Commoners urged to speak up amid local government shake-up

Commoners with land or holdings in the Waterside and Totton areas are being urged to raise their concerns amid fears that proposed local government changes could sever their access to the New Forest.

Under the current reorganisation proposals, parts of Waterside and Totton may be transferred to a newly formed Southampton District Council. This shift raises serious concerns for commoners who rely on proximity to the Forest to exercise their grazing and other traditional rights.

If these changes go ahead, affected commoners find could themselves geographically and administratively cut off from the Forest, potentially putting generations of commoning practice at risk.

New Forest District Council (NFDC) is currently gathering feedback on the reorganisation through a survey, and commoners are being strongly encouraged to make their voices heard.

New Forest Commoners’ Defence Association (CDA) chair Andrew Parry-Norton says: ‘We at the CDA would urge anyone who may be affected by this to take the survey as soon as possible to express their views.

‘It is vital that the impact on traditional rights and access to the Forest is fully understood and taken into account during the process.’

For more information, visit the How to have your say section on the NFDC website here