Hart Borough Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meeting

A member queried the accuracy of Minute 81, and whether Cabinet had considered the recommendation made in relation to the Task and Finish Groups recommendations in relation to the Multi-Agency Flood Forum.  The Chair agreed to confirm this with Committee Services.

The minutes of 14 January 2025 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Members received a presentation from Caroline Winchurch from Hart Voluntary Action, a core grant recipient, outlining the impact the core grant has had on their organisation.   

Members heard:

·         Core activity: practical support for the voluntary and community sector operating in Hart District, promoting volunteering through the Hart Volunteer Centre and partnerships and collaboration e.g. the Here for Hart Working Group and the Frimley Voluntary, Community, Social Enterprise Alliance.

·         Funding from Hampshire County Council would cease from April 2025.

·         HDC annual grant is used to support 150+members organisations and to develop new community-focused activity.

·         Key Highlights: updated branding, marketing ?and new website?, Local Infrastructure Quality Accreditation, thermal imaging volunteers, team Corporate Social responsibility days, walk and talk counselling service launch, charity trustee event.

·         Looking Ahead: impact of infrastructure grant loss, new Eco-Hub in Hart Shopping Centre, Hart’s Community Garden Events, sharing with Rushmoor Voluntary Services, Volunteer Recruitment Fair, Building more links with local businesses.

Members thanked Caroline Whitchurch for her presentation on HVA and for all their hard work.

Apologies had been received from Cllr Davies, who was being substituted by Cllr Axam.

Councillor Worlock declared an interest in UK Shared Prosperity Fund - 2025/26 Project and Financial Plan as a Trustee for Robert Mays School.

No announcements.

None.

The Housing Needs Manager introduced the report that proposed changes to the Housing Allocation Policy, which give a renewed focus on ensuring local affordable homes are allocated to those with a strong local connection to Hart and ensure that the policy is up to date and reflects best practice.  The consultation on the proposed changes received a strong supportive response.

The key changes are:

·        Amending the lower age limit to 18.

·        Strengthening the local connection requirement for allocations, increasing the savings threshold

·        Strengthening the response to anti-social behaviour

Members were advised that there are over 1,400 people on the housing register and that a project plan is in place with a go live date of 1 June 2025, subject to Cabinet approval.

Members were invited to comment on the following recommendations to Cabinet:

1. The proposed changes to the Allocation Policy as set out in the body of the report.

2. The new Allocation Policy being implemented with effect from 01 April 2025 for all new applicants joining the housing register, with a phased implementation between 01 April 2025 and 01 June 2025 for existing affected housing register applicants, aligned to the implementation of the Home Connections modules and changes required. 

Members discussed:

·         The local connection criteria and the weighting given to this and support needs.

·         The survey work conducted.

No comments were to be passed to Cabinet.

The Finance Manager introduced the budget monitoring report and forecast outturn for 2024/25 – the latest projections of expenditure and income, including capital, for 2024/25 for review including of any action necessary. The report included treasury activity and adherence to approved policy.

The Chair explained that due to timings this report had been to Cabinet first and confirmed that no decisions were made by Cabinet in relation to it.

Members were advised:

·         The Council is forecasting an overall underspend of £1.33m against the 2024-25 net revenue budget of £13.0m, which is very similar to the position at the end of quarter 2.

·         Capital expenditure is forecast to be £6.4m against a budget of £11.5m – an underspend of £5.5m. This is not a reflection of inactivity. Capital projects by their nature take a long time.

·         Propose that in 25/26 budget monitoring, the three-year Capital Expenditure plan will be presented to both O&S and Cabinet for monitoring

·         Pressures and savings were in a similar position, with fluctuations in planning development, building control, waste and recycling, parking income and employee costs.

·         The rent deposit scheme used to secure accommodation with private landlords is an addition to the list.

Members queried;

·         Whether the upturn seen in this year’s figures relating to employee costs and treasury income are likely to be repeated in the year ahead.

·         The difference between the Capital Projects forecasted number and what is and what is now anticipated.

·         The split of the savings in the employee costs between the salary settlement and vacancies.

