Your Place Magazine
Welcome
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
Welcome to Your Place from the council’s Leader Cllr Paul Harvey and Co-Leader Cllr Gavin James
This is the first edition of a new look publication to keep you informed about what we are doing, as your council, and improvements to your services.
Your Place aims to give you updates in an easy-to-read magazine, going to every home in the borough twice a year, revamping our Basingstoke & Deane Today newspaper.
Printed information is still preferred by some of our residents, as our latest residents’ survey shows, even though many people are now using social media and online communications.
Major changes to who delivers your local services are being proposed and we want to make sure that you know about them and have your say. This edition gives an overview of government plans for council reorganisation. It explains why we are making the case for four new unitary councils for mainland Hampshire, with an ‘all-in-one’ unitary council covering Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor.
We want what is in the best interest of our residents and businesses in the future. But our focus here and now is on providing good value, high standard everyday services to you.
This edition gives a snapshot of the latest things we are doing. This includes investing in frontline services to bring pride to local areas, introducing food waste collections, cutting carbon in all we do, funding things that bring communities together and protecting vital life-changing support to tackle rough sleeping. Through our Love Basingstoke programme and festival, we are bringing back the fun, with free family entertainment, live music and even a new sports and wellbeing event.
We are always keen to hear what you think – tell us by emailing CouncilLeader@basingstoke.gov.uk
Your services
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
Cleaner streets ahead
The team tasked with boosting street cleaning has been tackling more areas in need of extra care and attention.
This year our Make a Difference Team has targeted areas of Popley, Brighton Hill and Norden, deep cleaning paths, chopping back overgrown areas, removing moss and weeds and tidying up signage and street furniture.
They are currently hard at work in South Ham and will move on to Winklebury and then Kings Furlong.
The team’s targeted work complements the programme of day-to-day litter and leaf clearance, sweeping and removal of graffiti carried out by our borough-wide street cleansing team.
Protecting homelessness services
We have agreed to purchase May Place House, at Basingstoke’s Top of the Town, with plans under way for an extensive modernisation of the building from early next year.
This emergency accommodation for vulnerable residents at risk of homelessness will be transformed as part of our work to protect the vital service.
May Place House provides accommodation for single people rough sleeping or sofa surfing, alongside specialist support from partners in the Basingstoke and Deane Social Inclusion Partnership. They are referred by the borough’s specialist outreach service and our homelessness team.
Providing a warm and welcoming space, refurbishment work will create accessible rooms and en-suite bathrooms, additional kitchen areas, improved communal areas and office space where individuals can get one-to-one support.
The service is currently still open and, while work takes place, alternative support will be available for those at risk of homelessness.
If you spot someone sleeping rough, please contact StreetLink
Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing Cllr Laura James said: “We are committed to supporting our most vulnerable residents and I am pleased we have been able to protect this life-changing homelessness service.”
Bank holiday bin collections
There will be no changes to bin collections on Monday 26 May and Monday 25 August. Please put your bins by 6am as normal.
Find your bin collection dates
Get ready for weekly food waste collections
We’re currently working on plans to introduce weekly food waste collections across the borough later this year.
These will boost the amount you will recycle and reduce the weight of your grey bin by up to a third.
When the service starts, you’ll be able to put your food waste, including fruit and vegetable peelings, plate scrapings, tea bags, eggshells and bones, into your caddy for collection. The food waste will then be turned into greener energy and fertiliser.
Before collections start, we will deliver to every household a free small indoor food waste caddy, a roll of 52 liners and an information leaflet. We will also deliver a larger lockable caddy to homes for outside, which our crews will collect from the kerbside each week.
Residents with communal waste bins will empty their small indoor food waste caddy into their shared outdoor food waste bin.
As we introduce the new service, we’ll continue to collect your grey waste bin weekly and your paper, card, empty tins, cans, aerosols plastic bottles and your glass recycling fortnightly.
Get the latest updates on new food waste collections
Food waste facts
- The average family could save £83 a month from edible food that currently gets thrown in the bin.
- Crumbs! Bread is the most wasted food item in the UK - 20 million untouched slices every day!
