MISSION STATEMENT & AIMS
Bishopstoke Parish Council Mission Statement
To be the voice of the people of Bishopstoke to enhance our village as a great place to live, work and visit.
Aims
Aim 1 - To improve, and protect, our environment for residents and wildlife
Aim 2 - To promote better health & well-being outcomes for all.
Aim 3 - To strengthen a sense of place.
Aim 4 - To encourage residents to become more involved in the life of the village.
COUNCIL MEETINGS
WILDFLOWERS
Bishopstoke Parish Council would like to help any local residents that wish to enhance their local area by planting wildflowers. Often, the areas best suited for planting are owned by either Eastleigh Borough Council or Hampshire County Council. The Parish Council can help you get in touch with the right people to gain permission for your planting.
The Council may be able to support in other ways too. Anyone interested should contact the Clerk by emailing the Clerk.
ONLINE APPLICATIONS FOR ALLOTMENTS AND TRAVEL TOKENS
As part of our efforts to improve the service we provide to the residents of Bishopstoke it is now possible to apply for either allotments or travel tokens online.
To apply for an allotment, please click here.
To apply for travel tokens, please click here.
PHOTO SEARCH
Bishopstoke Parish Council is looking for photographs of the scenery around Bishopstoke. This could include landscapes, parks, iconic buildings, river settings or anything else beautiful within Bishopstoke.
The photos would potentially be used on our Facebook or website, or in Council newsletters and leaflets, and would be credited to the person who took them.
If you are interested in letting us use your photos please contact the Clerk, David Wheal, by emailing clerk@bishopstokepc.org.
GREENING CAMPAIGN
The Greening Campaign is a community lead initiative that encourages people to make small visible changes that together help to reduce a community's carbon footprint.
Bishopstoke Parish Council has signed up to join the Greening Campaign but really needs some volunteers from the local community to help run it.
If you are interested in joining in and helping out, please contact our Clerk, David Wheal, by emailing clerk@bishopstokepc.org.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
The latest issue of the local Neighbourhood Watch newsletter is available now.
This issue includes, amongst other things, advice on QR Code Scams, Motor Home Thefts, WhatsApp six digit text scam, knife blade clarification and Abandoned Vehicle advice.
POTHOLE REPORTING
Hampshire County Council have provided a direct link to their website for reporting potholes in roads. We have been told that some potholes on Sandy Lane are about to be fixed as a direct result of being reported through this link. Please use this link to report any potholes you encounter in the road.
https://www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/roadproblems
July 2023 News Release
Parish Council appeals to residents to report potholes
Bishopstoke Parish Council’s Clerk, David Wheal, informed the Council’s July meeting that he had recently written to Hampshire County Council to express the Council’s concern over the increasing number and size of potholes along roads in the village.
Hampshire’s reply was that whilst there is more money going into repairing potholes, they can only fix what they know about. “So we would encourage everyone who drives around Bishopstoke to report potholes where they see them,” said David, “and we suggest that they use the following pothole reporting link: https://www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/roadproblems/potholes.”
Bishopstoke Carnival plans get underway
Planning for September’s Bishopstoke Carnival has begun. The day will start on the morning of Sunday 17th September with the traditional river float competition. If you are looking for something to do with your family over the summer why not build a river float? Full details and downloadable entry forms are available from the Parish Council website at www.bishopstokepc.org/carnival.
Village War Memorial to move to Old St Mary's Churchyard
The Bishopstoke Memorial Hall has been condemned and is scheduled for demolition prior to the erection of a new Village Hall. Accordingly, the Bishopstoke War Memorial, which is currently adjacent to the Memorial Hall, needs a new home.
Bishopstoke Parish Council is planning to re-install the War Memorial on Old St Mary’s Churchyard, Church Road.
Plans have been sent to the Church and Winchester Diocese for their approval, and they are also being displayed on Parish noticeboards and website. Residents who have comments and suggestions should get in touch with the Clerk by emailing him at clerk@bishopstokepc.org.
