Parish Council

Role The purpose of the Parish Council is to ensure that the local environment is maintained and developed to satisfy as far as possible, the wishes of the electorate and that community facilities meet the needs of the parish.

Organisation The Parish Council consists of a Chairman, Vice Chairman and seven members together with the Parish Clerk. The council meets ten times a year.

Elections Parish elections normally occur every four years. The current Parish Council was elected in May 2006 and this was one of a few contested elections in the Borough reflecting a high degree of local interest.

Finance Parishioners pay Council Tax set by Hampshire County Council, based upon house value. In addition parishes raise a ‘precept’ to cover local costs such as maintenance of sports fields and play areas.

Southern Water Update - February 2010

Southern Water is continuing its work to help reduce flooding from sewers to homes in St Mary Bourne caused by high levels of groundwater in the winter and spring.

The company’s suppliers, 4Delivery, have been working in the village to complete the lining of the public sewer and seal connections between the public section and households’ private drains.

Since its exhibition last year, Southern Water has organised joint meetings between Hampshire County Council, Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, the Environment Agency and St Mary Bourne Parish Council to discuss the causes and issues of flooding in the village.

Dennis Taplin, Southern Water Engineer, said: “These meetings are an important step in the agencies working together to produce a long term plan to resolve the complex surface water and groundwater issues in the village.”

Following feedback, Southern Water has not gone ahead with its scheme to install an overflow to the Bourne Rivulet at times of high groundwater.

Instead, the company is talking directly to householders who suffer from flooding with a view to installing measures to protect their homes and help them continue to use their toilets when the system becomes overloaded. This involves small storage areas and pumps linked directly to these houses.

However, at times of very high groundwater, there may still be a need to tanker from the pumping station and village centre, and occasionally overpump into the Bourne Rivulet as has happened previously.

The flooding is caused when the sewer system, which is only designed to carry wastewater, is overwhelmed by groundwater and surface water. While sealing the public sewers helps reduce the risk of flooding, leaking private drains still allow water to enter. Southern Water has reviewed its CCTV surveys of the sewers and identified approximately 75 leaking private drains. This information has been shared with the borough and county councils.

Mr Taplin said: “Southern Water is continuing to work with householders and meeting regularly with the parish council and will provide more updates as work progresses.”

Residents can contact Southern Water on tel: 0845 278 0845 - or obtain further information from the Parish Council: Bridget Culley on tel: 01264 738214 or Michael Widén on tel: 01264 738250.

30 October 2009 - Breaking News:

In response to our letter to the CEO of Southern Water dated 15 October 2009 rejecting the proposed sewerage over-pumping scheme, the Parish Council has now received a letter from Southern Water’s Senior Customer Relations Advisor informing us that the scheme as presented to the village at a drop-in exhibition in the Village Centre on 7 October 2009 has been withdrawn.

In conclusion the letter states that Southern Water will be reviewing the overall scheme solution with their contractors 4Delivery and will advise of any proposed amendments.

There are a number of unresolved issues concerning sewer infiltration but the Parish Council is now more confident that a solution can be found with all interested parties and stakeholders co-operating.

At Tuesday’s (13 October 2009) parish council meeting, following an intense period of public outrage and concern over the proposed scheme by Southern Water and a lengthy session of questions and answers, giving SW/4D yet again a platform to communicate their views, the parish council decided unanimously to reject the proposed "short term solution" including the over-pumping of raw sewage into the Bourne Rivulet. The parish council is committed to assist and support the residents of a dozen properties who will be most affected at times of sewer infiltration. However, it became quite clear that the village was not prepared to pay a very high price for a flawed scheme that was based on the wrong brief/terms of reference and rushed into existence at a late stage to respond to OFWAT regulatory powers.

In a letter dated 15 October 2009, the Parish Council has responded to Les Dawson, the Chief Executive of Southern Water, explaining its position.

Parish Council challenge Southern Water - 17 July 2009 - Letter sent to Sir George Young MP asking for his support

The Village Fire 29 January 2009

By the time you read this building work should be underway at the Cottages. Read more ...