- Orange peel, banana skins, eggshells, tea bags and meat bones are all examples of food waste that we can’t avoid throwing away. These will be perfect for your food waste caddy.
- Most of your food waste can be recycled through our new service but could it be avoided? Reducing the amount of out-of-date or excess food you throw away will help to save you money and is an easy way to cut your carbon.
Visit Love Food Hate Waste for recipes, money saving and food storage tips
Smile it’s time for better play
Major makeovers of six play areas will be completed by early summer as part of our drive to provide play spaces that are inclusive and well maintained.
Over the past few months we’ve been installing the exciting new play areas at Sidlaw Close in Buckskin, Upper Sherborne Road in Oakridge, Roseberry Close in Hatch Warren, Abbey Road in Popley and Fennel Close in Chineham.
We’ve also opened a brand new play area at Sinclair Drive (pictured) following the completion of major remediation work to replace the underground soakaways, in the nearby open space.
Work has also started to plan the replacement of four more play spaces, identified as most in need of refurbishment across our 147 play areas in the borough.
Local residents have been asked for their views on the play equipment that could be included at Two Gate Meadow play area in Overton, Watling End play area in Hatch Warren, Cranesfield play area in Sherborne St John and Arlott Drive play area in South View.
Find out updates on the play area refurbishment programme
Opening public toilets
More public toilets have been reopened and refurbished as part of our pledge to increase access to them.
The male, female and accessible toilets at the John Arlott Pavilion in Basingstoke’s War Memorial Park are now open seven days a week and have been improved. The toilets at Eastrop Park, which are open all year round, have also been refurbished for visitors.
In addition, we’re carrying out improvements to the toilets at Kingsclere and Overton, and at Worting Road Cemetery, Stratton Park and Castons Yard in Basingstoke.
Town centre love
If you’ve visited Basingstoke’s Top of the Town recently, we hope you’ve noticed the work we have been doing to spread some love throughout the area.
As part of our action plan to breathe new life into our town’s historic heart, our teams have been getting the area ready for spring by jet washing and removing chewing gum, planting colourful blooms and repainting safety railings.
Businesses have been giving their premises a makeover too with funding through our Town and Village Centre Fund. There are plans to launch another round of funding later this year for businesses to apply.
You can read more about how we are encouraging people to visit Basingstoke town centre in the articles about more low carbon taxis, the Let’s Glow light trail, tidying and replanting outside the train station and free parking at night.
Cabinet Member for Major Projects and Regeneration Cllr Onnalee Cubitt said: “We want everyone visiting Basingstoke’s town centre to have the best experience and we’re working hard to make this happen.”
Greener gateway
We’ve helped to give people a warm welcome to the town centre by tidying up and replanting the green space outside the train station.
Our Make a Difference Team has received lots of positive comments following the work to smarten up this important town centre gateway.
Free overnight car parking
You can now park for free overnight between 7pm and 8am in council-owned short stay car parks in Basingstoke town centre as part of our support to help boost visitor numbers in the evening.
Find out more about our council-owned car parks
Hungry for good food hygiene ratings
Did you know that you can check the food safety ratings of a restaurant, takeaway or other food shops in the borough in seconds?
Our environmental health officers inspect almost 950 food outlets in Basingstoke and Deane and the great news is 96% of those visited are either satisfactory, good or very good.
Where the rating is below satisfactory, we work with owners to support improvements.
During an inspection our team will check that food safety and hygiene laws are being met and rate this. But it’s important to remember this is not a guide to food quality. The rating reflects the processes and measures taken to ensure the food produced or sold is as safe as it can be.
Our officers also offer help and support to businesses, as well as investigate complaints regarding food premises, unsafe food and alleged food poisoning.
Tackling dog fouling
Our community safety patrol officers have been working with communities to help to tackle issues with dog fouling in known hot spots.
Leaving dog poo behind is not only extremely unpleasant, it also poses a health risk because of the harmful bacteria, parasites, and viruses that can be found in it.