Play Area Trail
Bishopstoke Parish Council is encouraging families to explore all the play areas in Bishopstoke by running the Play Area Trail for a second year. Families can collect pencil rubbings of different animal plaques in play areas around Bishopstoke and, once they have them all, enter a prize draw. The winning entry will receive tickets for a family of up to 6 to visit Winchester Science Centre, with the winner being announced at Bishopstoke Carnival on Sunday 17th September.
To download the booklet, including an entry form for the competition, please click here.
Other Council News
Litter Picking…The Parish Council has a small stock of litter picking equipment which is available for any group that wishes to help keep Bishopstoke tidy. If you would like to borrow the equipment please contact the Clerk by emailing clerk@bishopstokepc.org.
Audit… The Council has now submitted its final audited accounts for 2022-23 to the external auditor – BDO LLP. The internal audit and regular checks by Councillors found the accounts to be sound and the Council hopes to continue its record of passing the audit with no issues being raised.
Bishopstoke Parish Council’s Mission… At their meeting on July 11th, Bishopstoke Parish Council re-affirmed its main mission – “To be the voice of the people of Bishopstoke and to enhance our village as a great place to live, work and visit”.
The four aims of the Council are:
To improve and protect our environment for residents and wildlife
To promote better health and wellbeing outcomes for all
To strengthen a sense of place
To encourage residents to become more involved in the life of the village.
And finally . . .
This month the Parish Council said goodbye to longtime officer Mrs Cheryl Taylor. First appointed in April 2010 to manage the Council finances, over the years Cheryl has also run the allotments and the cemeteries as well as setting up our travel tokens and providing support to the Carnival. Her most recent role involved overseeing the transfer of all Bishopstoke Cemetery records to a brand-new database. At the meeting on July 11th the Council presented Cheryl with a pair of engraved glasses to thank her for all her hard work over the years. Her knowledge and experience will be missed.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Tuesday 12th September at 7.30pm and will take place in Bishopstoke Methodist Church. For further details or information about anything the Parish Council does please visit the Parish website.
For further information, please contact the Parish Clerk: David Wheal by email: clerk@bishopstokepc.org or visit the Parish website at: www.bishopstokepc.org
AUDIT
The Council is pleased to announce the external auditor, BDO LLP, has finished their audit of the 2022-23 financial accounts.
For details of how to view the full audited accounts in person, please view the following document.
Full documents for 2022-23 accounts
The external auditor's opinion will be taken to the next meeting of the Full Council on 14th November 2023.
For further details of the audit process, please view the audit page: https://www.bishopstokepc.org/audit
TEMPORARY FOOTPATH CLOSURE
Hampshire County Council have informed us that the footpath running from Church Road (opposite Bishops Court) through to the north side of Stoke Common Copse will be temporarily closed from Monday 9th October through until Saturday 9th December (or until the works are complete, whichever is soonest). This is to allow the surface of the footpath to be improved.
Hampshire advise that there is no alternative route available.
Clicking on the image brings up the full details of the closure or alternatively you can visit the Hampshire County Council website by clicking here.
ARMISTICE DAY SERVICE
Around 50 people attended the Armistice Day service at Bishopstoke's Old St Mary's churchyard. The service was led, as always, by Rev. Wise.
As we do not yet have Planning or Diocese permission to install the War Memorial in its planned permanent home in the open space on the Old St Mary's churchyard this location was used as a one off. The weather was kind and the churchyard looked beautiful in the sunshine as the silence was observed and the wreaths laid.
After the service finished the plaques, wreaths and crosses were taken into safe storage to avoid any risk of vandalism. Once the War Memorial is installed, they will be added back to the site for people to be able to pay their respects.
If anyone who laid a wreath or a cross would like it returned then please contact the Clerk for Bishopstoke Parish Council by emailing clerk@bishopstokepc.org and we can arrange to have it brought back to you.
BISHOPSTOKE NEWS
Starting October 2023 - Allotment Deposit Scheme
Anyone taking on an allotment after 1st October 2023 will need to pay a deposit equal to one full year's rent on the plot. When the plot is surrendered any work required to bring the plot up to the expected standard will be paid for from this deposit. Any remaining funds will be refunded to the retiring tenant.
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