Transcript Whitehill and Bordon Town Partnership 2003(6) to 2012 Dr Bill Wain, Chairman Why the doubts about the date? • Because this all started in.

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.