Council's £1m boost to preserve Portsmouth's historic sites

Portsmouth City Council is spending the cash on maintenance and upkeep of the sites.

It includes £200,000 to upgrade electrical systems at Southsea Castle’s and £250,000 for similar work at the Square Tower.

The Round Tower is set for an £80,000 boost while £70,000 will be spent on the upkeep of Cumberland House Natural History Museum.

Both the Guildhall’s and public space outside the Historic Dockyard, near The Hard, will be boosted by £300,000 match-funding set aside for the projects.

Councillor Linda Symes, the council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, said: ‘I’m delighted we are able to make this commitment to some of the city’s most impressive historic sites.’

‘Everyone in the city enjoys these fantastic buildings and places but people don’t often realise the work that goes into making sure they look their best and are safe to use.

‘This work will ensure we can all continue to enjoy these sites for years to come.’

The funding for all of this work is part of the council’s capital budget, which invests in a range of infrastructure schemes throughout the city like buildings and facilities, rather than the day-to-day running of council services.