Elections – 4th May 2023

COSY loans now available for energy help

 

COSY loans now available to cover the full cost of energy saving improvements

If you’re keen to improve the energy efficiency of your home but need help with the upfront costs, you can now apply for an interest free COSY loan from us to cover the full cost of improvements and spread your repayments over up to five years.*

Find out more

To apply for a loan, you’ll need to get at least two quotes and the loan will fund the cheaper of the two. If you’re not able to apply straight away, register your interest in the loan before 28 February 2023 and we’ll honour the current loan terms for your application until 30 April 2023, subject to funding being available.

If you’re on a low income or benefits, you may be eligible for a grant for the cost of energy efficiency improvements to your home. Visit our website to find out more.

Apply for a COSY loan now

* Homeowners and landlords only. If you are renting, please contact your landlord. Loan secured against the value of the property. Your home may be at risk if you fail to make payments.

 

Bentley Bus Service: Cut to 2-hourly. Please vote against!

Bentley bus service has been proposed to reduce from 1-hourly to a 2-hourly service.

Please vote against this by clicking on the link below before 6th January 2023 for all those in Bentley that value and rely on this service.

Future Bus Network Consultation – Introduction – Surrey County Council – Citizen Space (surreysays.co.uk)

Planning Application – ACCESS to 34 new homes in Bentley

Now available on the EHDC website.  If you wish to comment on the planning application regarding ACCESS to the development below, please click on the link:

Proposal: Outline Application – Residential development comprising of up to 34 residential dwellings, including fifteen affordable and nine self-build housing units, together with the associated vehicular and pedestrian access, landscaping, and public open space (Access to be considered only)

Site Address: Land West of Broadacre, School Lane, Bentley, Farnham

Case No: 59717/001

Land Parcel Reference No: 93667

Comments date:  20th December 2022

Website Link

Cricket & Sports Club meeting: Wed 7th December

The Bentley Archers Cricket and Sports Club meeting has been re-scheduled for:

Wednesday 7th December 2022 at 7.30pm

in the Denis Smith Room at the Memorial Hall.

Please come and share your views and have your say in the future of the Recreation Ground.

Allotments – 3 places available

Three allotment places have recently become available on Hole Lane. A perfect opportunity to grow-your-own in our beautiful village.

Contact:  clerk@bentleyparishcouncil.gov.uk

Fibre Broadband in Bentley

Bentley Parish Council received this update regarding fibre Broadband in Bentley:

The Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has an executive agency called Building Digital UK (BDUK) which is responsible for the delivery of gigabit broadband and universal 4G mobile phone coverage.

Hampshire-wide procurement:

Central government has provided BDUK with £5bn of funding to achieve this goal and BDUK has allocated £120mn for a procurement to deliver services to addresses in Hampshire that are not commercially viable.

Suppliers have been asked to provide details of their plans to rollout fibre broadband across the UK and BDUK has compiled these details into a single view so that they can identify addresses that are not going to be upgraded by commercial investments. The address list requiring a subsidy includes Bentley Parish.

BDUK had expected to issue a procurement in 2021 but this was delayed and the procurement documents were issued in September 2022 with the expectation that a contract can be awarded in April-June 2023. I should stress that this procurement is not being run by the County Council, it is being run by BDUK, an executive agency of DCMS.

 

Gigabit Voucher Scheme:

BDUK runs the gigabit voucher scheme in conjunction with the wider gigabit procurements. When a geographical area enters the BDUK gigabit procurement process applications for new projects are suspended, this allows bidding companies to compete for a fixed address list. After the procurement has been completed and a contract awarded (April – June 2023) the voucher scheme will be unfrozen and any address not covered by the winning bid will become eligible for the voucher scheme once more.

Bonfires!

Recently, the Parish Council has received several complaints about bonfires.  Bonfire smoke can be very irritating and even harmful, particularly to people with breathing problems. Having a bonfire should always be a last resort.

Please consider these alternatives

  • Compost your garden waste or use a garden shredder
  • Take waste to a recycling centre
  • Request a garden waste collection
  • Large items can be collected by us

The law

Bonfires are not specifically prohibited in law, but they may cause a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

A statutory nuisance may occur if smoke interferes unreasonably with the ordinary use or enjoyment of another person’s property.

It is also an offence to burn any waste generated as a result of a commercial activity, or any waste that will cause dark or black smoke.  If you need to report an incident relating to the burning of commercial or agricultural waste you can contact the Environment Agency 0800 807060.

Contact the Police if smoke from a bonfire near a road is causing a traffic hazard.

How do I have a bonfire without causing a nuisance?

If you cannot avoid having a bonfire and to reduce the likelihood of causing a nuisance, please consider the following:

  • How often you burn – The more often you have a bonfire, the more likely it is that your neighbours will complain
  • The size of the fire – it must be small enough to be controllable and hot enough to burn with minimal smoke
  • Location – as far away from neighbours as possible
  • Weather – ideally no wind or a light breeze, blowing away from nearby houses
  • Suitable materials – Only burn dry material as this will burn quickly and give off a minimal amount of smoke and smell.  You may be able to burn dry garden waste, clean wood, paper or card.  Never burn oil, green garden waste, animal bedding, rubber, plastic, foam or paint, as these can produce dark smoke, which is potentially toxic and environmentally unacceptable

We also suggest:

  • Supervise – do not leave a bonfire unattended
  • Water – have water available to put out the fire

If you would like to make a complaint please speak to the owner of the bonfire first.

Public Meeting on Wed 12th Oct @ 5.00-6.00pm