Category Archives: News

Theft in Monxton

by laurake123

Between 6th-13th January a private gate was stolen which opened onto the public footpath opposite the Manor Farm grain store in Monxton. 

Please keep a lookout for the gate pictured and remain vigilant for any suspicious activity. 

If you have any information to assist Police, please contact 101 ref:

INC-20200113-0103

Parish Council Agenda 14/01/2020

by heatherbourner

MONXTON PARISH COUNCIL

There will be a meeting of Monxton Parish Council at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 14th January 2019, at Monxton Village Hall.

Heather Bourner

Clerk to Monxton Parish Council

Agenda 

 

  • Welcome and Apologies.  

 

  • Declaration of Interests & register of interest forms 

 

  • Members of the Public (Pre-booked slots if requested)  

 

  • Minutes of the Previous Meeting – sign off & matters arising 

 

  • Reports:- 
  • Village Hall
  • Planning
  • Finance & administration
  • Environment & Footpaths
  • Sunnybank
  • Traffic
  • HCC and TVBC reports (if provided) 

 

  • Correspondence

Dates for the next meeting 14th April 2020 

Close of the meeting

 

Groundwater Levels

by Monxton Matters

To all who may be affected by rising groundwater levels and especially to those with cellars and basements.  This is for information only and there is no need for concern at the moment  

Villages Surrounding Andover

Groundwater is average for the time of year. The level has risen by 2.4 metres in the last month. It is just stabilising. It needs to rise by a further 6.6 metres before we would be concerned about flood impacts in the communities.

This message has been issued by the Environment Agency and
contains information on the groundwater situation in your area
This information is for Areas at risk of flooding from groundwater in Hampshire.

In the last 3 months, 155% of the long term average rain has fallen in Hampshire. Groundwater has risen in all communities. As the geographic distribution of the rain has differed across the county, sites are either below, at or above long term average for the time of year. The weather outlook over the next 10 days remains unsettled, with further rain, blustery winds and showers expected. Long term forecasting is difficult, but there is some indication that this winter could be wetter than average. The extent of groundwater flood impacts (if any) is now dependant on the weather over the next 5 months. However, with average rainfall throughout this time, it is not unrealistic to expect groundwater flooding in some communities this season. We will update this Briefing Note by Friday 17th January 2020.
The attached briefing note provides further information on the current groundwater situation and the forecast risk of flooding.  It also gives you advice on actions you can take.

Keep an eye on local water levels and weather conditions.  Visit the GOV.UK website for groundwater levels and flooding information.

·         Call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for up-to-date flooding information.

Customer service line   03708 506 506    www.environment-agency.gov.uk    Incident hotline0800 80 70 60

Amport PTA Quiz: February 7th 2020

by Monxton Matters

Amport PTA Quiz Night – Friday 7th February

The annual Amport School PTA Quiz night is taking place on Friday 7th February in the Monxton Village Hall, from 7.30pm to 11pm.

Tickets are £12.50 and as always they include a delicious meal, a mind-puzzling and fun quiz and a great raffle. Plus there’s a pay bar all night.

You can either organise a table of 8 people, or we can help put one together for you.

A brilliant evening and school fundraiser, please book your tickets now by emailing annaduvoisin@gmail.com 

Village Hall Treasurer

by Monxton Matters

Could you be the next Treasurer for the Monxton & Amport Village Hall?

The Monxton & Amport Village Hall Committee is looking to recruit a valuable new member of the team who will take care of the treasury responsibilities such as record keeping, paying bills and ensuring the income is banked. Other duties include governance of the hall, arranging routine maintenance and servicing, ensuring the hall is legal (insurance, licences, electrics, etc), attending committee meetings, and also being a key holder for the building.

Be part of the team that takes the village hall into the future. There are exciting times ahead! Contact Committee Chair, Penny Kitson on penny@kitsonsonline.co.uk

 

MPC Minutes October 29th 2019

by heatherbourner

Minutes of the Monxton Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 29th October 2019 in Monxton Village Hall at 7.30pm. 

Present: Cllr M Cleugh – Chairman, Cllr J Balding- Vice Chairman, Cllr Barbone, Cllr Bowden, Cllr Corroon, Heather Bourner – Parish Clerk, Test Valley Borough Councillors Mrs Maureen Flood, Hampshire County Councillor Mrs Z Brooks, Robert Hayes – footpaths representative, Members of the Public 14

Apologies: Apologies were received from Cllr P Weston & TVBC David Coole

WELCOME The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS There were no declarations of interest recorded.

