Category: News

Jem Musselwhite

Introducing Cllr Jem Musselwhite

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I am really pleased to be co-opted once again as a Parish Councillor for Littleton & Harestock Parish Council. My first period as a Councillor ended at the end of 2024, when I thought we would imminently be moving away from the parish. That move didn’t happen, and until it does, I am delighted to carry on my work with the parish council at what is a very busy time regarding important local issues.

I am 65 years of age and still keen and willing to take on a public service role, as I always like to put something back into the community I reside in. I have a wealth of life experience I bring back to the Parish Council, including 10 years’ service in the past as a Parish Councillor in Braishfield near Romsey, the place where I was born and resided until moving to Winchester with my family in 2008.

I have also in the past served as a Governor of Braishfield County Primary School & Eastleigh College of Further Education. I attended Peter Symonds Boys Grammar School in the 1970s and served for several years as the Secretary of the Symondians Association.  

I live in Harestock with my wife Jayne and get actively involved with community activities here. I also regularly walk in many areas of Littleton & Harestock with my 2 springer spaniels. I also avail myself of our wonderful local facilities and regularly use public transport.

My four grown-up children live locally and I have grandchildren who attend Harestock Primary School, Henry Beaufort School and Peter Symonds College in Winchester. 3 of my 4 children also attended Peter Symonds College.

As a Chartered Building Engineer & Surveyor, I run my own Architectural Design & Building Consultancy practice in Winchester, and a large part of my work involves the submission of statutory planning and building regulation applications to local authorities across the south, including Winchester City Council, with whom I have a very good working relationship.

I take a great deal of interest in local affairs and feel very privileged to still reside in Hampshire.

The amount of time I spend back on the Parish Council depends on our eventual house move, but for as long as I am here, I will seek to serve the Parish Council and our local community to the best of my ability.

Parish Biodiversity

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Building on its monitoring of the progress of the Parish Council’s Biodiversity Policy, the February meeting of the council approved a prioritisation of modified objectives for 2025. Among those that ranked highest were:

  • ensuring the commitment to enhancing the local biodiversity in the Littleton Village Design Statement (LVDS) is vigorously pursued
  • continuing to advocate that the future SJMB development achieves the best biodiversity gain, including both the adoption of the Candidate SINC and for biodiversity-sensitive public access
  • advocating the retention of the Winchester-Littleton settlement gap
  • undertaking a review of the Conservation Management Plan for the Tumulus Field
  • ensuring the various flower beds and meadow areas under the Parish Council’s control adopt a ‘planting for biodiversity’ approach

Other notable objectives include:

  • enhancing the biodiversity in and around the Recreation Ground and Conservation Field (including hedges and trees, maintenance regimes and use of chemicals)
  • ensuring biodiversity matters are considered in the parish council’s reviews of planning applications
  • encouraging further volunteer involvement such as developing neighbourhood meadows and surveys at key parish locations, as well as participation in ‘citizen science’ initiatives such as the recent Big Garden Birdwatch and the Big Butterfly Count (July-Aug 2025)

Cllr David Tozer of the Parish Action on the Climate Emergency (PACE) comments: “It’s astonishing that even at parish-scale level, there are still so many opportunities to give nature a helping hand, whether that’s through tweaking our council practices or encouraging new initiatives. We’d love to hear from local residents of any initiatives they could help with or instigate.” 

If interested, please contact the Parish Clerk at clerk@lhpc.org.uk.