SOUTHAMPTON City Council is asking residents for their views on how to spend £3m on Bitterne.

But it is just a tenth of the original investment budget for the most deprived place in the city.

In a 2010 analysis by the council, Bitterne was ranked among the worst in measures of deprivation in the city.

It had one of the lowest income levels, one of the highest crime rates, and one of the worst education systems.

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When the report was published, Thornhill had just under two-thirds of its children living in income deprivation.

Today Bitterne is still the most deprived place in Southampton - with overcrowded housing and a high population density.

In 2019, the then Labour council, led by Councillor Chris Hammond, brought about plans for a £30m investment in Bitterne. The council called it the Bitterne Hub.

A new library would be built, along with a sports centre, health services and more.

But when the Tories took control of the council in 2021, they scrapped the idea, seeing the whole thing as ‘unrealistic’.

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At the time Cllr Jeremy Moulton - now shadow cabinet member for growth - called it a ‘zombie project’.

In July, at the first full council meeting under a Labour administration again – Councillor Eamonn Keogh, cabinet member for transport and district regeneration, said Labour cannot consider relaunching the hub as the Conservatives pulled the budget.

Cllr Keogh said in the July meeting: “The revenue costs that would incur with (the Bitterne Hub) would be quite substantial.

"At the moment there isn’t a budget for Bitterne Hub.”

Now, as the council deliberates on what to spend the £3m budget on, Cllr Keogh has said: “Bitterne District Centre is an area of Southampton that residents in the east of the City truly value, it has a strong sense of community, family, and tradition.

“This investment will be used for improvements identified by the community, including local businesses, that can be delivered over the next two years. We want to hear from local people in the neighbouring wards of Bitterne, Harefield, and Peartree as we believe that they are best placed to tell us how the opportunities to live, work, study and enjoy Bitterne District Centre can be improved and spend this money on what really matters to them.”

There was no mention of the extra £27m that only three years ago was mooted to be spent.

Residents can fill out the survey on the council website to share their opinions on the improvements they would wish to see in the area.

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