Using reports from residents, the team has stepped up patrols in identified areas to remind dog walkers it is an offence to leave dog mess behind and to have insufficient bags to pick it up.
Offenders can face fines of £100 or even prosecution in court.
Your future council?
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
A strong case proposing a new ‘all-in-one’ council for northern Hampshire that could provide all your local services in the future is being developed, in response to the government’s plans to completely reorganise local councils across much of the country.
We currently deliver your local services, including emptying bins, collecting recycling, cleaning streets and deciding planning applications, as well as housing and environmental health. Hampshire County Council is responsible for services including education, social services, libraries and roads.
The government wants to see all these services delivered by single local authorities, known as unitary councils, in a few years’ time. These would replace the current two-tier arrangement in Hampshire and other areas of the country.
We are developing proposals that could see a new unitary council bringing together Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor. This could be one of four new unitary councils for mainland Hampshire.
Working with other Hampshire councils, we are shaping the unitary council proposals to go to the government later this year. This comes after the government made it clear we need to plan for local government reorganisation
The government’s timetable for change
Councils in Hampshire were invited to submit initial thoughts to the government by the end of March on the best way to reorganise the area’s councils in the future. More detailed proposals must now be drawn up by the autumn. The government is expected to make a final decision on new councils in early 2026.
Support for northern Hampshire unitary council
The creation of a new unitary council across northern Hampshire would make it easier for you to access all services in a more joined-up way while still having a council close enough so you can have your say on decisions on local issues.
This area already shares economic and transport links, alongside other community connections. A key part of developing proposals is talking to partners, businesses and communities.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council Leader Cllr Paul Harvey said: “A northern Hampshire unitary council means we can continue to put our residents’ interests first. We need a council that truly remains connected to our local communities.”
The idea of a northern Hampshire unitary council is already gaining support, as you can see below.
"Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor share strong economic ties, with key industries such as aerospace, finance, manufacturing and engineering and with excellent colleges BCoT, QMC, Farnborough College of Technology focusing on skills for the needs of the area makes it essential to have unified local leadership under a northern Hampshire council."
Barry Smith Hampshire Chamber of Commerce (North Hampshire)
"By streamlining services and resources, we can create a system that better serves the needs of our students. This will build upon the existing successes of our borough councils, ensuring a prosperous future for our community."
Anthony Bravo OBE, Principal of Basingstoke College of Technology
"The north of Hampshire is a powerhouse for local business, local decision-making, and local prosperity. Creating a new northern Hampshire authority will build on the strong collaborative foundations that already exist and will allow the three councils to ensure that putting our local people first’ remains at the heart of what they do."
Jonathan Pender, Chairman of Destination Basingstoke
An elected Mayor for our region
The local government reorganisation programme sits alongside the government’s intention to devolve some powers and funding to a new strategic authority under an elected Mayor, making decisions across the wider Hampshire and Isle of Wight area.
Similar to what already happens in London and Greater Manchester, this authority would set the vision and policy for areas like strategic planning, transport, economic development and skills, with the new unitary councils created delivering the services.
Let us know your thoughts at FutureCouncils@basingstoke.gov.uk
Find out more at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/future-councils
Your environment
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
Help your environment go greener
You can get free help to cut your carbon footprint while saving money and helping native wildlife thrive by talking to the eco experts in our Green Team.
And later this summer, you can have your say on a draft updated plan for how Basingstoke and Deane continues to tackle the climate crisis too.
This follows work with our partners to refresh our Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy, adopted in 2021, to build on progress so far. This includes cutting the borough’s emissions by around a fifth since our 2019 climate emergency declaration.
Keep an eye on our @BasingstokeGov Facebook and X accounts to give your views to shape the strategy councillors will consider adopting this winter.
Find out more about our Green Team
Cabinet Member for Climate and Ecological Emergency Cllr Chris Tomblin said: “Everyone who lives and works here has a responsibility to tackle climate change and help nature recover to protect our borough for future generations.”
Summer of green
We’re helping to coordinate a summer of events, including Basingstoke Green Week (Saturday 7 to Sunday 15 June), to inspire people to live in more planet-friendly ways.
