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.
FOOTPATH 780 (from the Toby Carvery to West Horton Farm)
Hampshire County Council has announced the extension of the temporary closure of footpath 780, which runs from the Toby Carvery down to West Horton Farm. The closure now extends from Tuesday 4th April for 6 months, or until completion of the works, whichever is sooner, to allow for repair works on the boardwalk. To see the full extent of the footpath and the closure click here, or alternatively click to enlarge the image.
.jpg)
BISHOPSTOKE PARISH COUNCIL MISSION STATEMENT
At the recent meeting of the Council, Bishopstoke Councillors agreed their Mission Statement and Aims for the remainder of this council session.
Mission Statement - To be the voice of the people of Bishopstoke to enhance our village as a great place to live, work and visit.
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.
The decisions the Council takes over the next 2-3 years will be guided by this Statement and these Aims.
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.
BISHOPSTOKE PARISH COUNCIL TAX 2022-23 - Increased by £1.09 per month (or 20%)
Bishopstoke Parish Council is funded through the Council Tax. Almost all of the money required to run the Council and fund everything it does comes from the Council Tax. The amount requested by Bishopstoke is added to the requests of the Borough Council, the County Council, the Police Commissioner and the Fire & Rescue Service, and together they make up the Council Tax.
The largest pot of money goes to Hampshire County Council, which this year is taking £1,390.86 from each Band D household in the county (Band A dwellings pay less, whilst Band H pays the most). The Police Commissioner then takes £236.46 of this year's Council Tax; the Borough Council take £125.52 from Band D houses in Bishopstoke; the Fire & Rescue Service take £75.43 and Bishopstoke Parish Council is taking £78.38 from each Band D dwelling this year.
In our newsletter in February this year (click here to read it online) we explained some of the plans we have for Bishopstoke this year, and some of the increases in costs which the Council is having to pay for. These plans and increased costs mean that Bishopstoke needs to ask local residents to pay just over £1 extra per month - about the same as the cost of a loaf of bread.
The Council Tax leaflet each resident gets from the Borough can appear alarming at first, as you will have seen that the Bishopstoke Parish Council Tax has gone up by 20%, whereas the Police funding has only gone up by 4.4%, and Hampshire County Council by just 2.99%. In cash terms though, the Police funding is going up by £10 per dwelling for the year, Bishopstoke by £13.06 per dwelling and Hampshire County Council by over £40 per dwelling for the year.
Bishopstoke Parish Council is proud of the work it does in Bishopstoke, and is proud of its plans for the coming year. Money is being set aside to build a new Memorial Hall and completely revamp Glebe Meadow; our play areas are being upgraded where they need it; we are planning to install at least four defibrillators across the Parish and we are patiently waiting for the allotment sites at Sewall Drive and Bow Lake Gardens to be passed over to us so that we can finally offer them to Bishopstoke residents.
BISHOPSTOKE PARISH COUNCIL AUDIT
The Parish Council's accounts have now been examined by both the internal auditor and the Council itself and have been approved. They are now sent to the external audit for examination. There is now a Period of Electors' Rights which runs from Tuesday 21st June to Monday 1st August, during which anyone wishing to examine the Council's accounts for the year 2021-22 can do so by making an appointment to view them.
To make an appointment please email clerk@bishopstokepc.org.
VILLAGE TRAILS - Bishopstoke Play Areas
The first Village Trail is now ready and it is perfect for the Summer. Did you know that Bishopstoke has 7 play areas spread throughout the village. We have prepared a handy booklet telling you how to find each one, and a little bit about it. Better than that, we have put a plaque featuring an animal in each play area. The booklet has space for you to do a pencil rubbing of each animal - so you'll need to remember to take a pencil and the booklet with you when you go.
If you visit all 7 play areas over the summer and discover which animal is in each play area you can enter our Play Area Trail competition. There is a form to fill in at the back of the booklet. Once you've done that pop it through the letterbox of the Parish Office next to the Memorial Hall before Friday 9th September. All the correct entries will be placed in a draw which will take place at Bishopstoke Carnival on Sunday 11th September. One lucky person will win a voucher for up to 6 people to visit Winchester Science Centre. Everyone else who put in a correct entry will be able to claim a small prize, but only by visiting the Carnival tent on the Meadow on September 11th.
Have fun this summer and we look forward to seeing you at Carnival!
BISHOPSTOKE CARNIVAL
Following the news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth we have taken the decision to cancel this year's Carnival.
We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty and our thoughts go out to the family.
We hope to see you next year for Carnival 2023.
BISHOPSTOKE PARISH COUNCIL CASUAL VACANCY
Notice is hereby given that today, 8th September 2022, a vacancy has occurred for a Councillor representing the Whalesmead ward on Bishopstoke Parish Council following the resignation of Councillor Louise Parker-Jones.
Notice in writing of a request for an election to fill the vacancy should be sent to:
The Returning Officer
Eastleigh Borough Council
Eastleigh House
Upper Market Street
Eastleigh
SO50 9YN
Notice must be received by the Returning Officer by 29th September from at least 10 electors in the Whalesmead ward in order for an election to be called. If that is the case, then the Returning Officer will determine the election date, which must be within 60 working days of the date of this notice. Electors wishing to request an election must confirm their name and address to the Returning Officer as it appears on the Register of Electors.
If there are fewer than 10 valid requests, then there will be no election. In that case the Parish Council can fill the vacancy by co-option.
Further advice can be obtained from the Elections Office by calling 023 8068 8000.
COUNCIL MEETINGS
BISHOPSTOKE NEWS
COUNCIL STAFF
OTHER CONTACTS
On behalf of the people of Bishopstoke Parish and its Council, I would like to express our sadness at the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
We send our deepest condolences to the Royal Family and wish them strength during this sad period. She will be remembered fondly by all who met her.
This summer, street parties and other celebratory events to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee took place across Bishopstoke, and the Parish Council installed a series of Jubilee benches on the footpaths around Strawberry Mead.
A book of condolence will be opened at The Point in Eastleigh Town Centre. There will also be a national online book of condolence on the Royal website - www.royal.uk .
Councillor Ray Dean, Chair of Bishopstoke Parish Council
BOOKS OF CONDOLENCE
A book of condolence has been opened at The Point theatre in Eastleigh town centre and can be signed between 9am and 5pm each day. It will be closed on the day of the state funeral (Monday 19 September) but will re-open the following day.
The online Book of Condolence remains available at www.royal.uk.
Members of the public wishing to lay flowers in tribute to Her Majesty are asked to do so at the Bandstand in Eastleigh Town Centre.
HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II - 1926 to 2022 from the Chair of Bishopstoke Parish Council, Ray Dean