The Way I See It
Chandlers Ford Parish Council By Gordon Moore
I was against
any idea of setting up a new council for Chandlers
Ford. When the referendum was held two years ago I voted no because I reckoned a new talking shop would be a waste of time and money. But now, despite my negative vote, Chandlers Ford Parish Council is in existence, because a majority in the referendum voted in favour.
Or did they? Only about a third of the electorate bothered to vote, and those that did voted for the proposal by only a slim margin. That means that barely a sixth of eligible voters actually indicated that they wanted the new body.
The chairman of the new authority is Margaret Atkinson, an accountant in practice with her husband in Hiltingbury Road. When I met Councillor Atkinson at the couple’s offices, I was surprised when she told me where she had put her own cross in the referendum. “I voted against it,” she told me. “The reason I did
that was that I didn’t want to encumber the parish with extra cost.”
She had been against saddling the public with another layer of admin. “I’m all for keeping things as simple as possible.” Despite once having wanted to ban the institution which she now heads, Cllr Atkinson is unapologetic. “Since then I’ve learnt an awful lot about the way councils work. I’ve realised that a parish council is the best thing for Chandlers Ford. And once I realised it was going to happen, I very much wanted to be part of it.” Good for her, I say. Nothing wrong with changing your mind. And who better to head the council and win over the doubters than someone who was once a doubter herself?
The cost of running a parish council may be only a few pounds per year for each tax payer but it’s still comforting to know that an accountant is in the chair. And Cllr Atkinson brings to the job an infectious enthusiasm. She loves Chandlers Ford. Born 60 years ago, she has spent 58 of them here. Provided
the public and the other 17 members of the council agree, she wants change, including improvements for teenagers: “When I was younger and wanted to go to youth activities, I had to go to Winchester or Southampton. I gather that’s not changed that much.” With some shops at
Fryern but others located around the station, Chandlers Ford seems to have no centre, she complains. “I’ve never felt there’s been what I would call a real total community for Chandlers Ford.” Those are her views but Cllr Atkinson accepts that it’s not her wishes that matter. “I’m happy to do this work but one thing we desperately want is communication between councillors and parishioners.”
She hopes residents will phone up or come to meetings. “They’ve got to talk to us and tell us what they want.”
At this rate I could be won over by our passionate parish council chairman.
THE CHANDLERS FORD DIRECTORY | 023 8027 6396 |
kevin@cfdirectory.co.uk
61
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88