Residents, businesses, and service users are being invited from today (13 October) to have their say on a range of budget savings proposals as we plan ahead for future financial pressures.
We spend approximately £59 million a year on running and delivering services across the district. We are consulting on a range of potential savings to address a forecast £1.25 million budget gap for 2027/28 to ensure local services remain financially sustainable.
We are already making savings, seeking to grow income and improving efficiency, but inflation resulting in rising costs and significant changes to local government funding mean services need to change to balance future budgets and ensure that our finances remain in a sound position.
There are six proposals being consulted on across different services. The proposals range from ending non-statutory services like business waste collection to revised opening times of information offices. Other proposals include changes to how revenue grants are allocated and reducing the overall sum as well as a review into the grounds maintenance service, and changes to public toilets.
We will consider the feedback received against the financial impact and other evidence before making decisions as part of our budget-setting process.
Cllr Jeremy Heron, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate, said:
“Making changes to our services is not a decision anyone takes lightly, but difficult choices must be made to ensure we are able to keep providing essential services coupled with a balanced budget for our community.
“I understand that any proposed changes to council services have the potential to impact on people in different ways which is why it is important that we hear the views from a wide range of our residents’ businesses, and service users.
“I encourage everyone to take part and let us know what they think about the proposals so we can fully understand how any of the outlined changes would affect our residents.”
Forestry England are running 3 site visits to look at the proposed works as part of the wetland restoration project at Millersford. If you like to attend any of the visits please use the links below.
Wetland Restoration Proposed Plans Guided Walk
Millersford Bottom – Meet at Deadman Hill car park
NFDC are preparing a new local plan for our area (outside of the National Park) to guide decisions in the period up to 2043.
Al residents are encouraged to submit responses to the Local Plan which includes proposals for significant housing development in the Fordingbridge area.
New Forest District Council (NFDC) is introducing a new customer service system next month (February 2026), designed to make it easier for residents to access the services and support they need when they contact the council.
The system introduces a new automated telephone service and an improved web chat function. Together, these changes aim to improve efficiency by ensuring calls are answered even more promptly and by making sure residents reach the right service the first time.
The automated telephone service will use ‘natural language processing’. This means, instead of selecting options using their number keypad, callers will hear an automated voice asking them to briefly say what their enquiry is about. The system then listens for key words and automatically routes the call to a member of staff in the most appropriate team.
The web chat service will work in a similar way, allowing residents to type what they need help with. Web chat will be available on more pages of the council’s website than currently and will work on mobile devices.
Accessibility has been central to the design of the new system. The changes do not remove any existing contact options and contact numbers remain the same, and residents who prefer to talk directly to a member of staff will still be able to do so.
In December 2025, NFDC invited residents to test the new phone and web chat features ahead of the upcoming launch. Feedback was positive, with residents describing the system as easier to use and a significant step forward. Participants also suggested improvements which have now been incorporated, including clearer wording and updated queue messages to make the experience smoother.
Councillor Jeremy Heron, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate, said: “We are grateful to the residents who participated in the testing phase and shared their feedback. By involving residents in testing, we’re making sure the improvements are shaped by real user experiences.
“This is about creating systems that are simple, efficient, and accessible for all, whether you’re calling us, visiting in person, or using our online services.”
A residents’ survey: https://nfnpasurvey2025.commonplace.is/ We’re asking: What makes the New Forest special to you? What issues matter most for its future?
Feedback will help guide our priorities, services, projects and delivery in the years ahead. Closes 30 November 2025.
Draft Local Plan consultation: https://nfnpalocalplan.commonplace.is/ We’ll be using input for the next phase of the New Forest Local Plan. Closes 19 December 2025.
The National Park Authority will be holding some public drop-in sessions on the Draft Local Plan over the coming weeks
Have your say in New Forest National Park Authority residents’ survey
New Forest residents are invited to give their views about the National Park in an online survey.
A previous survey by the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) in 2021 received more than 2,700 responses and 10,000 comments. It helped inform the National Park Partnership Plan of actions for organisations looking after the New Forest.
Many respondents in the last survey said they wanted to live a more sustainable lifestyle. The National Park Authority set up the £1.4m YouCAN youth for climate and nature scheme with partners to drive climate awareness and action through a Climate Action Fund grant from The National Lottery Community Fund. It established a Green Groups Network, a New Forest Awakening Festival, and sustainable living pledge to harness and increase this activity in New Forest communities.
