Borough Councillor Report

Cllr Maureen Flood and Cllr Susanne Hasselmann

April 2025

Grant scheme to mark historic VE Day anniversary

A reminder that communities across Test Valley are being encouraged to mark the special Victory in Europe (VE) Day anniversary in May.

Thursday 8 May 2025 will mark 80 years since Germany’s unconditional surrender of its armed forces, bringing the end of World War Two in Europe.

A VE Day 80th Anniversary Grant Scheme has been set up to enable communities to apply for up to £500 towards local celebrations to mark the historic event.

Not for profit organisations, clubs and societies, parish and town councils and schools can all apply for a share of the pot.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 25 April and all activities must take place within two weeks of 8 May 2025.

For more information, please see the website.

New riverside park draft designs published

Since adopting the masterplan, the council has been working with Hampshire County Council, Southern Water and a team of renowned landscape, highways, and ecological specialists, to deliver on the community’s aspirations for more green space in Andover town centre.

The new park, which will follow the current eastern highway of the Western Avenue gyratory, will open up new views of the River Anton, which is currently hidden by the large expanse of tarmac and provide pedestrian and cycle links to Town Mills park.

The draft designs for the new riverside park at Western Avenue have been published and the proposals can be viewed at

https://www.thinkandovertowncentre.co.uk/western-avenue

Opening of Monxton and Amport Village Hall

Monxton and Amport Village Hall was opened by Caroline Nokes MP and Andy Ferrier, Chief Executive of Test Valley Borough Council, on Saturday 29th March 2025.

This Village Hall is a wonderful example of how two parishes and their communities worked together to raise the money and deliver a beautiful oak framed building that is not only spacious and light but also zero carbon, benefiting from an air source heat pump and solar panels.

If you are part of a community organisation and have a project requiring funding that you’d like to discuss, then please contact your Community Engagement Officer www.testvalley.gov.uk/CEOfficers

You can watch highlights from the open event, including community interviews here: https://youtu.be/ccY0gc1SXcU

Hall bookings can be made here (due to parking restrictions special arrangements have to be made for non-residents).

Cllr Susanne Hasselmann, [email protected]

Cllr Maureen Flood, [email protected]