Milford on Sea Parish Council


	October 2003

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Cllr. Julian Davis

By the time you read this your council will have been in office and working on behalf of Milford on sea residents for over six months.
The new council is hoping to blend responsible fiscal management with real achievements, with seven new councillors and interestingly a considerably lower average age!! They are setting about their tasks with much vigour and considerable skill and expertise.


	Happily Cllr Brian Giles is again Chairman of Planning with Cllr Bob Bishop as Vice-Chairman and with the help of the committee they are striving hard to maintain sympathetic development within the Parish. This involves many hours of work and much energy. I know Brian and the Planning Committee are keen to hear residents views on Planning issues and how you want to see your Parish develop over future years. The committee has already been involved with two major planning applications for very important sites: ex-Hordle House School and the Marine Café. Cllr Brian Giles provides the background to these in his Chairman's Report. Cllrs Bob Bishop and Chris Hobby are the very able new Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee. This Committee essentially spends your money!!! It deals with the day to day running of the Parish and typically their agenda could cover Income and Expenditure reviews, Sports Clubs, the Play Park at Carrington Lane, the Pleasure Grounds and Dane Stream revetment work, through to dog bins, cycle networks and sea front improvements!!! Varied and extreme. On a personal note, I would like to thank Keith Metcalf, our Parish Clerk, and Lynda Hynd, his assistant, for their invaluable help and guidance as I settle into my new role as Chairman. There is indeed much to do if we are to maintain Milford-on-Sea and Keyhaven as they deserve. Finally, may I encourage you all to contact us through the Parish Office to voice any concerns or views you may have, and why not attend our Parish meetings to speak during the Public Participation session we have at the start of every meeting? If you wish to play your part in your community, see your new Council and Councillors in action or just to simply listen in to the debate, do come along and join us!


	Examples of some of the projects, which are high on the agenda and may well come to fruition this term are:-


	THE SEA FRONT IMPROVEMENTS Due to be starting next year, is a substantial scheme, designed to improve and up-date the sea front, which is so important to our Parish. The work will be carried out in phases. Phase one will see a new footpath (gravel resin bonded) running behind the beach huts from east of the White House towards the Marine Café. AFFORDABLE HOUSING This is becoming more important and the need ever greater. Cllr Sue Whitlock is working hard with the help of her colleagues and it would be a great achievement if we as a Parish could provide affordable housing for the benefit of this community. There are people in the village who are at present unable to afford the incredibly high house prices and are very sadly having to look outside the Parish for their housing needs. (See link at top of page for more information)


	WHAT'S ON IN MILFORD ON SEA It has been another busy summer in the Parish. July saw another phenomenally successful Arts and Music Festival, the three day event raised £5,000 for the Community Centre and Hope & Homes for Children. The Carnival proved once again that it is the best in the Forest. All these big village events rely on the time and goodwill of teams of volunteers and they are always keen to have more people involved. Why don't you join in and be part of organising them next year? Contact the Parish Office and we will put you in touch with the organisers. The School has announced extensive plans to extend and improve its facilities and is launching a fund to raise £55,000. The Council is very supportive of this ambitious scheme, which will greatly benefit the children of the village. Their first fund raising event is a sell out Autumn Ball and Auction of Promises at Hordle Walhampton School. Watch out for other events.