RESIGNATION OF 1 COUNCILLOR & CO-OPTION 3 NEW COUNCILLORS
Three villagers had come forward to be considered for co-option to the Parish Council. Cllr Cleugh proposed Cathy Barbone be co-opted which was seconded by Cllr Balding, Cllr Cleugh also proposed Jim Bowden be co-opted which was again seconded by Cllr Balding and finally Cllr Cleugh proposed Hugh Corroon be co-opted which Cllr Balding seconded.

Cllr P Weston has resigned and was unwell so had sent his apologies for the meeting but had given written confirmation that he was happy to co-opt all three proposed. All three joined the Parish Council for the meeting.

Cllr Barbone will become the representative for Sunny bank and Cllr Bowden will take on responsibility for traffic management. Consideration will be given as to which area of responsibility should be given to Cllr Corroon.

Cllr Cleugh gave huge thanks to outgoing Cllr Pete Weston for the time he had spent as a Parish Councillor, in particular for all his work regarding traffic management which had been very successful.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION None

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING The Chairman signed the minutes of the previous meeting of 9th July 2019 as a true record.

VILLAGE HALL UP-DATE

Richard Pearce reported on behalf of the team working on the project to renovate the village hall. He said they had approximately £60K funding available at present and had proceeded to have a plan drawn up by an architect. The plan includes new electrics & heating, renovated kitchen and toilet facilities, removal of the permanent stage, decorate throughout, and fit a completely new entrance to give more light. A scope of work has been drawn up and three builders have been approached to provide quotes. These will be scrutinised and in due course a proposal provided to the Parish Council on how to proceed. The plan does not propose any structural work and therefore no planning permission is required. It was confirmed that once quotes are received match funding grants can be considered. Work is unlikely to start before March 2020. In view of this, it was proposed that the oil tank keep being topped up to provide heating for the many bookings that were already held.

Richard confirmed the plan is by no means final and should be open to all villagers to consider but budget will always need to be considered. Tree work will be required but necessary applications will have to be made. Cllr Cleugh asked that for the next meeting some plans were provided that could be shared with all villagers including those from Amport to raise awareness and possibly fundraising. TVBC Mrs M Flood will talk to the TVBC CiL funding officer to see if any funds are available. It was proposed that the next meeting to discuss matters should take place at the end of November.

PLANNING

The following decisions by TVBC were noted: – None

Resolved: that the planning advisory committee’s approval on the following applications were endorsed:

19/01851/TREEN – tree works Brookside, Andover Road, Monxton- no objection

19/02314/TREEN- Corner Cottage, Amport Road, Fell 3 trees – no objection

19/02462/LWBN- various works to listed building, Little Cottage, Andover Road, Monxton – no objection (A new application for this building has just been submitted and will now be reviewed) 19/02380/TREEN- Land adjacent Field House Fell 2 x ash trees and 1 – Sycamore-no objection

Update on previous applications

19/01230/LBWN & 19/01229/FULLN

Application for change of use Old Black Swan to dwelling and application to build a new pub and two new houses on old Black Swan Car Park – Decision pending however TVBC planning department advised last week that they would be refusing the application shortly based on the feedback from the statutory consultees.

19/00296/OUTN Alpine planning application for 22 dwellings to replace the current B2 industrial site. Discussions are ongoing with the Environment Agency relating to the impact on the Solent water nitrogen neutrality and issues caused by sewage discharge.

FINANCE 

To note balance in Lloyds bank as at 07/10/19 £29297.78

Resolved: that the following payments be approved and cheques signed

Payments to be made

Clerks expenses                         £.43.73

HMRC                                         £52.20

ENVIRONMENT AND FOOTPATHS

Cllr Balding highlighted a letter of support she has sent to Hants Wildlife trust who wish to apply for lottery funding to improve Pillhill Brook.

Robert Hayes confirmed he has recently walked all the Monxton footpaths and not encountered problems. Cllr Balding said she had been made aware of some high hedges which cause issues for horse riders, however, as the paths are in Amport she will pass the information on.

SUNNYBANK

Cllr Barbone will take on responsibility for Sunnybank and will contact Cllr Weston regarding any ongoing issues.

TRAFFIC

Cllr Weston had produced reports from the data collected by the speed watch machine. The data was presented to the meeting and copies of the graphs are attached to these minutes. Cllr Cleugh asked that any suggestions on sign locations for the machine be passed to Cllr Bowden.

A question was posed about purchasing a second machine but it was felt that drivers might become complacent if a machine was permanent. A question was also asked if anything could be done to stop traffic knocking down bollards by the cottages on the Abbots Ann road. Cllr Cleugh said that large lorries were the offenders and he would contact the companies responsible.