Find all the summer of green events
More low carbon taxis
Have you seen an ultra-low emission taxi yet?
With the help of our £5,000 grant scheme, there are now seven of these electrically powered and wheelchair accessible taxis pulling up at the rank outside Basingstoke train station to make it easier for everyone to travel green in Basingstoke and Deane.
Solar boost for swimming pool
Solar panels have been installed at Tadley Health and Fitness Centre, managed by Basingstoke and Deane Community Leisure Trust (representatives pictured), helping us to cut the borough’s carbon footprint and make the air we breathe cleaner.
Thanks to just under £100,000 of funding from Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund, the new solar panels and building management system will save 19 tonnes of carbon a year – that’s equivalent to around 25 short-haul flights.
The renewable electricity generated will also help to save around £17,000 a year on energy bills.
You clip, we’ll collect
Did you know you can sign up to our fortnightly garden waste collection service to recycle your green cuttings and clippings and reduce carbon on car journeys to the tip?
Over 16,500 green-fingered households already receive garden waste collections and with plenty of time left in the growing season, it’s a great time to join them.
The annual 240-litre bin collection service costs £84.90 for the year, with fortnightly collections only stopping for two weeks over Christmas.
There is an initial one-off charge of £42.40 to buy a brown wheeled bin. Smaller bins are available, along with discounts for people claiming housing benefit, council tax support or the housing element of Universal Credit.
Learn more about garden waste collections
Recycle even more
Great news! There are plans to allow us to collect even more things for recycling in the future, including plastic pots, tubs and trays and food and drink cartons.
The government’s Environment Act 2021 aims to make what is collected for recycling more consistent across the country, increasing what can be collected at the kerbside, as well as reducing the amount of packaging that just gets thrown away.
In line with this, Hampshire County Council is proposing to create new and better waste sorting facilities which means you will be able to recycle more and throw away less.
Visit out recycling pages for the latest information and links to Hampshire County Council updates
Recycling at work
If you’re a business with 10 or more employees new rules have now come into force to simplify recycling while at work.
These workplaces will need to arrange for the collection of the following:
- recycling including plastic, metal, glass, and paper and card
- food waste
- non-recyclable waste
Visit our recycling at work pages for more information
Carbon-saving bin collections
We’ve already saved over 1,100 tonnes of carbon since we swapped our bin trucks from diesel to a more environmentally friendly biofuel in April last year.
This has cut our vehicles’ tailpipe emissions by up to 98%, according to government figures, and more than halved our carbon footprint compared to when we first started using the fuel. It also keeps us on track to meet our pledge to be a carbon-neutral council by the end of this year.
Read about our work to become a carbon-neutral council
Be a hedgehog hero
We’re putting the eco spotlight on the borough’s hedgehogs and need your help.
Identified as a priority species in our biodiversity strategy, hedgehogs are declining.
We’re teaming up with Natural Basingstoke and supporting the work of Hedgehog Street to build up more information on hedgehog sightings and share top tips on how to make your gardens more hedgehog friendly.
How you can help:
- Play eye spine! Check your gardens and local parks and report any hedgehog sightings at BigHedgehogMap.org to help us to record the borough’s hedgehogs.
- Book a free garden survey and get advice on how to make your garden more wildlife friendly.
- Visit Become a hedgehog champion to learn how to make a hedgehog house, feed a hedgehog and make a hedgehog highway.
Visit Natural Basingstoke’s website to find out more
Big ragwort pull
This summer our rangers, Natural Basingstoke, conservation volunteers, local interest groups and residents will pull together to reduce the spread of ragwort at Basing Common.
Ragwort is a wildflower found on grassland, verges and wasteland. While it has many benefits for wildlife, it is poisonous to horses and other livestock and there are laws in place to prevent its spread.
The common is managed through grazing and these horses are at risk if the spread of the ragwort continues, as are neighbouring agricultural fields. The team will target different sections, reducing the wildflower by pulling each root out of the ground. Users of Basing Common can continue to use the open space during this work.
