The Ethelburt Avenue Road Improvement Group is asking for the views of Ethelburt Avenue residents about the state of the road and how we should manage its maintenance. The last HCERA survey was in 2007.

The survey questionnaire can be downloaded as a pdf file by clicking hcRIG 2021 survey questionnaire

Please return your responses by 19th March.

Officers
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Chairman:     Ray George     75 Bassett Green Road

Secretary:    Kirsty Taylor     29 Stoneham Lane

Treasurer:    Sue Kench     82 Bassett Green Road

Street Representatives
Bassett Green Road:    Mike Farrelly    59 Bassett Green Road
Ethelburt Avenue:    Verity Robson    32 Ethelburt Avenue          Robert Williams    74 Ethelburt Avenue
Field Close:    Elizabeth German    7 Field Close
Leaside Way:    Valerie Laurent    43 Leaside Way
Stoneham Lane:    Kirsty Taylor    29 Stoneham Lane
Summerfield Gardens:    Angela Cotton    8 Summerfield Gardens

by Verity Robson

Hello everyone. I am Verity Robson and I have lived on Ethelburt with my young family for the past 5 years. I put myself forward for the EA street rep position at the last AGM and have taken over from Anne Dempsey. I am keen to know more about the Committee and the decisions it makes and will also be helping out with collecting subs. I would like to make sure there is a diverse range of views represented, so if you have anything you want to raise with me please reach me via the HCERA email address or the facebook page. I am ‘VJ Robson’ on facebook.

Many thanks go to Anne for all her efforts over the past 10 years.

by Sue Kench

At the AGM, there were a number of treasurer related matters agreed that I would like to share.

The main decision was that from 2021, Street Reps will no longer be accepting cheques for payment of road maintenance (Ethelburt residents) and general subs (all). There are a few reasons including that the Burgess Road Barclays Bank branch will close in February 2021 and that taking cheques to be banked is time consuming and often done only when a number of cheques make the trip feasible. Additionally, in light of the pandemic, unnecessary handling of paper / cash should be avoided. I would ask that everyone pays their annual subs/road maintenance by bank transfer. The second matter was that subs will remain at £5 for 2021 and Ethelburt Road Maintenance contribution at £30. While we suspended collection of subs for 2020 for Covid related reasons, there were still ongoing costs. Annual subs / road maintenance for 2021 are due before 31st August 2021.

Any questions or concerns, please speak with your street rep or send me an email via hcera.

About 40 people attended the Zoom AGM very ably co-hosted by Angela Cotton. For matters concerning the treasurer, see Sue Kench’s article. There was a heated discussion about Ethelburt Avenue potholes. The meeting agreed that there should be a new survey of people’s wishes about the road. A survey many years ago, showed that hardly anyone wanted the road made up. But now views may have changed.

Since the AGM, Kirsty Taylor has offered to take over as HCERA secretary from Lizzie Cox. Thank you so much Lizzie for all your hard work.

By Angela Cotton

You may have heard of Southampton Repair Café, where volunteer repairers fix items that the public bring along, thus helping to reduce waste and resource use as well as money. Sadly, it has not been able to run since the first lockdown in March. However, one of our electrical repairers is now offering a service where you can drop off and collect your (portable) items for repair or advice.

Contact Neville by telephone 07783 667 536 or email at bassettrepairshop@gmail.com

On Wednesday 4th November, just before the second lockdown, Ian Bailey, the City Council’s Engagement Officer, Education, Environment and Ecology, came to start us off preparing the verge between No. 2 Leaside Way and No. 51 Bassett Green Road for wildflower planting. A spade-width strip of turf has been removed and placed upside down beside the strip. The strip forms the shape of an eye. In the strip and on top of the upside down turf, we planted a native meadow seed mixture of 12 wild flowers and 7 grasses. In the area within the boundary, we will plant some perennial wild flowers as plug plants in the Spring.

by Michelle Hickling

A little slice of ‘normal’ returned to HCERA, with the annual carols taking place on Thursday 17 December.

Following Government guidelines for carol events, and an extra marquee for the band to adhere to their own social distancing, we went ahead and gathered on the top green of Ethelburt Avenue. About 40 separate household groups joined in on the night, singing and enjoying the poetry and readings.

No cash charity collection this year, however the band suggested an extra food bank donation on their behalf, or a donation to your own favourite charity. Peter at No 52 will continue to collect for the Basic Bank in 2021.

A big thank you to Ocean Brass for the magnificent playing, Lawrence for leading us and sharing some seasonal readings, and Tim and Helen for the front lawn and the power.

A date for your diary: we have provisionally booked the band for the 23rd December 2021.