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New website dedicated to ensuring better choice for Adult Social Care users.
New website dedicated to ensuring better choice for Adult Social Care users.
08/02/2010 12:00:00
A new website dedicated to supporting organisations who currently provide or want to provide adult social care services has been launched by Hampshire County Council.
The Market Development website: http://www3.hants.gov.uk/market_development.htm contains information about what the authority is doing to help stimulate the care market so that good quality services are developed which reflect people’s choices.
It also links to other websites that will provide additional support and information for providers.
The Market Development project is one of the eight pillars of the Hampshire Model
Organisations will also be able to find market data that may help them with their business planning and sources of training and funding they may be able to access to support their organisational change and development.
The Market Development project is one of the eight pillars of the Hampshire Model
The Hampshire Model is a holistic and practical model to ‘putting people first’.
The Hampshire Model is a holistic and practical model to ‘putting people first’.
This is not just about adult services or social care; it is designed to stretch across all county council departments covering everything from transport, to recreation, culture and other services. In this way the model creates the opportunity for more integrated services and builds on the benefits of working in partnership.
The Hampshire Model was born out of Hampshire County Council’s ground breaking commission in November 2008 into the Personalisation of its services.
The Hampshire Model was proposed by Hampshire’s expert Commission on Personalisation in their report ‘Getting personal: a fair deal for care and support’.
To make personalisation work, people need the choice of services they want so they can live independent lives.
The Market Development website also provides a ‘Personalisation Ready’ Toolkit for organisations to help them prepare for the transformation of adult social care in Hampshire and be ready to actively engage with the rollout across the county during 2010 of another pillar of the Hampshire Model, Self Directed Support.
Self Directed Support, is a new process for those people who meet the Adult Services eligibility criteria that gives the individual more choice and control, through discussions with their social worker, over how money is used for their social care and support.
Following the success of an initial pilot project offering Self Directed Support in Basingstoke, a proposed approach for county wide roll out of the scheme over the next two years was agreed by Hampshire County Council in March 2009.
“Personalisation is all about people being able to find the services they want to be able to live the lives they want to."
Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Councillor Felicity Hindson, said: “Personalisation is all about people being able to find the services they want to be able to live the lives they want to. It is so important to see that users of adult social care services have a real choice of services. This website is a major new resource for providers in Hampshire. We are delighted to be able to offer this practical support to them and very much look forward to working together to utilise this market information to support our programme of personalisation across Adult Services.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
•The Hampshire Model focuses on eight key areas:
Universal offer – making sure Hampshire residents have access to information, advice on support and care, help with assessing care needs, information on where to get the care needed and advice and support on reviewing care.
Free crisis care – to offer up to six weeks of free crisis care to people who are in danger of going into hospital or to those who have come out of hospital and need some help.
Self-directed support (SDS) – Self Directed Support, is for those people who meet the Adult Services eligibility criteria and gives the individual more choice and control, through discussions with their social worker, over how money is used for their social care and support.
It is a new process by which a person is given the support and care they need.
Following the success of an initial pilot project offering Self Directed Support in Basingstoke, a proposed approach for county wide roll out of the scheme over the next two years was agreed by Hampshire County Council in March 2009.
User led initiatives – Involving people who use services in shaping those services for the future.
Carers – There are more than 100,000 unpaid carers in Hampshire, of which about 20,000 provide more than 50 hours of care a week. Carers will be able to have resources allocated for their support alongside possibilities for how carers could be helped financially.
Learning Disability transformation – To transform the services we deliver to people with a learning disability and their carers.
Market development – Helping stimulate the care market so that services are developed which reflect people’s choices and making sure the services are of good quality.
Process and efficiency – To create a modern business which provides responsive, customer focused, and efficient services.
Looking after Hampshire, looking out for you www.hants.gov.uk/mediacentre Issued by: Louise Payne, Media Communications Officer, on 01962 847363
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Are You Getting Short Changed At The Pumps?
Are You Getting Short Changed At The Pumps?
08/02/2010 12:00:00
Hampshire County Council has discovered drivers in some parts of the county could be getting short-changed at the petrol pumps following checks on fuel stations.
In routine tests on the accuracy of petrol and diesel pumps at filling stations across the county, Trading Standards have found that some pumps in Eastleigh, Ringwood, Bishops Waltham, Basingstoke, New Forest and Totton have been pumping too slowly and therefore delivering less fuel than indicated, and below the legal limit.
