Spring 2012 - Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

Spring 2012 

Basingstoke 

www.basingstoke.gov.uk 

& Deane Today 

Olympics warm-up 

see page 6 

Consultation on 

new homes 

see page 15 

Basingstoke Festival 

Your four page pull-out guide

Our thanks go to all the 

residents who contributed 

to this edition. 

Basingstoke & Deane Today is published 

twice a year by the communications team at 

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. 

It is designed, printed and distributed to over 

71,000 homes in the borough at a cost of 

17p per household and is also available online 

at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/bdtoday 

© Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council - 

February 2012. 

For further copies, please call 01256 844844 

or email b&dtoday@basingstoke.gov.uk 

Photography by Stewart Turkington 

www.stphotos.co.uk 

Design by Basingstoke and Deane 

Borough Council 

Printed by Woodford 

www.woodfordlitho.co.uk 

Printed on Ultralux Semi-gloss 

100% recycled paper. 

Please read and 

If you find the size of any of 

our information difficult to 

read, please let us know. 

This magazine is also 

available in large print. 

For a copy, please call 

01256 844844. Talking 

News, a local charity that 

regularly records news on 

tape for the visually impaired, 

also produces Basingstoke 

& Deane Today on tape. 

If you would like a copy, 

please contact Talking 

News on 01256 464378. 

Did you know… 

Facts about your borough 

• A total of 168,000 people live in the borough’s 245 square miles. 

• Basingstoke and Deane’s council tax is the lowest in Hampshire and the sixth 

lowest of all districts in the country – but with the eighth highest spend per head on 

services. The council spends around £112 million a year on running council services 

– but only 6% of this comes from council tax. 

• The daily cost of borough council services is approximately 29p per household. 

• Customer satisfaction was rated fifth best in the country for a district council. 

• The council was rated in the top15 in the country on value for money. 

• Over the last five years the council has found over £5 million of on-going savings 

and senior management staffing has gone down from 24 to nine. 

• Commercial property owned by the borough council is valued at £211 million, 

bringing in a rental income of £15.2 million a year to help keep council tax down. 

• The Malls shopping centre refurbishment cost £7 million, but is already helping to 

bring in £300,000 extra per year. 

• The council was instrumental in setting up one of the biggest local enterprise 

partnerships in the country - Enterprise M3 - which has just secured almost 

£14.5 million in government funding for infrastructure projects. Enterprise M3 covers 

57,000 businesses, contributing £25 billion to the UK economy. 

• The borough came top among English districts in an annual Food Standards 

Agency survey for compliance of food businesses with legal hygiene requirements. 

• Home to Watership Down and Highclere Castle, the location for Downton Abbey, 

the borough has over 40 conservation areas, 1,800 listed buildings and 80 square 

miles recognised as being of outstanding natural beauty. 

Contents at a glance 

Planning our future Page 15 Don’t lose your vote Page 17 

CrimeReports Page 19 Communities doing more together Page 20 

2 Basingstoke & Deane Today 

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council makes no warranties in relation to the 

content of any advertisements placed in Basingstoke & Deane Today and shall have 

no liability for any losses howsoever caused by or related to those advertisements. 

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council makes no endorsements whatsoever with 

regard to any advertisements placed in Basingstoke & Deane Today.

Giving good value on the 

things that matter to you 

A welcome to the spring 2012 edition 

from Basingstoke and Deane Borough 

Council Leader Cllr Clive Sanders. 

Who makes 

you proud 

Nominations for the 2012 Place to be 

Proud of Awards close on Saturday 

31 March. Now in their eighth year, 

the awards celebrate people, projects 

and organisations that make a special 

contribution to our community. 

There are six categories: 

• Arts and entertainment – sponsored 

by Basingstoke Leisure Park 

• Young achiever award – sponsored 

by Gazette Newspapers 

• Schools and Education award – 

sponsored by Barclays Corporate 

Trade and Working Capital UK & 

Ireland 

• Unsung Hero award – sponsored 

by AXA Wealth 

• Basingstoke Ambassador award 

– sponsored by Vitacress and 

Queen Mary’s College 

At a time of prolonged economic uncertainty and changes to national policy which will affect how local 

government works in future, the council’s focus continues to be on delivering key services that make a 

real difference to our communities and provide value for money. 

We’ve frozen our part of your council tax again this year despite cuts in government funding and rising 

costs. Over the past five years, we have saved over £5 million through efficiency measures while 

protecting the frontline services that you have told us are most important to you. Difficult decisions 

will still be required to balance the books in the coming years. Prudent management of the council’s 

resources has enabled us to invest over £50 million in the borough for the benefit of residents over the 

last five years. We continue to invest in the future despite the difficult economic climate. 

This magazine aims to keep you up to date on borough news, service information, local initiatives 

and what is going on in your area. In this edition we showcase how the borough is preparing for the 

Olympics and plans for the revived Basingstoke Festival, as well as giving updates on local community 

projects to bring people together on a more regular basis and provide more for young people to do. 

We highlight improved broadband, extended recycling services, community safety initiatives and 

important changes to housing benefits and housing association tenancies. There are also updates 

on the consultation on the borough’s key planning document to 2027 and what we are doing to 

regenerate Basing View and ensure people have good jobs and career opportunities in the future. 

I thank all those residents who have responded to previous editions and consultations telling us how 

we can make our services better meet your needs. 

Want to advertise in the magazine 

It is sent twice a year – spring and autumn - to all 71,000 homes in the borough 

To find out more see www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/bdtoday 

email communications@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 01256 844844. 

Look out for your chance to vote 

for the winner of the Unsung Hero 

category – judges will select three 

finalists then ask the public to 

vote for their favourite. 

Nominate or vote on line at 

www.destinationbasingstoke.co.uk 

Changes 

to council 

tax benefit 

Some residents on low incomes currently get 

council tax benefit to help pay their bill. From 

April 2013, the government has announced 

that council tax benefits will no longer exist in 

their current form. Instead councils will need 

to operate local council tax support schemes, 

after deciding which groups should pay 

reduced council tax and how much discount 

should be given. Nationally, the government 

has said that eligible pensioners must get 

the same level of help as now. Basingstoke 

and Deane Borough Council will consult 

residents this summer, once more information 

is available from the government, as part 

of developing a local council tax support 

scheme. As the council has more information, 

it will make it available, including at 

www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/ctaxchanges 

Basingstoke & Deane Today 3

Making good use of our buildings 

The council owns a large number of 

buildings across the borough and is keen 

to make the best use of them to benefit 

the community and keep council tax low. 

Business premises, sports facilities, swimming pools, community 

centres, The Malls shopping centre and the Leisure Park are all 

owned by the council, as well as the civic buildings themselves. 

Basingstoke Multicultural Forum Chief Executive Radhia Tarafder and Chair Mano 

Singh outside Chute House 

Ron and Marion Lee discuss the expansion of their business at Lion Court with 

Bruce Batting of the council’s property team 

Refurbishment boost for small businesses 

Work to boost a rundown industrial site – Bear, Lion and Eagle 

Court and the former oil depot site in Roentgen Road, Daneshill, 

in Basingstoke – is due to be completed next month (April). Bear, 

Lion and Eagle Court is home to 26 industrial units, developed in 

the 1970s. While the estate had always produced a healthy rent 

roll, time had taken its toll and occupancy and rental levels had 

begun to fall. A £2 million makeover has been successful with one 

of the tenants expanding into four units, four new tenants keen to 

move in and the former oil depot site now occupied. The aim is to 

have 75% occupancy by the year end, bringing in improved rents 

as well as providing a great base for new and small businesses to 

develop and grow. 

New multicultural community hub 

Council-owned Chute House, empty since the University of 

Winchester vacated, is to be managed by Basingstoke Multicultural 

Forum. To be known as the Mosaic Centre, it will act as a hub for a 

wide variety of community groups as well as offering office space, 

meeting rooms, training facilities and function rooms. The move 

comes after the forum impressed the council with a proposal for a 

positive use of the attractive building to support community groups 

and activities. To find out more about the Mosiac Centre contact 

Radhia Tarafder by emailing radhia@bmforum.org.uk or calling 

07403 229 099. 

