Cllr Nick Adams-King, Stanbridge Earls, Romsey (2026)

01/09/2026

🎒 The new school year is almost here.

Whether your child is starting Reception for the first time or returning to the classroom, it can be an exciting moment — but also a daunting one. I want Hampshire families to know that practical advice and support are available to help make the transition easier.

Hampshire’s back-to-school resources include:

• Advice on preparing for that important first day
• Help with walking, wheeling, cycling, scooting and school transport
• Before- and after-school childcare information
• Local and national support for children with SEND
• Vaccination and mental wellbeing guidance
• Advice about attendance and settling into school
• Information about free school meals

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free school lunch. Families receiving certain benefits may also qualify for income-based free school meals beyond those years. It is worth checking: a successful application can unlock additional support for your child and extra funding for their school.

No family should feel they have to navigate the start of a new school year alone. Please take a look at the support available — and share this post with anyone who may find it helpful.

Find everything in one place:
https://www.connecttosupporthampshire.org.uk/family-information-and-services-hub-fish/best-start-in-life/toddler-to-pre-school/getting-ready-for-school/

I wish every Hampshire pupil, parent, carer, teacher and member of school staff a happy and successful start to the new academic year.

01/09/2026

📊 Labour market update: Hampshire and the Solent

The latest update from Hampshire County Council’s Economic Intelligence Unit shows that the UK labour market remains subdued, with vacancies continuing to fall and wage growth slowing.

Locally, PAYE employment decreased in July 2026, while unemployment benefit claims rose slightly. However, Hampshire and the Solent continue to compare favourably with the wider picture:

• The local claimant count rate remained at 3.0%
• This was below the South East rate of 3.1% and the UK rate of 3.9%
• The rate for 18–24-year-olds remained unchanged at 4.5%
• Local wage growth stayed resilient and marginally above the South East average
• Demand for workers remained solid, although growth in online job postings is beginning to ease

Nationally, inflation rose to 2.9% in July, while the Bank of England kept its base rate at 3.75%.

The overall picture is one of a softer labour market, but Hampshire and the Solent continue to demonstrate relative resilience.

Source: Hampshire County Council Economic Intelligence Unit.

31/08/2026

W**d cut is reaching its peak on the River Test.

If you’ve noticed patches of cut vegetation floating down our beautiful chalk stream lately—or spotted local wildlife taking full advantage of it—you’re witnessing the annual "W**d Cut"!Coordinated by the Test and Itchen Association alongside the Environment Agency, this vital process keeps our river healthy, thriving, and occasionally provides some free transit for the locals.

As you can see in these photos, a couple of clever ducks have turned a floating island of cut water crowfoot into their own personal raft to catch a lazy ride down the river!

Here is why this seasonal clean-up matters:

🌊 Prevents Flooding: Rapidly growing aquatic plants can completely choke the channel, backing up the water and raising water tables too high.

🐟 Saves Fish Habitats: Clearing strategic paths keeps the water moving quickly. This fast flow washes away silt, keeping the trout spawning gravels clean and bright.

🌱 Boosts Ecology: Gentle trimming prevents massive plant diebacks in late summer, which keeps oxygen levels perfectly stable for bugs and wildlife.

🎣 Keeps Traditions Alive: It opens up clear, fishable lanes for the world-class dry-fly fishing that the Test is famous for.

River keepers cut the w**d in carefully timed stages from upstream to downstream. They then let it float down to collection booms where it is safely removed. It’s a huge, coordinated effort to protect this rare ecosystem—and clearly, the ducks highly approve of the service! 🚣‍♂️

31/08/2026

🏡 HAVE YOUR SAY ON ROMSEY’S FUTURE

The consultation on the draft Romsey Neighbourhood Plan is now open—and it is vital that residents, businesses and community groups take part.

As I told the Hampshire Chronicle:

“It is absolutely vital that people take part.”

Romsey is facing intense development pressure and the kind of speculative “Wild West land grab” I have previously warned about. A strong Neighbourhood Plan is one of the most effective tools available to put our community—not developers—in the driving seat.

