The Gauntlet - From the Borough Councillor – June 2011 For anyone whose circumstances have changed, new to the village or unaware of this service then just a reminder of an excellent service. Test Valley Dial A Ride is operated by Test Valley Community Transport on behalf of Hampshire County Council and Test Valley Borough Council. It is a door-to-door service for anyone who finds it difficult or impossible to use ordinary bus services. In particular it is for anyone who has a mobility or sensory impairment which means that they are unable, or experience difficulty with, or discomfort in using bus services.
But you don’t have to be registered disabled or a wheelchair user. For example, you might have difficulty climbing steps on to buses, or be unable to walk to a bus stop. The service operates in King’s Somborne on Wednesday afternoons. To use the service you first need to register and if you contact me I will be able to provide you with a simple form to fill in or you can contact TVCS directly on 01264 356808. On a different note another excellent service is to be reduced. Mobile Library Services are provided by Hampshire County Council and because of the current economic climate and a large reduction in usage has become the victim of cuts across the county. The service in our area is to be reduced to just one stop, once a month on a Tuesday, at Lovell’s Farm, Up Somborne from 14:30 to 15:00 and then in Church Road, King’s Somborne, on the same day between 15:15 and 15:45. I will be making representations to HCC about our disappointment with the changes and it would help if you could let me have any views you have on where and for how long the library should stop in Kings Somborne and Up Somborne. MP Surgeries are held by our Member of Parliament Caroline Nokes on the first Saturday of every month across the constituency. Recently there was one in the King’s Somborne Village Hall where the County Councillor Andrew Gibson and I were also available to answer any questions. A number of residents felt it very useful to ask the MP to raise individual issues at ministerial level and we also had representations from Up Somborne on traffic issues. If you want details of future drop surgeries contact Jo on 01794 521155. Cllr Tony Ward 01794 389649 cllrtward@testvalley.gov.uk | 
