New Forest District Council

30/10/2026

Local government reorganisation: The government is reconsidering proposals for local government reorganisation in Hampshire – replacing county, district and borough councils with new unitary councils responsible for all local council services in their areas.

This follows the withdrawal in September of its previous decision, which would have split the New Forest district between two new councils. The government has not yet decided which proposals it will take forward. A decision is expected in early 2027.

We’ll continue to make the case for keeping the New Forest district whole and rural and our Leader, Cllr Jill Cleary, has issued a public statement responding to the announcement: https://www.newforest.gov.uk/article/4322/Renewing-the-case-to-keep-the-Forest-whole-as-government-reconsiders-reorganisation-proposals

30/10/2026

Budget consultation: community grants

We're continuing our series of posts about the proposals being considered as part of our 2027/28 budget consultation.

One of the six service areas being considered is community grants.

The council currently provides funding to local voluntary groups, charities and community organisations that help improve wellbeing, strengthen communities and support local initiatives across the district. The scheme also includes a capital grants fund to support improvements to community buildings and facilities.

We're considering a proposal to end the capital grants scheme and change how revenue grants are allocated from April 2027. Under the proposal, more funding would be allocated through budgets held by ward councillors for projects in their local communities. The proposal would reduce the revenue grants budget by £13,000 and withdraw the £100,000 capital grants fund.

If approved, some organisations and projects could receive less funding than they do currently and may need to seek alternative funding sources or review future plans.

This is the fifth of six posts explaining the proposals being considered as part of the budget consultation. We'll share details of the final proposal soon.

Please note: comments on this post are welcome, but to ensure your views are considered as part of the consultation, please complete the consultation on our website or visit one of our information offices to request a paper copy.

30/10/2026

Please do not leave pumpkins out in the open forest because they can be harmful to some wildlife.

For recipe ideas to use up your pumpkin, visit Love Food Hate Waste.

If you cannot use up or compost your pumpkin, recycle it by cutting it into smaller chunks and add to your food waste caddy.

please! Did you know that while some wildlife may enjoy a tasty pumpkin snack it can make them unwell and can spread disease? 🎃

We ask people not to leave these out in the as they can cause harm to the ponies. There’s already plenty of natural food available for them in the forest. 🐴

Please share this message and help keep them safe. 🙏

29/10/2026

No decision on LGR in Hampshire: The government has announced in Parliament this afternoon (Thursday 29 October 2026) their latest update on local government reorganisation (LGR).

Whilst some areas in the country now have a decision, some areas do not. For Hampshire, the Minister is continuing to review the LGR arrangements using the existing proposals and aiming for an outcome for Hampshire by early 2027.

The government has said they remain committed to LGR but would like more time to consider the best route forward.

An indicative timetable for all remaining reorganisation has been outlined with anticipated new unitary shadow elections in 2028 and a vesting day of 2029. Clarity is being sought on the specific implications for the district, and a timeline.

Further information will be shared when available, and you can sign up to receive emails from us on our website (see homepage).

28/10/2026

The government has today announced a £100 energy payment for eligible households in council tax bands A to D as part of the Chancellor’s autumn Budget.

We are aware of the announcement, but have not yet received official details about how the scheme will work or whether councils will be responsible for administering payments.

We will share further information when guidance becomes available, on our website. There is no need to contact us about this at this stage.

In the meantime, please be cautious about unexpected texts, emails or social media messages asking you to apply for the payment, provide personal or bank details, or pay a fee as it could be a scam.

27/10/2026

If you have bought or grown a pumpkin for Halloween this year, the best way to save it from the rubbish bin is to eat it. There are lots of different ways you can eat pumpkins, such as:

• roasting the flesh and seeds with some oil and seasoning
• cooking it and then blending it into a soup or pasta sauce
• stuffing it with camembert and roasting it whole in the oven to make a pumpkin fondue
• chopping it into chunks and freezing it to add to a dish later

For recipe ideas to use up your pumpkin, visit Love Food Hate Waste - Community's website.

Please do not leave pumpkins out in the open forest because they can be harmful to some wildlife.

If you cannot use up or compost your pumpkin, recycle it by cutting it into smaller chunks and adding to your food waste caddy.

27/10/2026

Budget Consultation: Grounds Maintenance review

As our 2027/28 budget consultation continues, we're providing more information about each of the proposals residents are being asked to consider.

One of the six service areas being considered is Grounds Maintenance.

This service helps care for some of the district's open spaces, playgrounds, roadside verges, housing estates and other public areas, helping to keep them clean, safe and accessible for residents and visitors.

As part of the consultation, we're considering whether there are different ways this work could be delivered and whether changes could reduce the overall cost of the service. This could include working more closely with town and parish councils and other local groups.

If service levels were reduced, this could mean less frequent grass cutting, maintenance and landscaping work.

We'll continue sharing information about the other proposals being considered over the coming weeks.

Please note: comments on this post are welcome, but for your views to be considered as part of the consultation, you need to complete the consultation via the link on our website or obtain a paper copy from one of our information offices.

26/10/2026

If you have a landline, some devices connected to your phone line may be affected as telecoms providers move from analogue landlines to digital phone services by 31 January 2027.

This may include personal alarms, CCTV systems, door entry systems, payment terminals, and healthcare devices (such as Appletree Careline).

Your telecoms provider will let you know directly if any action is needed and will explain the next steps.

If you or someone you know is an Appletree Careline customer, there is no need to contact us at this stage. We’re contacting all customers who use analogue equipment by phone and letter to discuss the options available, and any action needed to make sure there is no interruption to their Careline monitoring service.

25/10/2026

A new report from the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee highlights the need to strengthen how we prepare for and manage wildfire risk across the country: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/55397/standard/pdf

Following this summer’s wildfire in the New Forest, recovery work continues with our partners. We welcome the national focus on wildfire prevention and preparedness, and will use the lessons from this summer to help inform our work.

You can read NFDC Leader, Cllr Jilly Cleary’s open letter in response to the government report on the news section of our website.

Everyone has a part to play in protecting the Forest. Please take litter home, do not light fires or barbecues in the Forest, and report fires promptly to the emergency services.

23/10/2026

With the clocks going back this weekend ponies and other animals will be much harder to see on or close to Forest road.

It is one of the reasons why this time of year is the most dangerous for road accidents involving forest animals.

Please take extra care when driving through the area and especially during periods of low dazzling sunlight, poor light and bad weather.

If you are involved in an accident please report this to the police within 24 hours. If you can, please provide a what3words location to help the animal to be found if it has run off.

Help to keep those travelling through the New Forest and its animals safe by driving to the conditions and giving yourself more time to complete your journey. Please always pass animals wide and slow.

🙏