Alamein Community Association was set up in 2007 to promote the benefit of all the inhabitants of Alamein ward, to provide facilities in the interests of local residents and to maintain the King Arthur’s Hall for the benefit of local people.

A set of priorities were agreed in 2007 and the association set out to work with other groups to achieve these. After two years work by a number of agencies all of these have been achieved including computer classes and IT access, after school clubs, health advice, evening classes, bingo and other social events, arts and music projects (including the film Inside Out) and a community newsletter. The association has built links with many other local groups and obtained funding of over £38,000 for local projects.

The association now hopes to build on that success by finding more funding for the coming year to increase its work in the area and involve more local residents from across the ward in its activities. It aims to expand the facilities and use of King Arthur’s Hall and become a voice to represent the people of Alamein ward.

Meetings are held monthly in King Arthur’s Hall and all local residents are invited to come and join in this exciting project. The next meeting is on Tuesday 4 August at 6:15 in King Arthur’s Hall.

If you’d like to find out more about the association and its activities, please call Marianne Piggin on 01264 368623.

Yesterday’s meeting was a fairly short one. It was too hot in the Guildhall to stay for too long. I wonder how much hotter it will be when we have a pizza restaurant downstairs.

Among items on the agenda were the regular updates of the council’s finances.

The treasury management report showed how well council officers had managed the portfolio getting a 5.6% return on investments. However this is unlikely for the future where returns are liekly to be only about 1% leading to inevitable pressure on future budgets and council services. The capital expenditire report showed worrying slippages in projects meaning important projects such as refurbishments on Walworth Indusatrial Estate and improvements to the lifts and toilets in the Chantry centre are behind schedule. I was told that this work will be completed in the summer and I will monitor progress to ensure it is.

I joined Cllr Rod Bailey in questioning why the council had suddenly found a £1 million surplus. This was due to underspends and additional government funding which surely should have been known about before the very severe cuts implemented early this year. I was unable to get assurances that this money would be used to protect or improve essential services rather than just be squirreled away in the council’s savings accounts.

Test Valley Borough Council has now set its budget for 2009/2010 after a 2 ½ hour debate during which the Liberal Democrat opposition questioned many aspects of the proposals.

Test Valley’s council tax will rise by 4.5%, 23 vacant jobs have been deleted and a further 20 – 30 redundancies are expected. The Lib Dems argued that while the increase in council tax was inevitable it should be tempered by a freeze on increases in fees and charges, set to rise by 5%. Deferring increases in charges would cost the council £50,000. This could be more than met by savings in the cost of councillors and the mayoralty we argued. The mayor’s office currently costs taxpayers £126,000 a year. A further Lib Dem proposal to reduce councillor numbers to save an additional £500,000 per year from 2011 was also rejected.

I am disappointed that we lost the vote but feel we did win the arguments. It was heartening to hear that the economic portfolio holder is willing to work with us to look for future cost savings. This problem is not going to go away we will need to continue to look for economies throughout the council and that must include the cost of the councillors themselves.

Test Valley’s Tory administration has been slammed by a leading Liberal Democrat councillor for overcharging the bereaved and youth groups with its proposed increase in charges for services.

In  a statement issued before the borough’s Overview and Scrutiny committee meeting Cllr Cooper said “A Cabinet decision to increase most of Test Valley Borough Council fees and charges by an inflation busting 5% – and other fees and charges by as much as 100% – was rubber stamped last Wednesday. The main increases impact especially on youth groups and the bereaved. The Cabinet members present were Cllrs Hatley, Busk, Giddings, Hawke and Nokes. Cllrs Carr and Boulton were absent.”

“Some of the key changes are outlined  in an email I have sent to Overview and Scrutiny Chairman, Cllr Drew, in an attempt to call-in the decision for further consideration. At present, call-in at Test Valley is quite difficult. Call-in either has to be agreed by the Chairman and vice-Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny who are members of the administration OR has to match a whole set of criteria.”

“The decision of the Cabinet is a resolution not a recommendation. So FIVE Councillors from the 48 total that makes up Test Valley Borough Council have made a decision that may markedly impact on the pockets of a large number of people at a time when it is quite clear there will be economic stress and anxiety through 2009-2010.”

The fee increase recommended by officers was 5% based on inflation on September 2008 but inflation is now estimated at 3% and forecast to drop to as low as 1.8%. Under these circumstances the proposed increase in  charges are unacceptable. Within the proposals are a number of increases well in excess of inflation such as 15% increases for cemetery and burial charges, and up to 80% for some youth sports facilities.

The committee agreed not to call in the decision but to refer it to the committee’s finance panel which I chair. We will meet before 14th January and review all of these charges to ensure local residents get value for money and that they are not overcharged for services.