SEPTEMBER 2007                                                                                                   

Welcome to the latest edition of Parish Connect, your monthly newsletter from Winchester City Council. To read archived editions and sign up to receive the newsletter directly please click here.

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Free Fire Risk Assessment Course
As an employer, or as someone who has control of a workplace or building open to the public, you must take steps to ensure that you have what is known as a 'suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment' in place.
Hampshire County Council have organised a free course for Community Associations and Village Hall Trusts.
It will take place on 6th November 2007 at Wickham Community Centre from 9.30am – 3.30pm. HCC Training Officer Ray Oakley will lead the day. Tea and coffee will be provided, but please bring you own lunch.
To access this course please email kate.parkinson@hants.gov.uk with your details or call 01962 847 937.

Crime and Disorder Strategic Assessment
The Winchester Community Safety Partnership has asked community representatives and partners for their views, experiences and recorded incidents of crime and disorder within their local communities.
This is your opportunity to participate in the discussion that is currently taking place around future priorities and targets that will aim to reduce crime and disorder across the district so if you haven't completed the survey yet please do. It will only take a few minutes to complete and can be accessed here: http://www.wdsp.co.uk/communitysafety/consultations/.

Recycling Rates at almost 40% in Winchester District
With the second phase of Alternate Bin Collection (ABC) now in full swing, indications are that we are likely to achieve an annual rate of just under 40%.
That will make Winchester one of the top performing Councils in the country and is a great result for the district.

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Winchester District Strategic Partnership - How can you get involved?
The WDSP has recently been restructured with the aim of providing better communication and a stronger focus on delivering the five outcomes in the Community Strategy - Health and Wellbeing, Freedom from Fear, Economic Prosperity, High Quality Environment, Inclusive Society.
Parish Councils can get involved by undertaking a parish plan. These will now be incorporated in the Community Strategy and the evidence you gather will inform partners of what needs to be done in the parish to improve your quality of life.
You can also contact your local City Councillor about all issues affecting your quality of life – not just City Council services. They can lobby the relevant Portfolio Holder to raise an issue with the WDSP.
For more details go to www.wdsp.co.uk or contact LSP Manager Antonia Perkins on aperkins@winchester.gov.uk

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1-APP Consultation
The new national standard planning application form will be introduced in England from 6 April 2008 to standardise and simplify the planning application process. This date has been delayed due to legislation now changing in April 2008, not 1 October 2007 as previously indicated.
Parishes should have already received a newsletter outlining the City Council's consultation on its proposed local list of requirements, and would like to invite all interested parties to comment. The consultation will run on the Council website until 18 October 2007.
For more details and to sign up for the monthly e-planning newsletter

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Live for the Future – LDF Core Strategy





Earlier in the year we asked what you thought needed to change to make the District and the communities you live in more sustainable.
This information along with a whole range of facts and figures being gathered by the City Council will be used to prepare an ‘Issues and Options’ paper to be published in mid December.

Please keep your eyes open for this paper – it will not give all the answers to where we want to be in 20 years time, but will explore a range of matters from housing and jobs growth; protection of the built and natural environment; movement patterns across the district and how we can reduce our carbon footprint.
You will have a range of options to comment on and you’ll be able to suggest alternatives.
For more details 

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Discovery Centre - Opening Soon




For nearly two years, scaffolding and hoardings have covered the former lending library in Jewry Street - but now the exciting transformation is almost complete.

A successful partnership project between Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council, the Discovery Centre will be a focal point for reading, learning, socialising and entertainment. It will be home to a bright and modern library service, bringing both lending and reference collections together on one site and with an extra £300,000 spent on new books.
For more details

Hampshire Hospitality Awards
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