New Milton Advertiser 1st Jan 2021

6 · Friday 1st January 2021

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Resignations see local Tory group ‘depleted’

Blaze at pub outbuilding

Man injured in two-car crash A PERSON was trapped in a vehicle in Walkford after a two-car collision on Tuesday afternoon. Dorset Police officers closed the Walkford Way and Glenville Road junction with Ringwood Road at about 1.15pm after the incident between a Ford Fiesta and Skoda Octavia, the force confirmed. Firefighters assisted with South Western Ambulance Service. An ambulance spokesperson added: “We treated an injured male pa- tient and transported him to hospital for further care.” Driver banned over drugs DRIVING while unfit through drugs resulted in a motorist being banned from the roads when she appeared before magistrates. Sarah Miller (41), of Par- sonage Close, Christchurch, pleaded guilty to commit- ting the offence in a Vaux- hall Tigra in Fairmile Road on 6th January. The Poole Bench also fined Miller £120 and ordered her to pay a £32 contribution towards victim support services. House chimney fire ‘complex’ FIREFIGHTERS were called out on Christmas Eve to bat- tle a chimney blaze at a New Forest home. A crew from Beaulieu attended a property in New Cottages, Exbury, shortly after 5.30pm, and spent about 75 minutes containing the incident. A tweet from the fire station described the operation as “complex”. FIREFIGHTERS rushed to a Lymington pub where an outbuilding had caught alight. Crews from Lymington, Brockenhurst, Beaulieu, New Milton and Eastleigh arrived just after 5pm on Wednesday and spent three hours at the Chequers Inn extinguishing the blaze. Hampshire Fire and Res- cue Service said the crews used 18 breathing apparatus, two hose reels and a main water jet while fighting the flames, which began in the roof of the outbuilding.

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Conservatives silent after series of senior figures quit posts

BY JON WALLER

ANTHONY HARRIS & COMPANY Solicitors

THE Christchurch and East Dorset Conservative Associa- tion has remained tight-lipped in the wake of a string of resig- nations by some its most senior figures. Members have failed to re- spond to requests by the A&T for comment on a letter writ- ten by Christo Chope, the wife of veteran MP Sir Chris, who was forced to take up the role of chair. Sent to association members, her letter revealed that in ear- ly December a “series of resig- nations” – including its chair, vice-chair and treasurer – had “depleted” the association. They had been elected only two months earlier at its 2020 AGM, Mrs Chope added in the letter, seen by the A&T. “There are currently vacan- cies for the positions of chair, deputy chair (political and campaigns), vice-chair (me- dia and communications), vice chair (special projects) and treasurer,” it said. “We also need a volunteer to take on the role of secretary to the executive council, which is the body responsible for the running of our association.” The letter said it was intend- ed that the positions would be filled by election at a meeting of the executive council on 16th January. The A&T asked other local senior Tories, both inside and outside of the association, but A FUNDING boost of over £1,000 from a local develop - er helped a food bank step up its support for vulnerable fam- ilies. Pennyfarthing Homes was among the benefactors who contributed a total of £13,000 to New Forest Basics Bank this festive season. The donations enabled the charity to increase the number of Christmas food parcels it de- livers from its Lymington base from 500 to 622. Pennyfarthing’s executive chairman, Mark Adams, said: CHRISTCHURCH’S economy could benefit from a plan to attract more business by turn- ing the BCP Council area into a freeport, according to leading councillors. The ruling cabinet will con- sider allocating £50,000 to sub - mit a bid to the government for the special status at its next meeting on Monday. Freeports are promoted by their supporters as ways of lur- ing more trade by streamlining the import process to incen- tivise companies to use them as entry points. However, crit - ics say the idea has been tried

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Christchurch MP Sir Christopher Chope and his wife Christo

they also remained silent. The Christchurch and East Dorset Conservative Associa- tion had started a Twitter ac- count in October and posted two tweets confirming its 2020 AGM result. One quoted the then newly appointed chair, Gill Coleman, as saying: “The new team has its focus firmly on the future, engaging with the membership and supporting our excellent MP Sir Chris Chope and Con- servative councillors in BCP and Dorset councils.” However, it has since also re- mained silent. The association has en- dured a turbulent two years or so with a series of internal disputes spilling out publicly, mainly over the disbandment of Christchurch Borough Council to merge into BCP Council.