New surgery building nearing completion 

The building of a new purpose-built medical centre and pharmacy 

for residents in South Ham is nearing completion. The council has 

invested £3.2 million to build a brand new doctor’s surgery with seven 

consulting rooms, a dental practice and pharmacy. Next door is a 

new Methodist church with meeting rooms for the whole community 

on the existing St Andrew’s church site, at the junction of Western 

Way and Pinkerton Road in Basingstoke. The new buildings will 

replace the out-dated and cramped surgery at Paddock Road and 

its satellite surgery in Hatch Warren. The council has funded the 

building to help the Primary Care Trust to meet the needs of the local 

community and at the same time get a good rental return. 

Basing View of the future 

This is a computer-generated preview of what 

the Basing View business park will look like in 

the future. Muse Developments has been 

named as Basingstoke and Deane Borough 

Council’s regeneration partner for a £200 

million regeneration project, which will 

establish Basing View as a 21st century 

business destination. Muse, a nationally 

recognised regeneration developer, is now 

working with the council to develop over 15 

acres of land in Basing View into a mix of new 

office space, a business class hotel and other 

supporting facilities. It is envisaged that the 

project has the potential to double the 

number of jobs currently available at the 

business park to around 10,000. 

The council has confirmed that it will commit 

£3.3 million to deliver critically important 

estate infrastructure improvements, which has 

already begun with the demolition of two 

redundant buildings and landscaping. 

Building work is scheduled to start, subject to 

planning approval, by the end of 2013. 

Cabinet View 

Cllr Ranil Jayawardena, Deputy Leader 

and Cabinet Member for Finance and 

Property, said: 

As a council, we own lots of 

property and are determined to 

use this in ways that best meet the 

needs of our local communities. 

Through major regeneration schemes, like 

The Malls or Basing View, and our smaller 

investment initiatives, we can fund much 

needed improvements and increase rental 

returns to make an even bigger contribution 

to our budget, keeping council 

tax low. 

4 Basingstoke & Deane Today

Changes to housing 

rents and benefits 

New homes 

with extra care 

Major changes to benefits and the rents charged by 

housing associations are on the horizon – and the council is 

keen to make sure that all those who may be affected, now 

and in the future, get the information and advice they need. 

National changes to how housing associations let some of their properties will have an 

impact on new tenants and, in some cases, tenants moving from one home to another: 

• Tenants renting a housing association property for the first time, and in some cases 

moving from one property to another, may no longer have the automatic right to stay in 

that property for life. 

• There have also been changes to the rights some tenants had to pass on their tenancies 

to their children 

• New tenants and those moving from one housing association property to another may 

find that their rent will no longer be at the current ‘social’ rent level of somewhere around 

45 to 50% of the average equivalent rent charged by a private landlord. This is because 

new ‘affordable’ rents – which may be up to 80% of the equivalent private rent and so 

higher than social rents – are being introduced nationally on some new properties and 

properties that are relet. For example, the average affordable rent on a two-bedroomed 

house in Basingstoke is likely to be around £150 per week but the social rent would 

have been £106 per week. 

New ‘affordable’ rents 

New tenancies offered to those on the council’s housing 

register may be charged at this new ‘affordable’ rent 

and may also be available for a fixed term, for example 

five years, rather than indefinitely. The council advertises all available properties, apart from 

sheltered housing, in the borough for rent from housing associations through a website 

called Homebid for people on the housing register. 

The level of rent and the type of tenancy will be made clear on the website as part of the 

details of the property so that prospective tenants are aware how much it would cost per 

week to live there before they make a bid. The successful bidder is usually the one in the 

highest housing need band, decided by the number of housing ‘points’ they have. 

New ways of 

calculating benefits 

Housing benefit is available to help people and families on low incomes who would 

otherwise struggle to pay the rent. The ways in which housing benefit is calculated and 

the amount people are entitled to is changing over the coming years. 

The Government’s welfare reforms propose changes to the level of benefits and the way 

that they will be paid from 2013. This is likely to mean that maximum allowable rent levels, 

known as ‘local housing allowance’, used to calculate housing benefit will fall. This will 

mean that people need to pay more of their rent as they will get less housing benefit. 

Other changes may happen and the council’s housing and benefits teams will inform all 

affected people as soon as the detail is known. The housing and benefits team at the 

borough council is working closely with housing associations to look at ways to give 

support and advice to people who may be affected by the changes. 

For more information visit the website at 

www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/housingchanges or call 01256 844844 

Newman Court, which offers apartments 

for shared ownership to people over 55 

in Basingstoke, is gearing up to welcome 

its first residents. The ‘extra care’ scheme 

in Brighton Hill, built in a partnership 

between the borough council, Hampshire 

County Council and Saxon Weald housing 

association, offers attractive apartments 

for over 55s with varied care needs. 

For more information about buying a 

flat email sales@saxonweald.com or 

call the Saxon Weald sales team on 

01403 226035. For more information 

on the extra care rented flats contact 

the borough council’s housing team on 

01256 844844. 

Worrying about debt 

The council offers mortgage rescue 

and debt management advice, as well 

as putting people in contact with other 

specialist organisations that can help. 

Getting advice early can stop things getting 

out of control. Those worrying about getting 

into debt should contact the council’s 

housing team on 01256 844844. 

Cabinet View 

Cllr Cathy Osselton, Cabinet Member 

for Housing, Health and Culture, said: 

We urge people getting into 

trouble paying their rent or 

mortgage to get in touch with our 

housing advice service as soon as 

possible, so we can help keep them in 

their home. Families affected by 

the changes in benefits will also 

be given support. 


Making 2012 a year to 

With the countdown to the Olympic Torch 

Relay well and truly underway, the borough is 

gearing up to celebrate the Games and leave 

a lasting legacy. 

Brighton Hill School pupils were the first to try out the new 

Down Grange running track 

The council’s focus for summer 2012 will be the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay 

coming to Basingstoke, welcoming the Olympic Flame on behalf of all the communities 

in the borough, on Wednesday 11 July. Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: “I want to 

encourage people across Basingstoke and Deane to start planning how they can be part 

of this once in a lifetime opportunity.” 

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) will 

be announcing the exact route through the town this month (March). People will be able to 

find out more about the last time the Olympic Torch came through Basingstoke in 1948 at 

the exhibition INSPIRE! Hampshire’s Stories of the Olympic Games at the Willis Museum 

in Market Place, Basingstoke, from 2 June to 15 September. 

Find out more about the torch relay and where to view it at 

www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/torch. 

Five Gold Rings 

The Hockey Festival is the biggest Olympic project in the borough supported by the council’s 

Five Gold Rings initiative, encouraging community organisations to organise activities. Other 

community projects across the borough supported by this scheme include: 

• 

Castle Hill Junior School’s Olympic Values project with visits from Olympians and 

opportunities for pupils to try different sports and a sponsored Marathon 

• 

Buckskin 

• 

Basingstoke 

and Worting Community Association’s ‘Going For Gold’ Community 

Garden outside The Ridgeway Centre 

Consortium’s Olympic themed enterprise challenges for secondary 

school and college pupils, focusing on language and culture, nutrition and athletes 

and design and marketing. 

To find out more about the Five Gold Rings project see 

www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/fivegoldrings 

(Left to right) Chris Instone, 

Ruth Crawford and Stuart Coleshill 

Leaving 

a legacy 

The council has invested £1 million in 

improving its main outdoor sports complex 

at Down Grange. This has included bringing 

the athletics track up to high standard, 

making it attractive as an Olympic training 

camp. Basingstoke and Mid Hants Athletics 

Club will now be hosting a major regional 

competition there. 

In the run up to the Torch Relay, the Down 

Grange Complex will host the Basingstoke 

Mixed Hockey Festival (our cover story) for 

the first time in nine years. When last held in 

2003, the festival saw around 500 people 

enjoying over 200 games of hockey. But the 

festival didn’t run again after the club moved. 

Now the Hockey Festival is back, running 

from Friday 6 July to Sunday 8 July 2012. 

The event marks the return of the club, 

which runs a total of seventeen teams from 

under eights to veterans, to its old home at 

the Maidenwell Pavilion at Down Grange. 

This follows the club’s makeover of the old 

Clubhouse Bar and the borough council’s 

investment in a new Astroturf pitch and 

refurbishment of the shower and changing 

facilities at the Maidenwell Pavilion. 

