Local News for Stubbington and Hill Head Spring 2012 Local issues, Local Action... Working for your Community intouch Another ZERO Tax Rise THAT’S 4 YEARS IN A ROW WE’VE KEPT FAREHAM’S COUNCIL TAX AT A NIL RISE How? Well, we don’t listen to the Liberal Democrat or Labour spendthrifts. They wanted to put your council tax up by slapping 3% on the Police Authority charge. But Fareham Council Leader Seán Woodward, a member of the Police Authority, insisted on a freeze, stuck to his guns and made sure you won’t pay a penny more this year. So tax for the Borough Council’s services remains at just £124.64 per year for the average property which is Band C. For Band D it is £140.22. No wonder a massive 92% of residents are happy with the way Conservatives run things. Although the government grant remains at the 1999 level, it did give cash aid to help freeze council tax for a year and there has still been scope for service improvements: Car parking charges are frozen for a year. A further £150,000 has been invested in the new skills fund set up with £200,000 last year, allowing the council to take on more young apprentices. Another £20,000 to add to last year’s £50,000 (matched by the County Council) towards Fareham Park Gateway project to improve deprived areas in North West Ward around Henry Court School. £110,000 to take on 6 extra staff at the Council Depot to boost the initiative for a cleaner, tidier Borough. There was still much to do to enhance services, particularly for the vulnerable. We must work with partners and businesses to plan and create good quality jobs at Daedalus. We must continue to preserve the green gaps between the town centre and our villages and communities from the threat posed by developers. Cllr Tim Knight who is a member of Hampshire County Council and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority voted with the Conservatives for a nil increase. The County is on course to deliver savings of over £100 million over two years, has axed over 25% of top managers and budgeted wherever possible for cost reductions of 8% this year and a further 8% next year. To save lives and reduce costs Hampshire Fire and Rescue has targeted arson by ‘embedding’ a police officer in the team that checks the cause of fires and regularly prosecutes. It usually obtains custodial sentences for those responsible. It uses data to identify those who could be at risk from fire, has driven down the number of unwanted of false fire calls, and is trialling a more modern form of response to automatic fire alarm calls. Cllr Tim Knight and Cllr Kay Mandry with local residents celebrating the zero tax increase. Zero Tax Rise for the County Council and Fire Brigade
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InTouch Winter 2011...InTouch Winter 2011 Author Alex Brims Keywords Conservatives;intouch Created Date 3/19/2012 8:05:38 AM ...
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L o c a l N e w s f o r S t u b b i n g t o n a n d H i l l H e a d S p r i n g 2 0 1 2
L o c a l i s s u e s , L o c a l A c t i o n . . . W o r k i n g f o r y o u r C o m m u n i t y
intouch
Another
ZERO
Tax Rise
THAT’S 4 YEARS IN A ROW
WE’VE KEPT FAREHAM’S
COUNCIL TAX AT A NIL RISE
How? Well, we don’t listen to the Liberal
Democrat or Labour spendthrifts.
They wanted to put your council tax up by
slapping 3% on the Police Authority charge.
But Fareham Council Leader Seán Woodward, a
member of the Police Authority, insisted on a
freeze, stuck to his guns and made sure you
won’t pay a penny more this year.
So tax for the Borough Council’s
services remains at just £124.64 per
year for the average property which
is Band C. For Band D it is £140.22.
No wonder a massive 92% of residents are
happy with the way Conservatives run things.
Although the government grant remains at the
1999 level, it did give cash aid to help freeze
council tax for a year and there has stil l been
scope for service improvements:
Car parking charges are frozen for a year.
A further £150,000 has been invested in the
new skills fund set up with £200,000 last
year, allowing the council to take on more
young apprentices.
Another £20,000 to add to last year’s
£50,000 (matched by the County Council )
towards Fareham Park Gateway project to
improve deprived areas in North West Ward
around Henry Court School.
£110,000 to take on 6 extra staff at the
Council Depot to boost the initiative for a
cleaner, tidier Borough.
There was sti l l much to do to enhance services,
part icularly for the vulnerable. We must work
with partners and businesses to plan and create
good quality jobs at Daedalus. We must continue
to preserve the green gaps between the town
centre and our villages and communities from
the threat posed by developers .
Cllr Tim Knight who is a member
of Hampshire County Council and
Hampshire Fire and Rescue
Authority voted with the
Conservatives for a nil
increase. The County is on
course to deliver savings of over
£100 million over two years, has
axed over 25% of top managers
and budgeted wherever possible
for cost reductions of 8% this
year and a further 8% next year.
To save lives and reduce costs
Hampshire Fire and Rescue has
targeted arson by ‘embedding’ a
police officer in the team that
checks the cause of fires and
regularly prosecutes. It usually
obtains custodial sentences for
those responsible.
It uses data to identify those who
could be at risk from fire, has
driven down the number of
unwanted of false fire calls, and
is trialling a more modern form
of response to automatic fire
alarm calls.
Cllr Tim Knight and Cllr Kay Mandry with local residents celebrating
the zero tax increase.
Zero Tax Rise for the County Council and Fire Brigade
S t u b b i n g t o n a n d H i l l H e a d C o n s e r v a t i v e s - w w w . F a r e h a m C o n s e r v a t i v e s . o r g . u k
The Haven was recently
dredged of shingle and this
was spread on the beach
nearby.
The Hill Head Sailing Club has
taken action on Sunday 26th
Feb to reduce the potential
hazard of walkers falling over
a near vertical edge of the
shingle.
The Club has subsequently been in discussion with the involved
Agencies to agree further work to improve the appearance of the
Beach and also to improve the protection from the sea for the
I f y o u n e e d a n y h e l p o r h a v e a q u e s t i o n s , p l e a s e c o n t a c t
a n y o f y o u r C o u n c i l l o r s b e l o w
Promoted by Brian Taylor on behalf of Gosport Conservative Association both at 167 Stoke Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1SE and printed by Bishops Printers Limited, Walton Road, Portsmouth, PO6 1TR.
Borough Councillor
Borough Councillor
I send out an electronic
newsletter each month to keep
you up to date on all the work I
have been doing both in
Westminster and at home in the
constituency.
Visit my newly refurbished website to read the
latest or sign up for my email newsletter:
www.caroline4gosport.co.uk
Please feel free to contact me on any issue, or to find out when my next surgery is. It is also
possible to come up to Parliament to have an official tour. I’m always happy to arrange tours of
the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben for my constituents. Just please contact my office to
book at least two months in advance to make sure you get a place