Although the plan cannot change the overall number of homes imposed on the area, it can have a real influence over:

✅ Where and how development happens
✅ The infrastructure developers must provide
✅ The character and design of our communities
✅ The green spaces that should be protected

Once adopted, the plan will become part of the statutory development plan and carry real weight when planning applications are decided. We have already seen in Wellow that a Neighbourhood Plan can make a genuine difference.

But it will only be credible if it reflects the views of the whole community.

📅 Consultation: 1 September–13 October 2026

👉 Read the draft plan and complete the questionnaire:
https://www.romsey-tc.gov.uk/rnp.html

You can also meet the team in person:

📍 Abbotswood Community Centre
Friday 4 September, 10am–7pm

📍 Romsey Town Hall
Thursday 10 September, 9.30am–7pm

📍 Woodley Village Hall
Sunday 13 September, 10am–5pm

There will also be a drop-in display at Romsey Town Hall from Monday 14 to Friday 18 September, 9am–5pm.

My message is simple: please take part. This is Romsey’s opportunity to help set the rules before developers attempt to set them for us.

📰 Read the Hampshire Chronicle article:
https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/26498892.romsey-residents-invited-say-neighbourhood-plan/

Please share this post so that as many local people as possible have the opportunity to make their voices heard.

30/08/2026

Here are the roadworks across southern Test Valley this week.

As always, please keep an eye on the yellow signs for the most up to date information.

Ampfield

- Hursley Road, closed to 2nd September for Southern Water works.

Awbridge

- Dunbridge Lane closed to 16th October for Southern Water main replacement.
- Saunders Lane, traffic control on Wednesday 09.30-16.00 for HCC Highways road repairs
- Cowleas Cottages road closed on Friday 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.

Braishfield

- Furzedown Road closed on Wednesday 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.
- Dores Lane closed on Wednesday 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.

Broughton

- A30, Salisbury Road closed for overnight resurfacing 20.00 – 06.00 to 18th September. The works will occur during this period, and may not be in place every night.
- High Street closed from Tuesday to Monday September 7th for Southern Water works.

Chilworth

- Roman Road, traffic control to 11th September for SGN works.
- Birch Road closed from Monday to 11th September for SGN works.

Hursley

- A3090 Main Road, traffic control until 15th September for SSEN works outside the Kings Head.

King’s Somborne

- A3057 Romsey Road, traffic control until Tuesday for Southern Water works.
- Furzedown Road closed on Wednesday 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.

Lockerley

- Oval Road, closed on Friday 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.

Longstock

- A30, Salisbury Road and Salisbury Hill, closed for overnight resurfacing 20.00 – 06.00 to 18th September. The works will occur during this period, and may not be in place every night.

Melchet Park and Plaitford

- A27 Salisbury Road traffic control on Thursday 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.

Michelmersh & Timsbury

- Rudd Lane closed on Friday 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.
- A3057 Stockbridge Road traffic control overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, 20.00 – 06.00 for HCC Highways drainage works.

North Baddesley

- Nutburn Road, closed on Wednesday 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.
- Mortimer Way traffic control to 3rd September for SSEN works.

Nursling and Rownhams

- A3057 Romsey Road by Romsey Golf Club, traffic control on Wednesday 09.30-16.00 for HCC Highways repairs.
- Upton Lane, traffic control at the railway bridge from Tuesday to 11th September for Southern Water works.
- Mill Lane closed on Wednesday and Friday for HCC Highway repairs.09.30-15.00 both days.

