We hope to place Parish Council notices, school announcements, parties, birthdays and anything else important to the village.

Come to this page to find links to village related business, organisations, clubs and society's.

Operation Cobra has been re-launched in some areas by Hampshire Constabulary and it aims to cut car crime in two ways. Firstly by educating car owners / drivers not to leave valuables in the vehicles and secondly by targeting known car thieves.

You may well have seen the laminated cards that have been distributed in the past. They are bright yellow left in the windscreen. They advise the would be thief that you have left nothing of value in the car. It also acts as a reminder to the car owner to think of car security when it is left unattended.

If anyone requires some of these laminated cards please let me know.

Topical Tips
It is almost holiday time again! Don’t forget to do the obvious - cancel the milk, cancel the newspapers, ask the postman to leave any parcels with a neighbour, rather than on your doorstep. Finally, get a neighbour to check your home each day while you are away.

I have been asked to remind you all of the need to ensure that back doors are kept locked. This follows a recent incident in Halterworth Road, Romsey. Whrer tow boys were seen to enter a rear garden and try the handle on a back door. They ran off when they spotted the householder through a window. They were subsequently arrested. The incident could easily have been another burglary if the door was unlocked.

Last but one - tips from crime desk:

Dwelling burglaries - REMEMBER:

LOCK IT- Always SECURELY lock windows and doors when leaving the property unoccupied and *close all downstairs and accessible windows and securely lock doors at night*.

LIGHT IT- Turn house lights on with a timer during hours of darkness.

MARK IT- Clearly mark all valuable property with a UV marker or permanent marker to assist recovery if stolen.

LOSE IT- Do none of the above and an opportunist thief will seize the moment to make off with you property.

Vehicle Crime
Although the Crime Prevention message generally is, do not leave property on display, it is not advisable to leave handbags, purses containing credit cards, house keys etc in a boot, particularly this time of the year when there are fewer people out and about.

DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES IN YOUR CAR - If you have to leave property in your vehicles, please put it out of sight before you arrive in the car park. Car thieves will & do hide in the vicinity, often for hours at a time, and watch the unsuspecting public ‘hide’ bags etc., under the front passenger seat or put their property in the boot in full view of anyone watching. DON’T get caught out!!

PLEASE NOTE:
If anyone has any information or knowledge of these or any other incident please contact the police on the below number. PLEASE NOTE that you need to ask for the Force Enquiry Centre rather than Crime Desk at Eastleigh – this is simply to avoid any delay in the deployment of an Officer if that is what is required.

Dial  0845 045 4545 and ask for the Force Enquiry Centre

Dial 999 if a more urgent response is required.

Dial 101

101 is the new telephone number for people to secure advice and action on safety and anti-social behaviour issues. The core service covers:

Vandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage to property

Noisy neighbours

Intimidation and harassment

Abandoned vehicles

Rubbish and litter, including fly tipping

People being drunk or rowdy in public places

Drug related anti-social behaviour and

Street lighting

There is a flat rate fee of 10p per call.

E-mail: western.intelligence@hampshire.pnn.police.uk, marked “FAO Crime Desk”. Please do not send attachments.

The playgroup is for children aged 2yrs 9mths until 4.
It is held in the village hall from 9.15am until 12.00pm 5 days a week. The playgroup will provide an excellent start to children entering primary school.

Recently inspected by OFSTED - report to be published soon.

John Ward Playing Field - from Test Valley Borough Council Animal Welfare Officer

Following recent concerns over the amount of dog fouling around Appleshaw village green and playing field, I have been asked to highlight the responsibilities of dog owners who use this area to execise their pets. Whilst it is appreciated that most dog owners behave responsibly, there are still some who fail to, among other things, clear up after their pets. Dog owners have legal responsibility over the actions of their pet, and by following a few simple rules they can ensure that they can exercise and enjoy their pets alongside other members of the community.

Dogs, like every other animal, need to relieve themselves. It is the duty of the owner or the person with the dog to clear up after their dog immediately. Test Valley Borough Council has adopted the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996, which makes it an offence to not clear up after your dog. The Act applies 'to any land which is open to the air and to which the public are entitled or permitted to have access'. Dog fouling is by far the biggest problem that the Dog Wardens have to deal with, and no one likes to tread in something an irresponsible dog owner has failed to clear up. Also, people using the parks and public areas become especially annoyed when they find that a dog has been allowed to foul on, for example, a pitch or a children's play area. When this happens, people often avoid using that facility or area. By clearing up after their pets, dog walkers can play their part in ensuring that everyone can enjoy an area and there will be no conflict of interests. If a dog owner does not clean up after their dog immediately, then they could receive a spot fine of £50, or a court appearance and a fine upon conviction of up to £1,000. You can help reduce this problem in your community by letting the Dog Wardens know who the main offenders are and where and when they walk their dogs. Any information given will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

Test Valley Borough Council would like to hear comments from dog and non-dog owners on how they think this problem could be tackled. Any information provided in connection with identifying irresponsible dog owners will be treated in confidence. By approaching this problem fairly, we can make sure that our parks and recreational facilities remain safe for the whole community.

For further information please contact Helen Pugh, Animal Welfare Officer, or Rod Mason, Dog Warden, at Test Valley Borough Council on 01794 527700 / 01264 368463.

Click here to visit 'The Biddesden Stud' website.