Coastline - April 2023 edition
Grants given to local groups
The council has set up two new funds - one for community and one for heritage - that groups and organisations can apply to.
One of the first grants from the heritage fund went to the Historical Diving Society, which runs the borough's Diving Museum. It received £15,500 towards a major restoration project at its premises, No.2 Battery.
Community grants included:
- £6,000 to the 12th Gosport Scout Group.
- £5,000 to the Gosportarians, towards their new minibus.
- £4,820 for St Matthew's Church.
- £4,000 for Friends of Hardway.
- £2,500 to Yellow Edge Gallery.
- £2,000 for the Gosport Marine Festival on 20 May.
- £2,000 for Level Up Gosport.
Submarine memories preserved
A unique heritage project has gathered a treasure trove of submariners' memories.
The Submariners' Stories project has recorded interviews with 15 people connected with the service, most of them from the local area, to preserve a vital part of Gosport history for future generations. The project's online archive also hosts historical images and specially commissioned portraits, plus many personal photos.
HMS Dolphin, the former Royal Naval shore establishment at Fort Blockhouse in Gosport, was the home of the Submarine Service from 1904 to 1999.
Photo:Imperial War Museum © IWM HU 84836
Changes to parking payments
Pay-and-display machines in most of our car parks are due to be switched off. We'll be asking you to use your mobile phone for payments instead.
Our mobile system means no need to worry about having the right change, dealing with paper tickets or struggling with faulty machines. You can even extend your stay without returning to your car.
In May, short-stay town centre car parks will be among the first to switch to mobile-only payments.
We're doing this because operating, maintaining and upgrading the machines has become very expensive. They need replacing, but changing to online and mobile phone payments will save council taxpayers over £30,000 a year.
New logo - but crest remains
We've updated the council's logo. This decision was made because the borough crest, which formed part of the council's old logo, is in widespread use around the borough. While the crest is used entirely appropriately by organisations with a strong connection to Gosport, this created a potential for confusion about what the council is and isn't responsible for. The new logo is designed to make this clearer.
The historic borough crest, with the motto 'God's Port, Our Haven', will continue to be used by the council for civic and ceremonial purposes, and by the Mayor.
The updated council logo will be brought in gradually to minimise costs, which means the logo will only be updated on things like uniforms and signage when things need to be replaced anyway.
New housing advice service
Local people can now get advice on housing problems 24 hours a day, thanks to a new online advice hub. The Advice Aid service (gosport.adviceaid.uk/start) has been set up by the council to help people get the information they need at a time that suits them. It covers topics such as homelessness, benefits, harassment, eviction, domestic abuse, rent or mortgage arrears, housing rights and debt. Residents not online can call 023 9254 5476.
New council housing
We're planning 15 new council homes to be built on land off Wheelers Close in Forton, Glebe Drive in Rowner and Tukes Avenue behind Stoners Close in Bridgemary. These will be the first new council houses built in Gosport since 2016 and will provide much-needed new housing for families on the housing waiting list.
New outdoor gym equipment
New outdoor exercise equipment is to be installed on the Nobes Avenue recreation ground in Bridgemary. The new equipment, similar to that already in use at Leesland Park (pictured), will allow people of all ages to exercise and keep fit.
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