New Milton Advertiser 29th Jan 2021

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Hopes for new chapter at closed village library

Residents set to fill out the first digital census

TEAMS in the New Forest and Christchurch are preparing to start the once-in-a-decade na- tional census survey in March, which is being carried out digi - tally for the first time. Paper questionnaires will still be available but this time the operation is “digital first”, with each household receiving a let - ter with a unique access code that allows them to complete it on their computers, phones or tablets. Officials said accurate data will help assess how the coro - navirus pandemic has affected areas such as Christchurch. For example, the last census showed the borough has a high - er proportion of residents over the age of 65 than anywhere else in the UK, at almost 31%. It also has a median age in some parts of 69.8 years old – behind only Eastbourne on 71.1 for the highest age in the UK. Iain Bell, deputy statistician at the Office for National Sta - tistics, said: “A successful cen -

sus will ensure everyone from local government to charities can put services and funding in the places where they are most needed.” The census includes ques- tions about sex, age, work, health, education, household size and ethnicity. For the first time it asks whether people have served in the armed forces, as well as vol - untary questions for those aged 16 and over on sexual orienta - tion and gender identity. All contacts with the pub - lic will be socially distanced and census field staff will be equipped with PPE in line with government guidance. The census has been carried out every decade since 1801, with the exception of 1941, and is used to give the most accu - rate estimate of all people and households in England and Wales. Results will be available within 12 months, although per - sonal records are locked away for 100 years.

THEmajority share of the coun- cil tax charged by BCP Council in Christchurch is set to be fro- zen in 2021/22. For the first time since it was formed in 2019, BCP Council will charge the same level of council tax in each of the three towns, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Reporting Service . It means its part of the bill in Christchurch will be unchanged for the coming financial year, with a 0.76% increase in Bourne - mouth and a 2.99% rise in Poole – charging an average Band D home £1,541.57. The move has been welcomed by Christchurch Independ- ent Cllr Lesley Dedman whose group, as a member of the for- mer Unity Alliance administra- tion, began the process of align- ing rates. The rest of the overall council tax is made up of demands from the police and fire services, plus town and parish councils. The current total 2020/21 Band D levy for Christchurch residents without a town or parish coun - cil is £1,858.51. Proposals within BCP Coun - cil’s draft budget include a £50m pandemic recovery fund and £10m to improve education provision for children with ex - tra needs. Cllr Drew Mellor, its leader, said the plan allowed it to “in - vest significantly” without put - ting the burden on ratepayers. Councils can increase council tax by a maximum of 1.99% in any year without the need for approval through a referendum. On top of this they can add a 3% ring-fenced rise for its adult so- cial care work but BCP Council has decided against using it. Cllr Mellor said he believed the average 1.55% increase for its share of the overall council tax was the lowest in the coun - try, with many authorities opt - ing for large increases to cover the cost of the pandemic. “Considering the huge pres - sures on our finances over the last year due to Covid-19, this is a significant achievement and is symbolic of our commitment to treat all those who live in the BCP area equitably, and to keep more of our residents’ hard- earned money in their pockets,” A CELEBRATION of sustaina - ble living will be part of a spe - cial month-long online event focused on tackling the climate emergency. The New Forest Awakening Festival will be run throughout February by the national park authority in collaboration with local organisations. People are being invited to take part to discover more about the New Forest, its place in the planet’s climate and na- ture emergencies, what is be - ing done to protect it, and how they can help. NPA chair Gavin Parker said the authority was committed to championing action with part - ners and communities towards the national park being “net zero with nature” by 2050. “Net zero is achieved when any harmful greenhouse gas emissions are balanced by an HOPES have been raised that Lyndhurst library will be able to reopen as an independent, community-run facility after it secured a £10,000 grant from Hampshire County Council. The branch was among those shut by HCC last year to make £1.76m of savings, which also included closing Blackfield and withdrawal of support for Milford’s existing community library. The one-off grant will go to Lyndhurst Community Centre to help it set up the new, vol - unteer-run service, after the branch closed on 7th Novem - ber. The plan is to reopen lat- er this year once helpers have been trained. Rob Dewing, chair of the cen - tre’s trustees, said: “Our new library will be part of a bigger £10k grant could see site reopened and run by the community BY BEN CRAIG

