An Andover Town councillor has accused Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) of attempting to “thwart” a new design statement after announcing plans to redraw the conservation area. Last week, Andover Town Council put its design statement for the conservation area, which covers much of the town centre, out for consultation. The borough council subsequently announced its own consultation, which proposes removing certain areas, including George Yard Car Park, the Sainsbury’s branch on Bridge Street, and adding others, such as the Commonwealth War Graves in Andover Cemetery. Good Design Champion for the Andover Independents Party, Councillor Christopher Ecclestone, said that the plans “risk a return to the anything goes attitude that gave us the Chantry Centre.”
Andover Town Council has accepted a report produced in the wake of staff grievances which led to the council being shut down for two weeks.
Following a vigorous debate over whether the report should be heard in public, the council went into closed session to receive the report, deliberating for an hour and a half before accepting it, which will see “improved training” for councillors and staff among other changes. However, following the process, a group of councillors have announced an intention to launch legal proceedings against the council. The publication of the statement brings to an end the formal grievance process, whose origins lie at the start of October, when “concerns regarding councillors” were received, leading to the council’s staff being placed on leave.