Village Voice December 2013/January 2014 | Page 15

JACKIE’S COUNTY COLUMN As the winter tightens its grip, please remember to check your local grit bin is full-and please take a pencil and paper with you! There’s a reference number inside the lid as well as a number to call. If you need to report a general highways fault, please call 0845 603 5633. Hampshire Handyperson Service provides the assurance of a handyperson you can trust at an affordable rate of between £12 to £18 per hour. It is run by Aster Living, part funded by HCC, to provide a service for over 55’s and those with a disability. Even if you don’t fit these criteria, please call them to discuss rates for the work. They carry out small home maintenance at affordable rates. For more details, you can call 0800 694 0303 or email [email protected] ‘Hitting the cold spots’ is a scheme to help you as bills jump higher than ever and the temperature falls. You can call 0800 804 8601 or go to www.hants.gov.uk/cold-spots for advice and practical information. There is also a local scheme with WinACC called ‘Warm up Winchester’ which can help you buy a more efficient boiler, or more insulation. These improvements are also available for those in rented properties provided your landlord is happy. All you need to do is ring the free phone number 0800 952 0037 and say “Warm Up Winchester” to get onto the scheme If you are concerned about a frail or elderly adult (or couple) who doesn’t seem to be coping, please call 0845 603 5630 to share your concerns with Hampshire’s Adult Services department. All of these numbers are listed on my website under ‘links’ or you can always ’phone me for help. Creating enough energy, not only to keep the lights on and provide heating, but also to power our computers and manufacturing industry is becoming a national priority. Whilst the country (and councillors) debate fracking and more energy efficient buildings, the various proposed schemes for Alternative Energy seem to take far too long to be decided. Many people feel this creates uncertainty which is hard to manage locally. This is the case for the Wind Farm applications, and the Pyrolysis plant at Micheldever Station. Hampshire Energy Group www.hampshireenergy.co.uk has completed negotiations with EDF so that local residents can be involved in the Wind Farm energy scheme if it is agreed. Local ‘buy-in’ has to be the way forward. I believe it should be a required condition for the numerous Solar Farm Proposals too, so that not only the landowners but local residents could see the benefit too. The November Remembrance Day services in our area enjoyed such good weather, it heightened our thanks to those ‘who had given their tomorrows so that we can live today’. When resident Tony Dowland contacted me some years ago about the Winchester camp at Morn Hill, I had no idea about its history. The Morn Hill Project: ‘To Honour a Promise’, has made great strides in the last few months, and we are preparing for the unveiling of the Memorial in June 2014, to the troops who passed through the camps and role of Winchester’s people in that story. As a project group, we have been giving talks about the camp. If any of your groups would like to hear more about this remarkable story, please contact me for details. Councillor Jackie Porter e-mail: [email protected] www.jackieporter.mycouncillor.org.uk Phone: [phone] Text: 07973 696 085 or write to me at: The Down House, Itchen Abbas, Winchester, Hants SO21 1AX 13