Thank You to the Friends of the Field

Last night the Mayor of Southampton, Terry Matthews, hosted an event in the Mayor's Parlour at the Civic Centre to say thank you to everyone who has been involved in the 10 year campaign to save the Civil Service Sports Ground. It was great to bring together local residents, local headteachers, school governors and councillors to formally recognise all the work that has been put in over the years and a chance to plan for the future for this fantastic open space in the middle of Freemantle Ward.

Michael Gove's Visit to Freemantle Academy

The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove MP, visited Freemantle Academy this morning, to officially open the school's brand new Junior School building.


Mr Gove met with the head, teachers, governors and pupils and heard about the fantastic work going on at the school. 


Freemantle was the city's first primary school to convert to Academy status and is taking full advantage of the extra freedoms that comes with it, makes changes to term times, its curriculum and expanding from infant to primary. 


It was a great opportunity for the school to show case its achievements to government and everyone had a great time!


It was also good to be able to share the good work being done more widely in education in the city.


In last year the city's schools have gone from strength to strength. Key Stage 2 and 4 improvements outstripped the national average. The majority of our schools are now rated as 'Good' or 'Outstanding' and we now have 14 headteachers recognised as either National or Local Leaders in Education. 


The City Council is developing a Learning Master Plan for Southampton and working with local schools, colleges and the two universities. We have already achieved a great deal working together; the new City College Studio School, a university scholarship scheme and student bus pass scheme to help young people to get to college. 


We are working with all schools in the city, have supported a number of schools in their conversion to  Academy status and assisted two local community organisations in their bids to open new Free Schools.

Half A Million Pound Boost For Civil Service Sports Ground

At today's Council meeting I was very pleased to approve £550,000 for improvements to the former Civil Service Sports Ground and to bring it back into use for the benefit of local schools and the wider community.

Conservative Party Political Broadcast Lists Areas Where The Government Has Delivered on the Tory Manifesto

Southampton Conservatives Will Fight Latest Helius Scheme

Yesterday Helius Energy announced a new scheme to build a massive biomass power station in the Western Docks, close to houses in Regents Park and Freemantle.


Southampton Conservatives have vowed to fight this new scheme, which will be hugely damaging for the local community. Council Leader Royston Smith yesterday stated, "we have had no consultation at all about this new proposal which has come completely out of the blue and we will move heaven and earth to stop this dreadful scheme."


Conservative Councillor for Freemantle, Michael Ball and Steven Galton, Conservative Candidate for Millbrook and leading No Southampton Biomass campaigner have also lined up to fight the proposal.


Steve's comments can be found HERE on the BBC News website.

Banister School Rebuild Consultation Evening

A consultation meeting for the proposed redevelopment of Banister Infant School is taking place at the school in Archers Road between 18:00 and 19:30, on 12 March 2012.

At the event, you will be able to view plans for the new building as well as the projected programme of works for the entire scheme. You will also have a chance to discuss these with the school, the local authority, the scheme architects and the preferred bidder for the scheme and have the opportunity to provide us with feedback on what you think of the proposals.

Cllr Michael Ball will be at the event in case you wish to speak with one of your councillors.

Labour Behind Council Strikes

Labour Councillors and Labour Activists in the trade unions have been working together to disrupt services and cause misery for Southampton residents.
 
Last summer Labour even went as far as supporting the strikes that threatened to damage the port and disrupt the local economy.

As recently as the February Council Meeting Labour were holding rallies with the unions and backing further disruption in the city. Labour activists in the unions have said that intend to try and disrupt the opening of the city's new Sea City Museum on 10th April, coinciding with the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic, a commemorative day and a day when the media will be focused on Southampton.

Labour's behaviour has been disgraceful and they have made it very clear that they put their own narrow political interests ahead of the city and local residents.

Further details of how Labour and the unions have been working together to try to wreck Southampton can be found HERE.

Campaign Success: Civil Service Sports Ground Saved!

Cllr Michael Ball at last year's Foyes Corner Festival on the Civil Service Ground

A 10 year campaign by local residents and Freemantle's Councillors has finally ended in success! The former Civil Service Sports Ground (behind Malmesbury Road) has been saved from residential development, safeguarding it for use by the local community and local schools, and ensuring that it stays green.

As your local Councillors, Michael Ball, Brian Parnell and I have been pushing the council to buy or compulsory purchase the land for many years and as of now it is in council ownership.

We have set aside funds to immediately improve the site; cleaning it up and replacing the old walls that back onto neighbouring houses.

In the longer term we are keen to put in sports pitches and facilities and possibly even a club house. We are setting aside further funds to support applications for grant funding and bids to the lottery. Having seen the incredible transformation at St James' Park we would like to aim for something similar.

We want this to be a community asset and we need the support of local people to make it work. Already we have excellent support from the Friends of the Field community group and local schools but we do need more people involved. The Friends of St James' Park has 400+ members and this was a key reason they succeeded in their £1M lottery bid.