People also said they wanted wildlife and nature prioritised, so partners introduced two Public Spaces Protection Orders enabling fines to be issued to reduce the threat of wildfires and feeding and petting Commoners’ animals. The NPA secured a £1.3m Species Survival Fund with partners to enhance 250 hectares of land for nature across 25 sites – the equivalent of 350 football pitches. By March 2026 it will have given out over £1 million in grants to farmers, commoners and landowners to support nature recovery and sustainable farming through Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme.
NPA Communications Manager Hilary Makin said: ‘Our communities and local organisations are best placed to understand issues on the ground and how to solve them to enable people and nature to thrive in the National Park.
‘New Forest partners have been acting on previous feedback. We’re now encouraging people of all ages to tell us their thoughts and ideas for the future of the National Park.’
Parking charges are set to be introduced in the New Forest to help Forestry England continue to look after this special area in the face of rising costs and visitor numbers. Under the scheme, due to begin next year, local people and regular visitors will be able to buy an annual membership costing less than £2 a week to park as often as they like.
Forestry England looks after around half of the New Forest National Park including most of its green space that is accessible to the public. Its work includes tree planting, conserving wildlife, managing vegetation, and restoring heathlands and rivers. It helps millions of people each year enjoy the area by providing hundreds of miles of paths and cycle routes, 10 campsites, and 130 car parks across the forest. Its rangers patrol the area every day of the year and help address anti-social behaviour including fly-tips and preventing wildfires.
Forestry England manages and cares for the nation’s forests. It currently gets less than 20% of its core funding from the government with the rest having to be found from its own activities including timber sales and car parking charges.
Caring for the New Forest has become increasingly expensive. This includes the price of materials needed to repair and maintain car parks which have increased by more than 50% over the last three years. At the same time, higher levels of damage to trails and car parks have been caused by prolonged bad weather and increasing usage.
The money raised by parking charges will help Forestry England continue its critical work and avoid closing car parks or trails. The scheme will also significantly boost the numbers of rangers on patrol to look after the Forest.
Recognising the importance of the area to the local community, a concession will be available for local and frequent visitors. An annual Forestry England membership will offer unlimited parking for less than £2 a week in all New Forest car parks with the added benefit of free parking at all Forestry England car parks across the country.
The price of parking will be in line with other similar locations in the area. Prices will start at £1.50 for one hour, £3 for 2 hours, £5 for 4 hours and £8 for over 4 hours. Tickets will be transferrable between all Forestry England car parks in the New Forest making it easy to visit several locations with one payment.
Those supporting the New Forest through commoning activities and other key working forest tasks will still park for free.
To limit the number of pay machines and equipment in the Forest, paying for parking will be via mobile phone using the RingGo app or website. In the case of poor mobile signal, payments can be made after leaving up until midnight the following day.
A dedicated team will monitor the scheme and help protect any locations being used for unofficial, damaging or dangerous parking including at entrances to car parks, at access points to forest properties and on verges.
Craig Harrison, Forest Management Director for Forestry England in the South explained:
“The New Forest is a very special place. Not everyone is aware of the huge amount of work it takes to look after the area including planting thousands of trees and caring for the forest’s special wildlife. We clear litter, remove fly-tips, speak to visitors, and patrol the area every day of the year. We also maintain hundreds of trails, paths and car parks so that people can enjoy getting out into nature.
“This vital work is no longer affordable given rising prices and visitor numbers. Charging for car parking will play an important role in us being able to continue to look after this precious landscape.
“We know how much the New Forest is valued by the local community so those who come here often will be able to benefit from highly discounted parking by becoming a Forestry England member. Everyone paying to park will be making a valued contribution in helping to look after this special place for all to enjoy.”
Local organisations identified the need to increase funding to manage the New Forest in a Recreational Management Strategy created in 2019. This set out several ways to manage the impact of the huge numbers of people spending time here, including by introducing charging for some facilities.
Forestry England charges for parking at forests throughout the country. The New Forest will now join these, with the money raised helping to fund our vital work to care for the nation’s forests.
Parking charges could begin in spring 2026, subject to the appropriate consents. Further details on charges, membership and timelines will be shared as plans progress.
Along with 150+ councils across England, the government has told local authorities in Hampshire they must reorganise into a single tier of local government, meaning fewer, larger authorities in the county, each providing all council services for their area. This means that, with the exception of local town and parish councils, none of the existing councils in Hampshire will exist after April 2028.
Councils in Hampshire are therefore required by the government to submit proposals by the end of September that include the geographical areas new councils would serve. A number of options have been prepared for public and stakeholder engagement. The options for our area are:
OPTION 1: A single new council serving residents and businesses of New Forest, Test Valley, Winchester and East Hampshire. At NFDC, we strongly support this option, as the only natural fit for our area, our residents and our businesses.
