Test Valley

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of four former districts which were all abolished at the same time:{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|access-date=31 May 2023}}

• Andover Municipal Borough
• Andover Rural District
• Romsey Municipal Borough
• Romsey and Stockbridge Rural District

The new district was named Test Valley after the River Test which flows through the area.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|access-date=31 May 2023}} The district was awarded borough status on 22 October 1976, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.{{cite book |title=Alterations of Area and Status |date=1976 |publisher=Department of the Environment |location=London |page=1 |url=http://www.lgbce.org.uk/__documents/records-and-resources/bulletins-published-by-dclg/change---bulletin-1976.pdf |access-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603044259/http://www.lgbce.org.uk/__documents/records-and-resources/bulletins-published-by-dclg/change---bulletin-1976.pdf |archive-date=3 June 2011}}

{{Infobox legislature

|name=Test Valley Borough Council

|logo_pic = Test Valley Borough Council logo.svg

|logo_res = 200px

|house_type = Non-metropolitan district

|leader1_type = Mayor

|leader1 = Gordon Bailey

|party1=
Conservative

|election1= 14 May 2025{{cite web |title=Council minutes, 14 May 2025 |url=https://democracy.testvalley.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=136&MId=3909 |website=Test Valley Borough Council | date=14 May 2025 |access-date=27 May 2025}}

|leader2_type = Leader

|leader2 = Phil North

|party2=
Conservative

|election2= 10 May 2017

|leader3_type = Chief Executive

|leader3 = Andy Ferrier

|party3=

|election3= 15 June 2020{{cite news |title=New Chief Executive for Test Valley |url=https://www.testvalley.gov.uk/news/2020/jun/new-chief-executive-for-test-valley |access-date=13 November 2020 |work=Test Valley Borough Council News |date=11 June 2020}}

|political_groups1 =

;Administration (26)

:{{Color box |{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}} |border=darkgray}} Conservative (26)

;Opposition (17)

:{{nowrap|{{Color box |{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}} |border=darkgray}} Liberal Democrat (17)}}

|seats=43 councillors

|structure1 = Test Valley Borough Council 2023 Composition.svg

|structure1_res= 250px

|last_election1 = 4 May 2023

|next_election1 = 6 May 2027

|term_length=4 years

|session_room = Andover - Beach Hurst - geograph.org.uk - 1159990.jpg

|session_res =

|meeting_place = Beech Hurst, Weyhill Road, Andover, SP10{{nbsp}}3AJ

|website={{URL|www.testvalley.gov.uk}}

}}

Test Valley Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Hampshire County Council. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|access-date=31 May 2023}}

In the part of the borough within the New Forest National Park, town planning is the responsibility of the New Forest National Park Authority. The borough council appoints one of its councillors to serve on the 22-person National Park Authority.{{cite web |title=Members |url=https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/about-us/members/ |website=New Forest National Park |access-date=12 November 2023}}

The council has been under Conservative majority control since 1999.

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially acting as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control since 1974 has been as follows:{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=26 November 2024 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Test Valley" in search box to see specific results.)

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Test Valley. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1980 have been:{{cite web |title=Past leaders of the council |url=https://www.testvalley.gov.uk/aboutyourcouncil/electedrepresentatives/past-leaders-council |website=Test Valley Borough Council |access-date=19 July 2022}}

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2023/may/04/elections-2023-results-live-local-council-england#le-full-results|title=Local elections 2023: live council results for England|work=The Guardian|date=9 May 2023 |last1=Voce |first1=Antonio |last2=Leach |first2=Anna |last3=Hoog |first3=Niels de |last4=Torpey |first4=Paul |last5=Clarke |first5=Seán }}

The next election is due in 2027.{{cite web |title=Test Valley |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=test_valley |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=27 May 2025}}

{{see also|Test Valley Borough Council elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 43 councillors representing 20 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Test Valley (Electoral Changes) Order 2018|year=2018|number=36|access-date=14 November 2023}}

File:Guildhall, High Street, Andover (NHLE Code 1236337) (July 2022) (3).JPG, one of the council's meeting places.]]

The council has its main offices at Beech Hurst in Andover. The site had previously been a large house built in the 1850s, which had been purchased in 1947 by the old Andover Borough Council to use as its headquarters. The house continued to serve as offices for Test Valley after the new council's creation in 1974 until 1990 when it was demolished and replaced by a modern building on the same site, retaining the Beech Hurst name.{{cite news |last1=Borrett |first1=David |title=Andover History: The tale of the mighty Beech Hurst |url=https://www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/news/19091078.mighty-beech-hurst/ |access-date=14 November 2023 |work=Andover Advertiser |date=20 February 2021}} The council also maintains a smaller office at the former Magistrates' Court on Church Street in Romsey.{{cite web |title=Test Valley Borough Council |url=https://www.testvalley.gov.uk/ |access-date=14 November 2023}} Full council meetings are held alternately at Andover Guildhall and at Crosfield Hall in Romsey.{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://democracy.testvalley.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx |website=Test Valley Borough Council |access-date=19 July 2022}}

Test Valley covers some {{convert|250|sqmi|km2}} of western Hampshire, stretching from boundaries with Southampton in the south to near Newbury in the north. Test Valley is a predominantly rural area. It includes part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The River Test is the centrepiece of the Test Valley; the river is a chalk stream of particular beauty known for its fishing, salmon and trout, which Lord Crickhowell (onetime chairman of the National Rivers Authority) said "should be treated as a great work of art or music". Stockbridge is home of the Houghton Fishing Club, an exclusive fishing club founded in 1822, which meets in the Grosvenor Hotel.

