Levelling Up projects in full swing across Eastleigh Borough
Youth services, tree planting and a healthy walks programme are among the beneficiaries of a successful bid by Eastleigh Borough Council that has secured £1 million in Levelling Up funding.
The award, from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will be spent in the Borough over three years.
Major areas in which the funding will be used include the Council’s Plant Eastleigh pledge to plant 160,000 trees by 2030, health and wellbeing, volunteering, cost of living, improving green spaces and town centre areas.
Projects where benefits have already been felt, or are imminent, are:
- Youth provision scoping and mapping - officer funded to consult with partners, develop a range of positive diversionary activities for young people, manage the Eastleigh Youth Partnership newsletter and targeted detached youth work. Assist with the refurbishment of Eastleigh Energy Youth Centre and the rebuild of the Freespace Skate Park.
- Consultancy work to locate parcels of land to plant trees - and identify areas of land, owned by the Council that are appropriate for tree planting.
- Community trees project - Senior Rangers for community trees, suitable equipment and trees funded , with a view to planting trees with volunteers in local communities.
- Walk and Talks officer hours funded - to hold nature-based staff-led walks in the Council's country parks and in the south of the Borough.
- Eastleigh College SEN gardening group at the Lakeside Country Park community garden access provided alongside gardening tools, plants, PPE and first aid kit.
Projects in the pipeline also include a local food production grant and education programme; the expansion of volunteering projects; investing in green space in targeted areas and improvements to high streets; and audit and mapping of the Borough’s cycling and walking routes with community engagement.
The Leader of Eastleigh Borough Council, Councillor Keith House, said: “We are investing in key areas to deliver a range of improvement for residents. Eastleigh receives very little funding from the Government, and we want that cash to be spent well. Teams across multiple services and partners are involved in improving spaces, networks and wellbeing, with brand new schemes planned across the Borough. We look forward to keeping residents updated on all the developments we achieve across the three years”.
Visit the Levelling Up Council webpage www.eastleigh.gov.uk/levellingup