East Hants District Council

Updates

 

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New bin calendars available on our website

Bin calendars for April to September 2023 are now available to download from our website.

Find your calendar

There are no changes to collections due to bank holidays during this time.


I know my calendar number

If you know which calendar you are on, you can download it from our website.


I don’t know my calendar number

If you do not know your bin calendar number, you can find it on our website by following these three steps:

  1. Please visit the 'where I live' section
  2. Type in your address and click on it in the drop-down menu
  3. Your calendar is under 'waste and recycling'

Sign up now to get bin updates straight to your inbox

 

Big news from East Hampshire District Council 

Traffic management services moving to Hampshire County Council

Parking enforcement, permits and other services will no longer be managed by EHDC from 1 April

From the beginning of April several traffic management duties, previously carried out by EHDC, will be transferred to Hampshire County Council.

Services such as on-street parking, including parking enforcement, new parking controls and residents’ parking permits will become the direct responsibility of Hampshire County Council (HCC).

HCC will be responsible for the introduction of new parking controls such as yellow lines and disabled parking bays, and overseeing the existing residential parking schemes, including the issuing of new permits across all parts of Hampshire.

Existing resident parking permits will remain valid past 1 April until their expiry date. Residents will have been given details by HCC as to how they can renew their permits when it expires.

You can find out more information about the new traffic management and parking service on Hampshire County Council’s website below.

Traffic management at Hampshire County Council

 

Struggling to heat your home or buy food? Don't struggle alone. Visit easthants.gov.uk/cost-of-living

 

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Possible disruption to bin collections

Hampshire County Council’s Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) in Portsmouth is currently closed for essential maintenance. This is planned to run into April 2023.

While the facility is closed, our provider’s bin lorries - and the lorries from other council areas that use the site - are taking their loads to alternative locations.

This is likely to mean that it takes longer for crews to tip their load and return to the area they are working in.

The crews will do their best to complete collections on your scheduled collection day, but it is likely that some collections will need to carry over to Saturdays during this time.

If you haven’t already, please sign up to bin updates for your area and encourage your neighbours to do the same.

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Big news from East Hampshire District Council

Permission given for planning service refresh

We’re refreshing our planning service in response to an unprecedented workload since the pandemic.

By providing more resources and using them more efficiently we will provide a much-improved, customer-focussed service in the future.

Cllr Angela Glass, EHDC Portfolio Holder for Planning, said: “The coronavirus lockdowns put a lot of developments and renovations on hold. Now people are putting those plans into action and we’re seeing huge numbers of planning applications submitted.

“The workload has been almost overwhelming for the planning team, so we are re-shaping it and resourcing it to help them handle the extra work and to make sure our customers get the best possible experience.”

As part of EHDC's transformation work we have developed a Planning Service Improvement Plan which will bring our services and our customers together.

The team is also looking at how it communicates its decisions to the public. Planning is a complex field, where decisions are often prescribed by national or local policies.

It can often be difficult for people to understand the technical reasons behind decisions to permit or refuse certain applications, so the service will be focussed on making decisions clearer to ordinary people, who are not experts in planning.

Struggling to heat your home or buy food? Don't struggle alone. Visit easthants.gov.uk/cost-of-living

 
 
 
 
 

Big news from East Hampshire District Council

Grants scheme is serious about supporting our community

Our Supporting Community Grant fund opens on April 1st

From April Fool's Day local groups in East Hampshire can apply for funding that will make a serious difference to their communities.

From 1 April we are opening the Supporting Communities Fund, an annual grant scheme which provides money for clubs and organisations working to benefit their local area.

Groups can apply for up to £25,000 to support one-off projects or up to £30,000, spread across three years, to support income streams.

The projects must meet one of the following criteria. It must:

- support positive mental health in residents, in particular young people

- reduce social isolation in residents, in particular older people

- support a community's ability to thrive by building strong community resilience

The deadline for applications closes on Sunday 14 May.

