CHARGES totalling £800 a time have been waived by Southampton council - to ensure the city gets in the party mood for the Queen's golden jubilee.

As yet there have been only four inquiries about making road closures for street celebrations in the city - and no applications to host a street party have been received.

To encourage communities to take to the streets, the council is giving out packs on how to organise your street's event - and it will waive its normal charges

Cabinet member Councillor Richard Williams said: "It doesn't matter if we have three or 33 applications, we won't be making any charge.

"At £800 a time it is no small bucks but it would be completely unreasonable of us to charge - if we can help, then I want to," he said.

Councils are being urged by the government to waive the usual charges for road closure and public liability insurance, amid claims that high costs are deterring people from organising street parties.

The city council is pressing ahead with its own jubilee jamboree - a giant picnic on Southampton Common on June 3.

A city council spokesman said: "It's early days. We are expecting more interest as we get closer to the date."

Elsewhere a similar picture is unfolding. In Winchester there have been just two applications for street parties in June, despite the extended public holiday to give people an opportunity to celebrate.

In 1977 there were 33 street parties across the Winchester district to mark the silver jubilee, while 17 parties were held to commemorate the anniversary of VE Day in 1975 and nine to welcome the new millennium in the year 2000.

There are fears that the event could also prove a flop across the rest of the county.

Eastleigh has received ten enquiries, among which four people have asked for application forms for street parties, while New Forest District Council has received one application, Gosport three and Fareham just five inquiries.