Press Release

7 December 2017

Delegation visits Westminster for Welborne talks

A delegation led by Fareham Borough Council met with the Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid at Westminster yesterday, Wednesday 6 December.  

Executive Leader Cllr Seán Woodward and Cllr Keith Evans from Fareham Borough Council, together with Stuart Jarvis, Director of Economy, Transport and Environment at Hampshire County Council, attended meetings brokered by Fareham's MP Suella Fernandes.

Discussions with the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP focused primarily on funding for the M27 Junction 10 road improvements:  

• Funding of £29M has been allocated through the Local Growth Deal; however, this has a spend deadline of 2021. Some flexibility is being sought around this as the delay with housing at Welborne and Highways England's Smart Motorways programme has had a knock-on effect on the junction improvements.
• Consolidation of all public sector funding contributions into a single pot rather than having lots of different funding streams.
• To make improvements to Junction 10 at the same time as the already agreed Smart motorway scheme to minimise disruption.

Discussions with The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP focused primarily on funding for Welborne:

• Confirmation was sought in relation to Fareham Borough Council's application for a £9.98m Housing Infrastructure Fund grant.
• The Council would like to access the £122m Housing Infrastructure Fund Forward Funding to accelerate housing and enhance placemaking at Welborne.

Councillor Seán Woodward, Executive Leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: "I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with the ministers to discuss ways in which Welborne Garden Village can be brought closer to fruition. Both The Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP and The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP were supportive of our strategy for Welborne and we had positive conversations in which rapid action was promised, with a focus on roads and funding. This will put us in a stronger position to deliver Welborne and make the necessary improvements to infrastructure. My thanks to Suella Fernandes, MP for Fareham, for setting up these meetings." 

Councillor Rob Humby, Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Hampshire County Council, said: "I welcome this initiative which demonstrates how close collaboration between the county and borough council presents a united front to Government which can cut through bureaucracy and funding difficulties. This approach offers a practical way forward in delivering this important development; providing homes and amenities supported by proper infrastructure as part of Fareham's future vision."

ENDS

For further information contact:

Jan Lasnon, PR & Marketing Manager, Tel: 01329 824302

e-mail: publicity@fareham.gov.uk

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