Environment & Community Administrator

This is an exciting opportunity for a Hook resident, or person with in-depth local knowledge, to become actively involved as part of a team in the management of the Council and its Assets.  Reporting to the Executive Officer, the current role will be managing the Council’s facilities such as Parks, Open Spaces and Play Areas.

The Parks and Open Spaces responsibilities include co-ordinating the various contractors and organisations, who undertake work on our behalf, whilst ensuring maintenance and safety meets required standards.

The successful applicant will have experience of managing contracts and a solid administrative background; good organisation and communication skills are essential (written and verbal); be self-motivated and a good team player. Comprehensive expertise in using the full Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to work remotely when required, is a pre-requisite.  Own transport and clean driving license essential.

Salary range pro rata £23,000-£29,000 (37 hour week), depending on experience and qualifications.  This appointment is based at the Parish Council office located at the Community Centre, Ravenscroft. Working hours Monday – Friday (25 hour week), with some evening and occasional weekend duties.   For more detailed information about this role, please contact Executive Officer, Anne Atkins on (01256) 768687.

The closing date for applications is the 19th November 2020.

Parish Council Office reopens

The Parish Council Office reopened in early September. Our public opening hours are 9am – 12noon. Social distancing measures are in place in the Community Centre.  Masks are required to be used when entering the building.  Some staff are continuing to work from home to ensure social distancing within the office, therefore please phone the office before coming to the Community Centre, to ensure the relevant member of staff will be available.

Biodegradable dog waste bags will continue to be available free of charge from the collection points set up during COVID.  They are also available from our office during opening hours.  Please call the office 01256 768 687 to find your nearest collection point.

Hook App

If you have been trying to download our App, we have been made aware that Google have temporarily removed the App from the Google Play Store due to a change to their security protocols.  Many of the websites of local groups and organisations do not have the appreciate licence to meet Googles security standards.  We are in the process of identifying and removing the affected web links and anticipate the App being available again shortly.

As COVID is having a massive impact on local activities and events this is a REMINDER that if you are planning to hold an activity/event (even virtually), please let us know so we can put it in the diary section on the App.

Parish Council and Committee Meetings

As per government guidelines all meetings of the council and its committees have been conducted on line via the Teams platform since June.  We will be continuing virtual meetings until government guidelines change.  Members of the public are able to attend online and the links to meetings are published on the agenda during the week before the meeting.  Our agendas can be found at https://hook.gov.uk/about-hook-parish-council/council-meetings/agendas

Housing Survey

Hook Parish Council has been approached by the housing promoter, Falcon Communities, at a very early stage with the proposal to build a small number of discounted market affordable dwellings in the Parish. Before this concept scheme can be developed further, Falcon Communities, in conjunction with Hampshire Homes Hub, are required to evidence a need for this particular type of housing in Hook. A Housing Needs Survey must, therefore, be undertaken to establish the need for the proposed scheme. Hook Parish Council cannot form a view about the concept scheme until it can be shown that Hook residents need it.

Any proposed scheme should complement the existing housing offer in the Village. Hook Parish Council is, therefore, supportive of the need for the Housing Needs Survey at this stage. This does not automatically indicate support for the design of any specific scheme, which will be subject to formal consideration through the normal planning application process. Should a scheme be formalised by a full planning application, the Local Planning Authority will seek comments from Hook residents through public consultation accordingly.

The link to complete the survey is https://bit.ly/2QT1bSR . Paper copies of the survey are available from the Parish Council Office.

Planning Update

Those of you that have been following the planning application 20/01486/FUL Fairfields, Newnham Road,Hook, Hampshire, RG27 9NG may be interested to hear that it has been refused.  For more information for reasons behind the refusal please go to https://publicaccess.hart.gov.uk/online-applications/ and submit the planning application number.  Click on Documents tab and click on the documents labelled “decision” and “report” dated 16^th September.

Flower and Produce Show/Hook in Bloom

Congratulations to Hook in Bloom (HIB) for hosting a successful and free event, the Hook Flower and Produce Show on Sunday 13^th September.  Not only was there stiff competition in the fruit, vegetable and flower categories, the art, crafts, baking, children’s and photography categories had lots of entries too.  The Parish Council work in conjunction with HIB and Hart District Council (HDC) to create hanging baskets, wildflower beds and other displays of flowers around the village throughout the year.  The money they raised from the tea room, tombola and plant and produce sale raised valuable money to enable the group to continue this work.  If you would like to get involved with HIB, please go to https://hookinbloom.org/.

 Annual Village Meeting

Had this event taken place in September, attendees would have heard presentations from guest speakers.  In the absence of this, the speakers were invited to submit an article to Focus that reflected the contact of their presentation.  In the September edition of Focus, Mark Hazell, on behalf of Hook & Odiham Lions provided an insight into their valuable community work and projects.  This month, Chief Inspector John Halfacre, Hart & Rushmoor District Commander from Hampshire Constabulary has provided an update on local policing.

HELP KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE

Please observe signage in our play areas including:
• Maximum numbers in each play area
• Social Distancing
• Hygiene
• Return later if busy

We have been informed that there are two sets of overnights carriageway resurfacing works happening between 20:00 – 05:30 hrs. The roads concerned will be closed to vehicular traffic starting on Monday 28th September and lasting up to 3 nights. The roads will be open during the day.

The first one (HR725) starts on Monday 28th September on the B3349 by the Junction with Hook Road.

The second one (HR724) starts on Tuesday 29th September on the Junction between B3011 Reading Road, Heckfield, and Holdshott Farm.