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News and updates from Test Valley Borough Council👇

Our Cost of Living grant scheme has doubled!💸

The Cost of Living Grant scheme, set up by Test Valley Borough Council in September, has doubled its budget.

Originally launched with £50,000, we now have an additional £50,000 to distribute to groups, not-for-profit organisations and charities to help residents with the rising cost of living.

Since being launched, just over £37,000 has been awarded to 32 organisations.

This includes Portway Infant and Junior Schools who received £1,000 each to provide families with essentials such as warm clothing and bedding and the Community Life Centre in North Baddesley who got just over £950 to create a warm welcome hub with free activities, refreshments, internet access and support.

Meanwhile, Broughton Parish Council got some money to provide a warm space with free food, drink, fun games and activities for all ages, Balksbury Infant and Junior Schools each got £1,000 to provide breakfast packages for families and Roman Way Primary School got the same amount to help give out warm bedding and clothing during Winter.

There is now just under £63,000 left in the pot.

Andover gets new health hub!

The former covid vaccination centre in the Chantry Centre has reopened its doors as the Andover Health Hub, enabling residents to pop in for blood pressure and other health checks in a bid to help prevent and diagnose conditions early on and improve people’s lives in the local community.

The unit closed just before Christmas, and since then Test Valley Borough Council and colleagues from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board and Andover Primary Care Network (PCN) have worked together to upgrade the space, with the PCN funding new flooring and furniture and temporary partitions to transform the unit and provide the new services.

Remember to never put batteries or electrical devices in your bins!💻🔋🔥

Batteries and small electrical devices placed in your black household waste or brown recycling bins can cause fires in collection vehicles and recycling facilities.

Last week, one of our waste collection teams retrieved a smouldering laptop from our collection vehicle before a fire took hold. We are thankful that crew members remained safe due to their quick and observant actions.

For guidance on how to safely dispose of these items visit: www.hants.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling/smartliving/inthehome/reuse-electricals

Man ordered to pay nearly £700 for Lockerley fly-tip Sergio Dias De Oliviera, of Nelson Road in Southampton, was working as a delivery driver on 12 September 2021 when he was captured on CCTV removing waste from the boot of his vehicle outside a property on Mount Lane.  It was an oily undertray from an Audi, which matched the defendant's vehicle. The 47 year old attended an interview under caution and originally claimed he had found the item in the middle of the road and had just moved it to the property for safety reasons. However, he later admitted that it had fallen off his vehicle.  Appearing at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on 6 January 2023, De Oliviera pleaded guilty and was discharged conditionally for 12 months and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £22 and full costs of £659.15.

TARCA tree planting and coppicing On Saturday 7 January The Anton River Conservation Association (TARCA) were out with TVBC's countryside team at Rooksbury Mill conducting various tasks. One of the tasks involved was tree planting. Whips of Hazel were planted along a recently laid hedge in order to fill any areas along the hedge that had gaps in. By planting these trees now, when the hedge is laid again there will be more hazel standards to incorporate resulting in a much denser hedge. The volunteers also coppiced some hazel along the site boundary. Copping is an important management technique where cutting trees back to the base allows a varying age structure and increased light levels to the ground. The 16 volunteers worked hard despite the poor weather conditions.

How to report potholes Road problems, maintenance and roadworks are the responsibility of Hampshire County Council. 🕳🚧 You can report a pothole online by going to the Hampshire County Council website or by calling 0300 555 1388.

Would you like to work for Test Valley Borough Council? We have a number of jobs available, so why not come join us at TVBC?  If you're interested in a new start this new year, visit www.testvalley.gov.uk/aboutyourcouncil/a-great-place-to-work.

Winter Woodland Lights A magical event at the Hawk Conservancy Trust with beautiful illuminations and a live owl display set in a stunning, colourful woodland from the 13 to 29 January 2023.  This event is a fundraiser for the Trust. Find out more.

The Faces of Andover exhibition

Extra! Extra! Read all about it...📰

You can read all of our latest news updates by visiting www.testvalley.gov.uk/news.

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