refresh books and reserve spe - cific titles from the Hampshire library collection, including Ready Reads. HCC officers will also be on hand to give advice for the first year. The grant was signed off by Cllr Stephen Reid, a member of HCC’s ruling Conservative cabinet. He said: “The county council is very pleased to be able to of - fer Lyndhurst Community Cen- tre a one-off grant of £10,000 to help fund the start-up and tran- sition costs for Lyndhurst’s in- dependent community library. “Lyndhurst Community Cen - tre will be providing a valued service to the local community and the county council wishes them the greatest success as their plans for the independent community library move for - ward.” As reported in the A&T, as well as the closures there was also a 20% reduction in opening hours at the remaining libraries. For more information, visit the community centre’s web - site at lyndhurstcomm.org

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Lyndhurst library was closed in November in a county council cost-cutting drive

project that will also create a new high-tech conference room and a permanent office for Lyn - dhurst Parish Council. “Lyndhurst Community Cen - tre is grateful to Hampshire

County Council for its contribu- tion towards the costs of open - ing the new library. “We are also grateful to Lyn - dhurst Parish Council, with whom we are working in close

partnership to deliver these new facilities for the Lyndhurst community.” HCC said it will also grant access to the Library Service Group Membership Scheme to

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Conservative administration. Within this is a five-year £50m “futures fund” focusing on the area’s emergence from the pan- demic with a focus on infra - structure spending. A further £10m is allocated for increasing education provision for children with special educa - tional needs in a bid to tackle a growing multi-million-pound deficit. And there is £7.2m set aside for this year, including £1m to help disadvantaged children catch-up with the lack of in- school teaching and £250,000 towards a range of events to support the pandemic-hit hos- pitality industry. Former council leader Cllr Vikki Slade said: “The prudence with which the council has been managed since its inception and the cautious approach that we took to pausing priorities have paid off, enabling new in - vestment in a range of areas.” The draft budget will be con - sidered by the council’s scru- tiny board on Monday before going through the cabinet the next week, ahead of a final deci - sion by the full council on 23rd February. nature and climate issues, and we’re awakening our action to help protect our precious land- scape. We hope lots of people will get involved.” Highlights of the festival in - clude discovering the RSPB’s “secret forest” in the north of the national park, local record - ed soundscapes, and meeting the commoners. People can join a celebration of the achievements of the £4m Our Past Our Future lottery scheme, which has restored habitats and inspired hundreds of volunteers. Businesses can receive advice on how to move towards ‘net zero’, and there will be a special screening of a film about trav - elling sustainably, followed by a Q&A with the director. The full festival programme is at www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/ awakening

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equivalent amount being ab - sorbed by the atmosphere and landscape,” he explained. “The festival is about increas - ing people’s understanding of the issues in the New Forest and how we can all help respond to the nature and climate crises. “The New Forest is begin - ning to awaken for spring. We’re awakening our awareness of

Christchurch BCP council tax frozen as towns level up

he said. The financial impact of the pandemic on the council has been estimated at about £50m although government grants have covered all but £6m of this. Cllr Mellor said the council was also the second worst-af - fected local authority in terms of the loss of income caused by lockdowns and other measures introduced to tackle the coro - navirus. Despite this, the proposed budget sets aside tens of mil- lions of pounds to fund what he said was the “bold vision” of his BCP will charge the same across all three towns

Police want increase in force share NEW Forest residents in Band D properties will pay £15 more a year for Hampshire police’s share of the council tax, under spending plans revealed by the police and crime commis- sioner (PCC).

Unveiling his proposed budget for 2021/22, Michael Lane (pictured) said the an- nual levy of £226.46 would raise an additional £10m for the force and help to boost the ranks. He said the 7.1% increase will enable the force to recruit a further 146 officers from the nationally funded allocation, as well as seven new officers to the regional organised crime unit. The current combined council tax bill for 2020/21 for the average Band D house - hold in the New Forest is just over £1,836, made up of the police and fire services plus demands from parish,

district and county councils. Mr Lane claimed the pro - posed demand by Hampshire police will mean the force will have the capability to arrest an extra 300 of the most dan- gerous, organised criminals who run country lines drug gangs. The budget was due to be discussed today (Friday) by councillors on the Hampshire police and crime panel, which has the power of veto, before it is formally signed off by the PCC.