Ginny Boxall District Councillor for Whitedown

Alton Town Council is recruiting Footpaths Volunteers to help maintain and monitor Alton’s growing network walking routes in the town.

What the role involves

Public footpaths
Rights of way
Permissive paths through parks and housing developments

Initially, the role would involve:
Walking local routes regularly and reporting issues such as obstructions, damage, or maintenance needs.

There are also plans for volunteers to receive training and become accredited as Hampshire Countryside volunteer warden.

We are meeting on 30th April to discuss the opportunity further with our current volunteers, and Andrew Dawson from Hampshire County Council will be joining speaking in more detail about the role.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Natalie Beckell at Alton Town Council by emailing [email protected] or call 01420 83986.

The Weekly Altonian

Full Council - Draft Minutes
Casual Vacancy for a Town Councillor
Message from the Mayor
Walking Festival - Accessible Walks
Alton Repair Cafe
Local events And much more…make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom.

To view in a browser or share with friends and family please go to:https://mailchi.mp/alton/weeklyaltonian-160426

Through the Warmer Homes consortium with Portsmouth City Council , residents with a household income of £36,000 or less May quality for free energy efficiency measures . Residents can register interest here :

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST | Warmer Homes AgilityEco takes the privacy of your information very seriously. To find out more about how we collect, share, use and store your information click here.

In East Hampshire, you can currently put the following in your household recycling (black) bin: paper and card, plastic bottles, tins and cans, empty aerosols. To find out more about what can (and can't) go in your bins visit: www.easthants.gov.uk/your-bins

Finally published in this weeks Herald

The Weekly Altonian - https://mailchi.mp/alton/weeklyaltonian-02-april-10347695

In this week’s Altonian:
Easter Trail - Continues until Monday 13th April
Alton Walking Festival - Filling up quickly
King’s Pond - April update
Full Council - Wednesday 8th April

News you might have missed…

And much more…make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom.

If you have news, events or photographs you would like us to share in The Weekly Altonian please email [email protected]

There will be no changes to bin collections over the Easter bank holiday weekend. Our crews will be working on both bank holiday days to ensure all scheduled collections take place as normal.

Please help us by making sure your bins are out from 6am on your collection day. Thank you.

A copy of a letter I have sent to the Alton Herald but not published yet

Dear Editor,
As East Hampshire District Council progresses its emerging Local Plan, it faces a defining choice: whether to adopt truly robust planning policies that safeguard one of our most precious and vulnerable natural assets—our chalkstreams and the aquifers that sustain them.
Chalkstreams are globally rare ecosystems, with the majority found here in England. They are not only ecologically unique, supporting rich biodiversity, but also form a vital part of our natural heritage and local identity. Yet they are under increasing pressure from over-abstraction, pollution, and the cumulative impacts of development.
New housing is needed, but it cannot come at the expense of our already stressed water environment. Development must be aligned with the environmental limits of the area. This means going beyond minimum compliance and requiring developers to demonstrate, with clear and enforceable evidence, that their proposals will not add pressure to water supply, wastewater infrastructure, or the health of nearby chalkstreams.
In practical terms, this should include rigorous water neutrality standards, investment in sustainable drainage systems, and firm guarantees that local sewage treatment works have the capacity to cope—without discharges that degrade river quality. Too often, infrastructure lags behind development, leaving communities and ecosystems to bear the cost.
Equally important is the need to prioritise the delivery of genuinely affordable homes. Meeting local housing need should not be used as justification for unsustainable growth that undermines the very environment that makes this district a desirable place to live. A well-designed Local Plan can—and must—do both: provide homes people can afford while protecting the natural systems that sustain life and wellbeing.
This is a moment for leadership. By embedding strong, enforceable protections for chalkstreams and aquifers, EHDC can set a benchmark for responsible planning—one that recognises that economic growth and environmental stewardship are not opposing goals, but inseparable responsibilities.
Yours faithfully,�Cllr Ginny Boxall
EHDC Alton Whitedown