Notice given under Rule 5 of the of the Local Elections (Parishes and

Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006

1 There is a vacancy on the Parish Council caused by the resignation
of Jim Bowden.
2 A by-election to fill the vacancy will be held if, not later than
1December 2020, ten electors for the parish give notice in writing,
claiming such an election be held, to the Returning Officer. If no
such notice is given the Parish Council will fill the vacancy by co-
option.
If an election is requested, a poll cannot currently take place until 6May 2021 as a result of the Local Government and Police and Crime Commissioner (Coronavirus) (Postponement of Elections and Referendums) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 and the Coronavirus Act 2020.

1. The address of the Returning Officer is –

                                              Test Valley Borough Council

                                              Council Offices

                                              Beech Hurst

                                              Weyhill Road

                                              Andover

                                              SP10 3AJ

Notice given this 11th day of November 2020

Heather Bourner

Clerk of the Parish Council

A greeny blue and silver 4 wheel drive Suzuki jeep, registration number YH51 CVA was recently involved in an attempted dog snatch in Bagshot, near Shalbourne.  This vehicle  was also seen again in Biddesden a couple of days ago. The Suzuki is now wanted by the Wilts/Berks Police:  the plates are false and may well have been changed by now. You are asked to call 999 if you see a similar one which doesn’t add up in an odd place. Please be vigilant and keep your dogs in your sight at all times.

In addition to the Suzuki, there is a suspicious white Ford Ranger pickup registration YT70 VDM in the area and you are asked to ensure your outbuildings are locked up securely. 

If you see either of these vehicles or you experience any attempt to take your dogs, please report it to 101 or Hampshire Police online via the reporting form

Please also inform the Parish Clerk, Heather Bourner, so we can pass on any information to residents and other villages.

The new rules:

1. Self-isolating at home if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and getting tested
2. Not mixing with anyone from outside your immediate household or support bubble, either inside or outside (although you may meet with one other person in an outside public space)
3. Keeping your distance from people not in your household, or support bubble – two metres apart wherever possible
4. Reducing all but essential travel
5. Wearing a face covering wherever required to do so; and
6. Washing your hands regularly
  
Hampshire residents can continue to keep updated via the weekly COVID-19 infection rate tracker on the County Council’s website, which provides information on virus transmission rates. The webpages signpost people to the most up to date information and advice – visit www.hants.gov.uk/coronavirus

Hedgehogs are a gardener’s friend, as they eat snails, slugs and insects.

Make a hedgehog a home

Leave areas of the garden ‘wild’, with piles of leaf litter and logs. These are an attractive nest as well as a home for the invertebrates (slugs, beetles) that hedgehogs like to eat.

Making an artificial home can be as simple as placing a piece of board against a wall.

Feeding hedgehogs

Food and fresh water will encourage hedgehogs to return. Leave out foods like tinned dog or cat food (not fish-based) and crushed dog or cat biscuits. Specialist hedgehog food is also recommended and can be bought from wildlife food suppliers.

Never feed hedgehogs milk as it can cause diarrhoea; instead provide plain, fresh water in a shallow bowl.

Hedgehog-friendly gardening

·         Cover drains and holes and place bricks at the side of ponds to give hedgehogs an easy route out. Cover swimming pools overnight and when not in use.

·         Check for hedgehogs before using strimmers or mowers, particularly under hedges where animals may rest. Check compost heaps for nesting hogs before forking over.

·         Build bonfires as close to time of lighting as possible and check them thoroughly before lighting.

·         Remove sports or fruit netting when not in use to prevent hedgehogs becoming entangled, and getting injured.

·         Slug pellets can poison hedgehogs and should only be used as a last resort. Instead try using one of many “natural” alternatives, like sprinkling crushed eggshells or coffee grounds around the plants you need to protect. If you have to use pellets, place them under a slate which is inaccessible to hedgehogs.

Hedgehog hibernation

Hedgehogs usually hibernate between November and mid March and animals must have enough fat reserves to survive hibernation. Making hedgehog homes in the garden and providing food will help hedgehogs.

Juvenile hedgehogs weighing less than 500 grams during late autumn will need help to survive the winter – download our factsheet caring for autumn juvenile hedgehogs (PDF 416KB) for advice.

Find out what to do with an injured or sick hedgehog or an orphaned young hedgehog.

Statistically, homes with thatched roofs are no more likely to catch fire than those with conventional roofs; however, if a thatched roof does ignite, the results are rapid and devastating.  If you live under thatch, it is wise to be extra vigilant around November 5th and make frequent checks on your roof. For further information and advice, contact your local fire safety officer.

We would ask that residents DO NOT have bonfires or set off any fireworks in their gardens, as they pose a serious risk to the thatched properties in the village.

Chinese lanterns are of particular concern, as the potential for harm when they descend is catastrophic, with a number of thatch fires resulting from these lanterns. 

The laws concerning fireworks:

·         It is illegal for anyone under 18 to possess a firework in a public place.

·         Fireworks cannot be set off by a private individual between 11.00pm and 7.00am except for certain nights of the year.

·         It is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to any captive or domestic animal.

Fireworks and Animals – Animals have very acute hearing and are frightened by loud bangs.  By following these simple recommendations from the Blue Cross you can help to protect them.

Every year thousands of animals will suffer as a result of fireworks being let off. Blue Cross animal hospitals across the country see a marked rise in pets requiring medication during such stressful times, and many animals are brought into Blue Cross adoption centres having run away from home.

Dogs & Cats

·         Always keep dogs and cats inside when fireworks are being let off.

·         Make sure your dog is walked earlier in the day before the fireworks start.

·         Close all windows and doors, and block off catflaps to stop pets escaping and to keep noise to a minimum. Draw the curtains, and if the animals are used to the sounds of TV or radio, switch them on in order to block out some of the noise of the fireworks.

·         All pets must be microchipped, so if they do run away they have a better chance of being quickly reunited with you.

·         Avoid leaving your pet alone during such potentially upsetting events.

Horses & Livestock

·         Fireworks must not be set off near livestock or horses in fields, or close to buildings housing horses or livestock.

·         Anyone planning a firework display in a rural area should warn neighbouring horse owners and farmers in advance.

·         Try to make sure that fireworks are never set off near your horse’s field or stable. Tell neighbours there are horses nearby, so that they can ensure fireworks are not set off in the area.

·         Keep your horse in its familiar environment, in its normal routine with any companions to make it feel secure. If your horse is usually stabled then keep it stabled. If it is normally out in the field, keep it there as long as it is safe and secure. Ensure that you or someone experienced stays with your horse if you know fireworks are being set off.

·         Chinese lanterns are known to cause terrible injuries and the deaths of horses and other livestock. As there is no way of controlling where they go and where they land, the advice to horse owners is to be vigilant and to ensure you check your fields and hedgerows for burnt out lanterns.

Small pets – Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and birds all need to be treated with special care when fireworks are being let off. These animals are easily frightened.

·         Hutches/cages and enclosures should, if possible, be put in a garage or shed.

·         If you cannot bring your pet’s hutch inside, you should turn its enclosure around so that it faces a wall or fence instead of the open garden.

·         Cover any aviaries or hutches with thick blankets or a duvet to block out the sight of the fireworks and deaden the sound of the bangs, but make sure there is enough ventilation.

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