WHITEHILL Town Council has awarded ten-year service contracts to the Deadwater Valley Trust to manage the Bordon Inclosure and the Deadwater Valley Local Nature Reserve.

Nora Dobson, who chairs the Deadwater Valley Trust trustees, said: “The Deadwater Valley Trust is very pleased and thanks Whitehill Town Council for awarding us the tender.

“We look forward to continuing managing Bordon Inclosure and the Deadwater Valley Local Nature Reserve on behalf of Whitehill Town Council for the next ten years. We will continue to work with, and for, the community to preserve and protect our valuable countryside and its wildlife.”

Whitehill Town Council leader Cllr Andy Tree said: “I congratulate Deadwater Valley Trust on winning the tenders under the formal procurement process we are required to follow by law for contracts of this size and know their trustees, employed rangers and volunteers will do a great job.

“We as a town council have vowed to protect green spaces under our control. This is enshrined in the policy that we adopted through our strategic plan after the May 2019 local elections. I particularly thank Cllr Tina Strickland for ensuring that green space management issues were treated with importance and as a priority.

“Our new, improved service contracts will cover the principles of us having more control over the management of town council owned or leased land, on behalf of residents, by ensuring we can review the management plan and set overall policy and strategy.

“The town council will pay £89,375 to Deadwater Valley Trust per annum, and we take spending council tax and Section 106 developer contributions very seriously.”

Bordon Inclosure is a Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space for people, while the Deadwater Valley Local Nature Reserve is an area in which the council strives to put nature first.

The council and trust see Whitehill & Bordon’s green space as a “living lung” for the town which includes 12 habitat types and a network of maintained paths. The trust runs work parties, in which volunteers can do hands-on conservation, and a programme of events aimed at educating residents and encouraging them to join in.