Leigh Usher
Council: Fareham
Committees:
Activity Timeline
Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.
84 meetings · Page 1 of 17
Executive Portfolio for Leisure and Community - Wednesday, 18 March 2026 - 3.00 pm
Decisions from Meetings
135 decisions · Page 1 of 27
Community Fund Application - Fareham Park Run
From: Executive Portfolio for Leisure and Community - Thursday, 26th February, 2026 11.45 am - February 26, 2026
This report presents an application for funding under the Council’s Community Funding Programme. An application to the Community Fund has been received from Fareham Park Run for £908.10 towards radios and a base station. Fareham parkrun would like to purchase 5 professional grade radios to improve safety via better communication. Fareham parkrun is a 5k community fitness event that takes place each Saturday morning at 9am using the Cams Easy Access Trail and has been operational for nearly 10yrs. It is completely volunteer led and whilst taking place under the umbrella of parkrun UK, no additional cash funding is provided. On average there are 226 participants each week who run, jog or walk and form this very friendly community. As participation has increased and become more inclusive many events, some locally have experienced serious medical incidents, including cardiac arrests. At present their current process of relying on personal mobile phones is not considered adequate. Equipping each of the on-course volunteer marshals with radio equipment capable of coping with the 2.5k distance and ability to communicate instantly will significantly improve the safety of participants. The total cost of this project is £1,009 for the equipment to be provided locally from RS Hill Communications in which this equipment has been tested at an event successfully. Fareham parkrun are looking for £908.10 from the Community Fund, with the remaining amount of £100.90 being funded from Fareham parkrun reserves. Any community funding received would be ringfenced only for Fareham parkrun. As of 10 February 25, Fareham Parkrun held £404.58 in their ringfenced accounts for Fareham under the national Parkrun accounts. Within the national Parkrun accounts, in the accounting year February 2024-January 2025, there was an income of £11,013,130 and expenditure of £10,364,919. Any community funding received would be ringfenced for Fareham parkrun. Both Ward Councillors, Councillor Hamilton and Councillor West support the Fareham Parkrun community funding application.
Recommendations Approved
Community Fund Application - ACT Self Defence
From: Executive Portfolio for Leisure and Community - Thursday, 26th February, 2026 11.45 am - February 26, 2026
The report presents an application for funding under the Council’s Community Funding Programme. An application to the Community Fund has been received from ACT Self Defence for £4,320 towards minor renovations at their premises. This includes a matted wall, a mobile wall and separation curtains. ACT Self Defence is a community-focusses organisation delivering self-defence training and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) awareness seminars to local residents. Their work aims to improve personal safety, confidence and wellbeing, particularly for women, girls and other vulnerable groups. They also work in partnership with the Police Crime Commissioner on ‘Empower them’, a project designed to support young people experiencing challenges who may benefit from positive role modelling and opportunities to channel their energy in a more constructive way. The organisation works closely with community members, local organisations, and frontline professionals to provide accessible, practical education that helps people recognise risk, build resilience, and feel safer in their daily lives. ACT Self Defence expects to support approximately 200 participants each year. They are seeking funding to support minor renovations to our premises at 95 West Street, which is used to deliver self-defence classes, workshops, and VAWG seminars. The proposed improvements will enhance the safety, accessibility, and functionality of the space, ensuring it is fit for purpose and welcoming for all participants – including those who may have experienced trauma and require a safe, comfortable environment. The total cost of the project is £4,800. ACT Self Defence is requesting £4,320 from the Community Fund, with the remaining amount being met from their reserves. The PCC has also provided funding of £14,800 to deliver three ‘Empower them’ programmes, for which some of this equipment will also be used. As of 2 February, ACT held £1,980.14 in their accounts. In the accounting year July 24 – June 25 there was an income of £14,325 and expenditure of £10,579.52. Both Ward Councillors, Councillor L Whittle and Cllr K Wiltshire support the ACT Self Defence community funding application.
Recommendations Approved
Voluntary Sector Support Fund - Fareham Men's Shed
From: Executive Portfolio for Leisure and Community - Thursday, 26th February, 2026 11.45 am - February 26, 2026
This report presents an application for funding under the Council’s Voluntary Sector Support Fund Programme. An application for Voluntary Sector Support Funding has been received from Fareham Men’s Shed for £446 towards focussed support from Community First to review their current Business Plan, focussing on constructing new purpose-built premises for the group. This Charitable Incorporated Organisation’s aims are to ‘promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people (particularly, but not exclusively, older men), within Fareham and the surrounding area, from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society through the provision of facilities in which they can meet jointly or individually to undertake creative, physical or recreational activities, learn or pass on skills and knowledge and support each other socially’. They are a thriving organisation with 95 members currently and are based at Titchfield Festival Theatre. Due to the high demand to join Fareham Men’s Shed, the group are finding that their current facilities no longer meet their needs, both in terms of the space required and also in regards to accessibility. They are developing proposals to build new premises, and require a fully considered Business Plan to understand the feasibility of any options and to apply for appropriate grants. Their last official accounts from June 2025 listed funds of £52,650 which they plan to use as a contribution towards the cost of the new building.
Recommendations Approved
Community Fund Application - Save a Warrior UK
From: Executive Portfolio for Leisure and Community - Thursday, 19th February, 2026 5.45 pm - February 19, 2026
This report presents an application for funding under the Council’s Community Funding Programme. An application to the Community Fund has been received from Save a Warrior UK for £4,704 towards equipment for their new podcast and social media recording studio. The equipment will include two digital cameras and kit, lighting kit and video and sound recording equipment. Save a Warrior UK is a suicide‑prevention programme dedicated to preserving the lives of those in the Armed Forces and Emergency Services community by addressing mental health and wellbeing through a compassionate, proactive approach. Save A Warrior UK operates a community co-working space in Fareham Shopping centre and wishes to convert one of its rooms into a professional podcast and social-media recording studio. The studio will be open to residents, students, charities and community groups, providing an affordable and accessible place to record podcasts, interviews and educational content. Community groups who have expressed an interest so far include Autek, Community First, Recovery Connections, Inclusion, Crafty Makery and Disabled Peoples Voice. The podcast and social-media recording studio will provide accessible recording facilities for podcasts, interviews and social-media content, with equipment and training available to those who cannot afford commercial studios. This will support voices of the Fareham community by enabling groups, veterans, schools and charities a chance to share their stories and raise awareness of community issues. The total cost of the project is £4,981.98. Save a Warrior UK are looking for £4,704 from the Community Fund, with the remaining amount being funded from their reserves as well as the organisation updating their refreshment station as part of this project. As of 31 December 2025, Save a Warrior UK held £1,278.43 in their accounts. In accounting year October 2024-September 2025, there was an income of £32,087.40 and an expenditure of £36,060.04. Both Ward Councillors, Councillor L Whittle and Councillor K Wiltshire, supports the Save a Warrior UK application.
Recommendations Approved
Fareham Town Centre Regeneration Programme and Masterplan
From: Special, Executive - Thursday, 19th February, 2026 6.00 pm - February 19, 2026
... approved the emerging Town Centre Masterplan and allocated £2.60m in capital and £262,200 in revenue funding for its continuation and further development in 2026/27.
Recommendations Approved
Summary
Meetings Attended: 84
Average per Month: 3.0
Decisions Recorded: 135