Cllr Julie Butler, EHDC Deputy Leader, said: “Every three years EHDC puts £1 million into the Supporting Communities Fund to give local groups the money they need to deliver fantastic local projects and services.

“Our voluntary groups and charities do so much vital work in our communities. By providing sport facilities, lunch clubs, youth centres or any number of other fantastic activities they help make East Hampshire an amazing place to live.

“If your group wants to set up a new community-run project or scheme, and you need the financial backing to make it happen, make sure you apply to our Supporting Communities Fund.

“Our application process may begin on April Fool's Day but our grants will make a serious difference to your club’s plans!”

Last year our Supporting Communities Fund awarded more than £325,000 to support the ambitions of 21 local organisations.

For more information visit the Supporting Communities Fund below

Find out more about the Supporting Communities Fund

 


 

Big news from East Hampshire District Council

Community litter-picks mean business

Statement from Cllr Richard Millard, EHDC Leader

I am challenging businesses to litter-pick their premises as part of our district-wide community clean-up campaign.

EHDC is putting resources into cleaning up the district and local residents are preparing to hold their own community litter-picks – but it's also vital that businesses follow suit and make sure their own back yards are tidy and litter free.

Litter bags Spring Clean

Tomorrow, on Friday 17 March, East Hampshire will be taking part in the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, encouraging community volunteers to scour their towns and villages for litter and rubbish.

Community groups are already coming forward and registering their own litter-picks through our website.

But we need to see local businesses step up and make sure they clean up their own perimeters, yards and car parks.

If business owners contact us through the website, we will offer you the same support as we offer any community event. You can have tools, bin bags, hi-vis gear and, after you’ve collected bags full of rubbish, we can take it all away.

Businesses are a huge part of our local street scene and if the district’s going to look its best then they need to be kept as neat and tidy as the rest.

Since the beginning of March, EHDC has launched a campaign to smarten up the district by putting more crews and more vehicles onto street cleaning duties.

Between 17 March – 2 April, our campaign will dove-tail with the national Keep Britain Tidy event which encourages community groups to organise their own litter-picks and clean up their own neighbourhoods.

We have invited local groups to take photos of their litter-picks and send them in to us. And the same applies to local businesses, if you arrange a litter-pick of your own premises, send us a photo and we can share it on social media.

Send your litter-picking photos to communications@easthants.gov.uk

To get council support for a community litter-pick, register your event through our council website by clicking on the button below.

Register your litter pick and get our support

 

 

 

Big news from East Hampshire District Council

     

We're helping our most vulnerable residents through our welfare fund

We’re putting £40,000 into cost-of-living support for the district’s most vulnerable residents.

Find support with the cost of living

The money is being used in the following ways:

  • £18,000 to fund a Citizens Advice outreach worker who can go out into our communities to provide residents with practical advice on the cost of living support available.
  • £10,000 to support food initiatives in the district.
  • £9,000 to help people who don’t qualify for other schemes with their fuel costs.
  • £2,000 to provide heaters and dehumidifiers for people living in private sector housing who are struggling with cold homes or mould.
  • £1,000 to help promote the support available.

The money will come from the council’s £350,000 welfare fund, for projects that help support the welfare of local communities. The money raised through the council’s 2% council tax rise has provided an additional approximately £150,000 to this budget.

Councillor Julie Butler, portfolio holder for Community Engagement, said: “This expansion of the support available for residents struggling with the cost of living will help the most vulnerable people in the district.

“By working with Citizens Advice East Hampshire through this process, we’re giving more residents access to expert advice to help them through difficult times.”

Our website has information for residents struggling with the cost of living.

Anyone without internet access can call us on 01730 266551 or Citizens Advice on 0808 278 7901.

 

Struggling to heat your home or buy food? Don't struggle alone. Visit easthants.gov.uk/cost-of-living

  


 
 

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Welcome to your monthly newsletter from East Hampshire District Council. In this edition we talk about: new schemes to help those who need it most, your new council tax bill, our district-wide spring clean, and the upcoming dementia festival. We hope you find it useful and interesting!

