Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council
Councillors:
54
Wards:
18
Committees:
22
Meetings (2025):
67
Meetings (2024):
72
Meeting
Scrutiny Committee - Basingstoke & Dean
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Tuesday, 19th September 2023
6:30 PM
Tuesday, 19th September 2023
6:30 PM
End:
Tuesday, 19th September 2023
9:30 PM
Tuesday, 19th September 2023
9:30 PM
Actual Time
Started:
Tuesday, 19th September 2023
12:00 AM
Tuesday, 19th September 2023
12:00 AM
Finished:
Tuesday, 19th September 2023
12:00 AM
Tuesday, 19th September 2023
12:00 AM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Confirmed
Date:
19 Sep 2023
19 Sep 2023
Location:
Committee Rooms 1 & 2 - Deanes
Committee Rooms 1 & 2 - Deanes
Webcast:
Available
Available
Meeting Attendees
Committee Member
Chair of the Licensing Committee
Vice-Chair
Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Resident Services Committee
Reserve
Chair of the Development Control Committee
Committee Member
Leader
Committee Member
Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing
Reserve
Chair of the Investigating and Disciplinary and Standards Appeals Committee
Reserve
Chair of the Resources Committee
Committee Member
Chair of the Audit and Accounts Committee
Committee Member
Mayor
Reserve
Leader of the Conservative Group
Council Staff
Executive Director of Corporate Services and Assets
Sue Cuerden
Expected
Committee Member
Co-Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Property
Committee Member
Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure
Committee Member
Chair of the Human Resources Committee
Agenda
1
Apologies for absence and substitutions
Minutes
Apologies were received from Councillor Bean and Councillor Carr.
2
Declarations of interest
Minutes
There were no declarations of interest.
3
Urgent Matters
To consider any items of business, other than those shown on this agenda and which, by reason of special circumstances to be stated at the meeting, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.
Minutes
There were no urgent items.
4
Minutes of the meeting held on 18 July 2023
The Chair will move that the minutes of the meeting be signed as a correct record. The only part of the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.
Attachments:
- Document Minutes of the meeting held on 18 July 2023 11 Sep 2023
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on 18 July 2023 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
5
Transport Update
Contact Officer: Mark Lambert
In response to a Work Programme request form from the Committee, members will receive short briefings on four sperate subjects presented by BDBC officers and guests from Stagecoach and HCC.
In response to a Work Programme request form from the Committee, members will receive short briefings on four sperate subjects presented by BDBC officers and guests from Stagecoach and HCC.
Attachments:
- Document Report 11 Sep 2023
- Document APPENDIX 1 11 Sep 2023
- Document Appendix 2 11 Sep 2023
Minutes
The Head of Climate Change and Sustainability advised the Committee that in response to a Work Programme suggestion form, members would receive short briefings on four sperate subjects presented by BDBC officers and guests from Stagecoach and HCC.
The Committee made the following comments in relation to the presentations.
Hampshire County Council
Sought clarification in relation to the initiatives that would receive funding.
Reference was made to the total spend for Basingstoke and various budget cuts.
Questioned whether work was underway to create a two-way traffic system in the town centre to reduce congestion.
Stagecoach
In response to concerns raised that the live app information on bus schedules was often out of date. The Committee were advised that the Brighton Hill roadworks had caused some buses to be so late that they were taken out of service and therefore it was difficult to keep the schedules up to date.
Suggested that stagecoach could try and kickstart demand by increasing the frequency of buses in specific areas. Officers advised that there was a limit on how many services could be run without a financial impact.
Acknowledged that some people’s habits had changed following the pandemic and that many people now shopped online instead of using buses to travel to the supermarket.
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council
Commented that there were a number of other services provided for residents which were paid for by organisations such as parish councils.
Would like to see the reintroduction of a park and ride system.
Suggested that the Council provide schemes to assist and support new
younger hackney carriage drivers.
· Raised concern that there were long waiting times for taxi services.
· In response to a question, the Regulatory Services Manager advised that Basingstoke was not a large enough area for companies like uber.
Resolved: The Committee
1. Thanks the officers for their presentations
2. Notes the transport update
3. Requests that the Transport Task and Finish Group reviews the issues raised.
The Committee made the following comments in relation to the presentations.
Hampshire County Council
Sought clarification in relation to the initiatives that would receive funding.
Reference was made to the total spend for Basingstoke and various budget cuts.
Questioned whether work was underway to create a two-way traffic system in the town centre to reduce congestion.
Stagecoach
In response to concerns raised that the live app information on bus schedules was often out of date. The Committee were advised that the Brighton Hill roadworks had caused some buses to be so late that they were taken out of service and therefore it was difficult to keep the schedules up to date.
Suggested that stagecoach could try and kickstart demand by increasing the frequency of buses in specific areas. Officers advised that there was a limit on how many services could be run without a financial impact.
Acknowledged that some people’s habits had changed following the pandemic and that many people now shopped online instead of using buses to travel to the supermarket.
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council
Commented that there were a number of other services provided for residents which were paid for by organisations such as parish councils.
Would like to see the reintroduction of a park and ride system.
Suggested that the Council provide schemes to assist and support new
younger hackney carriage drivers.
· Raised concern that there were long waiting times for taxi services.
· In response to a question, the Regulatory Services Manager advised that Basingstoke was not a large enough area for companies like uber.
Resolved: The Committee
1. Thanks the officers for their presentations
2. Notes the transport update
3. Requests that the Transport Task and Finish Group reviews the issues raised.
6
Updated Council Plan 2023 to 2027
Contact Officer: Russell O’Keefe
The purpose of the report is to present the Committee with the updated Council Plan 2023 to 2027.