Making Sure You Don't Get Stung At The Pumps
Petrol and diesel pumps are designed to deliver at a particular flow rate and pumps that deliver fuel at slow and very slow speeds could be giving customers inaccurate measures. The problem often appears to be made worse as a result of higher amounts of bio fuel in modern fuels which can block filters and slow down pumping speeds.
As a result of these checks, Hampshire’s Trading Standards Officers have taken action to shut down faulty equipment until the problems have been rectified.
Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Ken Thornber said: “By checking whether pumps are working properly, our Trading Standards officers play an important role in ensuring that drivers get the fuel that they pay for and value for money. Any motorists that feel the petrol pump that they’re using is working much slower than normal should draw it to the attention of the filling station operator and report it to our Trading Standards Service who can check whether it’s faulty”.
To help ensure you get what you pay for, Trading Standards recommend:
- You make sure the pump display is at zero before delivery starts
- You take care to select the correct grade of fuel for your vehicle
- If there is anything unusual about the delivery, such as a very slow pumping speed, report the matter to the garage.
If you have similar problems buying fuel, contact Trading Standards via Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.
Looking after Hampshire, looking out for you www.hants.gov.uk/mediacentre Issued by: Suzie Southgate, Media Communications Manager (Policy and Resources) on 01962 847367
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Sway Road to close for bridge tests
Sway Road to close for bridge tests
08/02/2010 12:00:00
Hampshire County Council is alerting local residents to a week long closure of Sway Road in Brockenhurst during the schools' half term holiday (15 -19 February).
The road closure is essential for engineers to be able to carry out, safely, a structural survey of Junction Bridge (which is owned by Network Rail). The engineers will also be testing the condition of the 120 year old bridge and checking its precise dimensions in order to gather all the information needed to develop detailed plans for strengthening the bridge.
Diverted traffic
Traffic, including buses 56 and 56A will be diverted via the A337 during the week of the closure. This means that during that week there will be no bus service serving Brookley Road, or Sway Road, while bus passengers for Brockenhurst Railway station will need to use the Island Shop bus stop as buses will not be able to call at the station forecourt.. The normal service route will resume from Monday 22 February.
In April 2009 a 7.5 tonne weight restriction for two way traffic crossing the bridge was imposed, following a structural assessment. In September the County Council and Network Rail decided to narrow the road over the bridge to a single lane, controlled by traffic lights. This enabled buses to cross the bridge safely and restored the service along Sway Road.
Councillor Mel Kendal, Executive Member for Environment at Hampshire County Council said:
“We are well aware that the road closure will cause inconvenience to residents and local users of bus services 56 and 56A. Safety must be our first priority however and the County Council’s engineers continue to work closely with Network Rail to develop a solution for reinforcing the bridge so that it is strong enough to bear the load of two way traffic again. At this stage it is unclear what will be needed but the work to be carried out during half term week will help us to determine what needs to be done. It is highly likely that major works will be required and they will need to be planned carefully.”
Looking after Hampshire, looking out for you www.hants.gov.uk/mediacentre For media enquiries please contact: Diana Leahy, Media Communications Officer (Environment) Tel: 01962 847666 Email: diana.leahy@hants.gov.uk
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A new surface for Leigh Road carriageway
A new surface for Leigh Road carriageway
05/02/2010 12:00:00
Hampshire County Council is to resurface the carriageway on Eastleigh’s Leigh Road, between the M3 overpass through to the traffic light junction at Bournemouth Road.
8 to 20 February
The essential work is set to start on 8 February with completion anticipated by 20 February (weather permitting). There will be two asects to the work, with a full road closure from the northbound offslip to Bournemouth Road and, to minimise disruption, a night time only closure from the northbound offslip to the overbridge (just past the bottom of Oakmount Avenue).
Owing to the need to completely remove the old road surface, and to undertake drainage works prior to laying the new surface, it will be necessary to close the section of road, in both directions, while the work is in progress. This will also ensure that safety is maintained for road users and that conditions will be safe for those working on the road.
Signed diversions
Signed diversion routes will be in place:
- The main diversion route, in both directions, will utilise Bournemouth Road, Winchester Road, Allbrook Way, Woodside Avenue and Leigh Road.
- An alternative southbound diversion will also be in place along Bournemouth Road and then Chestnut Avenue for alternative access to the M27 and Eastleigh town centre.
