By councillor Pam Jones, leader of Alton Town Council

The first few months as leader of Alton Town Council have been very busy.

In the 40 years I have lived in Alton, I have seen many changes, and the increase in housing development is one that challenges many of us.

Government dictates the housing figures and we are obliged to have some of them.

The council does listen to your views and we do fight for the best outcomes for the town; the Neighbourhood Plan bears witness to that.

The uncertainty surrounding the new local plan is causing a great deal of concern to us all.

We recently declared a climate emergency for Alton and are working with a number of groups to develop a strategy to address this.

We owe it to future Altonians to ensure they have a planet fit to live on.

Our recent ‘Refill’ campaign was a small step forward and the council is in the process of carrying out an audit of its own carbon footprint. Have you done yours?

All councillors benefit from being actively involved in the community, and I encourage all to engage with Altonians at every opportunity.

It is important we listen to your views, be it at the networking café before our meetings, out in the town, at residents’ meetings or at local events.

Many of my in-depth discussions happen while I am at the supermarket!

As a result of community engagement last year, the new youth hub Kings Arms (Alton) now has a home, following the purchase of the old tannery (formerly Bartlett and Butchers). While the internal work is being completed, Kings Arms is running its sessions at the Community Centre, and later this year there will be a new skate park at Jubilee Fields.

In 2020 we look forward to working with East Hampshire District Council on its place-making scheme; to find ways to enhance our High Street and the town’s economy.

We are also in negotiations for Alton to become a gateway town for the South Downs National Park.

Plans are already in place for many events next year including the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of VE Day and a civil war re-enactment.

As a Walkers are Welcome town, we will be promoting walking and cycling as part of our health and well-being initiative, especially during our annual Walking Festival.

Please get in touch if you feel you would like to volunteer to help at any of our events – they could not happen without your support.