Please follow our social media channels for regular updates.

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Coronation street parties!

The Coronation of His Majesty The King will take place on Saturday 6 May.

If you are thinking of setting up an event to mark this historic occasion there are a few things you need to take into account before the big day – but don't worry we're here to help.

If you’d like to close off your road to traffic during your celebrations, the deadline for temporary road closure applications for the bank holiday weekend is Friday 24 March 2023. And if bunting is a must for your celebration, check the rules online before you decorate the highways.

For helpful advice and guidance on how to sort out road closures, licensing and all the other important elements of a successful event click on the button below.

You can also sign up for a FREE Coronation Big Lunch street party event pack from Eden Community Projects, full of ideas to make your local celebration one to remember.

Organise an event

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District elections are counting on your votes

Make sure you are able to vote in this year's local elections on Thursday 4 May. If you’re not registered, you can’t vote.

Register to vote

You don’t need to register for every election. However, you will need to be on the register of electors. If you’ve just turned 18, you’ve moved house recently or changed your name for any reason you may not be registered to vote.

The last date for registration is 17 April 2023. It only takes five minutes to register to vote online, all you’ll need is your National Insurance number.

Voter ID

If you are going to vote at the polling station you will have to take the correct photo ID. You may already have an acceptable form of photo ID, but it's definitely worth checking which ones are ok to take, or you can apply for free voter ID if you need to. We can only accept originals, no photocopies and no phone photos.

Apply for a postal vote

Anyone can apply to vote by post. You don’t need to give a reason. The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm, 18 April 2023. Print and complete this form (a signature is required) and email to electoral.services@easthants.gov.uk.

Find out more about the upcoming elections

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Council Tax for 2023-24

Council Tax for the next financial year (April 2023 to March 2024) has now been set.

An increase of two per cent has been agreed for our part of the bill. This is an increase of just £2.78 a year (around 23p per month) for an average band D property.

Changes in government rules allowed councils to increase Council Tax by three per cent, but we have kept it low, meaning ours is one of the lowest in the area.

As well as us, your bill includes the money you pay to Hampshire County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner, fire service, and town and parish councils. Each organisation sets their own rates separately.

Out of every pound you pay in Council Tax, we get just 7p.

Bills will be sent out in March with the full details.

Did you know you have the option to pay in 12 monthly instalments instead of ten, which reduces your monthly payment by around 15 per cent. You have until 15 April to apply.

If you are having difficulties paying your Council Tax please let us know as soon as possible, we may be able to help you.

Find out more

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Delivering by the dozen!

Strong council finances means more help for those who need it most.

This year’s budget has allowed us to put hundreds of thousands of pounds behind brand new schemes aimed at helping some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

The 12 new schemes range from advice on dealing with the rising cost of living to swimming lessons for children, and from community buses to help people get about, to speed cameras at traffic hot spots.

In total £350,000 has been put aside in next year’s budget to fund welfare schemes such as these.

The wellbeing of residents is our top priority, these 12 projects will help thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds across East Hampshire.

Our 12 new welfare schemes

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Big Spring Clean starts!

District-wide Spring Clean Campaign underway

Working with our service provider Norse SE, we are ploughing extra resources into a two month drive to clean up East Hampshire.

From 1 March, you will see our teams out and about in your home towns and villages, and you will be able to see the difference they make.

There will be more staff out on our streets picking up litter and tidying up our town centres, more road-side sweepers scooping up leaves, and more grounds-maintenance staff cutting grass and clearing weeds.

From 17 March to 2 April, to coincide with the annual Keep Britain Tidy event, we will be supporting community litter-picks with grabbers, bags, hi-vis clothing and the collection of black bags at the end of the event.

If you would like this support let us know through our Spring Clean Campaign website page, from Monday 6 March.

It's time to take pride in our place and get East Hampshire looking its best.