The pavilion upgrade includes a new entrance 

and lift to make it more accessible to all. 

Club Chairman Miranda Smith said: 

“We’re delighted to be re-launching the 

Festival after a nine-year break. As well as our 

partnership with the borough council, we’re 

also partnering with Great Britain Hockey as 

part of their ‘Hockey Nation’ programme.” 

For more information about 

the hockey festival see 

www.basingstoke-hockey.com. 


emember 

Golden talent blossoms! 

Young artist Chloe Pritchard will be helping Olympic excitement to 

grow in the borough – quite literally! The nine-year-old from Overton 

was the winner of a competition run by the borough council to 

design a London 2012 themed flowerbed to be planted in Eastrop 

Park. Chloe’s original design (shown above) has now been adapted 

by a bedding plant company so that it can be recreated in flowers 

and foliage for visitors to the park to enjoy in the spring. 

Chloe said: “I’m so excited that a picture that I’ve drawn will be on 

show in a park for the Olympics.” 

A street party 

fit for a queen 

Street party organisers usually need to take out individual 

insurance to cover events on public land, such as in a street 

or a park. However, as 2012 is a special year, the council is 

arranging a group liability insurance to cover most activities 

residents will be planning on public land. To take advantage of 

this, organisers need to let the council’s events team know well 

in advance what they are planning. 

The events team is also holding free street party workshops, 

covering the key areas involved for organisers. These include 

organising road closures and diversions; planning and 

budgeting; hiring equipment and minimising the potential 

hazards. 

Workshops are being held from 7pm to 9pm at: 

• Vyne Community School on Wednesday 25 April 

• The Hurst Community College on Thursday 17 May 

One of the parties held to mark the Royal wedding was 

organised by Jaki Robbins of Old Basing. It went so well that 

she’s planning another in June. “It made the whole street much 

more friendly,” said Jaki. “Organising it seemed quite daunting 

at first and there seemed so much red tape, but the events 

team at the council talked me through it and made it really easy 

to plan my party.” 

Making an 

Olympic splash 

Hosting the Olympics so near to the borough is a great 

opportunity to leave a lasting legacy by encouraging more 

people of all ages to try a new sport and learn to love exercise. 

One example of this is the regular free courses teaching people 

over 55 to swim. 

Myfanwy Whitehead, from Overton, who has just finished one 

of the courses held at Basingstoke Sports Centre, said: 

“I would definitely recommend it to other people. Our 

swimming instructor Nick Mutalama gave us real confidence, 

explaining it all and making it fun.” 

For more information about free swimmig courses for the 

over 55s see www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/55swim 

To book a place at one of these workshops please 

contact community.training@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 

01256 845622. For more advice on planning a street party 

see www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/streetparties 

Mayor’s View 

Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane Cllr David Leeks said: 

There is no better opportunity to celebrate the 

borough’s fantastic community spirit than the Queen’s 

Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. It would be great if the 

lasting legacy of 2012 was new initiatives that bring our 

communities even closer together. 


Taking action 

Across the borough, moves are being made to cut the carbon footprint of our 

homes and businesses and in our communities – and to cope with the impact 

of extreme weather from snow to heatwaves. 

Our homes 

Stopping energy going through the roof 

In a bid to save residents money and lower the borough’s carbon 

emissions the council is working together with Hampshire County 

Council on the Insulate Hampshire initiative. ScottishPower is 

offering, for a limited period, free cavity wall insulation and free loft 

insulation for those in the borough booking surveys before the end 

of March, subject to certain conditions. For more information call 

0800 952 0037, email enquiries@insulatehampshire.co.uk or see 

www.insulatehampshire.co.uk. 

Our businesses 

Lower carbon business 

Businesses can make real financial savings by improving their 

sustainable business practices. As part of EcoAdvantage, a 

European Social Funded project, the council has provided free 

carbon management training for over 80 local small to medium 

sized businesses. Although the project is coming to a close 

this year, an e-learning module is being developed to be freely 

accessible for all businesses,to advise them and help train their 

employees to work more sustainably. The module will be available 

at the end of March and will appear on the Basingstoke and Deane 

Borough Council website. 

International eco business park plans 

The regeneration of Basing View aims to turn it into a green 

business park, with plans to cut energy use and encourage more 

environmentally-friendly travel built into proposals for its future. 

A possible bid for European funding for those running business 

parks to share good ideas for cutting carbon is being put together. 

This saw a group from France visiting Basing View in January. 

Solar panels 

to cut tenants’ bills 

Sentinel housing association is installing solar panels on the roofs of 

145 properties in the borough. Focusing on suitable properties with the 

highest energy bills can save anything from £80 per year to £180 per 

year in electricity costs, dependant on usage patterns. The total project 

will save over 3000 tonnes of carbon per year. 

Planning for eco-homes 

New homes will all have to be zero carbon by 2016 under national 

requirements to address emissions and also to achieve a reduction 

of 15% in carbon emissions under the council’s proposed planning 

policies. Developments will also be expected to meet the Code for 

Sustainable Homes standards. 

Planning for 

greener businesses 

All new business developments will be expected to be zero carbon 

by 2019 under the national requirements to address emissions and 

under the council’s proposed planning policies to achieve a ‘very 

good’ standard for energy efficiency and construction. 

For more information on climate change in the borough or to sign up to the Greening Campaign email Lucy Martins 

at lucy.martins@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 01256 844844. For further information on cutting energy bills, renewable 

energy technologies and smart driving techniques visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk or call 0800 512 012.

on climate change 

Greening Chineham Campaign 

Our communities 

Small changes making 

a big difference 

Residents have already begun working together as communities to 

reduce their area’s carbon footprint under the Greening Campaign. 

Offering support and guidance, the Greening Campaign has been 

adopted in Chineham and Sherborne St John. The Greening Chineham 

Campaign, running since September 2010, focuses on making small 

changes which can then make a big difference. Ten simple energy 

saving actions have been adopted to challenge Chineham residents. 

These include: turning off the lights when you leave a room, turning off all 

standbys, washing laundry at 30ºC, only boiling the amount of water you 

need and turning the thermostat down by one degree. 

Encouraging renewable energy 

Community groups and individuals will be encouraged to identify and 

apply for wind power schemes in suitable areas in the borough in the 

future. This is among the council’s proposed new planning policies 

aiming to support new renewable or low-carbon energy development. 

Coping with extreme weather 

Communities are setting up schemes to cope with extreme weather 

and protect the most vulnerable people in their areas. A Snow Crisis 

Line is now being piloted in Whitchurch at the Gill Nethercott Centre 

and South Ham at Westside Community Centre. Whitchurch has 

managed to recruit around 30 volunteers willing to clear snow and 

fetch shopping and prescriptions for housebound older or disabled 

people during heavy snow. 

Greener community centres 

New community centres built by the borough council are being designed 

with carbon cutting technology in place. One example of this is the new 

Rooksdown Community Centre, which was designed to incorporate 

some of the latest sustainable technologies, such as a ground source 

heat pump system, that uses natural heat to cut energy bills, and a 

natural air ventilation system. 

Cutting the 

council’s carbon 

Reducing energy use 

The council has reduced its own carbon emissions by 21 per cent, 

the equivalent of filling 946 hot air balloons. This has been done 

through energy efficiency improvements and a reduction in mileage 

to deliver services. This exceeds the original target of 20 per cent. 

Greener grass cutting! 

The frontline team responsible for street cleaning and carrying 

out grounds maintenance in parks and open spaces throughout 

a largely rural borough has been doing its own bit to be greener. 

To be more energy efficient we ensure that the shortest route is 

taken and the use of satellite fleet monitoring systems allows the 

closest vehicle to attend call-outs if needed. We have also reduced 

the number of vehicles in our fleet and trained our teams in fuel 

consumption reducing techniques. 

Cabinet View 

Cllr Elaine Still, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: 

As a borough council, we have pledged to cut our 

energy use now, as well as planning for a more 

eco-friendly future and coping with the effects of climate change. 

We make this a cornerstone in all we do, raising awareness of the 

issues and supporting our businesses and residents to 

cut their energy use and carbon emissions. 


