Latest news with #GosportBoroughCouncil
BBC News
04-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Warm room to open at Gosport church community hub
A Christian charity has won permission to build a warm room at a community Well Care Centre in Gosport, Hampshire, said the new building would replace a dilapidated storage structure at its site in Toronto charity said it would be used by visitors to the site's food bank, second hand furniture showroom and other planning application was approved by Gosport Borough Council. The care centre, which was founded in Gosport in 1992, moved to its current site in provides food for more than 600 families, as well as supplying cheap furniture and free school uniforms, according to the charity's new 82-sq-metre (880-sq-foot) building will be clad in steel and grey paint to fit in with its industrial-style surroundings. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
05-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Devolution: Views differ on Hampshire and Isle of Wight changes
Discussions have begun ahead of the biggest transformation of local government in southern England in this month's elections cancelled, attention has turned to the devolution plans for a new combined authority taking in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and led by an elected devolution is local government reorganisation. With district and borough councils set to be scrapped, council leaders are deciding the future layout of the remaining local is divided among local politicians. For some, devolution means more powers and funding under local control, while others see it as costly and bureaucratic. Portsmouth and Southampton city councils, along with Hampshire County Council and the Isle of Wight, voted to accept the government's offer to create a combined mayoral authority earlier this has been central to the Labour government's plans for local government with Prime Minister Kier Strarmer promoting it as allowing "those with skin in the game - those that know their communities - to make much better decisions".Phil Jordan is the Independent leader of Isle of Wight council and favours devolution as potentially beneficial to the island."Decisions made up in Westminster in London will be passed down to us," he Adams-King, Conservative leader of Hampshire County Council, said the financial gains of devolution "might not be much initially"."But whenever government has money to give out it's the combined authorities which get it first and we need to be part of that." But concerns have been raised by some leaders of other local leader of Basingstoke and Deane council, Dr Paul Harvey, said he was worried the mayoral election could become a "personality contest". "We don't want a presidential style election, we need to know what the potential candidates are promising on transport, economic development, real political issues." The leader of Gosport Borough Council, Peter Chegwyn, said he thought the public would not support another level of bureaucracy."It's not really devolution because that would bring decisions nearer to the people and this doesn't, it's just another layer of government." 'Turkeys voting for Christmas' Council leaders and chief executives are currently working out how to create new, larger local authorities, each serving about 500,000 interim report submitted to the government in March suggested four mainland councils based around the centres of Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton and Portsmouth. Final proposals on reorganisation need to be submitted by September. Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council, has written to the government insisting his authority is financially sustainable and does not want to be part of reorganisation."The government isn't just asking us to be turkeys voting for Christmas, it's asking us to make the stuffing and put the dinner on," he Chegwyn also raised concerns about finances. "Hampshire County Council has huge debts and if you create new authorities without sorting finance for social care and children with extra needs, the new councils will be bust on day one". In some rural areas, leaders have voiced concern about being "swallowed up" by cities. Jill Cleary, leader of New Forest District Council, said the process was a "back-of-a-fag packet idea"."If this has to happen, we need to merge with like-minded 'green' councils with national park, housing stock of their own and rural businesses. Cities are different."On the Isle of Wight, Mr Jordan said he had asked for the island to be an exceptional case and retain its unitary status."We don't save any money sharing services across the Solent," he said. "Our bin lorries collect waste here and take it to recycling plants or landfill on the Island. There's no benefit to any merger".Speaking at a meeting in Southampton last month, devolution minister Jim McMahon said the process needed "clarity and pace"."Local people need to see the improvements to services this will bring," he added. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Paranormal investigator saddened by demolition of ‘haunted' former hospital
A paranormal investigator has reacted with sadness to the news that a former smallpox hospital and "paranormal hotspot" is being demolished. The site, which also served Don Styler's Physical Training Centre, has been a popular spot for paranormal investigators over the years. The former hospital is set to be demolished ahead of its purchase by the Ministry of Defence. This comes after guns and drugs were seized at the site. Paranormal investigator Tony Ferguson, who has visited the site several times with his team, said: "This will be such a sad occasion, as many paranormal teams have investigated, experienced, and caught many unexplained things at this site." READ MORE: The site, often referred to as Monk's Walk, has been a hotbed for paranormal activity, with investigators capturing various unexplained phenomena. Mr Ferguson and his team recently made a final visit to the site, accompanied by fellow investigators GS Exploring with Ghosts and Exploring the Afterlife. During their visit, the team reportedly encountered several unexplained phenomena, including male voices telling them to "get out" and responses to questions related to the hospital. Mr Ferguson said: "A lot of these captures were heard in real time, and the camera has backed up the evidence. "We also heard many taps, knocks, and bangs in the buildings, but as investigators, we like to rule these out, as this could be the building deteriorating." READ MORE: Having investigated the location when it was active and in use, Mr Ferguson expressed sadness at seeing the state of the building due to vandalism. He added: "I think I can speak for many paranormal investigators and gym users that they will be sad to see this knocked down, especially for the legacy of Don Styler, who was a well-liked and respected person in Gosport." The MoD moved to purchase the site in 2024 on the condition that the existing buildings would be demolished by Gosport Borough Council prior to completion of the purchase. A spokesperson for the MoD said: "We have purchased land in Monks Walk, Gosport, to support operational requirements and this land will then form part of the security perimeter around Defence Munitions Gosport.'
BBC News
05-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Gosport waterfront: Residents asked for regeneration ideas
People who live in or visit Gosport are being asked their views on regenerating the council won an £18m levelling up grant in 2023 to help improve public areas and enhance access to the waterfront's heritage.A roadshow with the project team is going to leisure centres, libraries and community centres in the town over the next few residents who attended on the first day said they were worried new hospitality units could affect businesses elsewhere in the town. Others said there wasn't enough information about the redevelopment of the old bus station. The Liberal Democrat council promised a people's park in the run up to the last local election in May Rosemary Smith, from Gosport, was angry there was no information on that pledge. "I came along to find out what that was but it's not really explained," she Powell, who lives in the town, said: "Improvements to the waterfronts will be good but we do also need more car parking for people who want to drop people off to use the ferry." Councillor Peter Chegwyn, leader of Gosport Borough Council, said: "The council has exciting plans to transform the former bus station site into a new People's Park with a bandstand and new food and drink outlets. "This week's consultation roadshows are the first in a series of events where the public can have their say on the proposals and how we can breathe new life into Gosport town centre. "The new People's Park is expected to open in July this year with the full redevelopment being completed by July 2026."The roadshow is due to visit various places in Gosport over the next two weeks. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