- For the overnight closures on Monday 8 February to Thursday 11 February, from 22:00 hours to 06:00 hours, motorway diversion is via the Bournemouth Road junction only.
Provision will be made for residents to access their off-road parking but there will be some unavoidable delays. Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout but vehicle access for residents will be available via the Bournemouth Road junction only.
Other work carried out at same time
In order to avoid further subsequent road closures and keep costs to a minimum, the County Council has combined other planned, individual works and arranged for them to be carried out while the road closure is in place.
Additionally, Eastleigh Borough Council will be taking the opportunity to install a new pedestrian refuge near to the Belmont Road junction and replace existing bus stops with new raised kerbs and surfacing.
Councillor Mel Kendal, Executive Member for Environment at Hampshire County Council said: “This is a significant scheme of essential roads maintenance that must be completed to prolong the life of the road and maintain safety for road users. Obviously we recognise that closing a road will cause a great deal of inconvenience and lead to delays t it is not a decision that has been taken lightly - although the closure is in place for safety reasons, it will also mean that the work can be completed within a shorter period of time. May I ask local residents for their understanding and to be patient during the few days that the work will take to complete. Residents are asked to allow extra time for journeys in the Eastleigh area, particularly during peak, rush hour periods.”
Additional information
The cost for resurfacing Leigh Road from the M3 overpass to the Bournemouth Road traffic lights junction is £160,000
Looking after Hampshire, looking out for you www.hants.gov.uk/mediacentre For media enquiries please contact: Diana Leahy, Media Communications Officer (Environment) Tel: 01962 847666 Email: diana.leahy@hants.gov.uk
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Pothole Busters hit the streets with high speed technology
Pothole Busters hit the streets with high speed technology
05/02/2010 12:00:00
Hampshire’s Pothole Busters teams will be back in force across the county tackling the damage left in the road surfaces by the severe winter.
Extra resources have been brought in and there are now 50 gangs busting potholes all over Hampshire.
Pothole Busters will be using a range of techniques including hot patching which is used for larger areas, verge repairs which are carried out by infilling with compacted limestone and topsoil; and jetpatching. A jetpatcher is a high speed patching machine which is effective in places with numerous defects and can fix up to 2000 potholes in a week. It works by blasting potholes with hot air to remove debris and then spraying in a mixture of bitumen and aggregate under pressure which fills and seals it. The whole process takes only a few minutes and the road is ready for traffic immediately afterwards.
While it may be necessary to carry out temporary repairs in some places to make the road safe again, the majority of repairs carried out will be permanent and will use ‘hot’ material, which generally produces much better results.
Councillor Ken Thornber, Leader of Hampshire County Council, said: “The impact of this exceptionally severe winter with very cold temperatures, snow and ice, and then melting snow and rain has been undeniably damaging to our roads. Clearly, we will need to look at our plans and budget in light of this but our immediate priority is to make the roads safe and useable again and this is why we have brought in extra resources to fix the worst of the problems as quickly as possible.
“Once we have done this, we will look at how we can restore our road network, and get a better idea of how long this will take and how much it will cost. In Hampshire, we recognise the importance of our roads and use our finances and resources across the whole network, whether these roads serve large urban centres or smaller rural communities.
“The weather has left defects all over the county, and the length of time it takes to permanently repair each one will depend on the size and location of the pothole. Owing to higher speed limits and narrower road widths on many rural roads, it may be necessary to temporarily close the road while work is being carried out. I appreciate this may cause some inconvenience but would like to reassure people that we will complete the work quickly, safely and efficiently. Looking after Hampshire’s roads is one of our main priorities and we will continue to do all we can to ensure our roads are safe and well maintained.”
Residents can report faults, including potholes and roadside defects by filling in an online form which can be found at www.hants.gov.uk/roads, where residents can then track progress of their report online. Alternatively, defects can be reported to: 0845 603 5633
Pothole Busters work is being carried out by Amey, the County Council’s highways maintenance contractor. Amey also carries out a range of highways maintenance work for the County Council including sorting out drainage problems, vegetation encroachment, maintaining pavements, and ensuring road signs are clear and visible.
