October 2017

24 October 2017

Fareham’s Winter Giant Christmas light switch on

On Friday 24th November Christmas officially gets underway in Fareham, with the spectacular free outdoor performance of our Winter Giant for the 2017 Christmas light switch on.

The family friendly fun starts at 4pm in West Street. Activities will include face painting, street entertainers, arts and crafts, the stilt walking Jack Frost band and we’ve even got reindeer! Festive refreshments will also be available.

John the Winter Giant will wake up at 5:30pm outside Westbury Manor Museum and begin his journey through Fareham Town Centre. Residents will follow our giant as he tells his story with lanterns and music. The finale will feature the Mayor and our Giant switching on the Christmas lights at 6:30pm.

After the light switch on, activities will continue at Westbury Manor until 7:30pm.

Executive Member for Leisure and Community, Cllr Sue Bell says, “This year our Christmas light switch on is completely different. John our Winter Giant will tell a heart-warming story as he walks through Fareham Town Centre. Come along and celebrate in this completely free, family friendly event as we officially start the countdown to Christmas 2017.”

ENDS

19 October 2017

Free pizza on the menu at Y-CAT meeting

Fareham Borough Council is inviting young people to come along to the Y-CAT (Youth Community Action Team) meeting being held at Locks Heath Free Church on Friday 3 November at 7:30pm.

At the meeting, young people will have the opportunity to ask the Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Cllr Seán Woodward, any questions or raise concerns they may have about their local area.

Police officers will also be in attendance. They will share information about what actions are being taken to keep the Borough safe and answer any questions that arise.

Executive Member for Leisure and Community, Cllr Sue Bell, said: “We want to hear the views and opinions of young people in the community. This meeting gives them the opportunity to speak directly to the Council about local issues that affect them, in an easy and informal way.”

All those attending the meeting will get free pizza at the end!

Anyone aged 11-19 years old can attend and are welcome to just turn up on the night. The meeting will take place at Locks Heath Free Church, Titchfield Common, Fareham, PO14 4PG.

For more information please visit www.fareham.gov.uk/youngpeople or email consultation@fareham.gov.uk.

ENDS

19 October 2017

Draft Local Plan Exhibitions and CAT Meetings

Wednesday 25 October marks the start of a series of Community Action Team (CAT) meetings and Exhibitions taking place for across the Borough so residents can find out more about the review of the Draft Local Plan.

The first event takes place in Portchester Community School. Residents are reminded that, due to limited space at this venue, they will need tickets to attend the CAT meeting which follows that same evening. There is a similar issue at the Warsash CAT Meeting which takes place on Friday 10th November. Tickets can be booked in advance by phoning 01329 236100 or emailing consultation@fareham.gov.uk. Up to two tickets will be allocated per person.

Exhibitions take place from 2-6pm and will be followed by CAT meetings on the same day at 7:00pm. Meetings will finish at 8.30pm. Tickets are not needed for meetings in Stubbington, Fareham or Titchfield.

  • Wednesday 25 October Draft Local Plan CAT Meeting, Portchester Community School (ticketed event)
  • Thursday 26 October Draft Local Plan CAT Meeting, Holy Rood Church, Stubbington
  • Wednesday 8 November Draft Local Plan CAT meeting, Ferneham Hall, Fareham
  • Friday 10 November Draft Local Plan CAT Meeting, Victory Hall, Warsash (ticketed event)
  • Monday 13 November Draft Local Plan CAT Meeting, St Peter’s Church, Titchfield

An extra date for the Draft Local Plan Consultation exhibition has been added to the calendar to allow anyone who may have missed the first round of engagement events to get involved. This will take place on Tuesday 21 November from 3-7pm at Ferneham Hall’s Octagon Room.

The Local Plan looks at housing, employment space, and places where retail and leisure facilities should be provided. It also earmarks areas to be protected, such as countryside, community and leisure buildings, and open spaces.

At the exhibitions and meetings residents can find out about proposals for specific areas and speak directly to Councillors and planning officers.

