July/August report from County Cllr Jonathan Glen

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Summer is finally here—I hope you all have had a chance to get outside and enjoy some of our glorious Hampshire countryside.

At our recent Annual HCC Council Meeting we had the chance to discuss the proposals in place to upgrade our local government structure. I’d like to share with you some of the comments made by the Leader of Hampshire County Council during his Annual Leader’s Speech: 

“The County Council is like an oil tanker, with a £3.1 billion budget and just under 36,000 direct or indirect employees.  When you turn the wheel it takes a long time for the ship to react.  It takes time to move that organisation.  We are doing so.  We are effecting change.  Change for the better. Change which shows us there is a way forward, one which takes us to a better, more prosperous, sustainable future. 

We are caring for our environment, tackling the effects of climate change and promoting the work we do to protect our most vulnerable residents. 

[We] promise to always remember it is YOUR money we spend. 

To our businesses [we] promise support, recognising you are the background of our county.

To our most vulnerable residents accessing our social care services, and to those young people in our care, we will continue to protect and support you. 

We are changing the Council for the better. We are and will continue to make it work more effectively for the people of Hampshire. We are finding and making even more efforts to introduce innovative solutions, to work efficiently and to maximise the contribution from our assets. 

We can now see a way ahead. The tanker is changing course. There is much left to do, but we can be optimistic for our future.  We can see a way forward to address our financial challenge.  To transform our organisation.  To deliver growth and prosperity for our businesses and residents.

Together we are delivering a positive future for Hampshire.”

£7 Million Boost for Skills Training in Hampshire

Hampshire County Council has secured £7 million from the Department for Education to continue our Skills Bootcamps for another year—almost double last year’s funding! 

  • Fast track training for adults aged 19+
  • Flexible courses in AI, leadership, data, teaching, sales & more
  • Guaranteed job internviews for unemployed learners
  • Over 1,750 places available in 2025 
  • Designed around real employer needs

Learn more and apply: www.hants.gov.uk/business/skillsbootcamp

Connect to Support Hampshire

Connect to Support Hampshire is the service which is designed to help people remain living independently in their own homes.

HCC have recently updated the Connect to Support Hampshire website so it is easier to find what advice and help is required. 

  • Modern Design: Enjoy a fresh, contemporary look 
  • Improved Navigation: Enhanced homepage navigation with popular search topics.  Use keywords for better search results, and get suggestions while you type. 
  • Expanded Community Directory: Now covering 63 towns and villages across Hampshire, including a new Younger Adults category. 
  • Marketplace Directory: Find paid services like podiatrists, financial advisors, handypersons, gardeners and more. 
  • Home Care Directory: Home care and nursing care agencies in Hampshire. 
  • Care Home Directory: Care facilities and nursing homes in Hampshire. 
  • Multilingual Support – Translate everything into different languages using Google Translate. 

Visit the site here to explore all the new features: 

www.connecttosupporthampshire.org.uk

Have Your Say on Proposals to Help Nature Recover Across Hampshire 

During the latter part of the 20th century and early years of the 21st century there has been a significant decline in the overall health of Hampshire’s natural environment, including its diversity and abundance.  Such a decline mirrors trends across much of the country. 

HCC are aiming to do something about that. The public are being asked for their views on the Draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Hampshire which sets out a series of biodiversity priorities to help reverse our declining natural spaces. 

Among a broad range of suggested actions, the draft strategy includes proposals that could: 

  • Shape how future funding for farming and land management is used
  • Help local planning authorities to understand locations important for conserving and restoring biodiversity
  • Identify the highest priority areas for habitat creation and connectivity 
  • Provide guidance for actions on farm and woodland to achieve nature recovery and move towards more sustainable farming practices 
  • Help guide local communities with funding applications for nature recovery projects 
  • Suggest potential measures for embedding nature into urban infrastructure, such as stormwater management. 

We now want to hear from the public and local communities on the range of proposals we are putting forward, so that when the time comes to consider the final recommendations we can be assured that everyone with an interest in nature recovery has had an opportunity to have their say.

The public consultation will be open until 23 June.  Further information and how to contribute to the strategy can be found on the council website www.hants.gov.uk under ‘Nature Recovery Hampshire.’ 

In the meantime, enjoy the sunshine! 

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Councillor Jonathan Glen 

Email: jonathan.glen@hants,gov,uk