Portsmouth, Gosport, Havant and Fareham councils say share of government funding is 'drop in the ocean'

Local government secretary Robert Jenrick confirmed the third wave of Westminster funding yesterday, with councils each getting a slice of £500m

Portsmouth City Council was awarded £2.1m – a big reduction on previous cash injections, taking its total to more than £14m.

It means major investments in the city are likely to be postponed. Leaders elsewhere have said the funds still ‘fall well short’.

City council leader Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson said the cash was a ‘drop in the ocean.’ He said: ‘We know we’re currently looking at a shortfall of £20m for the year and that may well go up.

‘The government says it is serious about helping but we know they are not really thinking about the consequences.

‘For example we have asked them to continue to fund the stays for the homeless in hotels, which was due to run out at the end of July.

‘They told us we are happy to fund this if it came from the allocated £2.1m.

‘This will cost around £400,000 for one month. So they are giving with one hand and taking away from the other.’

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A plan to upgrade a 1970s pedestrian tower at the port is ‘likely’ to be delayed.

Hampshire County Council has been handed £7.6m, bringing its total to £61.6m. It has a budget shortfall of £110m.

County leader, Cllr Keith Mans, said: ‘It still falls well short of offering a sustainable solution to the financial crisis that we currently face as a result of the coronavirus.

‘Just this week, the county council has been considering the stark financial consequences of Covid-19 and the short-term steps needed to deal with almost £110 million of unplanned costs and losses this financial year.’

Fareham Borough Council has received £143,768 in this round, taking its total to £1.3m.

Conservative leader Cllr Sean Woodward said there is a £1m shortfall.

He said: ‘We did get over £1m in the second tranche after a lot of hard lobbying. Every little helps, as Tesco says.

‘The government did say at the beginning they would see us alright, and they would offset loss of income.

‘There has to be another settlement, I hope, to deal with the specifics on a council by council basis.’

Gosport Borough Council has received £144,232, with a total so far of more than £1m.

Council leader Cllr Mark Hook welcomed this but said he had a £1m budget deficit and added: ‘We could always do with more.’

Havant is getting £236,884. This means it has received more than £1.5m overall.

East Hampshire District Council getting £156,356, taking its total to £1.4m.

Separately, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has received £1.6m from the same funding pot, although it received nothing in the latest round.

Chief fire officer Neil Odin said: ‘We, along with our partners, have received emergency funding to help deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and through our leading role in the Local Resilience Forum we have helped co-ordinate the Hampshire and Isle of Wight response.

‘I am extremely proud of our crews and staff who have taken on vital additional roles to keep our communities safe in these challenging circumstances.

‘I would urge the public to continue to be responsible, socially distance and adhere to government guidance.’

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