Summary

Members of the public and members of Baughurst Parish Council had no idea of where their salt bins that they owned were or what state they were in. Parish Online was used to create this information which can now be used in the day-to-day Council management.

Challenge

In Winter, the salt bins can quickly become empty and it’s the role of Parish Council to quickly identify the issue and arrange for a refill.  In a rural community, trying to identify the exact location of the 20 bins in the area was proving difficult.

Solution

Baughurst Parish Council used Parish Online to plot all the salt bins in the village, tag them on Parish Online, and shared this on our website, and with Councillors, so everyone knows their exact location.

The creation of this digital map record was aided with the use of APGB aerial photography. If the location was already vaguely known, the aerial photography can give an exact location.

Benefits

Parish Online has revolutionised the way my Council operates.  Identifying problem areas with planning applications; the positioning of poppies on lamp posts over the Remembrance Day period, and printing footpaths maps as directional aids have all benefitted.

The salt bin project has increased our efficiency and productivity so we’re no longer in the dark when Winter arrives.

Penny Waterfield, Clerk to Baughurst Parish Council

About Baughurst Parish Council

Baughurst Parish includes the hamlet of Wolverton.

Baughurst offers the people of the Parish, as well as people in the adjacent town of Tadley, immediate access to local countryside with a ‘breath of fresh air’ feeling and lots of interesting walks.

Baughurst Parish has just under 1,000 homes and a population of approximately 2,500. This includes an estate of 500 houses built around the 1950s on the former Baughurst Common and a small number of newer developments of mainly larger houses within small closes.

The greater part of the Parish consists of mixed countryside with scattered housing and farms, the latter either arable or dairy/beef cattle with fields for silage and hay production, as well as some grazing for sheep and horses. There are also a number of livery and other stables.

Two beautiful churches, each standing in commanding locations, two village halls and three public houses provide places for people to meet and strengthen the community. 

The Hurst Community College provides an excellent learning environment for about 850 children and also offers recreational and educational activities to people of all ages. A parade of local shops is conveniently located at Heath End.

Many of the people who live in the Parish work away from the area, although traditionally AWE (Atomic Weapons Establishment) has provided employment for many local people. The neighbouring town of Tadley provides a reasonable level of local services and some employment opportunities but many residents travel daily to jobs in Basingstoke, Newbury or Reading, or even further afield.

Title picture Helicam St Stephens Church Baughurst. All other pictures sent to us by Baughurst Parish Council.