Hampshire County Council

One week to go… Don’t get caught out! The application deadline for the 30 Hours Childcare is 31 March. If you have a pre-school child entitled to this early education funding, you will need to apply now for your child to take up their funded hours from April. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/gTUgSsp   📷 Adobe Stock 

Have your say on devolution for Hampshire and the Solent in the Government's consultation https://lnkd.in/gwwYZixJ You can find out more about the proposals on our website https://lnkd.in/e6EpNK_t

NEXT STEPS TOWARDS LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION ACROSS HAMPSHIRE   Work now starts in earnest on the future structure of councils across Hampshire and the Solent area, as early ideas for local government reorganisation have now been submitted to Government.   As provider of 85% of council services in Hampshire, the County Council has stressed the importance of data that shows how financial strength and resilience will be crucial for councils in future so they can be effective, deliver high quality services and provide the best possible quality of life for residents, at the same time as shaping places that people can be proud to call home.   The region’s 15 councils will now work together on a final proposal ready for submission to Government this autumn. 🎞 Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Nick Adams-King talks more about Cabinet’s approval last week of the interim proposals for Local Government Reorganisation and next steps. Learn more https://lnkd.in/eaqPbYsD

AMAZING! We’re proud to share that two of our Social Workers have been recognised for their work 🤩 A huge well done to Lisa-Marie Jones and Jasmine King on the award from the British Association of Social Workers and thank you to all social workers for everything you do! Learn more about Lisa-Marie's achievements here https://lnkd.in/e9BWJhGS and Jasmine's here https://lnkd.in/eaCFBRX9   If you’re interested in making a difference alongside professionals like Lisa-Marie and Jasmine explore opportunities to join our team of social workers on our careers page at https://lnkd.in/eQtGcQ3T   #ASW2025 #socialworkweek2025

The theme for #worlddownsyndromeday 2025 is all about improving our support systems. Everyone needs support sometimes. The support that we may need will be different for every person, and that’s just the same for people who have Down Syndrome. Getting the right support at the right time opens up opportunities for people who have Down Syndrome; so they can live the lives they want, giving them choice, control and dignity. Mencap has a page dedicated to information on Down Syndrome, alongside other usual links and an easy read version - https://lnkd.in/eDpBM4Da

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is hosting an event in Portsmouth tomorrow evening (Thursday 20 March) where you can learn more about devolution plans for Hampshire and the Solent area – aiming to bring more powers and funding from Whitehall to our area. Reserve your place at the event https://lnkd.in/eb2A5vJJ There, you can also hear more on Government’s ongoing public consultation that runs until 13 April, asking for people’s views on creating a new Mayoral Combined County Authority –

Today is #CEADay2025. Enhance your understanding of Child Exploitation and its risks by exploring the toolkit developed by Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton (HIPS) Safeguarding Children Partnerships., designed for professionals working with children & young people

We’ve just wrapped up improvements on a route into Winchester to make walking and cycling safer and more enjoyable for everyone. The £1.37m scheme, funded by developer contributions, national Active Travel Funds, and Winchester City Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy, is another step towards promoting sustainable travel and reducing congestion, pollution, and carbon emissions. Key Highlights: 🚲 New 'parallel' road crossing for both bikes and pedestrians. 🚗 Junction improvements to slow down traffic and enhance safety. 🚶♂️ Widened footpaths and new signage showing walking and cycling times to key destinations. ❗ 'Copenhagen-style crossing' giving priority to cyclists and pedestrians. We’re grateful to members of Cycle Winchester and local residents for helping to design the scheme and for giving the new features a test drive. Discover how it’s making a difference for local people https://lnkd.in/e5hREbXv

Preparations are underway to enable the start of the Botley Bypass in South Hampshire later this spring. Councillor Kirsty North, the County Council’s Cabinet Lead for Universal Services, has been on site to learn more about these plans, including measures to minimise disruption once construction begins. The £48 million scheme will make local journeys easier, including those to and from Southampton and the M27, by providing much needed additional road capacity. It will also greatly benefit residents in and around Botley village by reducing congestion, noise and pollution that has blighted this small community. Milestone Infrastructure (part of M Group Services’ Transport Division) are the contractors The final element of the Botley Bypass scheme will create a new single-carriageway road running eastwards from Winchester Street, a new bridge crossing the River Hamble and a new roundabout at the A334 junction with the A3051. New and improved pedestrian and cycle routes will also be provided as part of the project, encouraging people to travel more actively, by walking and cycling for their local journeys. Regular updates will be provided online throughout construction via the scheme’s webpage: https://lnkd.in/ebqJdpd9

🎉Winchester Library has booked a spot in the national finals of Library of the Year! 📚 Staff member Rebecca Leadley's innovative 'Read Aloud' sessions for adults with learning disabilities have created a welcoming space for interactive storytelling and socialising, leading to a 40% increase in library membership among participants. Run by The Bookseller magazine, the British Book Awards celebrate libraries that inspire local communities to engage in reading and with the services on offer in libraries. Rebecca said: "Being a regional finalist was exciting enough, but I'm so thrilled that our entry has made it to the national finals! Read Aloud is a simple but effective way to encourage a love of books and storytelling for everyone. Many of the attendees to our sessions have made friendships which is so lovely to see, and others just come in to switch off, listen and share a cuppa. I hope these sessions can be extended to other libraries in Hampshire as there must be many other groups, including people with learning disabilities, who would really benefit and enjoy a reading group near them, and their local library is the perfect venue." Head of Library Service – Hampshire County Council, Sharon Stewart-Smith said: "Libraries have a unique place in communities, providing free, neutral, universal spaces where EVERYONE is welcome. Our teams, including volunteers and partners, work hard to signpost, support, and assist in bringing people to reading, resources, and services; they also connect people to people be that to chat, listen, encourage, advise, and inspire each other. I am delighted for Rebecca, and the wider Winchester team who facilitate this wonderfully inclusive activity. It clearly demonstrates how library team assistants understand the power of libraries - reading and stories, how they connect and listen to our visitors, and how they are supported to find innovative ways of improving opportunity and making an impact on people. My thanks and a huge well done to everyone involved." More on this https://lnkd.in/eKkxR6Cn 📷 Rebecca Leadley, Winchester Library and Rebecca with library team manager Hannah Hitchon.