Find out more about how you can help to reduce the spread of ragwort at Basing Common
Surveying our green spaces
Forget counting sheep, together with volunteers we have been busy counting reptiles as part of our work to survey key species identified in our biodiversity strategy.
Reptiles, including common lizards, slow worms and grass snakes, have been counted to understand how healthy these sites are for biodiversity. The ranger team use mats in sunny spots to attract the reptiles, who like to bask in the sunshine.
These same sites will be tracked over the years to demonstrate if the action taking place to restore nature is having a positive effect.
Your homes
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
New targets for future development
We’ve set out a new timetable to move forward our plan that will guide development in the borough over the coming years.
The government introduced significant changes to its National Planning Policy Framework just before Christmas.
These changes require councils to dramatically increase the number of homes they have to plan to be delivered. We’ve been told to build around 1,150 new houses each year during the 15-year period covered by our Local Plan, compared to around 850 before. More land will also be needed for employment uses and supporting infrastructure.
Now we have to do more work, including drawing up a new strategy for development, before the draft Local Plan can be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. We’ve recently asked landowners and developers to come forward
with possible new development land to be considered and submissions are currently being assessed by our planning team.
We’re aiming to give residents, local groups, businesses, our communities and others, including developers, the chance to have their say on changes to the draft plan at the end of the year. We are working towards adopting a new local plan in 2027.
Find updates on the draft local plan
Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Cllr Andy Konieczko said: “Finalising our Local Plan as quickly as possible, and ensuring our borough is well placed to continue to thrive in the coming decades, is a priority. We don’t want speculative development in our borough and we need to ensure that local needs are met in a sustainable manner.”
Creating new communities at Manydown
Vital infrastructure work is taking us a step closer to seeing new homes at Manydown in Basingstoke.
In January, our development partner Urban&Civic started work on the construction of two junctions that will be used for access to build new communities at Manydown.
These new communities will include up to 3,520 new homes, including 1,400 affordable homes, a 250-acre countryside park, schools, community facilities and green spaces, shops and businesses. This will also include the creation of parks, pathways, cycle routes and roads and utilities such as water and electricity.
This new image shows a view of what the future Manydown could look like and how new homes and the borough’s first countryside park will complement the existing landscape.
Later this year, Urban&Civic will be hosting information events where you can find out more about the next steps and what Manydown will look like.
Find out more information about Manydown
Opening the door to your first home
Are you looking to buy your first home? You could get help through our Own Home Loan scheme.
Ten householders have purchased their own home with the help of the scheme, which supports first-time buyers with a household income of under £80,000 to get on the property ladder.
It provides loans of up to £30,000, interest free for the first five years, to help first-time buyers reach the deposit required for a mortgage or to bridge the gap between a maximum mortgage offer and property purchase value.
And to assist even more first-time buyers get onto the housing ladder, the maximum purchase price of a property through the scheme has increased from £250,000 to £300,000 to reflect the increase in house prices.
Your community
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
Major improvements planned for centre
Plans to carry out over £1 million of improvements to Oakridge West Community Centre have been unveiled.
We’re investing funding, that came from development, to carry out a major refurbishment of the community building in Upton Crescent to create a modern facility that’s sustainable and can be accessed and enjoyed by the whole community.
Improvements planned include providing a more open and welcoming entrance lobby. The two halls will be remodelled to ensure they work best for different community activities, and there will be upgrades to the electrical and heating systems including introducing solar panels, heat pumps and LED lighting.
Subject to planning approval, it is hoped work will start on modernising the building later this year.
We’ll also be working with volunteers at the centre (two of whom are pictured here) to ask local residents about the type of services and sessions they would like to see provided in the community centre.
Keep up to date and learn more about the plans for Oakridge West Community Centre
Supporting community services in South Ham
More community activities look set to restart in South Ham later this year following a partnership effort to open more community space.
We have purchased the former Beacon Pub and are working with Sovereign Network Group (SNG) and Westside Community Association to refurbish the building to create a new community hub for the area.
Subject to the work required to bring the building back into use, it is expected to re-open later this year, with work now under way to plan for the services and activities that will be delivered there.