Some of the Pothole Busters gangs with Councillor Kendal
Looking after Hampshire, looking out for you www.hants.gov.uk/mediacentre For media enquiries please contact: Alison Taylor, Marketing Communications Manager (Environment) Corporate Communications Team Tel: 01962 845155 Email: alison.taylor@hants.gov.uk
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Serving Up A history Of Hampshire And The Isle Of Wight
Serving Up A history Of Hampshire And The Isle Of Wight
05/02/2010 12:00:00
 Ten amazing objects from museums in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been selected to showcase the history of the local area and their place in the world as part of the BBC’s ‘A History of the World’ project.
Among the objects are two chosen from the collection of Hampshire County Council Museums Service: a set of beautifully crafted silver-gilt spoons made in 1592 and the prototype Olympic Torch used in the 1948 London Olympics, made by Pains Fireworks of Salisbury.
People's Choice
 As part of the project Hampshire residents are being invited to delve into their own collections to play a part in recalling the county’s cultural history. Residents can submit photographs of their own items with a local or global appeal and at the end of February a ‘People’s 10 Objects’ of Hampshire will add to the story of the county’s history. Photographs can be submitted through the History of the World website.
Hampshire County Council Executive Member for Culture and Recreation, Councillor Margaret Snaith-Tempia, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for people to learn more about where they live through objects directly connected to Hampshire’s past. Each of the objects offers a unique cultural insight of the local area and make up just some of the fine artefacts available to view in Hampshire’s museums.”
Talk To The Experts
The list of 10 objects can be seen on the BBC Local site for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and all the objects will be on display at county museums for differing periods during 2010. There will also be a chance to see some of the objects and talk to the experts at a special event for families on Wednesday 17 February at Portsmouth City Museum between 10am and 3pm.
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Hampshire County Council Media Centre
For media enquiries please contact: Jon Sharkey, Media Communications Officer (Culture, Communities & Rural Affairs) Corporate Communications Team Tel: 01962 846028.
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Lottery Grants Waterlooville Library A New Lease Of Life
Lottery Grants Waterlooville Library A New Lease Of Life
05/02/2010 12:00:00
Waterlooville Library will temporarily close on 15 February to undergo a major £800k refurbishment with learning and skills opportunities at the core of community improvements.
More than half of Hampshire County Council’s libraries have been refurbished in the last five years and now Waterlooville is the latest to undergo a series of works to modernise the building and its facilities.
The refurbishment at Waterlooville Library is part funded by Hampshire County Council and part funded by the Big Lottery Fund. It forms part of a £1.2 million project across five Hampshire libraries. Work on, Havant, Hayling Island and Leigh Park libraries is already complete, while work on Aldershot is due to be completed in March. The project aims to make libraries more attractive and accessible to a wider audience by developing and introducing new facilities.
New Facilities
The library will be closed until September with the whole community set to benefit from new and improved facilities. The makeover includes new community rooms and dedicated learning and activity spaces alongside a redecoration programme and investment into new adult’s and children’s books. Self-Service terminals for library customers and Wi-Fi access will modernise the services offered, while fully accessible toilets and baby changing facilities will make the library a far more family friendly building to visit.
Once re-opened, a new learning space will host an array of interesting courses and workshops, with sessions on everything from crafts and languages to computer skills and seeking employment.
Library Services During Closure
During the closure a full time temporary library service will be available via a mobile library situated at the Community Centre near Asda and the nearby library at Horndean will be operating extra opening hours, six days a week. Libraries in Havant, Leigh Park, Emsworth and Hayling Island will also be available for use.
Users can also search the library catalogue, reserve books and renew items online at any time.
Hampshire County Council Executive Member for Culture and Recreation, Councillor Margaret Snaith-Tempia, said: “The extensive improvements taking place in Waterlooville provide a great way to engage with people that wouldn’t normally visit a library. The new facilities will provide an extended service that is modern and motivating, proving that Hampshire libraries offer far more than our range of books.
“I am hugely grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for providing Hampshire County Council with such a substantial grant, which is making a huge difference to people in Hampshire. Waterlooville Library will provide courses that aim to help people in their personal lives, to either find a job, or enhance the skills they already have to excel in their career. We will also be providing courses that people may want to start as a hobby.”
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Hampshire County Council Media Centre
For media enquiries please contact: Jon Sharkey, Media Communications Officer(Culture,Communities & Rural Affairs) Corporate Communications Team Tel: 01962 846028.
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Traffic improvements prepare way for new Park and Ride
Traffic improvements prepare way for new Park and Ride
03/02/2010 12:00:00
A package of traffic improvement measures aimed at improving traffic flow in Winchester in preparation for the new park and Ride scheme, are being carried out between now and the beginning of April. The £7.1 million South Winchester Park and Ride is due to begin operations on 19 April 2010 and will be run by Winchester City Council.