New Parish Council Clerk

The Parish Council is pleased to announce that Derek Kane from St Mary Bourne has accepted the offer for the position of Clerk to the Council. Arrangements are being finalised for Derek to take up post from April 1^st.

Quality Parish Council

I am pleased to inform you that HALC have confirmed this afternoon that we have been re-accredited as a Quality Parish Council. More information below.

SEWER INFILTRATION - Update July 2008

After many months of sewer repair works throughout St Mary Bourne and Stoke the Parish Council wrote to Jim Thomas of Southern Water on 8 July 2008 to formally advise him that complaints had been received from residents in the Bourne Meadow area and elsewhere who yet again had experienced problems with toilet flushing. Concerns were raised by them that despite the extensive sewer lining works carried out this year the problems have not yet been overcome. Read more

In response to a 10 year campaign by the Parish Council ”Southern Water has started work to reduce the risk of sewer flooding in St Mary Bourne” reported the Andover Advertiser on 22 February 2008. More information...

Click here to view recent communications with the Environment Agency and Southern Water regarding sewer infiltration and overpumping of raw sewage into the Bourne Rivulet

Sir George Young MP, a former resident of St Mary Bourne, has become increasingly worried by the lack of progress in resolving the problems that confront residents of the village, where raw sewage has been pumped out of the sewers into the river. "They are having to put up with a problem that was solved in London in the 1850's". Sir George has written to the Chairman of Southern Water, asking for the necessary investment to finance a sustainable solution and a repair programme to be implemented forthwith - to see his letter click here - or here

Quality Parish Council Status

The St Mary Bourne Parish Council was delighted to receive notification on Wednesday 18^th February that they had been re-accredited ‘Quality Council’ Status.

This award has been achieved as a result of the St Mary Bourne Parish Council working as an effective, actively involved, properly managed, hard working team of Councillors and Parish Clerk.

The Government scheme launched in March 2003 gives recognition to Parish and Town Councils who can demonstrate through a series of tests that they are in touch with their communities, competent and capable of taking an enhanced role within the local government framework.

The award will continue to give the council greater credibility in the eyes of the local community and the principal authorities; enable them to be more representative of the local community and able to deliver more local services and be eligible for additional grant funding.

Representatives from the St Mary Bourne Parish Council formally received the award at a reception in Winchester, on Tuesday 24^th February.

In one of the biggest Presentation Evenings of its kind seen to date, nine Hampshire parish and town councils were accredited or reaccredited with the Quality award under the Quality Parish Scheme, which began in 2003 and found its way into statute in the Local Government and Involvement in Health Act 2007. This evening came hard on the heels of parish and town councils becoming eligible to use the Power of Well-being in their communities, following the London launch on 17 February 2009.

The Chairman of Hampshire County Council Cllr Michael Woodhall greeted the representatives from Blackwater & Hawley TC (Hart), Hamble-le-Rice PC (Eastleigh), Headley PC (East Hampshire), Hyde PC (New Forest), Hythe & Dibden PC (New Forest), Marchwood PC (New Forest), Petersfield TC (East Hampshire), St. Mary Bourne PC (Basingstoke) and Tadley TC (Basingstoke) at an evening reception in his official suite at Serle’s House on Southgate Street in Winchester on 24 February 2009.

The Chairman of the independent Accreditation Panel Cllr Tony Coates from Winchester City Council gave the presentations with the County Council Chairman and praised councils for their high standards of engagement, transparency and accountability.

In giving closing remarks, Cllr John Korbey, Chairman of the County Association of Local Councils and a councillor of Brockenhurst PC said “he was proud to be part of the first-tier of local government, and that his council hoped to join the elite 10% of Hampshire parishes soon, knowing that this would give assurance of standards to residents in his local area.”

The Chairman of the National Association of Local Councils, Cllr Michael Chater from West Sussex gave his apologies having previously accepted an event in Sevenoaks, Kent but sent a message of congratulations to all present, remarking that he knew it would be a magnificent event in Hampshire, and that all councils should be proud of their achievements in serving their communities with commitment and energy.