Local Issues

24 Jul

LEISURE CENTRES TO REOPEN

Everyone Active, which operates Council-owned Fareham Leisure Centre and Holly Hill Leisure Centre has confirmed it will reopen both leisure centres to the public from Wednesday 29th July for gym use and group exercise. The swimming pools will reopen to the public from 1st August.
The decision to reopen follows agreement in principle of a COVID-19 recovery deal between Everyone Active and Fareham Borough Council of up to £1.83 million.
A report https://moderngov.fareham.gov.uk/documents/s24327/Covid%2019%20Impact%20on%20Leisure%20Centres%20-%20Summary.pdf seeks approval from the Council’s Executive for agreement in principle to the funding. It also asks the Executive to proceed with the planned capital expenditure of £6.81 million to enhance the leisure facilities at both centres.
The two figures amount to a huge sum totalling more than £8.5 million which is a significant investment from the Council and reflects the importance it places on leisure for the community.
As has been widely reported, leisure centres across the country have lost a huge amount of income and, to date, the Government has not announced any financial support packages specifically for them. Over the past few weeks the Council has been working closely with Everyone Active, the operator of both leisure centres, to understand the level of support they need to continue to ensure leisure facilities are available for all our residents to enjoy.
The report also sets out our plans for improvements to the leisure centres, particularly Fareham Leisure Centre which, having served the community for 40 years, will benefit from the exciting changes proposed by Everyone Active.
23 Jul

SMALL BUSINESSES IN FAREHAM RECEIVE LIFELINE FUNDING

Fareham Borough Council has approved over £820,000 in grant payments to small local businesses to help them through the pandemic.
The cash has been allocated from the Local Authority Discretionary Business Grant scheme. The scheme gave businesses which had not qualified for any other Government support, the opportunity to apply for a share of a £1m pot.
Over 100 grants have been paid of up to £10,000
Types of business which have been helped include small manufacturing firms, businesses located in share offices, dentists, a podiatrist and a nail bar.
We know this has been a very challenging time for local businesses, so I’m pleased that we have been able to process applications for this funding so quickly. This funding will be a lifeline for businesses which had slipped through the net for other forms of Government support during the pandemic.
The businesses to benefit are linked here. Limited companies names are available to be released whereas individuals’ names need to be redacted unless they give their consent including all the market traders who have each received £2,500 http://moderngov.fareham.gov.uk/documents/s24325/Part%20Confidential%20Appendices%20A-D.pdf
17 Jul

LITTER LOUT SIGNS

I asked Hampshire County Council
Hampshire Countryside Service

to come up with this sign which we could display around Hampshire’s countryside sites where littering is a particular problem. There are some appalling anti-social behaviours which have become even worse during the lockdown. A good example is Strawberry Field in Warsash which will be the first site where these signs will be erected.

PLEASE leave only your footprints