Littleton & Harestock Parish Council
Who we are
Lowest tier of local government – the most local of all local government bodies
Non-political – our councillors reflect and represent the views and wishes of the parish community, not political parties
Services, priorities and budget are entirely focused on Littleton and Harestock
All of our councillors live within the parish
We are a highly motivated group of individuals with a wide range of skills and experience, linked by a common aim to maintain and develop the best possible environment for our community
Parish councillors perform their duties on a voluntary basis and do not get paid or claim allowances for their services
What We Do
We champion, promote and encourage nature conservation
We regularly review and comment on local development and planning applications with the intention of protecting and enhancing the character of the parish
We represent the views of the parish at public inquiries
We respond to public consultation on matters that affect the parish, for example the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and Hampshire County Council’s Transport Strategy
We produce and continually review the Littleton Village Design Statement
We maintain and develop the playgrounds in Harestock and Littleton. We believe them to be among the best and safest in Hampshire
We maintain trees on parish council land to ensure they are safe and healthy
We actively encourage the development of top quality sports facilities – football pitches, cricket pitch, tennis courts, croquet lawn, bowling green, outdoor gym – with excellent support from our sports clubs
We maintain the Littleton Recreation Ground to the highest standards
We negotiate an annual lease with MoD for the continued enjoyment of ‘the cage’ recreation field on Harestock Road
We represent the parish community on the Memorial Hall Trust
We organise Repair Cafés in Harestock and Littleton
We maintain Littleton village pond, its surrounds and the ‘island’ across the road
We work with English Heritage to protect and maintain the Tumulus Field
We engage with major developments in and around the parish – fighting to get the best outcomes for our community, nature and wildlife:
- Sir John Moore Barracks housing plans
- Solar Farm
- Anaerobic Digester
- Instavolt charging station
We fight to preserve the Settlement Gap between Littleton and Harestock, as set out and required in the Winchester District Plan:
- Preventing development
- Maintaining visual separation and the distinct identities of Littleton and Harestock
- Protecting the landscape, its countryside character and sense of place
- Protecting and supporting nature and wildlife
- Ensuring that any development at Sir John Moore Barracks does not encroach on the settlement gap and maintains open countryside for recreation, biodiversity, and landscape value
We campaign for the candidate Site of Interest for Nature Conservation (SINC) in the northern fields of Sir John Moore Barracks to be officially adopted
We argue for better bus services that reflect the practical needs of our residents
We publish e-News – our monthly Parish Newsletter
We operate a thermal imaging camera home loan service
We provide a home energy peer to peer advice service through our Energy Champions for reducing bills, warmer homes and a lower carbon footprint
We maintain Telephone Box libraries in Littleton and (hopefully) coming soon in Harestock
We supported the installation of defibrillators at the March Hare (Harestock) and Littleton Recreation Ground
We provide small grants to local community groups and organisations
We liaise with the M3 Junction Improvement project team regarding overnight diversions through the parish
We press for road safety improvements and speed reductions throughout the parish
We arrange traffic surveys and operate the roadside speed reminder displays
We lobby Hampshire County Council on pothole repairs
We maintain the Harestock shops flowerbeds and greenery
We have supported the adoption and maintenance of Harestock mini meadows
We have adopted a Management Plan for wildlife at the Littleton conservation field
We organise volunteers for litter picking and public footpath maintenance
We work closely with city and county councillors on local issues and they regularly attend our meetings
We represent the community with Hampshire Police
We support the annual Littleton and Harestock Show
We prioritise and schedule shared Lengthsman services, for example clearing highway verges and sight lines at dangerous junctions
Our Parish Clerk works from the Parish Office located at the Littleton Recreation Ground, where the Council accounts, history and archives are openly available
We maintain the Parish Council website
We regularly update the Parish Notice Boards