Cut out and 

keep checklist 

to recycle all 

you can 

About 50% of what’s 

thrown away could be 

recycled. Only 24%* is 

being recycled in the 

borough at the moment. 

Yes please 

• All plastic bottles, such as drinks, 

milk, cleaning products and 

shampoo bottles 

(Please remove lids) 

• All aluminium and steel cans, 

such as drinks, food and pet 

food cans 

• Empty aerosols 

• All unlined cardboard 

packaging and boxes, such as 

cereal and food boxes 

• All clean paper, such as 

newspapers, magazines, 

junk mail, directories and 

Yellow Pages 

No thanks 

• Plastic packaging, such as 

polystyrene, cellophane, yoghurt 

pots, margarine tubs, food trays 

and flower pots 

• Plastic carrier bags 

• Bottle tops 

• Drinks cartons, such as milk and 

orange juice cartons 

• Shredded paper 

• Gift wrap 

* unaudited figures 


Glass recycling 

for more residents 

All residents in the borough are due to get 

kerbside glass recycling by the end of June. 

Following on from the success of the first phase of the glass recycling collection service 

residents in the second phase will be receiving their recycling boxes shortly in the run up 

to the collections starting next month (April). 

This will mean that residents in parts of Brighton Hill, South Ham, Worting, Popley, 

Chineham, Oakley, Black Dam, Basingstoke town centre, Kempshott, Tadley, Silchester, 

Oakridge, Whitchurch and Overton will be able to put all their glass bottles and jars, 

without corks or tops, out for collection in their new box. The box then needs to be placed 

out alongside residents’ green recycling bins for emptying by 7am on the usual collection 

day. All the remaining residents in the borough will then get the service two months later, 

so that every home in the borough will be covered. 

Residents cannot put items such as light bulbs, glass panes, lead crystal glass, glass 

ovenware and, of course, any non-glass items in the box. The glass collected is sent to a 

reprocessing plant, where it is colour sorted and then used to make new bottles and jars. 

The first phase of the new fortnightly service was introduced last July and has collected 

over 200 tonnes of glass since it started. 

The glass collection service is being introduced thanks to a £1 million saving through joint 

waste and recycling collections with neighbouring Hart District Council. 

For more information see www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/recycle, 

email recycling@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 01256 844844. 

Pruning the cost of garden waste collections 

Green fingered recyclers are being offered even better value from the garden waste 

service with extra collections and bags for the same price as last year. 

The service collects grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, cut flowers, weeds, leaves, 

twigs and prunings on the same weekday fortnightly from February until the week of 

10 December 2012. The cost is still £28 per year but this year residents get two sacks 

rather than one. And anyone signing up later in the year will only pay for remaining 

collections, not the full charge as before. 

Everything collected in the large hard wearing green garden waste bags is composted 

locally to produce bags of Pro-Grow, high quality organic soil conditioner to help 

gardens grow. Last year over 4,000 people in the borough joined the scheme, sending 

an impressive 1,000 tonnes of garden waste for composting. 

To sign up see www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/gardenwaste to complete 

an online form or call 01256 844844.

...bringing variety to life 

www.basingstokefestival.co.uk 

Your guide to Basingstoke Festival 

Running from Friday 22 June to Sunday 15 July, Basingstoke Festival will offer a vibrant 

programme of events taking place at venues across the borough for all ages to enjoy. 

Colourful and cultural curtain-raiser 

The opening weekend sets the scene for the festival itself, with a wide variety of events to suit different tastes and ages. 

Taming of the Shrew 

Mosaic Festival 

Big top extravaganza 

Friday 22 June 

to Saturday 23 June 

also Thursday 28 June to 

Saturday 30 June 

Venue: Walled Garden, Down Grange 

Following the success of last year’s 

production of Love’s Labours Lost (pictured 

above), the critically acclaimed Proteans’ 

stage Shakespeare’s ultimate battle of the 

sexes performed outdoors at The Walled 

Garden - so make sure to bring a picnic. 

Contact: www.centralstudio.co.uk 

www.proteustheatre.com 

or call 01256 418318. 


to Sunday 24 June 

Venue: Glebe Gardens, off Church Street 

Showcasing the diversity of Basingstoke’s 

cultures through music, dance, theatre and 

participatory workshops. Saturday will see 

local ethnic cultures and food that enrich the 

borough with a multicultural performance 

extravaganza and fusion music into the 

evening. Sunday will see Punch’s Picnic, jazz 

and all things quintessentially English including 

Morris Dancers and cream tea! 

Contact: admin@bmforum.org.uk 

or call 07403 456 006 


to Sunday 24 June 

Venue: Festival Place 

A two-day event with clowns, jugglers and 

animatronics animals around the centre, 

hosted by ring master Matt Barnard. 

The following three weekends artist Michelle 

Reader will be constructing a Climbing 

Clowns sculpture in Porchester Square 

from recycled waste. 

Contact: www.festivalplace.co.uk 

Sign up for festival updates at www.basingstokefestival.co.uk or call 01256 844844. 


The Final Test 

Friday 22 to 


Venue The Haymarket 

The Final Test is the first stage play by highlyacclaimed 

novelist Chris Paling. It’s a touching and 

poignant comedy about marriage and cricket. 

Contact: www.anvilarts.org.uk 

or call 01256 844244 

Stand-up Comedy 


Venue: Central Studio 

Compere for all shows is Basingstoke comedian 

Matthew Baylis. Line up will be announced nearer 

the time. If you want to have a go yourself, email 

Matthew at ohthatisreallyfunny@gmail.com. 

Contact: www.centralstudio.co.uk 

or call 01256 418318 

Live and Unsigned 


Venue: Central Studio 

Showcasing up-and-coming bands, Live 

and Unsigned gives new artists a true gig 

experience. The line up includes Bless The Hour, 

Whitewash with headliners In Darklight. 

Contact: paul.philipson@qmc.ac.uk 

www.centralstudio.co.uk 

or call 01256 418318 

Festival Factor 


Venue: The Anvil 

The final of the singing competition that shows 

the borough’s got talent, following heats in 

Festival Place, starting at 7.30pm 


or call 01256 844244 

Philharmonia Orchestra 



The concert opens with the first performance of a new piece from young British 

composer Joseph Phibbs, co-commissioned with the Philharmonia Orchestra 

for The Anvil’s eighteenth birthday. The other work on the programme is Mahler’s 

massive Resurrection Symphony following a symbolic journey from death to life 

across its five movements. 

Contact: www.anvilarts.org.uk or call 01256 844244 

Vintage Festival 

Sunday 24 June 

World Party in the Park 


Venue: Milestones Museum 

Milestones’ network of Victorian and 1930s streets will 

be transformed into a bustling marketplace, with over 

50 stalls to browse, selling endless treasures from prom 

dresses to pottery, barware to Bakelite, kitchenalia to 

totally kitsch! 

Contact: www.milestones-museum.com 

or call 0845 603 5635 

Courtesy of The Making taken by Joe Low 

Venue: Eastrop Park in Basingstoke 

Opening with a colourful children’s parade, this spectacular free event features the 

best of live world music, dance and street art from Blue Grass to Bhangra, storytelling, 

facepainting, craft workshops, lots of other hands-on activities and exotic food. 

Contact: www.themaking.org.uk, www.worldpartyinthepark.org.uk 

or call 01256 845679. 


Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert 

Tiddler and Other Tales 

Friday 6 July 


Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Gala Concert featuring an impressive programme of female 

classical musicians - violinist Nicola Benedetti, cellist Natalie Clein and trumpeter 

Alison Balsom with soprano Lesley Garrett and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 

conducted by Sian Edwards 

Contact: www.anvilarts.org.uk or telephone 01256 844244 

Festival of Choirs 

Sunday 8 July 


Over 400 singers from 10 local choirs, accompanied by the Hannington Band, will 

present music from the 1952 Coronation and the best music from the last sixty 

glorious years. The programme will include I Vow To Thee My Country, Zadok The 

Priest, Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory. During the festival choirs will also be 

performing at Festival Place. 

Contact: http://basingstokefestivalofchoirs.co.uk 

Red Carpet Screenings 

Rehearsals for Festival of Choirs 

Saturday 7 July and Sunday 8 July 

Venue: Central Studio, Basingstoke 

A fantastic weekend of cutting-edge, dramatic and hilarious short films made by local 

and national independent film makers. 