Romsey

- Sandy Lane, traffic control from Tuesday to Friday for Southern Water works.
- Cupernham Lane, traffic control on Thursday for HCC Highways footpath repairs.
- A3090 Wi******er Hill, traffic control by the Sun Arch on Thursday for HCC Highways footpath repairs.
- Cherville Street, traffic control on Thursday for HCC Highways footpath repairs.
- A27 Southampton Road, traffic control from Tuesday to Thursday for Openreach works outside Romsey Rapids.
- The Tyleshades, traffic control to 1st September for Openreach works.
- Ashdown Way, traffic control until 18th September for SGN works.
- A27 Luzborough Lane, traffic control to 11th September to the west of the Luzborough roundabout for SSEN works.
- A3090 Pauncefoot Hill, lane closures overnight from Tuesday to Saturday, 20.00 – 06.00 for Hampshire Highways drainage works.
- Halterworth Lane, closed at the level crossing overnight on Wednesday and Thursday nights, 22.00 – 06.00 for Network Rail works.
- A3090 Wi******er Road, traffic control at Crampmoor on Wednesday for HCC Highways road repairs.

Sherfield English

- Dandy’s Ford Lane closed on Wednesday from 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.
- A27 Salisbury Road traffic control on Thursday 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.

Stockbridge

-
- A30, Salisbury Road and Salisbury Hill, closed for overnight resurfacing 20.00 – 06.00 to 18th September. The works will occur during this period, and may not be in place every night.

Valley Park

- Raglan Close, traffic control from Tuesday to Thursday for Openreach works.

Wellow

- Dandy’s Ford Lane closed on Wednesday from 09.30-15.00 for HCC Highways road repairs.

Minor works also this week in Ampfield, Braishfield, King’s Somborne, North Baddesley, Nursling and Rownhams, , Ower, Romsey, Valley Park, Wellow, West Tytherley.

This information is correct as of Saturday evening and might be subject to change or addition over the week ahead. As always, keep an eye out for the yellow signs which give you the most up-to-date information about dates, times and scope of work.

29/08/2026

🚧 Roadworks Update: Hampshire, Southampton & Portsmouth
📅 Week commencing 30 August – 5 September 2026

As the summer holidays come to an end, traffic volumes are expected to increase again across Hampshire. Several major motorway and utility schemes remain underway, so it's worth planning ahead before travelling.

---

🚗 Motorways

M3 Junction 9 – Wi******er

⚠️ Major improvement works continue.

The northbound Junction 9 entry slip road remains closed until winter 2027 while construction of the new junction continues.

Throughout the week expect:

• Overnight lane restrictions.
• Temporary traffic management.
• Changing traffic layouts around Junction 9.

The next full weekend closure of the Junction 9 roundabout is scheduled for 11–14 September, but preparatory works continue throughout this week.

➡️ Allow extra time if travelling around Wi******er, particularly overnight.

---

M27 Junction 10 – Fareham / Welborne

Hampshire's largest highway improvement project continues.

Works remain focused on:

• High Street Roundabout
• A32 Wickham Road
• M27 Junction 10 slip roads

Overnight lane and slip road closures continue as technology installation, landscaping and final surfacing progress.

---

M27

National Highways continues a programme of overnight lane, hard shoulder and slip road closures between 8pm and 6am across sections of the M27 during August and into September.

➡️ Signed diversions remain in place where required, although delays are generally expected to be limited. citeturn0search1

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🏙️ Southampton

Thomas Lewis Way

Electricity network works continue with contraflow traffic management.

Southampton City Council also has additional works planned during the week, including:

• Portsmouth Road – temporary signals (2–3 September)
• Highfield Lane – closure at the junction with Portswood Road

➡️ Expect delays on routes into and around the city. citeturn0search3

---

⚓ Portsmouth

Hilsea bridge refurbishment continues alongside Eastern Road improvements.

Traffic management also remains around Portsbridge Roundabout and the northern approaches to the city.

Allow extra time if travelling to Portsmouth International Port, QA Hospital or Cosham.

---

🛣️ Across Hampshire

Hampshire Highways continues resurfacing, drainage improvements and utility works across the county.

Temporary road closures remain in place across several districts including Wi******er, East Hampshire, Fareham, Test Valley, Hart and the New Forest.

For local journeys, the Hampshire interactive roadworks map remains the best place to check the latest position before travelling. citeturn0search4

---

🔎 Key Points This Week

⚠️ M3 Junction 9 works continue.
⚠️ Northbound M3 Junction 9 slip road remains closed.
⚠️ Overnight M27 closures continue across the network.
⚠️ Southampton roadworks continue on Thomas Lewis Way and other city routes.
⚠️ Hilsea bridge works continue in Portsmouth.