In December 2006, Sport England published a survey which revealed that residents of Test Valley were the 8th most active in England in sports and other fitness activities. 26.9% of the population participate at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes.{{cite web |url=http://www.sportengland.org/national_factsheet_appendix_(all_las_ranked)_v2.xls |title=Sport England Active People Survey National Factsheet |date=2007 |format=XLS |access-date=12 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315220153/http://www.sportengland.org/national_factsheet_appendix_(all_las_ranked)_v2.xls |archive-date=2007-03-15}}

In March 2012 Test Valley was ranked 14th best rural area to live out of 119 local authority areas in Great Britain by the Halifax. This was based on factors including employment and income levels, the weather, health and life expectancy, education, crime, broadband access and other things.{{cite web |url=http://www.inspiredcommunity.co.uk/blog/test-valley-scores-top-20-rural-areas-live-says-halifax |publisher=Inspired Community |title=Test Valley Scores in Top 20 Rural Areas to Live, Says The Halifax |access-date=19 August 2012}}{{cite web|title=Halifax Survey Ranks Test Valley as 14th Best Rural Area to Live|url=http://www.inspiredcommunity.co.uk/blog/test-valley-scores-top-20-rural-areas-live-says-halifax|publisher=Inspired Community}}

{{see also|List of civil parishes in Hampshire}}

The whole borough is covered by civil parishes. The parish councils for Andover and Romsey have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". Whilst Stockbridge is a post town it has a parish council rather than a town council. Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council. The parishes of Frenchmoor and West Tytherley share a grouped parish council.{{cite web |title=Parish Council contact details |url=https://democracy.testvalley.gov.uk/mgParishCouncilDetails.aspx?bcr=1 |website=Test Valley Borough Council |access-date=14 November 2023}}

There are three rail lines in service in Test Valley; these being the West of England line, Wessex Main Line and Eastleigh–Romsey line. On the West of England line are Andover railway station and Grateley railway station. From Andover there are half-hourly trains to London Waterloo via Basingstoke, plus half-hourly trains to Salisbury, with some continuing to destinations such as Exeter St Davids and Yeovil Junction. Grateley operates hourly trains in both directions. Both of these stations are only served by SWR. On the Wessex Main line are Romsey railway station and Mottisfont & Dunbridge railway station, plus Dean railway station which is located just across the Wiltshire border in West Dean. All three stations are operated by SWR, Romsey is also served by GWR. Mottisfont & Dunbridge and Dean are served by trains towards Salisbury, and trains towards Romsey, where they loop either towards Chandler's Ford first (on the Eastleigh-Romsey line) or Redbridge, going on to call at both Southampton Central and Eastleigh, eventually looping back to Romsey, either terminating there or continuing to Salisbury. Romsey also has GWR services towards Portsmouth Harbour via Southampton and Fareham. And GWR towards Cardiff Central via Salisbury, Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads and Newport.

A number of bus operators operate in Test Valley. Stagecoach South{{Cite web |title=Stagecoach |url=https://www.stagecoachbus.com/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Stagecoach}} has a depot in Andover, and operates most of the routes in north Test valley and Andover. Salisbury Reds{{Cite web |title=Salisbury Reds Rural Map |url=https://images-salisburyreds.passenger-website.com/2025-05/Reds_NETWORK_COUNTRY%20RURAL%20MAP_MARCH%202025__MASTER.pdf |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Salisbury Reds}}{{Cite web |title=Salisbury Reds |url=https://www.salisburyreds.co.uk/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Salisbury Reds}} and Bluestar{{Cite web |title=Bluestar |url=https://www.bluestarbus.co.uk/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Bluestar}} (including Unilink{{Cite web |title=Unilink |url=https://www.unilinkbus.co.uk/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Unilink}}), both Go-Ahead Group companies, operate most of the routes in south Test valley and Romsey.

* Specific journeys start in Shootash, and stop at Sherfield English; Plaitford; Wellow and rejoins in Romsey, but doesn't serve Romsey bus station

The area is served by BBC South and ITV Meridian with television signals received from either Rowridge or Hannington TV transmitters.{{cite web | url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Rowridge | title=Full Freeview on the Rowridge (Isle Of Wight, England) transmitter | date=May 2004 }}{{cite web | url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Hannington | title=Hannington (Hampshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter | date=May 2004 }}

Radio stations for the area are:

• BBC Radio Berkshire
• BBC Radio Solent
• Heart South
• Greatest Hits Radio Berkshire & North Hampshire
• Andover Radio (serving Andover)

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{{reflist}}

• [https://www.testvalley.gov.uk Test Valley Borough website]

{{Hampshire}}

{{SE_England}}

{{Test Valley}}

{{coord|51.1394|N|1.491|W|region:GB_type:adm3rd|display=title}}

{{Commons category|Borough of Test Valley|Test Valley}}

Category:Andover, Hampshire

Category:Non-metropolitan districts of Hampshire

Category:Boroughs in England