Chilbolton Avenue
Following a trial of ‘part-time’ traffic signals in Chilbolton Avenue in July 2009, it is planned to reinstall the approach signals for an extended period of two years. To help the signals operate more responsively, permanent signals and vehicle detection equipment are also being introduced.
The current temporary build-out in Chilbolton Avenue is to be replaced with a permanent kerb and alterations also include the removal of a pinch point on the roundabout approach.
Similar to last summer’s trial, the new permanent signals will operate in the afternoon and early evening from Monday to Friday. Start and end times will depend on the traffic queuing on Romsey Road, giving more priority to Romsey Road and helping the Park and Ride buses. During the rest of the day, the roundabout will revert to normal. When necessary, the signals may also be used at other times to help ease congestion.
Work starts on Chilbolton Avenue on Monday 8 February for approximately two weeks.
Removal of pinch point
Removing the pinch point and other related work will take a further week. This will be carried out during the Easter school holidays, following the reopening of St Cross Road, to minimise traffic disruption. Multi-way traffic signals will be used from 9.30am to 4pm to ensure the safety of contractors and motorists.
Romsey Road / Battery Hill / Kings Road junction
Additional work being carried out to the pedestrian crossing will make the phasing more responsive by extending or reducing crossing times according to the numbers of people waiting. These changes will be carried out during the school Spring half term holiday in February (w/b Monday 15 February) and should have minimal impact on traffic. Temporary traffic lights will be in operation over the following weekend to help complete the changes safely.
Bus stops – RHCH
To improve the bus stops outside the main entrance of the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, it is planned to change the configuration of the existing bus layby as well as replacing the inbound and outbound bus shelters. The new outbound shelter will be bigger to provide more capacity for the new Park and Ride service.
This work will begin on Monday 22 February and is expected to last for three weeks. During this time the current bus layby outside the hospital will be coned off and temporary bus stops set up close by.
The outbound bus stop will be positioned in the layby outside the hospital’s Outpatient department. While the work is taking place, this area will be available for service buses to use. Police ‘No waiting’ cones and advisory signs will be provided.
All the highways work is being carried out by Mildren Construction Ltd, with traffic signals installed by Siemens.
Cllr Mel Kendal, Executive Member for Environment, said: "This important work is being carried out in preparation for the opening of the new Park and Ride in April. As the buses will use Romsey Road both ways, it is essential that journey times are as quick and reliable as possible.
“The work has been carefully planned at off peak times to minimise any further disruption to traffic caused by the Network Rail works on St Cross Road. When the new Park and Ride is operational it aims to take a significant amount of traffic off the busiest roads, so helping to relieve congestion in the city at peak times.”
Looking after Hampshire, looking out for you www.hants.gov.uk/mediacentre For media enquiries please contact: Stephanie Light, Marketing Communications Manager Tel: 01962 846498 Email: stephanie.light@hants.gov.uk
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Low council tax rise on the cards for second year
Low council tax rise on the cards for second year
03/02/2010 12:00:00
Hampshire County Council's Cabinet is to consider a budget that that will continue to provide residents with quality services and keep next year’s council tax increase to just 1.9 per cent.
If agreed, this is the second year that this record low increase will have been brought in. This is possible thanks to the County Council’s excellent financial management and its continual drive to seek savings and secure value for money – as recognised by independent inspectors in the county council’s recent assessments by the Audit Commission.
Making Savings
Councillor Ken Thornber, Leader of Hampshire County Council, said: “We are continually looking for ways we can provide more for less, and constantly reducing our costs by making savings and reinvesting these back into the delivery of frontline services. We made £20.5million of efficiency savings last year alone and are planning a further £19m next year. We are able to do this not only by good housekeeping, improved productivity and streamlining services but also through good procurement practice, for example in waste management contracts. We are also investing to save, such as providing funding for more foster carers to avoid costly alternative care and by making better use of office space to save money on overheads and leased accommodation.
“It is becoming more difficult to find savings, but even more important that we do so in light of increasing demand and costs and the prospect of national public spending cuts from 2011/12. In that context we have a further savings target of £15m in pay and productivity costs, procurement and other efficiencies. We aim to achieve some of this 2010/11 and have already identified £5.7million in addition to the £19 million for next year.