The purpose of the report is to present the Committee with the updated Council Plan 2023 to 2027.
Attachments:
- Document Report 11 Sep 2023
- Document Appendix 1 11 Sep 2023
Minutes
The Leader introduced the report which presented the Committee with the updated Council Plan for 2023 to 2027, following a number of amendments made by the new administration.
The Chair invited visiting speaker Councillor Lee to address the Committee, his comments included:
Stated that the updated Council Plan contained a vision of a well-designed haven of beauty built on sustainable communities.
That the plan aimed to protect the most vulnerable of society
and had a specific focus on neighbourhoods.
Welcomed the mention of Winklebury as the ward had been waiting for much needed regeneration for a number of years.
Pleased to see Leisure, culture, arts and young people specifically mentioned in the plan.
There was a responsibility for everyone to work together to make the plan a reality.
Would like to see the names of who is responsible for each action included in the plan.
The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments:
Some members felt that a number of wards had become rundown and were in need of regeneration.
Stated that any new development should not be detrimental to existing residents.
The Committee stressed the importance of communication and ensuring that ward members were kept up to date.
Requested that updates on progress were reported back to the Committee.
Suggested that resident feedback was sought more effectively.
The issue of creating an accessible police presence in the town centre was raised as it was felt that would result in residents feeling safer.
Resolved: The Committee considers the updated Council Plan 2023 to 2027 and provides its Comments to the Cabinet.
The Chair invited visiting speaker Councillor Lee to address the Committee, his comments included:
Stated that the updated Council Plan contained a vision of a well-designed haven of beauty built on sustainable communities.
That the plan aimed to protect the most vulnerable of society
and had a specific focus on neighbourhoods.
Welcomed the mention of Winklebury as the ward had been waiting for much needed regeneration for a number of years.
Pleased to see Leisure, culture, arts and young people specifically mentioned in the plan.
There was a responsibility for everyone to work together to make the plan a reality.
Would like to see the names of who is responsible for each action included in the plan.
The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments:
Some members felt that a number of wards had become rundown and were in need of regeneration.
Stated that any new development should not be detrimental to existing residents.
The Committee stressed the importance of communication and ensuring that ward members were kept up to date.
Requested that updates on progress were reported back to the Committee.
Suggested that resident feedback was sought more effectively.
The issue of creating an accessible police presence in the town centre was raised as it was felt that would result in residents feeling safer.
Resolved: The Committee considers the updated Council Plan 2023 to 2027 and provides its Comments to the Cabinet.
7
Annual Review of the Housing Allocations Scheme 2022/23
Contact Officer: Kate Randall
This report presents the Committee with the annual review of the Council’s housing allocations scheme.
This report presents the Committee with the annual review of the Council’s housing allocations scheme.
Attachments:
- Document Report 11 Sep 2023
- Document Appendix 1 11 Sep 2023
- Document Appendix 2 11 Sep 2023
Minutes
The Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing introduced the report which presented the Committee with the annual review of the Council’s housing allocations scheme.
The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments:
Questioned whether the CBL Bidding system worked better for applicants.
Considered that residents may feel that they need to take the shortest route to become housed for example by accepting a flat rather than a house as it would take longer.
Work was needed to boost the housing supply as for example there was a need for accommodation for single people over 35 as well as 4-to-5-bedroom houses.
Felt that further investigation was needed to understand why some applicants had never accessed the Home Bid System.
Suggested that the household income threshold be reviewed to determine whether it should be proportional to the household type.
Stated that there was a lack of supply in rural areas.
Questioned whether ward Councillors could be made aware of new properties becoming available so that they could promote them to local residents.
Suggested that a review of the suitability criteria be undertaken.
Resolved: The Committee
1. notes the report
1. notes that additional resourcing has been identified to provide an additional 1.5 FTE to the housing register team to provide more support to vulnerable housing applicants.
1. Requests that the Housing Allocations Task and Finish Group reviews the issues raised.
The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments:
Questioned whether the CBL Bidding system worked better for applicants.
Considered that residents may feel that they need to take the shortest route to become housed for example by accepting a flat rather than a house as it would take longer.
Work was needed to boost the housing supply as for example there was a need for accommodation for single people over 35 as well as 4-to-5-bedroom houses.
Felt that further investigation was needed to understand why some applicants had never accessed the Home Bid System.
Suggested that the household income threshold be reviewed to determine whether it should be proportional to the household type.
Stated that there was a lack of supply in rural areas.
Questioned whether ward Councillors could be made aware of new properties becoming available so that they could promote them to local residents.
Suggested that a review of the suitability criteria be undertaken.
Resolved: The Committee
1. notes the report
1. notes that additional resourcing has been identified to provide an additional 1.5 FTE to the housing register team to provide more support to vulnerable housing applicants.
1. Requests that the Housing Allocations Task and Finish Group reviews the issues raised.
8
Review of work programme
The Committee is asked to note and review its Work Programme and to receive updates from the Lead Members of Task and Finish Groups.
Attachments:
- Document Work programme 11 Sep 2023
Minutes
The Chair introduced the work programme and gave a brief overview of the items that would be included on the agenda for the upcoming meetings.
Suggested that the item on “how the Council works with local businesses” be reviewed at the next Overview & Scrutiny chairs meeting.
Advised that an update from the task and finish groups would take place in January.
The Committee requested that the Democratic Services Officer contact the group leaders to seek nominations for the transport task and finish group.
Suggested that the item on “how the Council works with local businesses” be reviewed at the next Overview & Scrutiny chairs meeting.
Advised that an update from the task and finish groups would take place in January.
The Committee requested that the Democratic Services Officer contact the group leaders to seek nominations for the transport task and finish group.
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