It follows the closure of South Ham Library, owned by Hampshire County Council, and Westside Community Centre, owned by the borough council, in September 2023, following the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) panels.
Westside Community Association has been supported to find alternative locations to keep vital support running, with services continuing at Russell Howard Park and the Ridgeway Centre in Buckskin alongside a new community café and pantry in Kings Road (pictured).
Find out about events and activities organised by Westside Community Association
Activities for all at Black Dam
Soft play and sensory play sessions, roller skating, exercise classes, a new play café and karaoke and bingo nights are just some of the new activities to discover at Rucstall Community Centre in Black Dam.
There is plenty to get involved in at the community centre in Holbein Close, which is now run by Viables Community Association (pictured), who also manage our Viables Community Centre and Roger Morris Centre in Eastrop.
New additions also include a brand new space called The Den, created using £50,000 awarded through our Community Infrastructure Grant scheme.
Find out more about Rucstall Community Centre or check out Rucstall Community Centre on Facebook
Growing thriving communities
Almost £1 million in council funding is available this year to support community groups, projects and improvements to community buildings.
Supporting our communities to thrive through activities and services designed to meet their needs is vital and would not be possible without the important contribution of our community and voluntary groups and organisations in Basingstoke and Deane.
To show our support for their hard work, we’ve committed to relaunching our three grant schemes for 2025: the Community Infrastructure Fund, the Strengthening Communities Fund and our Councillor Community Grant Scheme.
These funding pots will help to support equipment like the lawnmower bought by Sherfield Allotment Association to setting up a regular Friday fun session at Popley Fields Community Centre for families. They have also helped to fund a canopy for young gardeners at the Roger Morris Centre in Eastrop to enjoy outdoor play in all weathers.
For more information on our grants for the community and voluntary sector
Community clean up champions
Armed with litter pickers and bags full of community spirit, residents, organisations and businesses across the borough came out in force to support our new Keep Basingstoke and Deane Clean campaign.
During two weeks of action, communities organised their own tidy up events in areas including Tadley, Popley, Oakridge, Hatch Warren and Brighton Hill.
Our ranger and street cleansing teams also organised a clear-up event at Little Pen Wood (pictured), an area of woodland we are considering designating as a local nature reserve to protect and enhance its special features. Together with local residents, we collected four truck-loads of rubbish during this effort.
We thank you all for supporting our work to keep our borough clean and tidy and promote pride in our communities.
Find out more about Keep Basingstoke and Deane Clean
Celebrating our BasingFolk
To celebrate 50 years of the borough of Basingstoke and Deane, Our Love Basingstoke team captured personal stories from 14 people who have been in the area since the 1970s.
Snippets from some of these stories are featured below.
Megha
Megha came to the UK in 1961 following her marriage to her late husband Babulal Naik. Babulal worked for a company in West Croydon and the company was offered a move to Basingstoke under the London overspill project. They moved to Basingstoke over 60 years ago to a new build house.
“Basingstoke is part of my life where I am comfortable, where I am surrounded by relations and friends.”
Karen
Karen was born in Basingstoke in The Shrubbery Maternity Home in 1967 on her mother’s birthday.
Her family lived in Packenham Road in Kings Furlong before moving to Kempshott, just after Karen turned 10 years old.
“Growing up in Basingstoke we used to make a lot of our own amusements, such as building dens. I used to go to the cinema and Westfield Lido. Basingstoke is much bigger now. There is so much around that you can do, there’s no way you can be bored.”
Bryn
Bryn came to the area in 1966, first living in Kings Furlong, then near Alton before moving back to Basingstoke in 1979.
He worked in the housing department at the council before retiring in the 90s. He performed with the Proteans in a number of their productions and describes the Walled Garden as a “hidden gem” and a “wonderful place for outdoor performances”.
“The jewel in the crown has to be The Anvil.”
Snippets of these stories are featured on this page but you can read all of them in full at LoveBasingstoke website
Your events
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
Make a date with Basingstoke Festival
Get ready to be entertained when our annual celebration of art, culture, heritage, community and outdoor arts returns with a jam-packed line-up of free events for all.
