Southampton City Council Press Releases

Hitting the road for Foster Care Fortnight

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Foster Care Fortnight is here again and Southampton City Council's fostering team is marking the occasion with a series of roadshows aimed at finding more people who can make a difference to a child's life by becoming foster carers. As part of Foster Care Fortnight (13 - 27 May) the council's foster care team will be holding four fostering information roadshows across the city. Anyone thinking about becoming a foster carer will have the chance to talk to the team, as well as to carers about t... (read the full story)

Local commuters clock up 100,000 miles in travel challenge

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

South Hants commuters have clocked up 100,000 miles since the beginning of May as part of the local My Journey Commuter Challenge. Over 1,600 employees from 85 organisations, including universities, hospitals, solicitors, web designers, shopping centres and tourist attractions have taken part in the project, which encourages travel to work by bike, train, boat, bus, on foot or car-sharing. So far 14,325 trips have been made, a combined distance of 107,132 miles. Between them participan... (read the full story)

Council elects new leader, names cabinet

Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The new leader of Southampton City Council appointed the city's new cabinet at the council's Annual General Meeting today (Wednesday 15 May). Councillor Simon Letts, who was elected as the council's new leader at today's meeting, named the councillors who will be leading the executive's programme for the next year. Cllr Stephen Barnes-Andrews becomes the deputy leader and will have responsibility for resources. Cllr Dave Shields takes over from Cllr Matt Stevens as cabinet member for healt... (read the full story)

Southampton Short Story Prize 2013 competition

Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Do you have a flair for writing? Do you live, work or study in Southampton? If you can answer `yes` to these questions then you should put your creative skills to the test and enter this year`s Southampton Short Story Prize competition. Southampton City Council and competition sponsors, Writers in Southampton, are inviting online and postal entries from local writers of all ages. Stories should be inspired by the city of Southampton. The competition is split into two categories: - Ag... (read the full story)

New library opening hours from Monday 13 May

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Library opening times across Southampton will be changing from Monday 13 May. The list below shows the revised hours which come into affect next week. There are no changes to the opening hours for Weston, Thornhill and Millbrook libraries. � Central Library will continue to be open 6 days a week and until 7pm on three of these days. � Other libraries will have some late openings restored and go back to a pattern closer to their original hours. � Libraries will open later in the m... (read the full story)

Boost for Old Northam Road regeneration

Tue, 7 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Southampton City Council's plans to revive the fortunes of Old Northam Road have received another boost with the announcement (Saturday 4 May) that the project is the only one in the south of England to win funding from the latest round of High Street Renewal Awards. The government award, to the value of £88,657, will help pay for improvements already being implemented through collaboration between West Itchen Community Trust (WICT), St Mary's Traders Association, Southampton Solent Universit... (read the full story)

Street CRED spring schedule

Thu, 2 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

With spring finally here a new season of Street CRED (Crime Reduction and Environment Day) events have been announced with the aim of promoting pride in Southampton's neighbourhoods. The area around Chamberlayne Leisure Centre will host the next day of action on Thursday 2 May, which will see the council and its partners deliver a programme of joined-up activities to tackling environmental crime and anti-social behaviour in the area. The focus of the day will be on giving the area a spring cl... (read the full story)

Bestival`s Rob da Bank announces City of Culture role

Wed, 1 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Bestival organiser and Radio One DJ Rob da Bank has revealed he`ll be involved in helping lead the artistic and creative vision, should Portsmouth and Southampton`s joint bid to become 2017`s UK City of Culture turn into a reality. The cities worked together to submit their formal bid on 30 April, which outlined how residents, visitors and businesses will benefit from the partnership. A shared maritime history, brought into the 21st century with Southampton`s SeaCity and Portsmouth`s stat... (read the full story)

Making Southampton a fairer city

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

'How can we make Southampton a fairer city?' That is the question that City leaders will be asking when they come together on Tuesday 30 April to develop the City's first Fairness Commission. Southampton City Council has pledged its commitment to setting up a Fairness Commission which will be tasked with getting under the skin of local issues, with the ambition to drive out unfairness and inequality in the city. This is set against the backdrop of economic austerity which has seen many r... (read the full story)

Southampton recognises International Workers' Memorial Day

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

To mark International Workers' Memorial Day Southampton City Council will fly its City of Arms Flag at half mast this Sunday outside the Civic Centre. Workers' Memorial Day takes place on Sunday April 28 and was recognised by the UK government in 2010. It is commemorated in 100 countries worldwide with vigils and other activities. It seeks to raise awareness about those workers who are killed or injured at work and to draw attention to the preventable nature of workplace accidents. It aims to... (read the full story)