Whitehill and Bordon Town Partnership

2003(6) to 2012

Dr Bill Wain, Chairman

Why the doubts about the date?

• Because this all started in 2003 within the Hampshire Market Towns Project as a Healthcheck, although the Town Partnership was not formed until 2006

• Whitehill is not a typical Hampshire Market Town, it grew up around the Bordon Army Camp and only became a civil parish in 1929

Who made it happen?

• Six individuals were identified within the community by the Town Clerk and a senior Town Councillor. Only one was a Town Councillor, it was emphasised to be ‘different’ from the Council

• Those six were invited to form a Town Partnership, a necessary process to go forward with the project.

• Three of those six are still serving as Partners – continuity is essential

One essential ingredient

• The Healthcheck revealed the abysmal communications and transport links for the town

• For example, Whitehill and Bordon were 25 miles from ANY A&E department, in any direction and in any of three counties

• The Town Partnership were awarded SEEDA and EHDC funding for a part-time administrator, now our Town Improvement Manager. This funding allowed the Town Partnership to achieve its tasks.

Achievements?

• Town Action Plan, a working document

• Event Space, attracting £600,000 of funding from SEEDA and HCC, the first non-development investment in the town.

Achievements?

Achievements?

• Wildlife of Whitehill, a Local Biodiversity Action Plan. This had political influence.

Rt Hon Caroline Flint, MP, Minister for Housing

Achievements?

• Effective Working Groups which formed the nucleus of the five Specialist Groups working for the Delivery Board of the Eco town. Four Chairs of the Specialist Groups are Partners and the Town Partnership has a seat on the Delivery Board – myself.

• Annual Soap Box Derby

• Annual Christmas Festival

Disappointments?

• Inability to achieve Charitable status mostly because we wanted to improve some business aspects of the town.

• Inability to make a ‘go’ of a weekly market in the Event Space.

Disappointments?

• Inability to find funding for the continued employment of the Town Improvement Manager.

• Lack of understanding of the extent of Highways boundaries which affected the ability of the Event Space to function as we had hoped

The Future?• We have a Constitution and 13 annually elected

members, including 1 County Councillor, 1 District Councillor and 1 Town Councillor. All Councillors are (a) local and (b) nominated.

• Losing TIM will make life difficult. The will is there but the practicalities of volunteers chasing things along on a day-by-day basis will not be easy.

• We have both continuity of service and the ability to attract new Partners (perhaps I should say ‘coerce’).

• The Town Partnership is involved with the Town Council in a full programme of events for the Jubilee Celebrations, including this year’s Soap Box Derby.