Contact: www.centralstudio.co.uk or call 01256 418318 

Thursday 28 June 

and Friday 29 June 

Venue: The Haymarket 

A brand new show from the award-winning 

Scamp Theatre - a magical collection of Julia 

Donaldson’s most popular titles including 

Tiddler, The Smartest Giant in Town, A Squash 

and a Squeeze and Monkey Puzzle. 


or call 01256 844244 

The Railway Children 

Wednesday 11 July 

Venue: The Vyne 

Bring your picnic and blankets and cosy up 

on the beautiful north lawn of The Vyne Estate 

while the sun sets, before watching outdoor 

family theatre as Heartbreak Productions 

enchant with a performance of the classic 

children’s story. 

For info contact The Vyne: 01256 883858 

For ticket booking: 0844 249 1895 

Summer Time Special 

Saturday 14 July 

Venue: The Haymarket 

A show featuring music, magic and mirth 

– and a stroll down memory lane – all in aid 

of Age Concern in Basingstoke with 

performances at 3pm and 7pm. 


or call 01256 844244 


Saturday 14 July and Sunday 15 July 

Basingstoke Live ends 

festival on a high note 

The finale of the festival will be the borough’s premier music event, 

Basingstoke Live, which is set to take place on Saturday 14 and 

Sunday 15 July. The free two day event will once again showcase 

the best in music and dance from Basingstoke, alongside national 

and internationally renowned artists. 

The headliners on Saturday 

14 July will be drum and 

bass heavy weights Fabio 

and Grooverider. From 

their early days in the acid 

house scene to more than a 

decade presenting on Radio 

One, both DJs have been 

hugely successful, 

developing their own styles 

and sounds to critical 

acclaim. 

Register your event for the 

Basingstoke Festival! 

To add even more variety to the festival season we want to highlight 

cultural events taking place across the Basingstoke and Deane 

region. If you have organised a cultural activity, such as an amateur 

theatre performance, an evening of comedy, music or dance, a 

historic lecture, art exhibition or sculpture trail in the park, this is your 

chance to promote your event to a broader audience. 

Basingstoke Live welcomes From 

The Jam to the headline slot on 

Sunday 15 July. After Mod revival 

legends The Jam split in the early 80s, 

bassist Bruce Foxton has seen 

success as a solo artist and with 

several bands, most notably his 15 

years with Stiff Little Fingers. From The 

Jam features Bruce along with drummer Mark Brzezicki, formerly 

with Big Country, and front man Russell Hastings to give a truly 

authentic interpretation of The Jam’s back catalogue, including 

Town Called Malice, Eton Rifles and Going Underground. 

The festival is organised by the Basingstoke Live Forum, a group 

of local music and arts promoters that work with the council to 

produce the event. There will be stages packed with a wide variety 

of musical styles and genres from predominantly local acts. Rock, 

indie, house, drum and bass, reggae, funk, acoustic and more, 

together with workshops and demonstrations mean there is always 

something to suit everyone’s tastes. 

If your group can offer something to a larger event, such as a 

demonstration, workshop or guided walk, or you have a show but no 

venue contact the Festival Coordinator who may be able to help. 

Registrations close on 

Tuesday 27 March 2012 

For more information, or to fill in a registration form, go to www.basingstokefestival.co.uk. 

You can also email the Festival Coordinator at festival@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 01256 844844. 


Planning 

our future 

The blueprint that will guide development in 

the borough over the next 15 years is reaching 

a crucial stage. 

This detailed document – called the Core 

Strategy – is now in its ‘formal’ period of 

public consultation, running from Friday 

10 February to Friday 23 March. This 

overarching planning document identifies 

where development will take place, how 

new jobs will be supported and how 

the environment of the borough will be 

protected and enhanced. Once formally 

adopted, it will be one of the key factors in 

whether planning applications are approved. 

The Core Strategy allows for 594 

new homes per year to be built up to 

2027 to meet the area’s needs. New 

home building is focused primarily on 

Basingstoke, followed by appropriate levels 

in the smaller settlements of Whitchurch, 

Overton, Bramley, Kingsclere and Oakley. 

Basingstoke is where the need for housing 

is greatest and where development can be 

supported by existing services and facilities. 

How can 

I have my say 

The consultation version of the Core 

Strategy, together with all of the detailed 

assessments, maps, supporting 

documents and an online response 

form, is available on the council’s 

website. Copies of all the documents 

are available to view at the Civic Offices, 

and at libraries in the borough, together 

with printed response forms. As this is 

a ‘formal’ legal stage in the process of 

consultation on the Core Strategy, any 

comments must focus on whether it is 

legally compliant based on a robust and 

credible evidence base, can be delivered 

and is consistent with national policy. 

See www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/ 

corestrategy or call 01256 844844 

Previously-developed land and regeneration 

opportunities were considered first to 

keep the use of greenfield sites as low as 

possible. Proposed greenfield housing sites 

were chosen through a site assessment 

process. Sites were chosen to minimise the 

need for people to travel to jobs, shops, 

leisure and other services, and have least 

impact on the environment. Locations were 

chosen that will help to build communities, 

and where the appropriate facilities such 

as schools, shops, employment and leisure 

facilities are either available or can be 

provided. 

Comments made during the consultation 

will be considered by the council and 

revisions, where necessary, made before 

submitting the Core Strategy to the 

Government to have it independently 

inspected. There will be an examination of 

the plan in public, likely to be in September 

or October 2012. Finally, the inspector will 

recommend any changes needed before 

the council formally adopts the plan, likely 

to be early in 2013. 

Cabinet View 

Cllr Rob Golding, Cabinet Member for 

Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, 

said: 

Years of evidence gathering 

and input from residents and 

organisations have gone into drawing up 

this crucial document. I am confident that 

it represents a plan for the future of the 

borough that will help us to meet needs 

and plan for future prosperity. This is a 

very formal stage of consultation and I 

hope that residents will give us 

their comments. 

A summary leaflet is available giving more details 

Where are new 

homes being 

proposed 

Proposed greenfield housing sites are: 

• Swing Swang Lane, Basingstoke for 

100 homes 

• North of Popley Fields, Basingstoke 

for 450 homes 

• Razors Farm, Basingstoke for 

 

480 homes 

• East of Basingstoke for 900 homes 

• Redlands, east of Basingstoke for 

150 homes 

• Basingstoke Golf Course, 

Basingstoke for 1,050 homes 

• Overton Hill, Overton for 120 homes 

• South of Bloswood Lane, Whitchurch 

 

for 150 homes 

Proposed ‘reserve’ greenfield housing 

sites around Basingstoke, needed 

only if the housing target cannot be 

met using the proposed sites and any 

suitable other brownfield (previously 

developed) sites: 

• Kennel Farm for 350 homes 

• Cufaude Farm for 350 homes 

For some villages and towns, a number 

of new homes have been proposed: 

Bramley (200 homes); Kingsclere (50 

homes); Oakley (150 homes) and 

Whitchurch (200 homes in addition to 

those identified south of Bloswood Lane). 


Superfast 

broadband 

campaign speeds up 

The campaign to get more people in the borough hooked up to 

superfast broadband is speeding up, after 20 more telephone line 

cabinets were upgraded with fibre optic cabling. 

The latest additions to Basingstoke’s growing superfast broadband 

community followed extensive behind the scenes work by the 

borough council working with BT Openreach and Hampshire 

County Council. The upgrades, in December 2011, mean that 

over 400 additional postcode areas will be able to gain access to 

the improved broadband services. The 20 cabinets are located 

in Beggarwood, Black Dam, Brighton Hill, Buckskin, Chineham, 

Cliddesden, Eastrop, Farleigh Wallop, Hatch Warren, Kempshott, 

Lychpit, Old Basing, Popley and Winklebury. It is now down to the 

individual service providers to make broadband packages available 

so that residents and business can reap the benefits of the new 

super-fast broadband. 

The new fibre connections mean download speeds of up to 

40 megabytes, benefiting residents and businesses by allowing, 

for example, music tracks to be downloaded in less than five 

seconds, movies and sports events to be watched online in high 

definition and video conferencing. The latest upgrades follow the 

initial deployment of superfast broadband at the end of 2010. 

