Meeting

The minutes of the meeting held on 7 August 2025 are attached for confirmation and signature as a correct record.

To receive any apologies for absence from Members*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee services before the meeting as soon as they know they will be absent.

To declare disclosable pecuniary, and any other interests*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services before the meeting as soon as they know they may have an interest to declare.

Anyone wishing to make a statement to the Committee should contact Committee Services at least two clear working days before the meeting. Further information can be found

online.

To agree the designation of the parish of Eversley as a 'neighbourhood area' prior to the Parish Council preparing a neighbourhood plan.

Recommendation

Cabinet is requested to approve the designation of the parish of Eversley as a neighbourhood area as proposed by the Parish Council in its application

Cabinet to consider the draft local plan programme, the resource implications, estimated costs and risks.

Recommendations

Cabinet is asked to consider the following recommendations:

i. That work on a new local plan should proceed in line with the

Project Initiation Document (PID).

ii. That a budget of £2,421,000 is agreed for expenditure on the local plan to the end of March 2028 with an additional £1.421m being allocated from the general fund working balance.

iii. To agree that the updated Local Development Scheme (timetable) at Appendix 2 is published and takes effect immediately.

iv. That if required under the forthcoming local plan-making regulations, the Portfolio Holder is given authority to issue a notice to commence plan-making, and to publish a ‘Local Plan Timetable’ and any subsequent updates.

The Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and the annual budget-setting process are important decisions for the Council. This report sets out the approach and high-level actions aimed at supporting the budget-setting process for 2026/27 and beyond.

Recommendation

Cabinet is requested to agree the approach for budget setting

This report relates to the proposed draft Action Plan arising from the Local Government Association (LGA) 2025 Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) feedback report for Hart District Council.

Recommendation

Cabinet is asked to endorse in principle the Action Plan.

In July 2025 Cabinet considered a report of the Chief Executive, which provided an update on the work underway to prepare the Council’s proposal for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). The proposal would set out how a single tier of local government could be established across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (HIOW). It must be submitted to government by the 26 September 2027

That proposal is now effectively complete, but it is still in minor editorial working draft form[1]. It is titled ‘Close enough to be local, big enough to stay strong”. An executive summary is attached to Appendix 1. The full document in its very advanced draft stage is attached to Appendix 2, and its associated technical appendices attached to Appendix 3.

This report requests that Cabinet recommends to Full Council that it endorses the submission of Option 1A (currently listed as Option 3 in the current draft) as the Council’s preference for local government reform across HIOW. Option 1A) is based on Option 1 but requests a modification based on a few select boundary changes. This submission is conditional upon this modification being approved by the Secretary of State using the modification powers under the 2007 Act as this represents the stronger case for change. The updated extract from the Case for Change relating to Option 1A is attached as Appendix 4.

Recommendation

That Full Council be recommended to endorse the following

i) Subject to the Case for Change document attached as Appendix 2 being modified or that a covering letter be submitted to include the following points:

a. Hart and Rushmoor have both received the 'Silver' Award in recognition of their efforts regarding the Military Covenant.

b. Natural England has acknowledged the exemplary work of Hart and Rushmoor in collaborating across county boundaries to protect the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (TBHSPA). Together, we have achieved Green Flag status for County Parks and developed Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space (SANGS), which supports future growth and housing delivery while also fostering SPA mitigation, ecological enhancement, and biodiversity net gain opportunities.

the Council supports the main Case for Change and specifically Option 1A (which is Option 1 as the core option but this wholly conditional upon a formal request to Government as part of the Council’s submission to undertake a modification to permit Option 1A) because the proposed boundary changes (as reflected in the Appendix 4) better meet government criteria, drive economic growth, create unitary authorities that reflect and serve cohesive communities, and realise the full potential of local government reorganisation.

ii) In the event of minor editorial changes being necessary to the main Case for Change, if they are agreed by all 12 councils, that the Leader, in consultation with the Chief Executive is authorised to agree such amendments on behalf of Hart District Council.

The full proposal can be found here (Appendix 2): Full Proposal

The supporting appendices can be found here (Appendix 3): Supporting Appendices

[1] Note that as the case for change (Appendix 2) - ‘Close enough to be local, big enough to stay strong” is a ‘collective’ document, there are no opportunities to amend or substantially edit the text other than minor typographical errors in advance of submission to the government irrespective of any comments are made at Cabinet or Full Council.

To consider and amend the Cabinet Work Programme.