Basingstoke Echo

REMEMBRANCE services for Armistice Day are taking place across Basingstoke today.
We want to know where and how you plan to remember those who gave their lives.
One of the main remembrance services in Basingstoke today is taking place at 11am in the War Memorial.
... Comment below with your plans for today or tell us about your fundraising activities.
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VIDEO: Police chase in Basingstoke on 3 September. Footage released by Basingstoke police following the arrest and court case of David Afolabi, 28, who was jailed on 9 November for 12 and a half years after pleading guilty for five seperate charges.

AN ARMED drug dealer who attempted to ram into a police car in Basingstoke as he tried to evade arrest has been jailed for 12 and a half years.
David Afolabi, 28, of Gibbon Road, London, thought he could flee from officers when they attempted to pull his car over in September.
Knowing he was carrying a firearm with ammunition and a quantity of Class A and B, he failed to stop but was soon involved in a collision which forced him to flee on foot.
... Despite his attempts to escape he was caught by officers and arrested.
Afolabi pleaded guilty to ten charges at a hearing at Winchester Crown Court on Friday 9 November.
Five charges relate to the incident on 3 September including possession of a firearm and driving a motor vehicle dangerously.
The court heard how officers tried to pull over Afolabi’s BMW 1 series as it drove along Park Prewett Road in Basingstoke just after 1pm.
Officers pursued his car and at one-point Afolabi went into reverse in a bid to ram the police car, which proved unsuccessful.
Within two minutes he had collided with a white Fiesta on Aldermaston Road and fled the scene on foot.
Officers were able to catch up with him though and he was arrested.
Afolabi, the court heard, was also charged with five offences in relation to an incident in Worting Road, Basingstoke, on December 30.
Today he was sentenced to a total of 12 and a half years in jail.
DC Drew Wright said: “I hope this sentencing reassures residents in Basingstoke that a dangerous driver and drug dealer has been taken off our streets.
“Thanks to the officers who spotted his car and persisted in capturing him, a live firearm is no longer within our community.”
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TRIBUTES have been made to a father who died following a fatal collision just outside of Basingstoke last month.
As reported by the Basingstoke Echo, a road traffic incident took place in Froyle Road near Lower Froyle on the morning of Friday 26 October.
The family of the 40-year-old driver, Alexander Fletcher, have released an emotional tribute following the accident.
... In a statement released earlier this week, Alexander’s family said: “Alexander was a true gentleman with a voracious appetite for life.
“He was a wonderful and much-loved husband, father, son, brother and friend to so many.”
Alexander was a highly respected Consultant Anaesthetist at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His family went on to say: “He touched the lives of so many patients, families and colleagues. He will be missed beyond measure.”
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BASINGSTOKE residents are getting more active according to a new survey.
Latest figures for the Sport England Active Lives Survey have just been released and it is good news for the borough.
The Active Lives Survey is carried out in every local authority across England and reports back on physical activity levels of adults.
... The latest figures, which cover the period between May 2017 and May 2018, show that the adult residents of Basingstoke have become more active compared to results for the same period from the previous year.
Whilst the overall picture for England has remained fairly stable, Hampshire is one of only three County Sports Partnership areas to show a significant increase in activity and a significant decrease in inactivity.
Cabinet member for Communities and Community Safety Cllr Simon Bound said: “These are great results for Basingstoke and Deane. Physical activity has many proven benefits. In addition to helping with keeping fit and losing weight, it can also help with mental wellbeing, offer socialising opportunities and it can be a great source of enjoyment.
“We still have a way to go as one fifth of adults (over 28,000 residents) are still doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. The Health and Wellbeing Team at the council will continue to work with local partners in the Basingstoke Sport and Physical Activity Alliance to help towards maintaining this positive trend.”
The survey results also means that almost 7,000 more residents in Basingstoke are now doing in excess of 150 minutes of physical activity a week.
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BASINGSTOKE MP Maria Miller met up recently with representatives of the Environment Agency and Thames Water, for a discussion of the ongoing work by both organisations to improve the water quality and ecology of the River Loddon around the Sewage Treatment Works at Chineham.
Maria was told that there had been a step-change in the phosphate concentration in the River Loddon downstream of the sewage works, with a significant drop in the amount of phosphate in the river.
The st...atus of the river for phosphates, as reported under the EU Water Framework Directive, was now on the boundary between Moderate and Good. Given that the sewage works discharges into the upper reaches of the river, the improvements also have a much wider implication for the water quality and ecology of the whole Loddon catchment.
