The Brexit effect has started right here in the Itchen Valley Division.

The Local Resilience Planning Team have identified port bound queues as a risk and as we grow ever closer to the 29th March deadline, the possibility of a No Deal exit from the EU  is growing. Work will start on the A31 on Monday 4th March to create a Lorry Park for up to 300 HGV’s on the Westbound Lane -and put all moving traffic two way on the eastbound lane. I expect the speed limit to be dropped as it will be a ‘contraflow situation’ so please allow extra time for your journey.

As Brexit process racks up expenses of Billions of ££’s, even those who wanted to live are asking- what is our Government doing? Shouldn’t we all have a say?

Funding source? As we speak- it’s YOU the HCC Council  Tax payer – though to be fair Roy Perry (ex MEP) and current HCC Leader is trying to get the money out of Central Government. If that’s the case then who pays? YOU again- the income tax payer!

Whatever the outcome, contingency planning has cost a fortune- that wasn’t mentioned on June 23rd 2016 was it?

And now it’s costing us all- in time and money that could be better spent locally on social care, education and road maintenance.

The cost scenario of being apart from Europe becomes more real as risks are assessed and plans are not just made- but now are being delivered.

Donald Tusk was right. There is a special place for those who campaigned to leave the EU without a plan for what they really wanted. And that place is NOT in my head or in my heart.