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Hart Borough Council
Councillors: 33
Wards: 11
Committees: 14
Meetings (2025): 60
Meetings (2024): 60

Meeting

Cabinet - Hart

Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Thursday, 6th March 2025
7:00 PM
End:
Thursday, 6th March 2025
11:00 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Date:
06 Mar 2025
Location:
Council Chamber
Meeting Attendees
Officer
Housing Solutions Manager
Kelly Watts

In attendance

Officer
Community Project Officer
Tina Widdison

In attendance

David Neighbour photo
Leader
Leader
David Neighbour

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Stuart Bailey photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Community Services
Stuart Bailey

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Tony Clarke photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Digital and Communications
Tony Clarke

Community Campaign Hart

Present, as expected

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Officer
Chief Executive
Daryl Phillips

In attendance

Officer
Committee and Member Services Manager
Sharon Black

Democratic Services

In attendance

James Radley photo
Deputy Leader
Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder - Finance
James Radley

Community Campaign Hart

Apologies

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Tina Collins photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Parking and Community Safety
Tina Collins

Community Campaign Hart

Apologies

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Alan Oliver photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Planning Policy and Development Management
Alan Oliver

Community Campaign Hart

Present, as expected

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Officer
Planning Policy and Economic Development Manager
Daniel Hawes

In attendance

Officer
Strategy & Development Manager
Nicola Harpham

In attendance

Officer
Principal Policy Planner
Alex Rosser-Trokas

Place

In attendance

Officer
Planning Policy - Strategic & Corporate Projects Manager
Christine Tetlow

In attendance

Officer
UKSPF Senior Project Officer
Paula Stephenson

In attendance

Richard Quarterman photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Climate Change and Corporate Services
Richard Quarterman

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Peter Wildsmith photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Regulatory
Peter Wildsmith

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Agenda
1 Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2025 are attached for confirmation and signature as a current record.
Attachments:
Minutes The minutes of 6 February 2025 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Proposed by: Cllr Neighbour; Seconded by: Cllr Clarke; Unanimously agreed by those present at the February meeting.
2 Apologies for Absence
To receive any apologies for absence from Members*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they will be absent.
Minutes Apologies had been received from Cllrs Collins and Radley.
3 Declarations of Interest
To declare disclosable pecuniary, and any other interests*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they may have an interest to declare.
Minutes No declarations of interest were made.
4 Chairman's Announcements
Minutes The Chairman had no announcements.
5 Public Participation (Items Pertaining to the Agenda)
Anyone wishing to make a statement to the Committee should contact Committee Services at least two clear working days prior to the meeting. Further information can be found

online.
Minutes There were no items of public participation.
Minutes The proposed updates to the Housing Allocation Policy aim to prioritise the allocation of local affordable homes to individuals with a strong connection to Hart district. This approach seeks to align the policy with current legislation and adhere to best practices, ensuring that those most in need within the community are effectively considered. Members noted that the revised policy, if agreed, would come into effect on 1 April 2025. Overview and Scrutiny Committee had not made any comments and had supported the paper.

Members questioned:

· How the criteria for inclusion on the housing waiting list had been arrived at

· Whether there was flexibility on the criteria

· How many people were envisaged to be removed from the housing waiting list when the updated policy was implemented

Members also noted that the savings threshold for inclusion on the housing register had been doubled and that all cases were dealt with individually with flexibility where needed.

Thanks were given to the Housing team for their work on the draft Policy.

Proposed by: Cllr Bailey; Seconded by: Cllr Clarke

Unanimously agreed.

Decision

Cabinet agreed

i. The proposed changes to the Allocation Policy are set out in the body of the report.

The new Allocation Policy will be implemented from 1 April 2025 for all new applicants joining the housing register, with a phased implementation between 1 April 2025 and 1 May 2025 for existing affected housing register applicants, aligned to implementing the Home Connections modules and changes required.
7 Affordable Homes in New Development Supplementary Planning Document
To update Cabinet on the Draft Affordable Homes in New Development Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) following public consultation and seek agreement to adopt the SPD. In addition, to consider revoking the Council’s First Homes Interim Planning Policy Statement in light of recent changes to national policy.