“Hampshire has over the years seen its share of Government funding get smaller and has prepared for this to continue, because of this prudent financial planning and proposals to step up our savings drive we are proposing to keep council tax rises below 2% for three further years, without the need to cut frontline services.”
- Listen to the Leader answer common questions from residents
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Where the money comes from
The Government will be providing just £146.8 million out of the proposed £672.1 million budget (excluding schools). This represents 22% of the councils funding for essential services such as care for the old and vulnerable, highways maintenance, disposing of household waste and support for children and families.
Council tax costs
For Hampshire’s council tax payers, whose contributions now make up 78 per cent of the Council’s budget, a 1.9% increase would mean another £20, or 38p a week on the average band D property, taking it to £1037.88 a year.
Under Pressure
With growing numbers of older residents, young adults with physical and learning disabilities and children and families needing support, the County Council is facing increasing costs within its social care services - £1,000 pays for the support of four people with learning disabilities to live independently at home for a week or 143 Older People to spend a day in Day Care. Government plans for some older residents to qualify for free personal care at home are another potential pressure on an already stretched budget.
In addition, the Council is looking to improve its resilience to extreme weather conditions and will need to deal with the impact of this year’s cold snap on Hampshire’s roads. The County Council looks after around 6,000 miles of road and it costs £1,000 patch 43 square metres of carriageway to help fix potholes.
Councillor, Ken Thornber Leader of Hampshire County Council, said: “We are keeping our promise from last year to only increase the council tax by 1.9% in 2010/11. This will mean that while there are no reductions to our service budgets, we are only able to provide an increase in funding for social care services for adults and children and families to meet the demographic pressures these services are facing.”
Addressing key issues
There are also some specific proposals within the budget to address key issues.
Councillor Thornber said: “The Cabinet will be considering proposals to set aside some savings from last year to enable us to strengthen the county’s resilience against further prolonged spells of severe weather. This will mean earmarking £600,000 for additional salt bins and a further £1 million will be set aside to meet the cost of any additional salt barns required to enable us to store an extra 6,000 tonnes of salt, raising our resilience to 18 days of continuous treatment for Hampshire roads in icy weather.
“We are also looking at investing £250,000 into improving the educational outcomes for children in care, this is to address the gap that has traditionally existed between the attainment of looked after children and the wider school population. The funding would pay for a number of pilot initiatives to complement the work already underway in this area. Projects under consideration include improving reading and numeracy skills, a peer mentoring scheme, additional support if required to children in care as they make the transition between primary and secondary schools, extension of Rights Respects and Responsibility work, and training for designated teachers who would support children in care in their school.”
The budget will come to the County Council’s Cabinet on 4 February and then onto County Council on the 18 February for final approval.
More can be found out about the potential impacts of the Free Personal Care at Home bill and the Councils proposals for strengthening its resilience to severe weather in the January Cabinet papers http://www3.hants.gov.uk/councilmeetings/meetingsummary.htm?date_ID=296
Attached are a Question and Answer sheet, details on the budget at a glance and of past and present budgets and council tax amounts.
Looking after Hampshire, looking out for you www.hants.gov.uk/mediacentre For media enquiries please contact: Kirsty Gunner, Media Communications Manager (Cabinet, Policy & Resources a nd Environment) Tel: 01962 847110 Email: kirsty.gunner@hants.gov.uk
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Hampshire road safety helps over 2000 new drivers be better
Hampshire road safety helps over 2000 new drivers be better
02/02/2010 12:00:00
More than 2000 newly qualified young drivers in Hampshire have successfully completed the Driving Standards Association’s Pass Plus scheme, having taken advantage of Hampshire County Council’s £75 subsidy towards the cost of the course.
The subsidy is offered to drivers between the ages of 17 – 24, who have recently passed their driving test and live in the local authority area.
New drivers more likely to have accidents
Statistics show that new drivers are more likely to have an accident in the first two years after passing their test, due to lack of driving experience. Completing the Pass Plus helps new, inexperienced drivers to become safer drivers by building up skills and knowledge. Pass Plus will teach them how to anticipate, plan for and deal with all kinds of hazards, to help them become a more confident driver. Another benefit of taking the course is that it can lead to savings on their insurance premiums.