The improvement is the combined result of Thames Water’s work to enhance the performance of the Basingstoke Sewage Treatment Works, including the trialling – and now full integration - of ground-breaking new engineering at the plant, and the work of the Loddon Catchment Partnership.
Maria said: “The health of the River Loddon has been a huge concern to me for many years, and I have long campaigned for measures to improve the water quality, particularly around the time the Local Plan was being developed.
“So it is great to hear about this fantastic improvement in water quality. It is particularly pleasing that the phosphate reduction trial carried out by Thames Water at the Basingstoke plant has made such an impact; this trial was originally due to be carried out elsewhere, but I lobbied Thames Water for it to come to Basingstoke. This means we have been able to reap the benefits of the new technology sooner than might otherwise have been the case.”
“The Environment Agency, the Catchment Partnership and Thames Water are all to be congratulated on their achievements, and on their commitment to making even more improvement to the river.”
“Given the high level of housebuilding we have in Basingstoke, and ambitious plans for future growth, I was particularly pleased to hear their confidence in being able to cope with increased capacity at the sewage works without any deterioration in the water quality of the river.”
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MOTORISTS using pay and display car parks in Basingstoke can now benefit from a new mobile app which launched yesterday.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council have introduced in all of Basingstoke’s 14 pay and display car parks a mobile phone app which allows drivers to pay for parking.
Shoppers are promised a convenient service which allows them to pay without coins or even display a ticket. You can even extend your parking without returning to your car using the mobile ap...plication.
The RingGo service launched yesterday on Monday 5th November. Team members from the Basingstoke-based firm were on hand to offer assistance to motorists registering with the service for the first time.
Cabinet Member for Communities and Community Safety, Cllr Simon Bound said: “Phone parking is a quick and easy way to pay for parking, especially in this day and age when so few people carry coins.
“Using the RingGo app, motorists can now park and shop in the town centre while making the most of the free parking period, but know they can also top up their parking wherever they are.
“This means less stress and hassle if they are delayed or simply want to stay that little bit longer.”
RingGo, who operate car parks in over 139 local authorities in the UK, are based in Wade Road in Basingstoke.
RingGo Account Manager, Chris Head told Basingstoke Echo, “We’re so proud to be expanding the RingGo service in Basingstoke, our home town.
“The RingGo App offers some great features for motorists who don’t want the hassle of carrying coins or using a cumbersome pay and display machine.”
The RingGo app is available to download on the App Store and Google Play.
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A BASINGSTOKE carpet fitter has been fined and received a criminal record after he was spotted illegally fly tipping in Gibbons Place.
James Llewellyn was prosecuted by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council after a member of the public spotted items being thrown from a vehicle on Thursday 12 April 2018, noted the registration, and contacted the council.
Magistrates ordered the 39-year-old of Hutchins Way, Basingstoke to pay £250 in fines, costs and victim surcharge when he ...appeared at court on Thursday 25 October.
The maximum prison sentence for fly tipping is five years, with an unlimited fine.
The council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and the Environment Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “Dumping waste is inconsiderate, anti-social and unacceptable. We take the issue of fly tipping extremely seriously and cases such as these demonstrate the courts do too.
“We are grateful to those who contact us with information that enables us to take action against fly tippers and we will continue to prosecute offenders.”
If you see anyone dumping waste illegally, please report it on 01256 844844. Household waste can be taken free of charge to the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Wade Road, Basingstoke.
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BASINGSTOKE poppy-bearers have taken to social media to find out which is the correct way to wear a poppy.
At this time of year the famous red poppy starts popping up everywhere. And although we’ve been wearing poppies since 1921 to raise money to help people who have fought in wars, it appears that some people are still confused as to where to wear it.
Some have argued in the past that poppies should be worn on the left because it is close to the heart, whilst others say pop...pies should be worn on the right-hand side as that is wear you would wear a brooch.
According to the British Legion however, there is no 'correct' way wear a poppy.
It is a matter of personal choice whether an individual chooses to wear a poppy and how they choose to wear it.
A spokesperson from the British Legion added by saying: “The best way to wear a poppy is simply with pride.”
The official 2018 Poppy Appeal started last week on Thursday and will continue to run until Remembrance Sunday on 11 November.
As part of the local remembrance services taking place across Basingstoke on Armistice Day, The Mayor of Basingstoke, Cllr Sean Keating will lay a wreath at the War Memorial, followed by a procession on New Road.
There will also be several family-friendly events taking place in Festival Place and The Malls from 11am including a make your own poppy craft workshop.
This year is a particularly special year as it marks one hundred years since the end of the First World War.
In 2017 the national Poppy Appeal raised over £150 million pounds.