Find out more

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Practical help for living with dementia

East Hampshire Dementia Festival offers free advice and support to help people living with dementia.

The annual drop-in event at Petersfield Festival Hall, this Friday 10 March, from 10am-3.30pm, is a showcase of the help and support that’s available for families touched by the condition.

Experts in law, mental health and care will be on hand giving professional advice, medical support and real-life practical help and guidance, and the chance to ask questions about your own situation.

As well as presentations by professionals there will be around 30 local businesses and charities offering services that will help you and your family.

Watch our video about the festival here

The event also features activities suitable for people with dementia, such as music and crafts, and a chance to meet and chat with people.

Find out more about the event

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Apprenticeships making a big difference

Our Get East Hants Working Apprenticeship Scheme helps local businesses hire apprentices by offering funding for wages, travel and training.

East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds recently visited three apprentices currently on the scheme to find out how it helps them and their employers.

Watch our video about the Apprenticeship Scheme here

Since its launch in 2013, our Apprenticeship Scheme has supported 70 apprentices across 52 businesses.

It provides one year's funding, up to £400 towards travel and up to £1,000 towards training for over 25s.

Learn more about our apprenticeship scheme

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Win a luxurious break in the forest!

It's a win-win situation when you play the East Hampshire Community Lottery

Sign up and support a good cause today and not only will you be in with the chance of winning weekly cash prizes of up to £25,000, but if you enter before Saturday 25 March, you will be in with the chance of winning a trip to Center Parcs.

A sporty break, a relaxing weekend in the forest, or some time away with the family – whatever a holiday means to you, you could be making the most of spring time at Center Parcs - and supporting a good cause too!

Our lottery is for the people, by the people. It’s a fun way to help good causes without giving up precious time. Tickets are just £1 in the weekly draw, and you can choose exactly which good cause you would like your money to go to.

It really is a win-win: even if you don’t win a cash prize you can be content in knowing that you are making a real difference!

Since its launch we've raised thousands of pounds for small charities - so why not join in? Visit our website to see which good causes you can support, and buy a ticket.

Play now!

Garden waste service ready to grow

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We're changing the way we run our garden waste service to make it more efficient and open it up to more households.

The re-organisation will see a third collection vehicle introduced, to allow us to empty more brown bins across the district.

As the rounds are being re-worked it could mean your collection day is going to change. We will be contacting all our customers to make sure they are aware of what's going on.

Find out more about the new garden waste service

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Please share this email with your family and friends. They can sign up to receive them in future and other information from East Hampshire District Council at email alerts from our website.

We'll never share your data with anyone else and you can unsubscribe or update your preferences at any time.

 

 

 

 

 

Big news from East Hampshire District Council

Wanted: Poll Clerks and Presiding Officers for election on 4 May

On 4 May 2023, East Hampshire will go to the polls with district and parish elections.

We’re looking for friendly, enthusiastic people to join our team on the day as Poll Clerks or Presiding Officers.

Find out more on our website

You don’t need any experience to be a Poll Clerk and anyone who has been a Poll Clerk in the past can be a Presiding Officer.

It’s a long day – polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm – but you’ll get to meet lots of interesting people and play a vital part in local democracy.

Fees have been confirmed as follows:

  • Poll Clerks will be paid £187 + an extra £15 if combined poll (district and parish).
  • Presiding Officers will be paid £272 + an extra £25 if it’s a combined poll.
  • Both positions will all also get £10 for completing online training.

Please visit our website to find out more about the roles and download an application form.

 

 

 

 

Business news

Find out how to build business resilience

For small business owners, rising costs can be a real challenge. It's easy to get overwhelmed trying to keep a business afloat in an uncertain economy of high inflation and potential recession.

The new guide to building business resilience from the British Business Bank contains impartial, practical, and actionable information and support to help you manage your costs, boost your long-term profitability, and increase your resilience.

