Winchester county council move forward motion to ban mobile phones in secondary schools

Published

2 years ago

17th December 2024

On the 6th of November Winchester city council moved forwards with a vote to ban mobile phones.

A full council meeting took place where all councillors voted unanimously towards a ban.

The motion was brought forward by Lib Dem councillor John Tippet-Cooper who led the discussion across the Winchester city council.

He led a presentation on why smartphones are damaging for our children and gave his reasons for why he believes in this ban.

After his presentation the council voted unanimously, 29 votes towards the motion whilst zero voted against it.

This allows Winchester council to now take this motion towards Hampshire county council and apply pressure on them to create a ban.

Mr. Tipper-Cooper said:

“What Winchester city council has done is put a motion to Hampshire council to put pressure on the council, to provide clear guidance to schools about the banning or restriction of phones in schools.

“ The key message is that schools need clarity about what they should be doing with phones in schools.

“My own view is that they should be banned in schools, due to the harms and impacts of them in a school setting”

Research carried out by John himself states that loss of concentration is up 20% when children have mobile phones in schools.

Mr Tippet-Cooper also said that his campaign was research led and was one of the main reasons for him bringing forwards this motion.

“The aim of a ban would be to provide the young people with a safe haven, during the school day.

However Mr Tippet-Cooper does understand there are a few exceptions to the ban:

“There will be obvious exceptions to a ban, for example someone who needs an app that’s helping young people with a health issue.

“And those are perfectly and obvious clear and exceptions, but this is why schools need clear guidance”

Police hunt man who threw chair and threatened shoppers

Published

2 weeks ago

5th October 2026

Phoebe Costello

A man threw a chair and threatened bystanders in the centre of Gosport on Friday.

Police say the man, who was behaving aggressively, threw the chair on the ground and shouted threats at nearby shoppers before running away. No one was injured.

It happened just before noon, outside a Greggs Bakery on the High Street.

Hampshire Police say the man was white, bald and in his late 40s. He was wearing a baseball cap and a grey hoodie.

Officers are asking anyone who saw the incident to contact them.

Police officers injured during anti-migration rally

Published

2 weeks ago

5th October 2026

Roan Harte

Twelve people were arrested after 350 anti-migrant protestors clashed with police overnight in Gosport following reports of a small boat landing in the area.
A small number of officers needed medical treatment following the protests near Walpole car park.
Assistant Chief Constable Simon Dodds said: “Violence and criminal damage have no part in peaceful protest, our position on this has been clear that we will investigate thoroughly and take robust action against anyone responsible.
“Our officers did not deserve to be assaulted as they worked incredibly diligently on Sunday to ensure the safety of everyone in the area.”
Police had banned face coverings and had issued a dispersal order ahead of the protests across Gosport.
Those arrested were held on suspicion of assaulting officers or being drunk and disorderly.
The protest marks an increase in tensions within the UK after protests at Portsmouth, Taunton, Basingstoke and Glasgow in recent months.
Gosport Reform UK councilor Paul Carter told GB News: “If you think about this last night, no one really knew what was happening… I think a lot of people are really worried.”

Winchester News Online

Residents warned over closure of recycling centre

Published

2 weeks ago

5th October 2026

Edie Raw

People in Romsey are being warned that the town’s recycling centre will be closing for a month for repairs.

The closure of Casbrook recycling centre will take place from 12 October to 12 November.

The council says that repairs are essential to keep the site safe, after heavy vehicles damaged the tarmac beneath waste containers.

Councillor Kirsty North, Hampshire County Council’s deputy leader, said: “We are investing in essential improvements to preserve the surface of Casbrook HWRC (Bunny Lane) and ensure the facility continues to serve residents safely and effectively for many years to come.

“I thank residents for their patience during these works and confirm that capacity is available at nearby HWRCs to ensure residents that usually use Bunny Lane, can still dispose of their waste during this time.”

Locals have been advised to use alternative centres in Winchester and Eastleigh while the repairs take place.