Oliver’s Battery Easter Egg Hunt 2024.

Easter Sunday 31st March 2024.

The  Oliver’s Battery Easter Egg Hunt will be running again for the third successive year.

In 2023 we had over 250 participants  who enjoyed a wonderful sunny day out.

This year we hope to exceed that number and have many more people taking part in the “hunting”.

We are again looking for front gardens to be ‘volunteered’ to host an Easter Egg Hunt clue.

Each clue will be placed on the pavement boundary line and in a position with the owners agreement.

We hope to have up to 40 different garden frontages over Oliver’s displaying clues in order to provide an entertaining event for the whole community to enjoy.

If you feel you could volunteer your garden frontage for this, please email: oliversbatteryevents@gmail.com.

We would be very pleased to hear from you.

Thank You.

Oliver’s Battery Events Team (a working group of OBPC)

News from Hampshire Highways

Dear Parish Clerk and Chair

I hope this note finds you well.

Thank you for the positive feedback in response to our circulation of letters last month for you to use in cases where there are blocked ditches and watercourses and overhanging vegetation.

I promised to continue to keep you up to date with highway issues and information which may be of help.  In my conversations with many of you I’ve identified that utility companies undertaking work on the highway is often a significant frustration.  The notice they give, the disruption they cause and the seeming inability to influence the length, scope and extent of works are, I know, of great concern to many of you.  I therefore asked the HCC Highways Streetworks team to provide a briefing to explain how utility works are planned, what influence we have over them and what to do if they are causing significant disruption in your parish.   This is in the form of an FAQ section copied below.

I hope you find this useful, do please share it with your members or anyone you think may find it of interest.

Nick Adams-King

Lead Cabinet Member for Universal Services (Highways, Transport, Environment, Countryside and Communities) at Hampshire County Council

Streetworks Team FAQ 

Q: What is the Hampshire Highways Streetworks Team’s role ? 

A: The Streetworks team is responsible for the coordination of all works and events on the public highway in order to minimise traffic disruption. The Streetworks team also monitors utility Co’s activities on the public highway and checks active work sites and reinstatements for compliance with National specifications. The legal basis for these responsibilities comes from the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) and the Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA). The StreetWorks team is not responsible for works off the public highway and enquiries about County Council works, S278 or S38 works should be directed to your county councillor.

Q: Can utility companies legally work on the public highway ? 

A: Yes, they have legal duties and rights to install and maintain apparatus in the public highway from NRSWA. However, they have to comply with National Specifications and obtain a permit from the County Council for planned works. NRSWA and other legislation gives them legal rights to install cabinets and masts (up to 15m high) on the public highway without planning permission.

Q: Can HCC stop a utility company working on the public highway ? 

A: No, except under very specific circumstances, for example: were a utility company wants to install new apparatus on a highly important and strategic road that has been specifically designated, by law, as a protected street.

Q: What conditions can be placed on works on the public highway ? 

A: The County Council can place conditions on any permit application. Conditions are used to try to minimise traffic disruption. The conditions available as part of the permit scheme are not ‘free form’ and are restricted to controls over works timing, works area, traffic management type and stakeholder engagement. Conditions have to be reasonable and be able to be met by the works promoter.

Q: Who decides what type of traffic management (TM) to use ? 

A: The works promoter is entirely responsible for selecting the most appropriate type of TM. They are the experts in the works they are undertaking and what the risks are. In selecting the TM type they must consider the risks to the workforce, passing traffic (including pedestrians) and relevant legislation and Codes or Practice.

Q: Who decides what diversion routes to use when road closures are needed ? 

A: The works promoter is entirely responsible for selecting an appropriate diversion route. Best practice is to ensure that the diversion route uses similar roads to those closed. Unfortunately, the existing networks doesn’t always permit this. Diversion routes are not enforceable.

Q: Who is responsible for the information provided on the permit ? 

A: The works promoter is ALWAYS responsible for the information they supply. The County Council must assume that it is correct when assessing the permit and determining what conditions to apply.

Q: Does granting a permit mean that the County Council approves of the works / installation ? 

A: No, the permit relates ONLY to the works and its impact on traffic. Approval for installing apparatus is given either by a utility Co’s legal rights, or via the local Planning Authority.

Q: I’ve seen a utility leave a blacktop reinstatement in a flagstone surface. Is this allowed ? 

A: Yes, NRSWA allows utility Co’s to use a temporary reinstatement in order to re-open a road quickly or to give them time to source specialist materials. Normally temporary reinstatements are allowed for up to 6 months, but this duration can be extended if needed for engineering purposes.

Q: How long is a utility company responsible for its reinstatement? 

A: Legislation states that a utility company is liable for any ‘reasonable’ repairs for two years.

