Councillor's Surgery April

Jane, Lynne and Sylke were at the April Councillor's Surgery and talked to Dominic Hiscock and Jim Maynard, two of our local ward City Councillors.

Play Areas - we briefly talked about an information request from WCC to our group to find out if the group and its various information outlets (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) could help with determining whether the community would like to get a second goalpost and how this could possibly achieved (with the manhole cover being where it is). We have replied that we would be happy to help and are now waiting for a response.

Repairs to footpath along allotments - even though the councillors were told a while ago by HCC that some emergency repairs would be done soon to the footpath before more would happen, no action has been taken yet. This is because all resources are concentrating on fixing flood damaged roads. If you think the footpath could do with some faster attention please report it to HCC via:
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/roadproblems

Community space - as we are still without a room to meet in, the topic of the football club came up again. We have asked our councillors to arrange a meeting between the football club owner and local representatives.

Local Plan 2 consultations - there are still many open questions concerning the Local Plan 2 as it was presented by the Council (consultation closing date was 4 April):

• We were wondering if there would be a review of the town boundaries to make it possible to build on some of the areas outside the town boundaries (marked at pink on the plans) but it seems the Council is not in favour of that. More information can be found Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA): http://www.winchester.gov.uk/planning-policy/evidence-base/housing/strategic-housing-land-availability-assessment/
• We were also wondering why there were plans for another community centre in Weeke while we have nothing. Apparently the money for that centre has been available for some time but local groups cannot agree on what exactly to do with it. We have asked our Councillors to find out what the numbers need to be to fulfil the community centre criteria.
• The Winchester Adult Education Centre (ACE) will be moving into the new Barton Farm development, near the planned shops.
• Apparently the local CCG (West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group) has stated that there are enough health centres in Winchester, therefore the Local Plan does not have anything in store for that. However, Avalon House in Chesil Street, which has been vacant since 2007, will become home to Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust (provides community health, mental health, learning disability and social care services).
• We were also intrigued by the mention of a District Heating System. This could possibly supply heating for schemes like Silver Hill or a new Leisure Centre (think swimming pool).

Leisure Centre - Our ward councillors are very keen to hear people’s views about where they would like to see a leisure centre: “Many options are being looked and if it is rebuilt there is an outside chance of Bar End and, though that may well not be possible, we would like to know what people think of that.” Please give them some feedback (contact details)!