Milford-on-Sea Parish Council

08/09/2026

The Parish Council is sharing the following update from Cllr Nick Adams-King, Leader of Hampshire County Council, regarding the Government's decision to withdraw its previous proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in Hampshire and the Solent.

The Parish Council recognises that this is a significant development and that there is considerable local interest in what may happen next. We will continue to follow developments and share relevant information with our community as it becomes available.

VERY GOOD NEWS FOR HAMPSHIRE 🌳

The Government has today WITHDRAWN its decision on Local Government Reorganisation in Hampshire and the Solent.

This is, quite simply, the best possible outcome at this stage.

And the timing could hardly be more appropriate. As I write, campaigners from New Forest Together are at Parliament presenting their petition against the proposals to split the New Forest.

What a day for them to be there.

Thousands upon thousands of people have backed their campaign to Keep the New Forest Together. Communities elsewhere in Hampshire have also made very clear that they did not want historic communities carved up simply to make an imposed reorganisation model work.

At Hampshire County Council we challenged the Government’s decision for another, equally important, reason.

We launched Judicial Review proceedings because the Government had failed to provide satisfactory answers about the evidence behind its decision and, particularly, the financial sustainability of the new councils it proposed creating.

We were repeatedly told that pursuing legal action was unnecessary and a waste of money.

Today rather emphatically demonstrates why we believed it was necessary.

Following updated legal advice, the new Secretary of State has withdrawn the Hampshire decision and ordered a review of Local Government Reorganisation.

That does NOT mean I believe nothing should change.

I have always said that this is not about preserving existing councils. It is about getting what replaces them right.

The previous proposals risked splitting established communities, transferring major areas of economic growth and business-rate income between authorities and leaving behind councils whose long-term financial sustainability was, in my view, deeply questionable.

Getting that wrong could have cost Hampshire taxpayers tens or hundreds of millions of pounds over the next decade and meant less money for the services people actually rely upon.

We now have the opportunity to start again.

I hope Government will allow Hampshire and the Solent’s councils to come together, with proper time and proper evidence, to develop a solution which is properly costed, financially sustainable and commands much broader support.

And I am particularly delighted today for everyone involved with New Forest Together.

They organised, campaigned, collected tens of thousands of signatures and refused to accept that splitting their community was inevitable.

To be standing in Parliament presenting that petition on the very day the decision they have fought against is withdrawn is quite something.

Well done to them. 👏🌳

Now we need to work together to get whatever comes next right.

07/09/2026

Annual Household Canvass

New Forest District Council is carrying out its annual household canvass to make sure the electoral register is up to date.

Residents may be contacted by email or letter with instructions on how to respond. Please check your junk or spam folder if you are expecting an email.

Being on the electoral register is important if you wish to vote in elections. Please respond to the council’s request as soon as possible.

The next main elections in the area are expected to take place in May 2027 as part of the changes resulting from local government reorganisation.

We’re carrying out our annual household canvass, which means we’re contacting residents until November to make sure the electoral register is up to date. You need to be on the electoral register to vote in elections.

We’ve started contacting you by email or letter with instructions on how to respond.

You may receive an email from this address: electoral.services.new.forest.district.council@notifications.service.gov.uk

This is a legitimate contact from us regarding your household canvass. Please check your junk folder for this email, as it may appear there.

If you haven’t received an email, please look out for a letter from us. The envelope for the letter reads: “Do not ignore” on the front and includes contact details for our electoral services team on the back.

Find out more about the household canvass on our website.

The next main elections in the area, in May 2027, will select councillors for the future unitary authorities being created by local government reorganisation (LGR). For more information on this visit www.futurehampshire.gov.uk

20/07/2026

The latest phase of essential coastal maintenance work at Milford on Sea has now been completed, helping to protect nearby homes, businesses and amenities from flooding and coastal erosion.
The works included repairs to a section of the concrete seawall and reinstatement of the rock revetment, which will help absorb wave energy, reduce wear on the seawall and extend the life of this important coastal defence.

Using a specialist 120-tonne long-reach excavator meant the work could be carried out safely from behind the seawall, avoiding the need for beach access and minimising disruption.

A huge thank you to New Forest District Council for delivering this important investment in our coastline, and to the contractors and everyone involved for completing the work safely and efficiently. Your expertise and hard work will help protect our coastline and community for years to come. 🌊👏

More information can be found on NFDC's dedicated web pages:

https://www.newforest.gov.uk/coastal

07/07/2026

🌼 Save the date! The Milford-on-Sea Village Show returns on Saturday, 18 July 2026. With competitions for all ages, refreshments, a great raffle and a warm community atmosphere, it's a day not to be missed. Come along, get involved and help support local charities!