Recommendation

Cabinet is asked to:

i) adopt the Affordable Homes in New Developments Supplementary Planning Document attached at Appendix 1 for planning and development management purposes,

ii) authorise the Executive Director – Place in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Place, to make minor alterations, clarifications and typographical corrections to the SPD prior to it being published, and

iii) revoke the Council’s First Homes Interim Planning Policy Statement (Appendix 4).
Minutes To agree to the adoption of the Draft Affordable Homes in New Development Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) following public consultation and to consider revoking the Council’s First Homes Interim Planning Policy Statement.

Members heard that this policy looked to adopt the term “social rented homes” rather than “affordable homes”.

Members questioned whether the quoted level of affordable housing (40% of new developments) was achieved. It was agreed to circulate information from the last Annual Housing Report, which would give information on the amount of affordable housing achieved across Hart to all Members for information.

Proposed by: Cllr Oliver; Seconded by: Cllr Neighbour

It was noted that an amendment to the Recommendation was required to show the correct title of the Portfolio Holder – Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy and Development Management.

Members discussed subjects including:

· The new NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) required Councils to look at social housing needs

· Viability being used as a reason by developers for not providing affordable housing

· That social housing, rather than affordable housing, would be more appropriate for our residents

Unanimously agreed

Decision

Cabinet:

i) adopted the Affordable Homes in New Developments Supplementary Planning Document attached at Appendix 1 for planning and development management purposes,

ii) authorised the Executive Director – Place in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy and Development Management, to make minor alterations, clarifications and typographical corrections to the SPD before it is published and

revoke the Council’s First Homes Interim Planning Policy Statement (Appendix 4).
8 UKSPF Update 2025/26
Hart District Council (HDC) has been granted £327k through the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to fund projects in 2025/26. This report proposes a spending plan for the 2025/26 funding.

Recommendation

Cabinet is asked to approve:

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
Attachments:
Minutes Hart had been granted £327k through the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to fund projects in 2025/26. This report proposes a spending plan for the 2025/26 funding.

Members heard:

· This funding had only been announced just before the Christmas break and would need to be spent by 31 March 2026

· There was no time to do a complete bid submission process, so several unsuccessful applicants from the 2024/25 round had been carefully selected

Members questioned:

· Whether the criteria for the projects were the same as in the previous year’s round

· What would happen to any unallocated/unspent money

· Whether there was any opportunity for additional bids to be submitted

· How it had been decided who should receive the funding

· What would happen if any capital projects had increased in price

·

· Proposed by: Cllr Neighbour; Seconded by: Cllr Wildsmith

Members discussed subjects including:

· The selection of the projects to be funded

· Funding for further economic strategy work

Unanimously agreed.

Decision

Cabinet approved:

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

indicative grant allocations 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 had been received
9 Cabinet Work Programme
To consider and amend the Cabinet Work Programme.
Attachments:
Minutes The Cabinet work programme was considered, and the following was agreed:

· The item on the Inter Authority Agreement with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council did not need Cabinet agreement and, therefore, would be removed from the work programme

· There was the likelihood that the item on the Review of Article 4 Directions would be delayed and, therefore, it should be removed from the work programme.

The Leader reminded Members that there was an extra Cabinet meeting on 20 March 2025, preceded by an extra Overview and Scrutiny Meeting on 18 March, to consider Hart’s response to the interim proposals on Local Government Reorganisation.
Previous Meetings
Meeting

3rd Apr 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

20th Mar 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

6th Mar 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

6th Feb 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

2nd Jan 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

5th Dec 2024

Cabinet

Meeting

7th Nov 2024

Cabinet

Meeting

3rd Oct 2024

Cabinet

Meeting

5th Sep 2024

Cabinet

Meeting

1st Aug 2024 Cancelled

Cabinet

Future Meetings
Meeting

5th Jun 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

10th Jul 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

7th Aug 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

4th Sep 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

2nd Oct 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

6th Nov 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

6th Nov 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

4th Dec 2025

Cabinet

Meeting

8th Jan 2026

Cabinet

Meeting

5th Feb 2026

Cabinet

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