The guide features everything from energy efficiency to controlling staff overheads to helping smaller business owners build a foundation for both resilience and innovation to protect their business.

Download the guide

Join a free webinar about Energy Efficiency

Energy Alton are putting on two lunchtime energy efficiency webinars in March, aimed at businesses in East Hampshire. Find out from Energy Alton experts how to save energy, money, and carbon in your business.

Renewable energy in your business – why now?

Tuesday 7 March at 1-2pm

Speaker: Martin Heath - Director of Basingstoke Energy Services Co-operative

With the Energy Bill Relief Scheme for businesses ending in April, the business case for on-site solar generation is stronger than ever. Investment in solar PV generation has never been so popular; some businesses are making returns of over 20% and generating electricity at a cost of under half of what it costs to buy from the grid.

Register for free

All you ever wanted to know about heat pumps

Tuesday 21 March at 1-2pm

Speaker: Bean Beanland - Director for Growth and External Affairs at the Heat Pump Federation

You may have heard many myths about heat pumps – now is your chance to hear the facts and pose the questions that you need answering. Bean has enormous experience in the heat pump industry and sits on many government & industry panels & working groups

Book your place

Free energy surveys for small businesses

Energy Alton is a volunteer run community group that provides free energy surveys for small businesses in East Hampshire.

Find out more and book a survey

Are business worries keeping you up at night?

Employees and owners of small businesses (with less than 50 staff) in East Hampshire can obtain free wellbeing support from the experts at Havant and East Hants Mind (HEH Mind).

To access this confidential service, which includes up to six 45 min sessions of support with a professional wellbeing practitioner, email HEH Mind at bizwellbeing@easthantsmind.org and you will be contacted within 48 hours.

This service is available until 31 March 2023.

Find support

Last chance to access free 1-2-1 support with Digital Islands

Members of the East Hants Business Hub can still access up to four hours of free one-to-one specialist advice from Digital Islands on marketing, finance, HR, customer care, branding and social media.

This support is available until 31 March 2023.

Join the hub


Are you selling chemicals responsibly?

The Home Office has recently produced resources to help businesses inform their staff about their legal obligations under the Poisons Act 1972. The Act requires all businesses selling regulated and reportable substances to report suspicious transactions and significant losses or thefts.

Find a range of posters and a leaflet that have been designed to assist with keeping staff aware of their legal obligations under the Poisons Act 1972.

Download the posters

Produced by East Hampshire District Council

 
 

 


 

Big news from East Hampshire District Council

Budget brings a dozen new ways to help

Strong council finances means more help for those who need it

This year’s budget has allowed us to put hundreds of thousands of pounds behind brand new schemes aimed at helping some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

On Thursday night (February 23) councillors approved the 2023/2024 budget, setting out the council’s finances for the next 12 months.

And EHDC Leader Cllr Richard Millard announced twelve new projects that will provide vital support for local residents in the difficult financial climate.

The new schemes range from advice on dealing with the rising cost of living to community buses to help people get about, from swimming lessons for children to support groups for older people, and from bike hire in Whitehill & Bordon to speed cameras at traffic hot spots.

In total £350,000 has been put aside in next year’s budget to fund welfare schemes such as these.

That total includes every penny raised by a two percent increase in Council Tax, around £150,000.

Cllr Millard said: “The wellbeing of our residents is this council’s top priority, so I am delighted to announce that thanks to the prudent way we run our finances we can dedicate more than £350,000 to welfare projects.

"The 12 projects we are announcing now will help thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds across East Hampshire.

“And we would not be able to do any of them if it wasn’t for the strong financial footing we have developed as a council.

“The budget we have prepared for next year tackles major increases in expenditure while keeping the Council Tax burden on our residents low.

Delivering by the dozen

Our twelve new welfare schemes are:

1. Cost-of-living outreach

An outreach worker will attend the luncheon clubs, community centres, GP surgeries and other organisations to talk to residents about the help on offer during the rising cost-of-living.