Hampshire County Council is to get £5 million of government 

funding to bring faster broadband to residents and businesses 

in rural areas - see www.hants.gov.uk/broadband-signup 

for more information about the funding allocation and the county 

council’s campaign for faster broadband. 

For more information on super fast broadband see 

www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/broadband. To find out if you are 

connected to one of the new cabinets email andrew.dowling@ 

basingstoke.gov.uk or call 01256 844844. 

Bills can be hard to pay... 

but we’re making payment easier 

You can pay your council tax at no extra charge: 

by direct debit 

online 24 hours a day 

over the phone using a credit or debit card 24 hours a day 

with a payment card at the Post Office 

You can pay parking tickets, business rates and many 

other council payments in the same way too! For more 

information see www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/payments 

or call 01256 844844 

Making customers’ 

lives easier 

With internet shopping and banking increasing, the council is 

working to improve the website at www.basingstoke.gov.uk to 

make more services easier to access 24 hours a day. 

A new ‘web chat’ service is being trialled during office hours giving 

residents the chance to have an online conversation with a customer 

advisor via the website. Booking of the Down Grange Astroturf pitch 

is the latest service to go online. For a list of all the council’s ‘at the 

click of a mouse’ services see www.basingstoke.gov.uk/do or on 

the back cover of this magazine. In the past residents have always 

had to come to the council offices to renew their parking permits, 

but this can now be done over the phone. The next step will be to 

move this service on-line. 

But for those who prefer over the phone or face-to-face contact, 

the council has been recognised as providing good customer 

service with the telephone contact centre and reception 

customer advisor teams being accredited by the Customer 

Contact Association. 

Tell us once 

Losing a loved one is hard enough without the stress of lots 

of paperwork and phone calls to make. Tell Us Once lets 

relatives tell Hampshire County Council and the borough 

council, as well as lots of other government agencies and 

departments about a death, all at the same time, when they 

make a booking to register a death with their local registrar. 

The updated information will be shared securely with the 

Department for Work and Pensions who can pass it on to 

update services including passports, driving licences, council 

tax and even libraries. This new initiative is now available for 

borough residents through a partnership with the county and 

borough council. 

For more information about registering a death and 

the Tell Us Once service, see www.hants.gov.uk/ 

registration/register a death or call 0845 603 5637. 

Cabinet View 

Cllr Karen Cherrett, Cabinet Member for Corporate Performance 

and Partnerships, said: 

We are working hard to make things easier for our 

residents as well as improve the efficiency of our 

services. Wherever possible, we aim to provide access to 

services and answers to questions quickly and easily in 

a way that suits our residents – not us – best! 


Please cut out 

and return the 

feedback form 

Don’t lose your vote 

Voters from certain areas in the borough will be going 

to the polls on Thursday 3 May as one third of the 

borough council’s 60 seats are up for election. 

The seats on the borough council that are up for 

election in May are: 

• Basing 

• Baughurst and Tadley North 

• Bramley and Sherfield 

• Brighton Hill South 

• Brookvale and Kings Furlong 

• Buckskin 

• Chineham 

• Hatch Warren & Beggarwood 

• Kempshott 

• Kingsclere 

• Norden 

• Oakley and North Waltham 

• Pamber and Silchester 

• Popley East 

• Popley West 

• Rooksdown 

• Sherborne St John 

• South Ham 

• Tadley South 

• Whitchurch 

Seats on 11 parish councils are also due to be up for election 

on the same day. 

Give us 

your 

views 

and you could win 

a shopping spree 

We are offering one Basingstoke & 

Deane Today reader the chance to 

win a £50 Festival Place voucher. 

Please fill in this form and return 

freepost. All responses received will 

be put into the prize draw to win the 

voucher. Responses need to be 

received by Friday 27 April 2012. 

Don’t forget to fill in the other side of 

this form over the page, giving us your 

contact details in case you win the 

prize draw. 

A good read 

Let us know what you think 

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What type of stories or features would 

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Basingstoke & Deane Today 

Everyone over the age of 18 living in your home must be on the electoral register in order 

to vote. In some cases it may be difficult to obtain credit if you are not on the register, this 

could result in you not being able to open a bank account or being accepted for a loan. 

You can choose to vote at your polling station, by post or by proxy (someone else voting 

on your behalf). People registering for a postal vote must apply for a form, complete and 

return it to the borough council by 5pm on Wednesday 18 April 2012 and by 5pm on 

Wednesday 25 April 2012 if applying for a proxy vote. 

What information would you like us to 

include from other public services and 

community groups 

If you have registered to vote, you will receive a poll card this month (March) telling you the 

location of your polling station. If any of your personal details are incorrect on the poll card, 

contact the electoral services team. 

If you want your say in how the borough is run, make sure you register to vote by 

Wednesday 18 April 2012. 

To register, or to find out more about the elections, go to the council’s website 

www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/2012elections or call the electoral services 

team on 01256 845355. If you are unsure which ward you live in see 

www.electionmaps.co.uk or contact the electoral services team. 

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Getting more 

people hired! 

A number of companies have invested in expanding 

their premises in recent months, with the council 

aiming to encourage and support businesses to 

start-up or thrive here to boost the local economy. 

The council’s economic development team, 

works in partnership with other organisations 

to secure long term growth, encourage 

inward investment, create jobs and support 

enterprise and innovation, as well as 

improving skills in the local workforce. 

As a key part of the Enterprise M3 local 

enterprise partnership, which includes 

north Hampshire and west Surrey, the 

council is working together with major 

employers and other local authorities to 

improve skills and tackle barriers to business 

success. Enterprise M3 has secured 

almost £14.5 million from the government’s 

Growing Places fund which will be spent 

on infrastructure projects that will most 

benefit businesses in the region. For more 

information on the work of the enterprise 

partnership see its new website at 

www.enterprisem3.org.uk 

Nick Hewer 

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Email: 

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In complying with the Data Protection Act 

1998, Basingstoke and Deane Borough 

Council confirms that it will process 

personal data gathered from this form 

only for purposes relating to magazine 

feedback and for the purposes of the 

competition only. 

Return in an envelope – no 

stamp needed to: 

Basingstoke and Deane Today 

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council 

FREEPOST BZ740, Basingstoke RG21 4GA 

Prize draw rules You must be over 18 and a resident of the 

borough to receive the prize. The prize is not exchangeable 

for money. The winner will be notified by Friday 31 May 2012. 

The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be 

entered into. 

Another new website is also being set up 

to offer budding small businesses and 

entrepreneurs a ‘one stop shop’ of help and 

advice on building a successful company, 

thanks to the council winning European 

funding. Meeting the need for a reference 

guide to all business support services, the 

new website has been awarded 10,000 

euros from the ENTREDI project. 

The council is supporting a free regional 

business event, ‘Be Inspired’ on 

Thursday 19 April. Organised by Destination 

Basingstoke, the event will be officially 

opened by Nick Hewer, Lord Sugar’s trusted 

adviser from BBC1 show ‘The Apprentice’. 

The event will feature a programme of 

presentations and seminars aimed at 

businesses of all sizes and types, with an 

emphasis on helping businesses access 

the advice and support they need to be 

successful in the area. For more information 

see www.beinspiredbusiness.co.uk or 

call 01256 461167. 

Cabinet View 

Cllr Andrew Finney, Cabinet Member 

for Economic Strategy and 

Development, said: 

The borough is a great location 

for business. We are doing 

everything we can to support companies 

to set up and thrive here, which is crucial 

for good jobs and a high standard of 

living for our residents. 


Help make your area even safer 

The borough council, the police 

and other partners are working to 

make you feel safer. 

The Community Safety Partnership brings together emergency 

services, councils and other organisations with shared targets to 

prevent crime, which has come down by around 30% over the last five 

years. One of the main aims of the partnership is to reassure residents 

living in fear of crime through initiatives to make them feel safer. 

Community safety partners will be in Basingstoke with two roadshows 

planned over the coming months, where police, fire and council 

officers will be giving advice on crime prevention and personal safety. 

