Village News & Events:
Notice of Conclusion of Audit for the year ended 31 March 2020
Would you like to see a Community Speedwatch in Odiham & North Warnborough?
The Odiham Parish Council Traffic & Transport Committee continually looks at different ways of responding to residents’ concerns on speeding vehicles throughout the village but options are limited without any direct enforcement powers and limited Police resources.
Community Speedwatch (CSW) is a national initiative where active members of local communities join with the support of the Police to monitor speeds of vehicles using speed detection devices. Vehicles exceeding the speed limit are referred to the Police with the aim of educating drivers to reduce their speeds. Full details can be viewed at www.communityspeedwatch.org/
Odiham Parish Council already owns and manages a Speed Indicator Device (SID) capable of recording vehicle speeds but a new Odiham & North Warnborough Community Speedwatch would also be dependent on a team of volunteers to run the scheme.
- Would you like to see a local Community Speedwatch set up?
- Can you spare a few hours a month as a Community Speedwatch volunteer?
- What do you consider to be the local speeding hotspots?
Please visit the online questionnaire at:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/YSBFZFJ
Or email the Parish Clerk at clerk@odiham.org.uk
Large Load
The National Grid has advised that a transformer is to be delivered to the substation on Rye Common Lane on Sunday 5 July 2020. It will be travelling from Southampton up the M3 and along the A287 (Farnham Road), so there may be some disruption to traffic along this route. The load will leave Southampton at 6 am and is expected to arrive at Rye Common Lane at 10 am.
Calling all local, budding photographers!
Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2019/20 – Notice of Public Rights and Publication of Unaudited Return
Community Grants available
The next closing date for grant applications is 30th June. Full details can be found at:
North Warnborough footpath will be re-instated
Several residents have contacted OPC raising concerns that the informal footpath from the Jolly Miller on the Hook Road to the canal towpath may be lost.
The route is currently blocked off but this is only a temporary measure while the pub site is being developed. The developer plans to re-instate this path once the works have finished.
Drone Safety
Councillor Stewart has reported a drone flying over North Warnborough towards the RAF camp to the Operations Centre on the Base.
Since practically the entire Parish sits within the 2 nautical mile drone exclusion zone around RAF Odiham we live within the exclusion zone and kindly ask that if anyone wishes to fly their drone that they make sure they abide by the regulations to avoid endangering aircraft operating from RAF Odiham.
Full details of The Drone Code can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/drones-to-be-registered-and-users-to-sit-safety-tests-under-new-government-rules
Annual Council Meeting 2020
Odiham Parish Councillors appointed Cllr Dr Angela McFarlane to serve as Council Chair for a second year at the Annual Council meeting on 19th May.
A year on from the 2019 elections saw a very different meeting to the 2019 Annual Council meeting with Councillors joining the meeting from home using Zoom. Councils are required by law to make decisions at meetings and attend in person but new legislation in the Coronavirus Act 2020 now allows remote meetings which will help local councils to continue working to serve their communities. Odiham Parish Council has taken full advantage of these new powers and continued to hold meetings without interruption to its meeting schedule.
Members of the public can also join meetings using the link published with the agenda on the Council’s website. Three members of the public joined the meeting as well as Hampshire County Cllr Jonathan Glen and Hart District Councillors Ken Crookes and Chris Dorn. Cllr Mike Killick representing the RAF Odiham Ward was unable to attend due to work commitments.
Behind the scenes, Councillors have been instrumental in running a local support network during the Covid-19 crisis which pairs local volunteers with vulnerable residents. Councillors are also running a separate prescription delivery service aimed at helping vulnerable residents who are unable to leave their homes, a service which has been well received delivering approximately 20 prescriptions per week and has helped 80 residents.
Cllr McFarlane said “A huge thank you to all the people who have responded to our call for volunteers to help in the community. We have so far been able to match volunteers with 17 members of the community who are now having their essential shopping sorted for them. The prescription delivery service run by Councillors is working well. The fact that there are not more people needing help via Odiham Parish Council is evidence of the great job so many people are also doing to help our community. Thank you to everyone and please keep up the great job you are doing as we go into the second phase of lockdown. Stay safe. Odiham Parish Council helpline is 07900 960511.“
Odiham Parish Council quickly recognised that some residents within its rural community would need support, sometimes just a friendly telephone call, and the number of volunteers stepping forward has demonstrated a strong community spirit.
You are invited to join the Annual Council Meeting on 19th May
A year has gone by since Odiham Parish Councillors were elected to serve and represent Odiham and North Warnborough residents.
We are pleased to invite you to the (virtual) 2020 Annual Council Meeting on 19th May at 7.30pm where the Council Chair, Vice Chair and Committee Chairs will be appointed.
OPC made the decision to hold this meeting even though new legislation resulting from the Coronavirus Act 2020 removed the requirement for Annual Council Meetings to be held this year to relieve pressure on smaller councils. OPC has taken full advantage of new powers within the same Act which allows virtual council meetings enabling OPC to continue holding meetings without interruption to its meeting schedule.
The meeting will be held via Zoom. An agenda and full details on how to join the meeting can be found at http://www.odiham.org.uk/meetings/agendas-minutes/