09/06/2026

Hurst Spit and Lymington draft coastal strategy unveiled
A draft strategy has been published to manage climate change impacts along 15km coastline between Hurst Spit and Lymington.

A comprehensive strategy to manage the long-term impacts of climate change along the 15-kilometre stretch of coastline between Hurst Spit and Lymington is set to be shared with the public this summer through a series of community drop-in events and webinars.

Led by the Environment Agency in partnership with New Forest District Council, Hampshire County Council, Natural England, and JBA Consulting, the draft strategy makes recommendations to address increasing risks posed by sea-level rise and flooding across this environmentally and historically significant area.

04/06/2026

Milford-on-Sea Seawall Coastal Maintenance – Phase 2 – June/July 2026

Phase 2 will commence in the week commencing Monday 8 June, with welfare facilities, fencing, a 35 tonne machine and smaller items of plant delivered ahead of the arrival of a large 130 tonne excavator and assembly crane in the week commencing Monday 15 June. General working hours will be between 0700 and 1900 with an anticipated duration of around six weeks.
As this is a large machine, several lorries will be required for delivery, after which the crane will assemble the excavator over two days. To facilitate this operation, a portion of the car park at the eastern end will be temporarily closed. Appropriate signage will be in place to safely re-route vehicles and pedestrians, particularly those moving between the promenade and Hurst Road. All movements will be carefully overseen by traffic marshals to ensure safety.
Upon completion, demobilisation will include the excavator being disassembled within the car park over a further two days before being removed from site.
The large 130 tonne machine is being used due to its very long reach, which enables the placement of large rock armour at a distance from the seawall, avoiding the need to access the beach - otherwise a particularly challenging aspect of the works at this site. This will allow rock (including rock currently held in the stockpile) to be placed to form the permanent revetment repair, providing improved protection to the seawall.
General working hours will be between 07:00 and 19:00, with an anticipated duration of around six weeks. To make best use of suitable weather and tidal working windows, it may be necessary for the contractor to work early mornings, late evenings, or weekends. The aim is to minimise disruption and noise wherever possible.
Further details can be found on New Forest District Council’s dedicated web pages.

https://www.newforest.gov.uk/article/1695/Milford-on-Sea-Seawall-Coastal-Maintenance-Phase-1-winter-2025

07/05/2026

Update: Water Quality in the Danestream. May 7th 2026
The Parish Council is aware of recent reports and social media discussion regarding elevated E. coli levels in the Danestream. We understand that local reports indicate the source of the pollution has been identified and that remediation efforts—including the collection and transport of waste to an alternative site—are currently underway.
Please note:
• Precautionary Notices: Our existing advisory notices remain in place. We continue to advise the public (and their pets) to avoid contact with the water at this time.
• Official Verification: While reports of the cleanup are encouraging, the Parish Council has not yet received official confirmation of lowered pollution levels from the relevant authorities.
• Next Steps: We will continue monitoring the situation closely. We will provide a further update as soon as official water quality test results are made available to us.

29/04/2026

29 April 2026, The Parish Council have been made aware via New Forest Water Watch of further water quality readings in the Dane Stream that indicates high levels of pollution. The Parish Council advises walkers and dog owners to exercise caution when in the vicinity of the Dane Stream and not to let dogs or children interact with the water at this time as a precautionary measure. The Parish Council will be seeking advice from the Environmental Agency and NFDC Environmental health regarding signage. Please follow Milford on Sea Parish Council's FaceBook page and Website to remain informed. Thank you
Bernie Bennett. Chair

23/04/2026

Update on the Dane Stream

We have now received observations and results from Southern Water following their attendance at the Danes Stream in response to the elevated E. coli concentrations reported to the Environment Agency on 1 April 2026.
For full details please visit the our website: DANE STREAM UPDATE | Milford-on-Sea Parish

https://milfordonseaparishcouncil.gov.uk/dane-stream-update/

Based on the information available so far, this incident is currently considered to present a low environmental risk. However, if local residents observe any potentially polluting discharges or incidents affecting the Danes Stream, we encourage them to report these via our incident hotline (0800 80 70 60) or online through GOV.UK’s “Report water pollution in England” service.

https://www.gov.uk/report-water-pollution

When making a report, it would be helpful to include photographs where possible, along with accurate details of the location and any suspected source of the pollution in the future.

14/04/2026

Come along for a delightful morning celebrate all things green and growing! Browse a wonderful selection of plants, whether you are a seasoned gardener or just starting out, there is something for everyone. Save the date - Milford-on-Sea Plant Fair, The Village Green, Saturday 16th May 8.30am - 1.30pm