On Tuesday 3 April in Market Square in Basingstoke town centre, 

the police will be offering advice on how to reduce breaks-ins, as part 

of the Operation Nemesis campaign. On Saturday 9 June all the 

emergency services will be on hand to offer advice to residents on 

everything from personal safety to fire prevention in a community safety 

open day at Basingstoke Fire Station in West Ham Close, Basingstoke. 

Tony Tuck logs into the Neighbourhood Watch area of CrimeReports 

CrimeReports now online 

Residents in Basingstoke and Deane are among the first in 

the UK to have access to CrimeReports, a brand new crime 

mapping facility. 

CrimeReports is a partnership project between the borough 

council, Hampshire Constabulary, Hampshire County Council, 

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Probation Service. 

Patrollers help Armadillo roll-out Go to www.crimereports.co.uk, 

enter your postcode and you can: 

• see crimes or incidents in your area on a map 

• if you live in a Neighbourhood Watch area, 

request to join online 

• sign up to email updates and crime alerts 

• submit an anonymous tip to Crimestoppers 

• see when your next neighbourhood meeting is 

taking place 

• contact your local police officers or partner agencies. 

Community safety patrol officers took to the streets two years ago, 

as a joint force funded by the borough council and Hampshire 

County Council. Since then they have handled over 7,189 

incidents. But a key part of their role is engaging local communities 

in community safety initiatives, for example giving home security 

advice in the areas around reported break-ins. 

Currently, they are talking to householders about fitting bolts on 

garage doors and using Operation Armadillo ‘secured garage’ 

stickers in a bid to stop opportunistic thieves targeting garages. 

Strengthened bolts are fitted to garage doors and customers are 

also given advice which should help to further deter break-ins. 

For further information on crime prevention and 

tackling anti-social behaviour, including joining or 

starting a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, see 

www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/communitysafety. 

To contact the community safety patrol team email 

community.safety@hants.gov.uk or call 01256 845700. 

Vice Chair of Basingstoke and Deane Neighbourhood Watch 

Police Committee, as well as the Neighbourhood Watch 

Co-ordinator for Old Basing and Lychpit, Tony Tuck said: 

“CrimeReports is, in my opinion, the best tool available to date 

to combat any anti-social behaviour, crime or arson. Anybody 

can identify police or fire related incidents in their area, as well as 

statistics for crimes or offences committed. The system can also 

generate warnings to Neighbourhood Watch coordinators about 

areas of potential problems.” 

Police View 

Chief Inspector Andy Bottomley, Basingstoke and Deane 

District Commander, said: 

While Basingstoke and Deane continues to be one of 

the safest places to live in the UK with relatively low 

levels of crime and disorder, this new website is a great way for 

residents to get the full picture of what is happening in their local 

area. The system also includes what the police, the borough 

council and other partners are doing to improve safety 

in the local community. 


Communities 

Residents are setting up their own new local activities, newsletters and 

youth clubs, as well as working on community plans for the future of their 

areas, working with the council’s community development team. Here are 

the team’s latest updates from around the borough. 

Our first Disability Challengers’ youth club opens 

The Disability Challengers’ first Hampshire youth scheme 

is now meeting all day on Saturdays and on Monday 

evenings in the refurbished youth wing of Oakridge Hall for 

All in Basingstoke. Run by the registered charity Disability 

Challengers and supported by the borough and county 

councils, the scheme gives young people between the ages 

of 13 and 18 the chance to socialise and develop through 

leisure activities. The launch at the centre in Forsythia Walk, 

in January, gave young people the chance to enjoy a range 

of activities, including Wii games, art and even some fun 

wrestling in giant Sumo suits. 

Kat Mack, of Disability Challengers, said: “The scheme is 

set to be a great success in Basingstoke and we are keen 

to run youth holiday schemes and other schemes for all age 

groups.” For more information about Disability Challengers 

see www.disability-challengers.org or call 01483 230939. 

Bramley 

A new part-time youth worker is being 

recruited to Bramley Youth Project to 

develop the youth club and its activities. 

Buckskin and Worting 

The Ridgeway Centre has got funding 

from Worting Playing Trust to continue 

the Buckskin & Worting Bugle newsletter 

for the next three years. The community 

association is planning more of its 

popular information technology courses 

and has recruited two new youth 

workers to set up new activities and look 

for further funding opportunities. The 

Heart of Buckskin Group has developed 

a survey for residents to create a 

community plan for the future. 

Chineham 

People and organisations in 

Chineham have been meeting with the 

community development worker to 

look at developing a Summer Streetz 

programme of evening youth activities in 

the area in August 2012. 

Dummer 

A nature group is being set up in 

Dummer and some residents are 

now working towards starting a 

children’s group in the village once a 

month on a Saturday. 

Eastrop 

A group of young people at the Irish 

Centre in Council Road, Basingstoke 

have started a talent showcase. 

This follows on from a launch event in 

October with over 100 young people 

attending. 

North Waltham 

A new youth club for nine to 13 year 

olds has been set up in North Waltham 

running at the Rathbourne pavilion on 

Friday evenings. 

Oakridge 

A new youth club, ‘The Shack’ has 

started at Oakridge Hall for All on 

Thursday evenings in the refurbished 

and refurnished youth wing. 

Overton 

A new community planning group has 

been set up in Overton. 

Popley 

A youth club is now running every 

Monday evening at Popley Fields 

Community Centre, with around 30 

young people coming along each 

week. The Popley Fields Community 

Association has now applied for funding 

from Hampshire County Council’s youth 

support service to employ a youth 

worker to help develop the club. 

Popley 

Marnel and Merton Community Planning 

Group is now finalising a questionnaire 

to go out to residents for distribution 

shortly. 

Sherfield Park (Taylor’s Farm) 

Activities available at Sherfield Park 

Community Centre are continuing to 

increase, a day nursery has opened 

and community events hosted there are 

attracting several hundred residents and 

three new volunteers have joined the 

community association committee. 

South Ham 

South Ham Youth Project is now well 

established with over 500 young people 

attending the sessions since last July. 

South Ham’s community planning group 

has sent out a formal questionnaire to 

all homes in South Ham, focusing on 


getting together 

Rooksdown Community 

Association in new home 

Rooksdown Community Association is now 

settling into its new home in the area’s longawaited 

community centre. The brand new 

centre, handed over by the borough council 

to Rooksdown Community Association 

in December, boasts a large hall, meeting 

room, kitchen and a separate youth room, all 

available for hire. 

With Simon Bound the Centre Development 

Manager and two part-time youth workers 

in place, activities now being offered at 

the centre include a youth club held every 

Monday and Wednesday from 7pm to 10pm 

for 11 to 16-year-olds. Now the association 

is looking to recruit volunteers with a few 

hours to spare a week for more projects and 

activities that are planned. 

For more information see 

www.rooksdownonline.com or call 

Simon on 0844 330 5231 

the topics identified in their informal 

consultations. Westside Community 

Association has relauched the local 

newsletter and hopes to enrol a 

volunteer team to deliver it to every 

house in South Ham. 

Tadley 

Tadley Community Centre’s new youth 

club, the “Chill Zone” for 11 to 14 year 

olds, is currently being run by volunteers, 

with around 20 young people coming 

along each Thursday at 7pm. 

Tadley Community Cinema has 

premiered its first movies and is now 

showing films on the first Saturday 

of every month. Freesat has also 

been installed to allow the community 

association to show public events 

of interest and selected sporting 

events. To find out what’s on, see 

www.tadleycommunitycinema.org. 

uk or contact Mandy Atkinson on 

0118 814538 or email mandy@ 

tadleycommunitycentre.org.uk 

Whitchurch 

The Whitchurch Family Network 

Signpost leaflet, giving information 

about activities and support available 

for parents and children in the area, 

was launched at a ‘Dads and Kids’ 

event at Testbourne School. 

Winklebury 

Winklebury Community Association 

has secured £600 funding from Affinity 

Sutton for the youth club. 

Speaking up 

for young people 

Young people now have even more of a 

say in the borough with the formation of 

Basingstoke and Deane Youth Voices. 