Sir Chris was a vociferous public opponent of that move – which caused an internal split among senior Tories on the former Christchurch Borough Council that was so bitter some broke away to form their own political group. The Christchurch Inde- pendents successfully went up against their former Tory col- leagues, winning a haul of seats at the first BCP Council elec - tion. In March 2019 there were further hints of internal dissatisfaction with Sir Chris when he faced opposition from the association’s executive committee to be chosen to contest the Christchurch seat at the 2019 general election – which he again comfortably re- tained. During the subsequent elec- “NewForest Basics Bankmakes a huge difference to so many people and we’re proud that the Pennyfarthing Homes team rallied together and showed their support once again.” Its contribution of £1,100 fol - lowed its response to the food bank’s appeal for help when the first wave of the pandemic hit last spring. Then, it provided a minivan and driver to transport the much-needed extra deliveries. New Forest Basics Bank op- erations manager Lynn Peck said: “We’re incredibly grateful ditions might also cut the level of business rates collectable by BCP Council, it added, al- though capital funding would be available from the govern- ment. However, Cllr Philip Broad- head, Conservative cabinet member for economy at BCP Council, said: “Our city region is perfectly placed to support the government’s ambition to create freeports in the UK. “We have the ambition and drive backed up by a strong strategic partnership to bring forward a sustainable proposal for freeport status.”

tion campaign the party’s depu- ty chair, Rhys Gadsby, resigned, slamming the backbench MP for his principle of blocking popular private members’ bills in parliament. Sir Chris hit back, suggesting internal critics wanted his job and had not forgiven him for opposing the creation of BCP Council. Mrs Chope’s letter also in- cluded that it was a “top priority” to set up branch or- ganisation to cover constituen- cy areas such as St Leonards or St Ives. Noting the upcoming by-elec- tion for the BCP Council Com- mons ward, following the death of popular Independent member Cllr Colin Bungay, she called on people interested in being the Conservative candi- date to come forward. that Pennyfarthing Homes were able to donate such a fantastic sum towards these well-re- ceived festive food parcels. “The money has gone to- wards gifting over 600 food bags to families in the region who we know are greatly appreciative of the support.” Since launching in 2004, the Basics Bank has provided sup- port for over 20,000 vulnerable people in the town, as well as in Pennington, East Boldre, Boldre, Brockenhurst, Sway, Burley, Milford, Everton, Brans- gore, New Milton and Barton. He added: “We have the re- quired infrastructure at Port of Poole and Bournemouth Air- port, along with a solid manu- facturing base to contribute to this important UK-wide eco- nomic strategy.” The application would be made jointly with the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership, Bournemouth Airport and Avi- ation Business Park, and the Port of Poole. The government formally opened the freeport bidding process in November, with a deadline for applications on 5th February.

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Developer’s grand total for food bank

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Making vital food parcels at New Forest Basics Bank

Freeport plan could boost town economy

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before in the UK without huge success. Locally the scheme would include Bournemouth Airport at Hurn and the Port of Poole, in the hopes of attracting en- terprise to the whole Bourne- mouth, Christchurch and Poole conurbation. A cabinet report warned freeport status might also bring extra costs, however, such as controlling increased HGV traffic and maintaining busier, potentially more con- gested roads. Further scrutiny was re- quired as to whether the con-

New Year, New Office 2020: a year we shall never forget and as we come to its end we are now looking forward to 2021. New year and new beginning as our Lymington office moves to new premises whilst our New Milton office remains at 82 Station Road, New Milton. Heppenstalls has been in No. 75 High Street in Lymington for over 100 years, but with the death of the premises owner and our former partner Nick Filbee it is now the right time to look for a different future. We are taking a more modern approach now with a lovely new office to work from and we will continue to provide the same consummate professional service we have always offered. The new, very modern premises will be at 49 South Efford House, Milford Road, Lymington SO41 0JD close to Otter Nurseries. There is ample free parking for staff and clients, with excellent disabled access, having both a permenant ramp and a lift to our bright and airy meeting room. This will be the new home for our Lymington teams and from where we shall continue to provide our residential Conveyancing Services, Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Probate and Trust matters. Our contact details remain the same, so do telephone us on 01590 689500 or email enquiries@heppenstalls.co.uk

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