Set over three weekends from Friday 20 June to Sunday 6 July, Basingstoke Festival will fill the streets with creativity and energy with performances popping up in Basingstoke town centre and other locations across the borough.
The opening parade will kick off the action with a spectacular showcase for crowds to enjoy.
Other acts due to perform include Farm Yard Circus (pictured), a family friendly, farm-life inspired circus spectacle where you can expect everything from group acrobatics to juggling hay bales.
This year the festival will form part of our Summer of Green celebrations with a sustainable and inclusivity theme and a new pop-up eco-zone created out of willow and other natural materials by Scratchbuilt Productions.
The festival programme aims to bring together the best of the borough’s local talent alongside national artists who have performed across the globe.
Keep an eye on the Basingstoke Festival social media channels and the Basingstoke Festival website released by the end of May.
Light fantastic
Over 15,000 people were attracted to the Let’s Glow light trail, boosting local town
centre trade. This year our popular free event in Basingstoke’s town centre and War Memorial Park shone even brighter than before and we’re delighted to let you know we’ll be staging it again next February half term.
Keep up to date on events at Love Basingstoke
Limitless fun at new free event for young people
The wheels are in motion to stage a free event aimed at teenagers and young adults in War Memorial Park this summer.
We’re working with local groups and organisations to stage the new sports and wellbeing event, called Limitless, that will take place on Saturday 26 July from 11am to 5pm.
Take a look at our Limitless webpage for more information and updates on what’s planned.
Cabinet Member for Sports, Leisure and Culture Cllr Kerry Morrow said: “We want to provide more things for our young people to do. Limitless will open doors to exciting opportunities, including different sports and activities for them to try and hopefully continue with.”
Listen up for more live music
Live music fans can look forward to the return of more Listen Up events on Saturday 27 September, thanks to our expanding events programme designed to support local venues in Basingstoke’s town centre.
Over 20 bands and performers entertained audiences with rock, jazz, blues and acoustic music across five venues at the end of March.
Find out more information on the autumn Listen Up events at Love Basingstoke
Celebrating Jane
It’s the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. This is the perfect time to discover the countryside the author was born and grew up in during a series of activities running throughout 2025 across the borough.
There are trails to explore on foot or by bike, tours of the country houses she visited, as well as music, dancing, plays, talks and exhibitions.
Find out more at about the Jane Austen events at Love Basingstoke
Your sport, health and wellbeing
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
All-weather pitch scores highly
Grassroots football in the borough has been given another boost with the completion of the new 3G artificial grass pitch at The Hurst School and Leisure Centre in Baughurst.
Together with Football Foundation funding and money raised by the secondary school in Brimpton Road, we have supported the youth 11-a-side pitch with £200,000 in local infrastructure funding provided through development.
The new facility will help to meet the need for more artificial grass pitches across the borough and will offer top-of-the-range playing facilities for the community, local sports teams and pupils at the school (pictured with teaching staff).
Find out more about the Hurst pitch and how to book
Support your health and wellbeing
Sessions helping residents of all ages to lead more active lives and work on their wellbeing are being held across the borough, with our support.
Beginner exercise classes aimed at boosting energy and mobility, as well as strength and confidence, have been held in Oakridge, Popley, Eastrop and Buckskin. These low-cost sessions have been so popular and the feedback so positive, we are running another course right now until June.
Teaming up with FitMama, we also launched low-cost post-natal exercise sessions to support new mums safely back into exercise and to socialise after childbirth. The fully booked course will finish next month, and we plan to set up another course soon after that.
To support the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of children in the borough, we have continued to commission sessions with Relax Kids in Key Stage 1 and 2 schools. Over 270 children were helped last year across 70 different sessions that provide young people with a range of fun and creative tools and techniques to calm their body and mind and build confidence and self-esteem.
Find out more about our health and wellbeing initiatives and book onto sessions
Your updates
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
Accreditation for domestic abuse support
We have been awarded Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance accreditation, which sets the benchmark for how housing providers and partners should respond to victims of domestic abuse. This includes coercive behaviour such as physical, emotional, verbal, psychological, financial or sexual abuse.
