THE Southampton landscape is set to look different in the next years as “bold” plans to invest almost £1bn in the city have been given the green light.
A new community hub in Bitterne with a state-of-the-art leisure centre, library and health services, a refurbishment of the Outdoor Sports Centre and a revamp of the area between Southampton Central Railway Station and the waterfront are among the projects civic chiefs have pledged to deliver across the city by 2025.
It comes as after hours of debate, city councillors approved a new investment plan as well as the budget for the next financial year.
At the full council meeting held at the civic centre on Wednesday, city bosses described the council’s proposals as bold and ambitious.
But opposition leaders hit back saying the plans lack credibility.
A total of £981m will now be invested in the city, with £32.9m earmarked for the new community hub at Bitterne Precinct and £16.9m set to be invested to refurbish the Outdoor Sports Centre.
The plans approved by councillors also include a £21m investment into measures to tackle pollution, £250m to improve council homes, £1.5m on additional street cleaning and litter enforcement activities and £1.20m on refurbishing 15 play sites across Southampton.
But at full council opposition councillor John Hannides
said: “It has taken eight years to come out with a narrative behind their policies. You could have invested millions in a more gradual way. You are now touching reserves to support the overspending you are anticipating. If the economy shifts, if investment shifts you are in big big trouble.”
Opposition leader Dan Fitzhenry said Labour councillors lack belief.
But council leader Christopher Hammond hit back saying the city council had £151m worth of cuts over the past decade.
He added: “It has not been easy to balance the books. After a decade of cuts we have got some significant challenges. The only way forward is to invest in our community . Our investment is about our people . This is a prudent and bold plan.”As previously reported, this year the council will also spend £200,000 on the delivery of the first phase of the Mayflower Quarter while £500,000 is to be spent on delivering free fruit and yoghurt to more local schools in a bid to tackle child hunger.Civic chiefs said they have the energy to deliver the plan. They have also agreed to freeze the “core council tax level” for 2020/21 but to increase the adult social care percept by 2%. .The overall charge for the Southampton City Council element of the council tax will go from £1,535.52 to £1,566.18 for Band D households. Savings totalling £7.8m in the 2020/21 have also been approved.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel