It is almost a year since you elected your Council and time for the Annual Village Meeting which will take place at the Elizabeth Hall at 8pm on Wednesday 19th April. It’s your chance to hear what your Council have been doing during the last year as well as an opportunity for questions. In addition to the usual reports from the various committees there will be updates on Odiham Cottage Hospital and the Holt Lane Development. The Hook 2000 group will be presenting their ideas for restoration of the Newnham Road Pond and a new sculpture in the village centre. Last year’s meeting was well attended, and the minutes are on the Parish Council Notice Boards. The Parish Council’s annual report will be distributed to all houses in Hook and posted on our web site.
The new BMX facility is now being installed in Hartletts Park but work has temporarily stopped while we wait for Southern Electric to disconnect the existing lighting so the lamp post can be moved. Health and Safety regulations do not allow any other contractor to cut off the power.
The Parish Council has held a meeting with the Holt Lane Developer and Hart District Council. We have subsequently provided detailed comments covering the protection of the River Whitewater itself and public access to the river. We believe that vehicle access to the development should be from a new roundabout on the A30 near the Crooked Billet, not by a right turn across the carriageway.
The cycleway to Murrell Green Business Park is almost complete and the contractor will put back the Hook village sign which has been missing during the work. Warning signs have now been put up on the approach to both the pedestrian crossings. Work to move the beacons on the Station Road crossing to the roadside and to improve the visibility and safety of the surface of the crossing is still due to take place at the end of March. A number of villagers have suggested that the other pedestrian crossing outside the butchers should be converted to a traffic light controlled Pelican Crossing. We are supporting the investigation of this idea by the Highway Authority and will jointly evaluate the findings with them. We are told, however, that experience shows that Pelican Crossings are not necessarily safer than traditional Zebra crossings.
The Highway Authority are carrying out a study on the Dorchester Arms junction, so although there are still many steps to be taken before the layout might be changed, a solution to this longstanding road safety problem is getting closer!
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Wednesday 5th April 2000 at the Community Hall, beginning at 8pm. The Annual Village Meeting will be at the Elizabeth Hall on Wednesday 19th April 2000.
Antony Hunter