The accreditation recognises the action we have taken to provide safe accommodation and support for victims and survivors, with the council only the fifth borough or district council in England without directly owned social housing stock to be accredited.
This action includes training our staff so they have the skills to help victims; and working with other organisations who have a shared ambition to tackle domestic abuse.
Targeted help is also now available through a dedicated outreach service where specialist officers provide therapeutic, practical and emotional trauma-centred support, alongside housing advice, within 24 hours of a victim or survivor approaching us for assistance after experiencing domestic abuse.
Learn more about the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance accreditation
Celebrations for diamond community support
A special event in Basingstoke’s War Memorial Park will kick off celebrations for the diamond anniversary of Basingstoke Voluntary Action (BVA) on Friday 1 August.
The organisation gives help, advice and support to the vital charity, voluntary and community sector in the borough.
BVA’s Family Fun Day and Trail will be run in partnership with our Love Basingstoke August Adventures initiative, supporting families during the school holidays with free activities. Each charity will be offering a fun and interactive activity for families, alongside stalls and information about volunteering opportunities.
Find out more at Basingstoke Voluntary Action’s website
BVA Chief Executive Daniel Neat said: “The voluntary, charity and social enterprise sector is at the very heart of our community, and something we should be very proud of. This event will showcase the dedication of individuals who generously volunteer their time and talents, making our community the special place it is.”
Supporting more jobs
Hundreds of high-quality jobs have been secured in a project to create a new base for one of the borough’s major employers at our Viables Business Park.
We have signed a development agreement with Sony Europe and developer Indurent to revitalise the existing Sony site at Viables. Built to the highest sustainability standards, the new facility for Sony to develop its innovative technology will sit alongside a new modern industrial unit expected to create 200 new jobs.
Let’s stay in touch
There are plenty of ways of ways to stay up to date on what’s happening at the council and to contact us.
Visit our website www.basingstoke.gov.uk See social media updates on Facebook and X @BasingstokeGov
Call us on 01256 844844 Monday to Fridays from 8.30am to 4.30pm (except on bank holidays). In an emergency at the weekend, on a bank holiday or in the evening call this number and stay on the line to be connected to the out-of-hours service.
Text phone and Minicom users can dial 1800 1 followed by 01256 845276 to contact us via the Relay UK service.
Your Mayor
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
Twice as nice for Mayor during landmark year
Basingstoke and Deane Cllr Dan Putty, who held the role during the borough’s 50th anniversary.
In his second term as Mayor, Cllr Putty also attended over 280 engagements, supported by the Mayoress Marie-Noelle, known as Mano.
These included meeting local heroes like world medal winner Jamie Gane (pictured), an adaptive athletic and para sport ambassador. Cllr Putty also spent time with organisations, businesses, charities and community groups in support of his mayoral theme of community cohesion.
In his final event, he led the borough’s VE Day 80 celebrations, hosting local veterans and their families to hear their experiences.
The end of Cllr Putty’s mayoral year now marks the start of the mayoral year for Cllr Colin Phillimore, who will serve until May 2026.
Cllr Phillimore’s charity appeal will support St Michael’s Hospice and Whitchurch Community Swimming Pool. The new Deputy Mayor is Cllr Jacky Tustain.
Read more about the Mayor Cllr Phillimore and upcoming mayor’s events
Your views
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
Tell us what your think and win a £50 shopping voucher
We’d love to hear what you think of our new look printed residents’ magazine
Your Place and, in return, we’ll put you in a draw for a £50 shopping voucher.
Advertise with us
Content published Thursday 1 May 2025
Reach over 80,000 homes in Basingstoke and Deane with an advert in our residents' magazine Your Place.
See our latest rate card and get in touch by emailing communication@basingstoke.gov.uk or calling 01256 844844.
Your Place Magazine advertising rate for Winter 2025(PDF) [227 kb]
Sign up for email updates
Receive information on council services, news and events by email.
Subscribe© 2026 Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council