Members heard:

·         The budget is a realistic one but acknowledging the challenges ahead.

·         Additional Capital Projects are approved throughout the year so the topline figure changes. Some projects will be completed in year as planned but many Capital Projects are not programmed to complete in year.

·         The salary settlement saved £150,000 and the rest was from vacancies.

Recommendations:

That Overview and Scrutiny:

·           Note the projected Revenue outturn for 2024-25

·                Note the forecast Capital position for 2024-25

·                Note the Treasury Management position at 31st Dec 2024.

The Planning Policy – Strategic & Corporate Projects Manager introduced the report explaining that the Council has received £327,000 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to support projects in 2025/26. The Council's approved local investment plan identified several work streams and we're proposing to continue with several of these work streams, which are community hubs, young person's engagement and the green grid framework.

Previously under the community hubs and the young person's engagement work streams, several applications were received from stakeholders and last year 16 were selected to progress.

The next 5 applications have been identified to be progressed and these are listed in the report before you.  In relation to the green grid framework, the proposal is to progress feasibility studies in connection with cycle routes identified in the approved local cycle and walking infrastructure plan, and a proposal for improvements to our countryside sites to make them more accessible. Members were told that there was confidence that all of the schemes will meet the requirements of the fund and will be completed within the required time frames.

Recommendation   

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee should discuss the report and comment on the following draft recommendations to the Cabinet.

“That Cabinet agrees:   

i.              the principles of the 2025/26 UKSPF projects and the headline financial plan set out in Appendix 1; and 

ii.            indicative grant allocations in Table 1 and delegated authority to the Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to agree and pay final amounts once firm quotes and project costings have been received.”  

Members discussed:

·         The delivery timeframe.

·         When the new funding was advertised to organisations to identify potential new projects and why it was not.

·         The impact of changing this process at this stage.

·         How Green Grid projects were identified.

·         The origins of the UKSPF funding.

Members were advised:

·         All funding must be spent by the 31st of March 2026. There is no opportunity for carryover.

·         Time is limited, funding was confirmed in December.  To get a bidding process in place to allow applicants the time to submit the applications, for evaluation and then to get Cabinet approval would significantly reduce the delivery time for projects.

·         The Green Grid projects have been selected from the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan in order of the prioritisation identified.

A Member sought to reassure the Committee that that an organisation they were involved in with had been contacted and costs and delivery plans verified.

The Planning Policy, Infrastructure and Economic Development Officer introduced the report.

The current local plan policy H2 that secures affordable housing with new development. 40% of homes on major sites should be affordable, subject to viability and within that it sets a requirement that 65% of those are for rent and 35% are for ownership. The Place Service plan sets out that a supplementary planning document will be produced to add further guidance to that policy and a particular objective, to try and secure more social rented accommodation.

Delivering affordable homes with new development is one of those areas where guidance is often very beneficial, an SPD will assist with implementation if the local plan policy as effectively as possible. This has been developed in conjunction with the housing strategy team. Some further changes will be necessary as further government guidance has been issued since we went out to consultation.

Recommendations

That the Overview & Scrutiny Committee provides comments to Cabinet on:

      i.        the draft document for Affordable Homes in New Developments which is provided in Appendix 1. It includes proposed changes based on feedback received during the public consultation (at Appendix 2)

    ii.        the proposed revocation of the Council’s First Homes Interim Planning Policy Statement (at Appendix 3).

Members discussed:

·         What level of affordable housing does Hart currently achieve? Is it near to the 40% stated?

·         The stated risk around provider preferences for more social rent properties.

·         Were the 1,400 people on the Housing Register all requiring social rent properties

·         The improved level of detail for developers

·         The challenges in negotiations with developers to ensure other aspects such as leisure provision is not adversely affected.

Members were advised:

·         A breakdown of the current affordable housing delivered would be provided to Members.

·         Nationally providers prefer properties for social rent, but occasionally this does change on a site-by-site basis.

·         Not everyone on the Housing Register were requiring social rent accommodation, it includes all tenures.

The Chair thanked the Members of the Task and Finish Group (Cllrs Butler, Cockarill, Farmer and Harward) for their excellent report. 