ENDS

04 October 2017

Council launches litter campaign

Did you know the Council spends more than £920,000 a year cleaning up Fareham?

Tackling litter is one of our key objectives and that’s why we are launching a litter campaign aimed at changing behaviour.

There are three strands to the campaign, each one a problem area:

General littering
Dropped cigarette butts
Discarded chewing gum
As part of the campaign, publicity activity will be taking place with events and activities planned across the Borough. You may spot one of our newly branded litter lorries out and about carrying anti-litter messages. Later this month residents will be able to get their hands-on freebies to help them dispose of the cigarette ends or chewing gum in a responsible way, keep an eye on our social media for updates.

The Council can issue on the spot fines of £80 to those seen littering.

Councillor Tiffany Harper, Executive Member for Streetscene at Fareham Borough Council, said: “Most people dispose of their rubbish responsibly but like any area, Fareham does have litter hot spots and we can always do better. By highlighting the damage caused by littering we hope to encourage more people to do the right thing and save money.”

ENDS

03 October 2017

Local Plan Review Exhibitions and CAT meetings

Fareham Borough Council will be holding Exhibitions and Community Action Team (CAT) meetings during October and November at which residents can find out more about the review of the Borough’s Local Plan.

The Local Plan looks at housing, employment space, and places where retail and leisure facilities should be provided. It also earmarks areas to be protected, such as countryside, community and leisure buildings, and open spaces.

At the exhibitions and meetings you will have the chance to find out about proposals for your local area and speak directly to planning officers and Councillors.

Cllr Seán Woodward, Leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: ‘We are reviewing our Local Plan to make sure we have a robust plan in place that can meet the challenge of our housing shortage. You will be able to find out more about the draft plan and ask questions on proposals in your local area at both the Exhibitions and CAT meetings.”

The exhibitions will be open to all and run from 2-6pm, and the CAT meetings will run from 7-8.30pm:

  • Wednesday 25 October Local Plan CAT Meeting, Portchester Community School (ticketed event)
  • Thursday 26 October Local Plan CAT Meeting, Holy Road, Stubbington Room
  • Wednesday 8 November Local Plan CAT meeting, Ferneham Hall, Fareham
  • Friday 10 November Local Plan CAT Meeting, Warsash Victory Hall (ticketed event)
  • Monday 13 November Local Plan CAT Meeting, St Peter’s Church, Litchfield

Please note that due to the venue sizes, the CAT meetings at Victory Hall in Warsash and Portchester Community School will be ticketed. Tickets can be booked by phoning 01329 236 100 or emailing consultation@fareham.gov.uk. Two tickets per person will be allowed. You do not need tickets for any of the exhibitions or other CAT Meetings.

ENDS

2 October 2017

Council bids for £10M housing infrastructure grant

Fareham Borough Council has submitted a bid for a grant of around £10M from the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund. If successful, the funding will effectively be the last piece of the jigsaw in terms of finance needed to upgrade J10 of the M27 to an ‘all-moves’ junction.

Importantly the bid has the full support of the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Hampshire County Council, Suella Fernandes MP for Fareham and George Hollingbery, MP for Meon Valley.

To date £29M of public funding has already been secured through the Solent LEP and the Department for Transport, both of whom are vital partners for the successful delivery of this scheme. However the total estimated cost, which includes allowances for inflation and contingency works, and associated highways works, is in the region of £60M.

Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Cllr Seán Woodward said: ‘I was delighted to add my endorsement to a bid that is widely supported by our key partners and Members of Parliament. Securing funding to ensure this infrastructure is in place upfront will unlock any barriers to the housing requirements for the area and ensure timely delivery of housing and Welborne Garden Village. The Council now looks forward to working with the Government and all interested parties to get Britain building.’

Welborne Garden Village will deliver 6,000 homes, some 5700 jobs, a new secondary school, three primary schools and new recreational, community space and health facilities. Garden Village status is key to unlocking the full capacity of Welborne, providing funding for additional resources and expertise to help accelerate development.

ENDS

Local Issues