Q: How much notice does the County get for works ? 

A: NRSWA requires all works promoters to submit permit applications between 3 working days and 3 months ahead of works starting. As follows:

Minor works (works lasting up to 3 days) = 3 working days advance notice
Standard works (works lasting between 4 and 10 days) = 10 working days advance notice
Major works (works lasting over 10 days OR requiring a road closure) = 3 months
Immediate works (relating to safety or loss of service) = No advance warning. Works are started and the County Council is alerted within 2 working hours.

Reduced advance warning periods can be agreed on a site by site basis.

Q: What penalties are applied for non-compliances ? 

A: The penalties are prescribed by legislation and can broadly fit into one of the following categories:

Failing to comply with permit conditions = Fixed Penalty Notice
Failing to comply with works specifications = Correct the non-compliance
Overrunning agreed works durations without a valid reason = Significant daily charge
Damaging the public highway = County Council effects repairs and recharges utility company

Ultimately a works promoter can be taken to court for any non-compliance. But such measures are reserved for extremely serious situations.

Q: How well do utility companies comply with specifications and permit conditions ? 

A: Very well. In 2022 Over 95% of sites signage and 96% of reinstatements complied with the National specifications. 97% of utility sites comply with permit conditions. 99% of utility sites were completed on time, or early.

Q: How can I see what works are planned in the County ? 

A: The County Council handles all permits via a National IT system. This system automatically publishes all permits on the https://one.network website

Q: How can I contact the Streetworks team about problems with utility works ? 

A: The best way to report site specific problems is via the ‘report a road problem’ page on the County Council’s website. For more complex issues we would recommend asking your county councillor to raise the concern with the Streetworks Team.

Q: How many utility works are undertaken on the County’s network ? 

A: in the 2021/2022 financial year we processed 52,000 permit applications / changes from utility companies which resulted in 36,000 works being undertaken.

Potholes:

www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/roadproblems/potholes

Tree/hedge problems:

www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/roadproblems/treehedge

Flooding/drainage issues:

www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/roadproblems/flooding

Pavement problems:

www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/roadproblems/paving

Problems with rights of way:

www.hants.gov.uk/landplanningandenvironment/rightsofway/reportaproblem

 

Winchester City Council Polling Districts and Polling Places Review 2023

Polling Places Review 2023

Information may be found HERE  and HERE

Review of UK Parliamentary polling districts, polling places and polling stations 2023

All local authorities are required to review their polling districts, polling places, and polling stations for Parliamentary Constituencies every five years.

For Winchester City Council, the next review will start on 2 October 2023.

The consultation period is from Monday 2 October to 5pm on Monday 13 November 2023

We would welcome your views, particularly around accessibility, on our initial proposals.

If you’d like to comment on the existing arrangements or wish to propose alternative arrangements, please do so in writing by 5pm on Monday 13 November 2023.

Any comments made will form part of the public consultation feedback and will be published along with all representations received.

Personal data e.g. your name and address will be excluded from the review conclusion made available to the public.

If you wish to comment on existing arrangements, please email ereg@winchester.gov.uk or write to:

The Electoral Services Manager (review responses)
Winchester City Council
City Offices
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LJ

Please note: Any comments made will form part of the public consultation feedback and will be published alongside other comments received. Personal data e.g. your name and address will be removed from the public documents

Vacancies for a councillor on the Parish Council.

OLIVER’S BATTERY PARISH COUNCIL

VACANCY FOR A PARISH COUNCILLOR

Would you like to serve your community by becoming a Parish Councillor?

There is a vacancy on the Parish Council that will be filled by co-option at a Council meeting on Tuesday 5th December 2023 starting at 7.30pm promptly.

If you are interested in being co-opted, you should send your name, address and a short resume of your background and interests including why you would like to be a Parish Councillor to the Clerk to the Council.

You can either email: clerkoliversbattery@gmail.com or write to:  The Clerk to the Council, Oliver’s Battery Parish Council, 15 The Heath, Denmead, Waterlooville PO7 6JT.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 24th November 2023

Qualifications to be a Parish Councillor:

If you are a UK or Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a citizen of a member state of the EU and are 18 years or over and you are an elector in Oliver’s Battery OR you are someone who has during the whole of the twelve months before the day on which you applied for co-option (i) resided in the Parish of Oliver’s Battery OR (ii) within three miles of  the parish boundary OR (iii) occupied (as owner or tenant) any land or premises therein OR (iv) had his/her principal or only place of work there.

A copy of this Notice has been sent to the Returning Officer at Winchester City Council, City Offices, Colebrook Street, Winchester, SO23 9LJ

Signed: Brendan Gibbs. Clerk to Oliver’s Battery Parish Council.

Dated: Tuesday 31st October 2023.