Newly qualified driver, Tom Lawson (pictured above), from Chandlers Ford took his Pass Plus when the County Council first introduced the subsidy scheme in 2008. He said:
“I did it to gain extra experience on the road, especially as I knew I was going to be driving a nice company car with my new job. I got to take the module in the same make of car which helped with my experience of handing a car like that on the road. It was great going on motorways and I enjoyed the freedom the modules give you as a driver, it wasn’t like a lesson, but more training, learning how to be even better. I’d really recommend it.”
Student, Beth King, 18 from Fareham, completed the course in August 2009.
“I signed up to take Pass Plus to regain confidence after having an accident, and to benefit from a lower insurance premium. My confidence has come back and I enjoyed learning new little tricks about the car to help improve my driving. It’s a good and useful scheme that I’ve already recommended to my friends, especially if they qualify for the Hampshire County Council subsidy that saves you money on the cost of the course.”
Councillor Mel Kendal, Executive Member for Environment said:
“Reducing accidents involving young drivers is a very high road safety priority for us in Hampshire - And its fantastic that we’ve had over 2000 new drivers complete the scheme. Research carried out by the insurance industry* shows that teenage drivers are 10 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured while driving than motorists in their 40s. The most effective way for young drivers to reduce their chances of being involved in an accident and bring down their insurance costs, is to drive safely – all good reasons to take Pass Plus.”
New drivers wanting to register for the scheme can do so online at www.hants.gov.uk/roadsafety or call the road safety office on 01962 846100.
*Association of British Insurers (July 2005).
Who qualifies for Hampshire's Pass Plus scheme
•You must live within the Hampshire County Council local authority area (excludes the City of Southampton, the City of Portsmouth and IOW)
•You must be in the 17 - 24 age group
•You must have passed your driving test within the last 12 months
•You must use one of the instructors on our list.
Looking after Hampshire, looking out for you www.hants.gov.uk/mediacentre For media enquiries please contact: Diana Leahy, Media Communications Officer (Environment) Tel: 01962 847666 Email: diana.leahy@hants.gov.uk
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Hampshire Interfaith Network Celebrates Success From 2009
Hampshire Interfaith Network Celebrates Success From 2009
02/02/2010 12:00:00
Representatives of a number of religions and denominations from across Hampshire have joined together in Havant for the Hampshire Interfaith Network’s (HIN) first meeting of 2010.
The Swaminarayan Hindu Temple in Leigh Road was the venue for the meeting where HIN received a presentation on the Hindu faith and heard about the group’s 2009 highlights. These included the production of the 2010 Interfaith Calendar, designed by Hampshire schoolchildren and which featured the nine major faiths practiced in the UK.
HIN Chairman and Deputy Leader of Hampshire County Council, Cllr Roy Perry said: “With almost two thousand copies now sold, the calendar is proving to be an effective way to spread the word about faiths in the county and help to develop a tolerant and understanding community.”
The Interfaith Network represents nine faiths included in the UK Council of Faith, these are Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Baha’i, Jain and Zoroastrian. Their aim is to promote interfaith harmony and understanding for the benefit of the people of Hampshire, by encouraging and promoting respect, communication and the knowledge of different faiths across the county.
Another highlight of 2009 was the Interfaith Lecture attended by around 150 people in Winchester in November, and which was given by internationally acclaimed writer and broadcaster, Rabbi Lionel Blue.
Councillor Perry also reported that at the November meeting of Hampshire County Council, held during the first national Interfaith Week, the Imam from the Basingstoke Mosque had been invited to lead the pre-meeting prayers. Commenting, he believed that this was the first time in 120 years that prayers at Hampshire County Council had been led, other than by a Christian minister.
He added: “Sometimes we forget the contribution made by people of faith to the wellbeing of our society and their involvement in all areas of community life is vital. Whether the problems are to do with drugs, drink, violence, loneliness or despair, it is often faith communities who are first on the scene making a difference.
“We have had a very successful programme of events over the past year and I look forward to Hampshire Interfaith Network building on this success in 2010.”
The next meeting of the Network will be in March at the United Reformed Church in Lymington.
For further details on the Hampshire Interfaith Network, go to www.hants-interfaith.org
Amongst those also present were Cllr Jackie Branson, Mayor of Havant and Cllr Jenny Wride of Havant Borough Council.
Looking after Hampshire, looking out for you www.hants.gov.uk/mediacentre Issued by: Suzie Southgate, Media Communications Manager (Policy and Resources) on 01962 847367
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