---

✅ Practical Advice

✔️ Expect overnight disruption on both the M3 and M27.
✔️ Allow extra time around Wi******er, Fareham, Southampton and Portsmouth.
✔️ Traffic volumes will increase as schools prepare to return.
✔️ Check your route before travelling as traffic management can change at short notice.

Thank you, as always, for your patience while these improvements continue. They represent significant long-term investment in keeping Hampshire's road network safe, resilient and fit for the future.

29/08/2026

A326 Upgrade vs Potholes

An important point needs correcting in the debate about the A326.

Cllr David Harrison’s suggestion that the proposed A326 investment could simply be redirected to fixing Hampshire’s potholes might make an eye-catching headline, but that is not how the funding works.

The government funding available for the A326 comes through a programme specifically designed to support major road schemes. It is ring-fenced capital funding, subject to approval of the scheme’s business case.

Hampshire County Council does not have a £200 million cheque sitting in its bank account that it can choose to spend on either the A326 or potholes. At the current estimated scheme cost of £187 million, the Department for Transport could contribute up to 85%, with the remainder needing to be secured from local partners.

If Hampshire does not secure that funding and then use it to deliver the approved scheme, it does not become money we can spend elsewhere. The funding opportunity is simply lost to Hampshire.

Of course potholes and the wider maintenance backlog matter enormously. They must be tackled through the separate government and council funding provided for highway maintenance. But presenting this as a simple choice between improving the A326 and repairing local roads is inaccurate.

Cllr Harrison is an experienced county councillor and should know how deliberately these government funding programmes are structured. It is easy to make headline-grabbing demands, but residents deserve an accurate explanation of the choices that are genuinely available.

There should absolutely be proper debate about the design and merits of the A326 scheme. But we should have that debate based on the facts—not on the mistaken suggestion that walking away would release nearly £200 million for potholes. It would not.

[Read the Daily Echo article](https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/26493552.councillor-hits-back-calls-scrap-a326-fix-potholes/?ref=rss)

29/08/2026

Just one new planning application this week in the Blackwater parishes, on the border of Sherfield English:

LOCKERLEY/SHERFIELD ENGLISH

26/01538/FULLS
Demolition of stable and outbuilding, change of use to single pitch traveller site with siting of mobile home, er****on of dayroom, gate and fencing, laying of hardstanding, landscaping and associated works

Hillside Nursery, The Banks, Lockerley, Hampshire

29/08/2026

Here are the planning applications registered this week in the Dun Valley parishes, there are no new applications this week in Chilworth or Nursling & Rownhams:

LOCKERLEY

26/01538/FULLS
Demolition of stable and outbuilding, change of use to single pitch traveller site with siting of mobile home, er****on of dayroom, gate and fencing, laying of hardstanding, landscaping and associated works

Hillside Nursery, The Banks, Lockerley, Hampshire

28/08/2026

⚠️ Please help spread the word about safe battery and v**e recycling.

A recent fire in a Test Valley refuse collection vehicle is believed to have been caused by a v**e placed incorrectly in household waste. Thankfully, nobody was injured, but the incident required the Fire and Rescue Service to attend.

Please never put batteries, v**es, mobile phones, laptops or other electrical items in your household bins. Lithium-ion batteries can ignite when crushed during waste collection, putting crews at risk and damaging vehicles.

♻️ Batteries can be recycled at many supermarkets, retailers and Household Waste Recycling Centres.

♻️ Vapes can be taken to participating retailers or Household Waste Recycling Centres.

♻️ Electrical items, including phones and laptops, can be taken to Household Waste Recycling Centres.

Find your local recycling options here:
https://www.hants.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling

A small action can help prevent a serious fire. Please share this message with friends, family and neighbours across Test Valley.

Cllr Nick Adams-King

01/09/2026

01/09/2026

31/08/2026

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