Established by the borough council to give 

young people the opportunity to express their 

views, make changes in their community and 

take responsibility for decisions that affect 

their lives, the group was named by the first 

members to join. Now the group is looking 

for more 11 to 19-year-olds who live, study or 

work in the borough to get involved. Meetings 

are held once a month, with the group keen 

to organise events and initiate new projects, 

as well as to comment on activities for young 

people and raise awareness of existing 

activities and facilities. 

For more information on Basingstoke 

and Deane Youth Voices contact 

the community development officer 

responsible for youth and learning, 

Mike Nicholls, on 01256 845338 or email 

mike.nicholls@basingstoke.gov.uk 

Get involved! 

Make contact with your community development officer: 

• for Basing, Bramley, Chineham, Popley, Sherborne St John and Sherfield-on-Loddon 

contact stephen.bate@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 07500 987638. 

• for Brookvale, Buckskin, Kempshott, Kings Furlong, North Waltham, Oakley, the 

Candovers and Upton Grey contact danielle.berry@basingstoke.gov.uk or 

call 07766 803403 

• for Baughurst, Eastrop, Norden, Pamber, Silchester and Tadley contact 

sherrie.morgan@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 07785 516966 

• for Brighton Hill, Beggarwood, Grove, Hatch Warren, Laverstoke, Overton and South 

Ham contact simon.christian@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 07775 413236 

• for Bishops Green, Burghclere, East Woodhay, Highclere, Kingsclere, Rooksdown, 

St Mary Bourne, Whitchurch and Winklebury contact 

lucy.mackmin@basingstoke.gov.uk or call 07775 413251 


Dates for your diary 

For more events, ideas for days out and what’s happening in the borough, see 


Teeing off for Easter fun 

Get fit for 

Basingstoke Half Marathon 

After the success of the new Basingstoke Half 

Marathon, hundreds of people have already 

entered for this year’s event on Sunday 7 

October. Seasoned runners, as well as those 

who are keen to get fit to run their first half 

marathon are being urged to register on line 

now at www.basingstokehalfmarathon.com 

to secure their place. 

The half marathon starts from the War 

Memorial Park and then takes a traffic free 

rural route around the villages of Cliddesden, 

Ellisfield and Farleigh Wallop, including 

some beautiful countryside as well as some 

challenging hills. Runners in 2011 rated the 

race as one of best for atmosphere, according 

to the Runner’s World forum, out of 3,600 

races nationwide - thanks to the enthusiastic 

spectators that supported the race last year. 

A new attraction offering fun for all the family is being launched at Basingstoke Golf Centre 

in time for the Easter break. The Community Leisure Trust, which manages the facility on 

behalf of the council, has invested in a mini golf feature - a short nine hole course, 

with various obstacles and challenges on the way. For more information see 

www.basingstokeleisure.com/basingstoke_golf call 01256 350054 or visit the 

Golf Centre off Worting Road, Basingstoke. 

LEGO ® Mania 

at Milestones 

Visitors to Milestones Museum until 

Sunday 15 April 2012, are being offered 

the unique chance to watch 150,000 Lego 

bricks being placed one by one to create 

a magnificent minifigure scale model of the 

great Tudor Palace at Basing House. Built by 

Duncan Titchmarsh, the UK’s only certified 

professional LEGO builder, the model is just 

the focal point for a vast range of LEGO 

fun for both children and adults, including 

competitions and prizes, models on display 

and DUPLO and LEGO brick play tables. 

For more information see 

www.milestones-museum.com 

Competition for young playwrights 

Proteus Theatre Company is challenging 

schoolchildren to create the story for their 

upcoming summer show on the theme of 

‘The Mission’. Proteus is accepting story 

submissions from any child in Hampshire 

aged from five to nine up until Friday 30 

March. Stories must not be any longer 

than 500 words and the company is also 

accepting picture entries for those who would 

rather draw. Each entry must have the name 

of the child, their age, their school and a 

contact address. The winning entry will be 

announced in April and turned into a brand 

new production which will tour to participating 

schools and professional venues throughout 

the county this summer. The winner will 

receive four free tickets to see their show 

performed at Central Studio, Basingstoke 

on Thursday 7 June 2012. For more 

information see www.proteustheatre.com 

Charity walk in the countryside 

Sunday 27 May 2012 

A charity walk will take fundraisers through 

beautiful borough countryside starting from 

the communication mast in Hannington 

between 9am and 10.30am. There are 

three circular routes to choose from, with 

dogs on leads welcome. There will a 

barbecue included at the end of the walk, 

weather permitting. The registration fee 

is £6 and £3 for children (no charge for 

children under three) and proceeds will go 

to Sebastian’s Action Trust and other Rotary 

charities including Life Education Wessex 

as well as walkers’ chosen charities. 

For an entry form and more information 

see www.Basingstoke.Rotaryweb.org. 

Local art exhibition 

The work of over 50 well known and awardwinning 

local artists will be on show at the 

Artex 12 Art Exhibition at East Woodhay 

Village Hall. All proceeds from the 

exhibition on Saturday 10 March 10am to 

6pm and Sunday 11 March 11am to 3pm 

will go to St Martin’s School and St Martin’s 

Church. For more information see 

www.artexart.org or call 01635 254033. 


Advertisements 

progrowamend.qxd 26/1/12 10:31 am Page 1 

Pro-Grow 

Water Meters 

South East Water is installing 

compulsory water meters in 

Basingstoke. The meters are 

currently being fitted in Brighton 

Hill and South Ham, before the 

programme rolls out across the 

rest of Basingstoke. South East 

Water will let customers know 

when their meter will be fitted 

four months in advance. 

The South East of England has been classed as 

an area of serious water stress and installing 

meters will go a long way to protecting your 

future water supplies. It is also a fairer way 

to pay for water as you’ll only pay for what 

you use. 

To find out more information 

on the metering programme 

visit www.southeastwater.co.uk 

or call 0333 000 0003. 

www.southeastwater.co.uk 

www.pro-grow.co.uk 

Valid until 30 April 2012 

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– particularly on the vegetable patch! 

Soil Association Certified Pro-Grow Peat 

Free Soil Conditioner is made entirely 

from recycled green material collected 

from Hampshire households. 

Its open structure will breakdown heavy clay 

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the good news for Hampshire residents is 

that we will deliver Pro-Grow to your door, so 

you don’t have to brave the winter weather or 

carry heavy bags to and from your car! 

Special Winter offer! 

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To take advantage of this offer simply 

call quoting code H1 or visit our 

website www.pro-grow.co.uk 

T: 0845 678 9955 


Keep in 

touch with 

your council 

Bin collections 

over Easter 

By website, click: 


Online 24 hours a day you can: 

• pay your council tax or pay for the garden waste 

collection service or for a parking ticket 

• buy tickets for some of the Mayor’s charity events or donate 

to his charities 

• apply for planning permission, to join the housing register or for 

job vacancies 

• report a missed bin, flytipping, graffiti or litter 

On Twitter, follow: 

@BasingstokeGov 

For service updates and the latest news from the council 

By SMS message, text: 

07797 877006 

Over the Easter break there will be no changes 

to the bin collections, even on Good Friday and 

Easter Monday. So put your grey bins out on your 

usual day before 7am, together with your green 

bin on your normal recycling collection week. 

BT text relay: 

1800101256844844 

By phone, call: 

The contact centre on 01256 844844 

The contact centre is open Monday to Thursday 

from 8.30am to 5.30pm and on Fridays 

from 8.30am to 5pm (except bank holidays). 

For emergencies relating to council services outside 

normal hours call 01256 844844 and stay on the line to 

be connected with the out-of-hours service. 

Hurry - FREE 

insulation ends soon! 

With your borough councillor 

Find yours at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/mycouncillor 

or call 01256 844844 

In person, visit: 

The Civic Offices in London Road, Basingstoke, RG21 4AH 

Open Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 5pm and 

on Fridays from 8.30am to 4.30pm (except bank holidays). 

By post, write to: 

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, 

Civic Offices, London Road, Basingstoke, RG21 4AH 

Insulate Hampshire is offering FREE cavity wall 

insulation and FREE loft insulation subject to 

certain conditions and a free, no obligation 

technical survey provided by the scheme. 

To find out more about the offer, made in partnership 

with the borough council and Hampshire County 

Council, visit 

www.insulatehampshire.co.uk 

or call 0800 952 0037 


7677_0112

Spring 2012 - Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

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