maintain your Common.  The dates are published on the PC website and Facebook page.

Looking forward, efforts will continue to maintain and enhance the Common utilising HLS funding, Sparsholt students, Green Gym and volunteer events.

Road conditions

Many of you will be only too familiar with the awful road condition on the B4640 or Newtown Straight.  NPC has continued to lobby Hampshire Highways regarding the unsafe road surface and potholes but we need your support to be able to further escalate the issue.  Please utilise the pothole reporting page on Hampshire’s website (a link can also be found on NPC website homepage).  Once you have reported the pothole, you will receive a ticket number.  We are collating these ticket numbers to be able to take further action, so please do forward this email to clerk@newtown-pc.org.uk

Newtown Village Hall

The large parking area adjacent to the Village Hall has now been completed along with the access track repairs. The Village Hall itself has also had a major update with new disabled access, patio, window hatch, refurbished lighting and floor. It only remains for the kitchen area to be updated with new units, worktops and cooker for the makeover to be completed and for the Village hall to be fully restored as an attractive community facility for many years to come.

Jubilee Village Tea Party

On Sunday 5th June last year, about 60 parishioners gathered to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at a village tea party.  It was a fantastic community event with everyone pitching in to mark that truly special national event.  The village hall looked beautiful, with bunting made by the Burghclere & Newtown WI from donated fabric, flowers provided from local gardens and tables full to the brim with delicious food made by everyone.  The weather was cool, but thankfully dry, and we were able to go outside to toast the queen with fizz provided by the parish council.  The parish council would like to thank everyone who contributed.

Communication

Keep up to date with all the parish news via our notice boards, website (www.newtown-pc.org.uk) and Facebook page (can be accessed from the website).

Newtown Coronation Trail

The parish council is currently considering the establishment of a Coronation Trail to mark the accession of King Charles III.  We are investigating a circular route which takes in the key landmarks of the parish and working with HCC Countryside Access on the route planning & waymarking.  We hope that those walking the route will be able to collect QR codes on their way round to get discounted post-walk refreshment at The Swan Inn.  If anyone has a favourite path or place in the parish which they would like us to consider incorporating into the route, please let the parish clerk know.

Countryside volunteer roles

Do you love exploring the Hampshire Countryside?

Would you like to give something back to your community and improve theRights of Way network? If yes, it sounds like you’d be perfect for a Footpath Warden role or to join one of the Hampshire Countryside Service volunteer task days! Further information can be found on HCC’s website  There is a link on the NPC website homepage.

Agenda for Parish Assembly

Welcome by the Chairman

Apologies for absence

Approval of minutes of the 2022 Parish Assembly

Matters arising from the 2022 Parish Assembly

Report on 2022-23 by the Chairman

Report from County Councillor, Tom Thacker

Report from PCSO, Kieron Venn

Update from HCC Countryside Access, Corinne Davis-Cooke

Open Forum

Close