New Milton Advertiser 11th Dec 2020

2 · Friday 11th December 2020

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NFDC leader defends business hub funding

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Sherry defended 49 when he ap- peared before the NFDC pan- el, arguing the progress of the community interest company had been curtailed by the coro- navirus pandemic. Insisting he was “delighted” with its start and the site’s po- tential was “significant”, Mr Sherry highlighted how 49 had helped by hosting NHS mid- wifery services. However, while telling the panel he was not there to ask for money, he later admitted it would likely need more fund- ing in the next three to five years, possibly as much as £400,000. In 2018, 49 moved into the South Efford premises – which had been vacant since 2011 – on a 10-year lease to trans- form it into a hub with flexible business workspaces, meeting rooms and company set-up ser- vices. It opened in January 2019. It was given a £220,000 in- terest-free loan by Enterprise M3, as well as seed money worth £75,000 from NFDC and £150,000 from HCC. But it was given only half the £225,000 seed money upfront and told it would receive the rest for meeting targets in its first three years, including de - livering 100 jobs and 50 appren- ticeships, taking 60 businesses through an innovation growth programme and creating 30 start-ups.

Questions raised at council over £450,000 for struggling scheme

BY JON WALLER

THE leader of New Forest Dis- trict Council has defended handing £75,000 of taxpayers’ cash to a business start-up cen- tre which has so far failed to meet its objectives. Cllr Barry Rickman insisted he was confident the “prop - er procedures” were followed when the cabinet greenlit seed funding for 49 – a business inno- vation centre on the outskirts of Everton. His declaration followed NFDC’s corporate overview and scrutiny panel questioning the performance of 49 and the man behind it, entrepreneur Paul Sherry. When it was created more than two years ago, 49 was giv- en almost a combined £450,000 of public money. But Mr Sherry seemed to be a “box-ticking exercise”. He suggested that conducting it online had ham- pered the amount of responses, arguing that people most likely to reply were not familiar with responding online. The second Tory to attack the plans by NFDC was Cllr Maureen Holding, who rep- resents Brockenhurst. She said many residents had complained as they thought the consultation would be sent via post. She believed NFDC promised in the past it would never in- troduce wheelie bins and she feared the backlash if it “re - neged” on that pledge. Cllr McAvoy further suggest- ed that council officers had mentioned the possibility of Wheelie bins Continued from front page

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The 49 centre in Everton was launched in 2019 by entrepreneur Paul Sherry

benefit the local economy and council in the long term. However, Cllr Kangarani said the situation showed the Con- servative majority on the coun- cil should give up their “fox role in the henhouse” and allow opposition members to chair independent scrutiny commit- tees. Cllr Rickman replied that the committees – which mostly re- flect the political make-up of the council by featuring more Tories than Liberal Democrats – elect their own chairs demo- cratically. As reported in the A&T, Mr

has recently admitted it has not created one apprenticeship, 20 firms that took up spots there have already moved on, and he will be seeking more money to keep it going. It has also emerged Mr Sher- An NFDC spokesperson said after the meeting: “We have stated that some properties may not be able to accommo- date wheeled bins and that in those instances we would need to consider alternative options available, as one size doesn’t fit all. “The current engagement with local residents is only part of the process to shape the draft waste strategy, and builds on the door-to-door survey re- search that was carried out with residents in January. “There is still a lot of work to be done before introducing any change, and the final strategy for the district will be decided through a thorough democratic process to ensure a service that meets our legal responsibilities, protects our environment, and provides a quality service for our residents.” more options coming forward for councillors to consider.

ry spent two thirds of £225,000 seed money given by NFDC and Hampshire County Council on paying himself £34,000, a pro- ject manager £36,000, a further £20,000 on an office manager, £50,000 on a marketing firm and £10,000 on soft furnishings. Challenged at the latest full NFDC meeting by Cllr Mahmoud Kangarani over 49’s performance, Cllr Rickman said: “I am confident that the proper procedures have been gone through.” He believed the South Efford House site was a “great invest - ment for the future” that would

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The building in Southampton Road dates back to 1952

the character of the town, drive out young families and turn Ly- mington into a retirement des- tination rather than a vibrant community. “For the society, it is disap - pointing to see yet another ap- plication to build more unwant- ed sheltered flats for elderly people in Lymington after the resounding unanimous refusal by the NFDC planning commit- tee for a similar development recently. “Much the same argument applies on this site, as most of Southampton Road is char-

acterised by family homes in reasonable plots with gardens and trees, and constitutes one of the green arteries into the town, which the society feels it is important to protect rather that allow to become wall-to- wall blocks of flats as has hap - pened in many towns.” He added: “It’s time to say enough is enough, and put a stop to any more of these devel- opments.” The deadline for comment- ing on the plan to Churchill via info@churchillretirement.co.uk is Friday 18th December.

Police station plans Continued from front page

pose” by Hampshire police and crime commissioner Michael Lane. Churchill’s ambition to re- place it with retirement flats was immediately criticised by Lymington Society spokesman Donald Mackenzie. He told the A&T: “The so - ciety feels that if even more of these developments are al- lowed, it will completely change FOREST MINI SKIPS LYMINGTON SKIP HIRE 07787 153873 12 Fairlea Road, Lymington

Swans are a common sight around Hurst Spit (Photo: NFNPA)

Curfew for care home harassment “I am told there are some people, apparently, that actu- ally cut the heads off and then bury their heads and wait – for up to a year – for the skin to rot down so they can dig up and have the skull of a wild bird.” MAKING unwanted telephone calls to a care home landed a New Milton pensioner with a four-month electronic curfew. Gordon Reeve (68), of Badg- ers Copse, pleaded guilty to harassing the Engleburn Care Home staff in February. He also admitted breaching a suspended jail sentence in June by placing adverts in a lo- cal newspaper, and phoning and making comments towards a man he was banned from con- tacting as part of a restraining order. Southampton magistrates ordered Reeve pay £200 com- pensation to the care home and £300 to the restraining order vic- tim. He was also fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 court costs. Mr Metcalf said there had been a growing number of de- capitated swans found across the UK in recent years. “This could be foxes or dogs but we have not got any more explanation for it. We will keep a watch on it,” he said.

Headless swans Continued from front page

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who said while avian flu cases had been confirmed in recent months, that struggled to ac- count for the decapitations. In the past, young swans have been known to lose their heads flying into power lines within Milford – but that did not ex- plain the birds found on the spit, where there are no cables.

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