Borough & County Councillor Reports

HCC Brooks reported that HCC are currently considering their budget and have been tasked with saving a further 80million. Each area is considering how to make savings including children’s services, social care and public libraries. There will be staff cuts but mostly by natural wastage management.

She asked that the Parish Council check salt bins now for any repairs required and if new salt is needed. 

TVBC Mrs Maureen Flood said work has started to improve Andover town centre, lots of pop up shops are opening, some temporary repairs are being made to lifts in the Chantry centre and leaf clearance work has started. The consultation regarding regeneration is on-going.

Correspondence None

CLOSE OF THE MEETING

The Chairman thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting.

DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING 

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 14th January 2020, 7.30pm at Monxton Village Hall.

Minutes draft Oct 19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Public Firework Displays

by Monxton Matters

Stay safe this bonfire night by taking your family to one of the organised bonfire and firework displays in our area.

Andover New Street Football Club Bonfire Night 2019
Saturday 2nd November at the club.

  • ALL Welcome – Gates open at 6.00 p.m.
  • Hot food & drinks available !!  Sweet stall !!
  • Licensed bar
  • Entrance £5.00 per person (Under 5’s FREE)
  • Location: Foxcotte Lane, Andover, SP11 0TA

Abbotts Ann School Fireworks 2019
Saturday 2nd November 2019.

  • Location: Abbotts Ann School, Abbotts Ann

Andover Golf Club Fireworks Night 2019
Saturday 2nd November 2019

  • Gates Open 5pm
  • Fireworks 7pm
  • Tickets £6 per person
  • £20 for a family of 4
  • Under 5’s FREE

Rookwood School Fireworks 2019
Friday 8th November 2019.

  • Tickets available from Kenyons.
  • Food, drink and activities from about 5.30pm
  • Location: Rookwood School, Weyhill Road, Andover, SP10 3AL

 

 

Bonfire Night

by Monxton Matters

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.  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. If you live under thatch, it is wise to be extra vigilant around November 5th and make frequent checks on your roof.  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. 

For further information and advice, contact your local fire safety officer.

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

Recommendations from the Blue Cross:
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.

Animals have very acute hearing. Loud bangs and whistles may cause actual pain in their ears. But by following these simple guidelines your pet need not suffer.

Small pets
Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice, ferrets and birds all need to be treated with special care when fireworks are being let off. These animals are easily frightened. The Blue Cross advises that owners of such types of small animal should follow these precautions:

  • Hutches/cages and enclosures should, if possible, be brought into a quiet room indoors, or into a garage or shed.
  • Give your pet extra bedding to burrow into so it feels safe.
  • 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.

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 (but not too loudly) in order to block out some of the noise of the fireworks.
  • Ensure dogs are wearing some form of easily readable identification (ID) – even in the house. They should have at least a collar and tag.
  • Think about fitting pets with a microchip, so that if they do run away they have a better chance of being quickly reunited with you.
  • Prepare a ‘den’ for your pet where it can feel safe and comfortable – perhaps under a bed with some of your old clothes. It may like to hide there when the fireworks start.
  • Let your pet pace around, whine, miaow and hide in a corner if it wants to. Do not try to coax it out – it’s just trying to find safety, so don’t disturb it.
  • Try not to cuddle and comfort distressed pets as they will think you are worried too, and this may make the problem worse. Instead stay relaxed, act normally and praise calm behaviour.
  • Avoid leaving your pet alone during such potentially upsetting events. If you do have to leave the house, don’t get angry with your pet if you find it has been destructive after being left on its own. Shouting at a frightened pet will only make it more stressed.
  • Don’t tie your dog up outside while fireworks are being let off, ie outside a shop while you pop inside, or leave it in the garden or in your car.
  • Never take your dog to a fireworks display.

Horses & ponies

  • Fireworks must not be set off near livestock or horses in fields, or close to buildings housing livestock. Anyone planning a firework display in a rural area should warn neighbouring farmers in advance.
  • Try to make sure that fireworks are never set off near your horse’s field or stable. Tell neighbours and local fireworks display organisers there are horses nearby, so that they can ensure fireworks are set off in the opposite direction and well away from them.
  • 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, secure and not near the fireworks display area.
  • Ensure that you or someone experienced stays with your horse if you know fireworks are being set off. This way you can observe its behaviour, ensure it remains as safe and calm as possible and respond to its reactions appropriately.
  • If you know your horse reacts badly to loud noises speak to your vet or perhaps consider moving your horse for the night.
  • Try to remain calm and positive as horses can sense unease in a person and this might make things worse if the horse is startled.
  • Be careful yourself. Try not to get in the way if your horse becomes startled as you may get hurt.

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 these lanterns.