2. Cost of Living initiatives

We will support foodbanks, emergency heating projects, a scheme to provide white goods and promote our support for guests from Ukraine

3. Investing in Planning Enforcement

Following last year's investment in the service the number of enforcement notices we served spiked over the last 12 months. We are building on this great work with further investment into our Planning Enforcement team in 2023/2024.

4. Community Transport

In partnership with Community First we will provide an East Hampshire Health and Wellbeing bus to residents, particularly those in rural areas, to get them to medical appointments or welfare services.

5. Recycling rates

We will drive down contamination in recycling and improving our recycling rates through an education programme in schools.

6. Children's swimming lessons

The cost of lessons means some children don’t get the chance to learn to swim properly. With our partners Everyone Active, we will offer up to 500 children free access to a 12-week course of swimming lessons at our fantastic Swimming Pools.

7. Men’s Sheds

We will provide a building for Men’s Shed, a charity where local men and women can meet, make and mend things, reducing isolation and loneliness.

8. Wheels to Work

We will buy two additional electric mopeds that will give young people living in isolated rural areas the wheels they need to get to work or training.

9. ‘Let’s Get East Hants Green' campaign

Later this year we plan to launch a campaign to inspire young people to connect with nature and protect and enhance their local environment. This will include a habitat creation kits for schoolchildren to grow food and improve biodiversity.

10. Stock Condition Survey

All local authorities have an obligation to make sure housing conditions in East Hampshire are up to scratch. We will run a stock condition survey to make sure local homes are in good condition.

11. Speedwatch Cameras

Speeding on our roads can be a serious danger to residents. We will buy ten speed cameras for towns and villages in East Hampshire where traffic speeds are a real problem.

12. Riding the Green Loop - Free Bike Hire Scheme

This summer we will launch a free bike hire scheme on the Green Loop in Whitehill & Bordon, giving visitors the chance to enjoy the award-winning 7km green loop through the town. Ten bikes, including a mix of electric and conventional bikes, will be available.

Keeping our budget balanced

We have had to overcome tough financial pressures to produce a balanced budget, including £2.4 million in rising inflation costs.

This has been met through investment returns, more efficient services and from savings accrued from splitting with Havant Borough Council.

This year the Government allowed councils to increase Council Tax by up to 3 per cent but we are planning an increase of just 2 per cent, keeping our Council Tax among the lowest in the area.

The £2.4 million increase in costs, largely down to inflation, has been tackled in several ways. A transformation process - a concerted effort to re-shape our services and devise new, more efficient ways to deliver them - is expected to save £500,000 in efficiencies, with more to come.

Successful cash investments have reaped another £500,000, and the same sum again will be saved in staffing costs thanks to the separation from Havant Borough Council.

Cllr Charles Louisson, EHDC Portfolio Holder for Finance, said: “These are challenging financial times for us all and it has been a difficult task to create a budget that manages the increases in our costs and allows us to meet our welfare ambitions while not placing a financial burden on our residents.

“Our Council Tax increase of two per cent will gather a further £150,000 to the council, every penny of which will go towards our raft of new welfare projects.

“This year, changes of Government rules allowed councils to increase Council Tax by three per cent, but we have not gone so far.

“We have also made Council Tax repayments easier for residents by offering the option to pay in 12 monthly instalments instead of ten, reducing the monthly payment by about 15 per cent.”

Struggling to heat your home or buy food? Don't struggle alone. Visit easthants.gov.uk/cost-of-living

 
 

 

Big news from East Hampshire District Council

 

 

Apply now for photo ID for the May election

If you’re planning to vote in person at the district election and don’t have an appropriate form of photo ID already, you need to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate now.

Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate

These certificates or valid photo ID will need to be shown at the polling station. Applications will be open until 25 April 2023 for the May election.

No ID? Apply for free voter ID by 25 April!

 

Struggling to heat your home or buy food? Don't struggle alone. Visit easthants.gov.uk/cost-of-living