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BASINGSTOKE Mayor has given two new neighbourhood plans his official seal of approval at a special reception.
Cllr Seán Keating, Mayor of Basingstoke, met representatives of the Old Basing and Lychpit, and Kingsclere communities at an event held on Tuesday 30 October to congratulate them on their dedication in engaging their communities in shaping the future of their areas.
Neighbourhood plans are a way for communities to decide the future of the places where they live and w...ork.
The plans enable local people to have more say in where new houses, businesses, shops and community facilities should go in their local area and can allocate sites for development.
The two neighbourhood plans were drawn up by local people and adopted by the council after separate referendums held in June and September. In both occasions, over 86% of local residents were in favour of the plans.
The plans now form part of the development plan for the parishes and will be used when considering future planning applications.
Cllr Keating said: “My congratulations to everybody in Old Basing and Lychpit, and in Kingsclere, who have been involved in the process to bring these neighbourhood plans to fruition.
“A great deal of hard work has been undertaken over recent years by the local communities in order to get the plans adopted.
Other neighbourhood plans currently under way in the borough include Wootton St Lawrence and North Waltham.
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A THIEF who targeted vehicles in Basingstoke has been jailed for three years after he left his phone in one of the cars he broke into.
Ricky James, 38, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to 12 thefts from motor vehicles, five fraud charges and one theft of a motor vehicle.
Winchester Crown Court heard the offences happened between July 14 and August 3.
... When stealing from vehicles he would smash a window to gain entry and steal purses or wallets from inside. He would also take any bank cards and use them to make contactless payments at nearby stores.
The court was told that James was first arrested on July 25 having been identified from the CCTV using the stolen cards.
When arrested he was found with various items, all suspected to be stolen property.
After further investigations proved these were stolen and his phone was found in one of the cars he targeted, he was arrested again on August 3 at his sister’s house in Basingstoke.
Officers carried out a search of the property and found the spare key to a VW Polo, which had been stolen the previous night.
The vehicle was later found in Park Prewett Way and inside officers found a small orange hammer, used for smashing windows in an emergency.
On 1 November, James was sentenced to a total of three years in prison for all counts.
During the sentencing Judge Keith Cutler said that the “whole community of Basingstoke were affected by these crimes” and how “upsetting” it had been for each of James’ victims.
After the sentencing PC Phillip Chalke, from Basingstoke CID, said: “James embarked on this crime spree to fund his drug addiction, looking into vehicles and breaking into any which had items on display.”
He added: “I would like also like to take this opportunity to remind people not to leave anything of value in their cars because sadly there are those who will see that as a chance to satisfy their own greed.”
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AN INTERNATIONAL food shop is opening in Basingstoke later today with a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony.
The new store will officially open on Church Street at the top of town on Friday 2 November.
The Mayor of Basingstoke, Cllr Sean Keating, will officially open the store at midday.
... Customers can expect to find an array of produce from around the world and from across Europe, as well as traditional products including newspapers and confectionary.
Shoppers will also get the opportunity to pick up free gifts and merchandise from big name drink companies including Coca-Cola.
Store owners, Surya Patel and Kishor Patel, hope to welcome new and existing customers following their relocation from Basing View.
The couple were required to move premises from The Parade in Basing View to Church Street in October as part of the council’s business district redevelopment plans.
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STRANGE things happened in Basingstoke last night as residents and businesses dressed up and decorated their houses and offices for this year’s Halloween celebrations.
Across the borough, people enjoyed seasonal activities including pumpkin carving, fancy dress, spooky-themed parties and an evening of trick or treat.
Clare Hollylee and Graham Payne in Tweedsmuir Close, used Halloween as the perfect excuse to decorate the house and sell raffle tickets to raise money for St Mic...hael’s Hospice.
On a post shared online, Clare said: “I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who popped round and supported and donated. We raised £262 for St Michael’s Hospice.”
Local businesses also got involved with the seasonal revels, including Store & Secure who decorated their Houndmills storage facilities with spooky decorations.
Lucy Maidman from Store & Secure told Basingstoke Echo: “You’ve got to get involved. It’s fun!”
Chineham Business Park also joined in the fun with their annual pumpkin carving competition.
However, the entire evening didn’t go without a few isolated incidents of anti-social behaviour according to police. But officers patrolling the streets did add that the incidents they attended did not outweigh the great evening around Basingstoke.
Ahead of Halloween, we asked our readers to send us their spooky images and you haven’t disappointed us.
We’ll soon publish a Halloween 2018 gallery featuring images from you and local businesses.
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PICTURES from readers, local residents and businesses in and around Basingstoke sharing their Halloween fun!