OPTION 2: A single new council serving residents of New Forest, Southampton and Eastleigh. As a council representing a rural area, this is not an option that we can support. There are significant risks, in particular around service design and delivery, environmental sustainability and decision-making impacts on rural communities.
OPTION 3: One new council serving residents of Southampton and Eastleigh along with some New Forest areas including Marchwood, Hythe and Dibden and Fawley at the Waterside, as well as the communities of Totton and Eling. NFDC is strongly opposed to this option as a cynical and greedy land grab.
The public and stakeholder engagement is now live, and I am writing to you as a key stakeholder within the New Forest District Council area, to ask you to please take the opportunity to share your views.
At New Forest District Council, we feel passionately that the natural fit for our residents, communities and businesses in the future is to be represented by a new council that is primarily rural in its footprint – one that serves the people of New Forest alongside those of Test Valley, Winchester and East Hampshire. A new council based on this geography would best serve our environment of rural landscapes, villages and towns, and be able to design services aligned to rural, not inner-city, life.
We strongly believe option 1 gives the best chance of preserving the things we hold so dear about New Forest District, and embraces the similarities we share with Test Valley, East Hampshire and Winchester. Protected and cherished natural landscapes, strong and distinct communities, and a history of close and collaborative working with town and parish councils. It would understand the delicate balance of conservation, sustainable growth and community.
To reject this logical option in favour of the New Forest or any part of it becoming an extension of a city is an affront to the needs of New Forest district residents, businesses and the protected environment here, and shows a complete lack of knowledge or concern for your needs. It is inevitable that, over time, budget allocation decisions and service delivery approaches would focus on the needs of the majority – those living in the city and urban environments, abandoning the needs of those who are currently New Forest residents.
We simply cannot let that happen.
At New Forest District Council, we are making five promises to our residents, businesses and communities:
We will do all that we can to preserve what is special about our district now
We will work day and night to oppose any option that splits our historic communities or forces us to become a forgotten add–on to an area dominated by city skylines and urban sprawl
We will push hard to keep local service delivery truly local, designed around communities, parishes and towns
We will fight for the status of our market town and village economy, for our fishers, farmers and foresters, and our Waterside industry –integral to our Forest way of life
We will continue to put you, your needs & wishes and the land you hold so dear first in everything we do.
It’s really important that you have your say now
This link takes you to the online survey which is now live. I would strongly encourage you to share your views, and in particular to state your support for option 1, and opposition to options 2 and 3.
We also welcome your thoughts, worries or aspirations on email. You can send these to us at LGR@nfdc.gov.uk. We will make sure that your comments are included.
Ultimately, it will be the government who makes this decision, so it is also helpful if you take time to write now to your MP, sharing your strength of feeling about this matter and expressing your support for option 1. You can find details of your MP here:
Lastly, myself or a colleague would be very happy to join any upcoming meetings or events that you are hosting, to share more information about the options and our rationale for supporting option 1. Please do let me know asap if that would be helpful.
The government requires evidence of public engagement from councils within their final proposals in the autumn, so it is vital that the people and businesses of the New Forest demonstrate our strength of feeling about this matter, and do all we can to influence those proposals and help keep the forest whole and secure the natural fit for the New Forest district, its residents and its future.
To be held on Wednesday 23rd April 2025 in Woodgreen Village Hall commencing at 7.00pm with a Cheese and Wine Reception.
Chaired by Cllr Lance Benest, Chairman of Woodgreen Parish Council
All parishioners are invited to talk to local village representatives, Parish and District councillors and find out what they have been up to over the last year. Village representatives include Woodgreen Village Hall, Woodgreen Community Shop, Avon Valley Churches, Hale and Woodgreen Horticultural Society, Woodgreen Village Trust, Woodgreen Cricket Club and PCSO Steve May.
Followed by at 7.30pm 1.Welcome by Chairman 2.Apologies for absence 3.To approve the minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 24th April 2024. (Available on the website) 4.Parish Council reports. 5.Reports by Cllr Edward Heron and Cllr Janet Richards 6.Report by Play Matters on the proposed creation of a play area in Woodgreen. 7.Any further matters to be raised by the public. 8.Summing up by Chair.
Leader of new Forest District Council , Cllr Jill Cleary, said, “The consultation gives the opportunity to share views on the devolution proposals, and how the new regional body should work, and I encourage our residents to take part. “The transfer of enhanced decision making from central government and the ability to retain a greater share of more locally generated funding that comes through devolution is something I would welcome and I will continue to make strong representations for an outcome that I believe is the best fit for the communities of the New Forest.” Feedback gathered will inform the government ministers’ views ahead of final decision later in the summer. The consultation closes on 13 April 2025.
