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Welcome to your Councillor Connect. If you have suggestions for areas or topics you would like covered, please email communications@hart.gov.uk.
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Climate change team visits Hook Infant School
Last week the Climate Change team headed to Hook Infant School to chat to over 300 children about how climate change affects our weather.
The school, which already incorporates a strong emphasis on sustainability, both through its classroom activities and ‘Wild Things’ club, invited the team to deliver an interactive assembly. The assembly builds on work that is already underway with Hook Infant School and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, which aims to raise the profile of sustainability and climate change in schools within the district.
In addition to this, we are working together to build an engagement group of schools, which can provide support to each other going forward. The work the Climate Change team are doing will also help Hook and other schools in the district create their climate action plans, which is now a government requirement for all schools by the end of 2025. |
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Thermal imaging scheme round-up
The thermal imaging scheme has now ended until the autumn. In total, 136 surveys were carried out by a team of 24 dedicated volunteers, who collectively racked up 426 volunteering hours.
The scheme ended with over 50 residents attending an information event at the civic offices. The residents, who had all received a survey, were able to discover more about understanding their surveys from Oxfordshire County Council's expert Dale Hoyland.
Feedback from the scheme and the event has been overwhelmingly positive. One resident praised the initiative, saying: “A well-managed volunteer service, most timely in the current economic situation.”
We’d like to thank our amazing volunteers and Hart Voluntary Action (HVA) who did a tremendous job of managing the volunteers and booking process. Unfamiliar with the scheme? Find out more on thermal imaging here. |
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Renewal of Building Control partnership
We’re proud of our close working relationships with our neighbouring authorities, delivering cost-efficient and successful shared services for our residents.
We’ve recently renewed our Building Control partnership with Rushmoor Borough Council for another five years, delivering building control services across the district. |
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Winter Cost of Living Support Scheme round-up
As we move into spring, find out how successful recipients used the winter cost of living grants and the difference it has made to the communities they serve.
St Marys Church, Eversley: The grant funded new kitchen equipment which means they can serve complimentary tea and coffee and provide basic hot meals for community groups. They have seen increased attendance with, on average, around 75 people going along each week.
St Barnabas Church, Blackwater: Funding enabled them to continue providing complimentary hot drinks visitors to the Food Bank and the Fare Share food Van and subsidise food at the Community Cafes. The grant also covered the cost of six workshops for young women aged 18-30 years who need support to find a job, develop a career and simply succeed in life.
Junction 5 Money and Debt Advice Service: Used the funding to help clients organise debts, prevent bailiffs and creditors constantly contacting them and supported one family avoid a threat of jail.
Citizens Advice Hart: Funded their Emergency Provisions and Financial Capability Project, with 170 clients receiving emergency food parcels, period poverty packs and financial capability assessments.
Yateley Industries: The funding helped maintain a vital warm space, reinforcing their role as a community hub and enhancing wellbeing. It enabled them to offer not just food and drink but also provide a sense of belonging and connection.
Hart Community Garden: Subsidised the cost of garden activities for 150 people, including general social and well-being sessions. The funding also went towards buying raised beds and soil.
Yateley Youth Cafe: The funding enabled them to give free hot chocolates every week and support a youth weekend away for those who would not usually be able to afford it. Between January and March, they had, on average, 57 young people attending
Fleet Phoenix: Spent the funding on supporting children, young people and families including but not limited to: 18 families supported with school uniforms and winter clothing/blankets, 139 families with Christmas and winter food hampers, 670 disadvantaged children with Christmas presents, 12 families with support for utility bills and 9 young people with 1-to-1 counselling support and crisis management.
Yateley Lions: The funding helped provide hygiene packs, dementia packs, food parcels and Christmas presents for children at Heathlands Court and supported the provision of breakfasts in local schools.
Friendship Group, Heckfield: The grant enabled them to purchase art and craft equipment, provide transport to/from the group for those without their own, and provide refreshments each week to the ever-growing number of attendees.
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Written statement on Local Government Reorganisation
On 24 March the Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Jim McMahon MP, made a written statement to Parliament on Local Government Reorganisation.
In his statement, he confirmed that MHCLG had received responses from all 21 areas invited to submit proposals for reorganisation. He also announced £7.6 million of capacity funding, in the form of 'local government reorganisation proposal development contributions', to be split across these areas. Further information will be provided on how this will be allocated and when.
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In the news
A round-up of press releases and news articles published by Hart District Council over the past two weeks. |
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Forthcoming Council meetings - 14 April at 10am: Development Management Enforcement Sub-Committee
- 16 April: Development Management Committee
- 24 April: Council
- 13 May: Overview and Scrutiny Committee
- 21 May: Development Management Committee
- 29 May: Council AGM
All Hart meetings begin at 7pm and are live-streamed. To view, please visit our YouTube channel. |
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