Members were informed Members that in June 2024 the group was asked to establish a framework for local communities to actively participate in the process of identifying and supporting Traveller transit and temporary stopping places. Cllr Farmer, had joined at a later stage for 2 meetings. The remit had not been clear, however they had made some recommendations. Discussions have taken place with a number of organisations however there are only six temporary stopping sites in England so it was a challenge to find people with experience to talk to.

Recommendations had been made in the following areas; Engagement with local residents, landowners and parishes, engagement with the current traveller community in Hart and engagement with local businesses. Engagement with statutory services and neighbouring authorities would be routine. The necessity for any future communications to be sensitively managed was emphasised.

Members were unclear about what the next stages would be but were keen for the work to be taken forward.

Members discussed:

·         Which Portfolio holder holds the remit for this work.

·         The steps/processes necessary to develop sites.

·         The level of unauthorised encampments within Hart

·         The necessity to work with other authorities

·         The risk of temporary stopping sites being privately developed

Members heard:

·         The work falls under two Portfolio holders depending on the focus, whether in relation to housing need or planning enforcement/identifying sites.

The Chair agreed to discuss the way forward with the Chief Executive proposing a round table with relevant Portfolio holders and Executive Directors.

The Committee agreed that the recommendations would be submitted to Cabinet. 

Community – Cllr Butler/Cllr Worlock

·         No risks or concerns identified

·         Well attended by Members, officers and Portfolio holders.

·         Officers have met with Rushmoor Borough Council to look at learning from the riots last year.

·         Areas of discussion were: CCTV review, the purchase of larger family and accessible homes.

Corporate – Cllr Farmer/Cllr Thomas

·         No Members attended the meeting

·         Discussions outside of the meeting had taken place with the Executive Director – Corporate

·         Content that Corporate Services are on track and the known risks are the same as was known previously.

·         The Executive Director - Corporate had circulated a note to members stating that the quarter three report shows good, continued progress against Service plan actions with nothing to report back. Strategic risks are similar to the previous report, with the budget, position and waste uncertainty being the highest rated risk. Performance indicators showed no exceptions to report other than the waste missed bin numbers which increased in October.

Place – Cllr Cockarill/Jones/Highley/Cllr Worlock

·         The meeting was well attended

·         Development Management performance continues to improve in the main. Additional information to the main reports was provided which gave Members reassurance.

·         Delivery of application decisions is not on target but work to address this continues.

·         Revised housing targets from central government will come into effect from 1 May 2025. They are significantly higher for Hart, so technically we will run out of a five-year housing land supply in the spring.

·         Propriety work on the Local Plan and the impact on resources was discussed

·         Several red flagged KPI’s were identified and understood to be related to the lack of large scale developments that are undertaken in Hart

·         Building control issues have been addressed and excellent work on Fly-tipping was noted.

·         An issue with the accuracy and the consistency of the information provided to the Service Panel was identified. Supplementary papers were issued but these were not considered by the Panel.

·         Members had a lengthy discussion on DM13 relating to overdue applications. It was noted that additional resources had been allocated to reduce the backlog including for DM13 related applications. Members were keen to establish if the investment had resolved the problem or what progress had been made.

·         Further discussions had taken place on DM13 with the Executive Director – Place which had provided some reassurance.

·         Members were told that there was a discrepancy between the planning journal information and the situation in Hart.

·         Members requested an exception report from the Executive Director – Place to enable a full understanding of the issues involved. This is to be produced before the next Service Panel for the whole O&S Committee.

Members considered and noted the Cabinet Work Programme.

A member queried when the Heathlands remodelling report would go to Cabinet. The Executive Director – Community confirmed that it would be in the Spring following on from productive meetings with Vivid. The work is contained within the draft Community Service Plan to begin with 2025/26.

Members considered and amended the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme as follows: 

·         To move an item: Presentation from Citizen’s Advice Hart to the March 2025 meeting.

·         The Hampshire Waste Partnership is awaiting a date.

·         The New Hart Local Plan: project and resourcing plan to be added with no allocated date.