Havant Borough Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meeting

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Keast and Moutray.

There were no declarations of interests relating to matters on the agenda.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 20 March 2023 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman.

The Committee received an update on progress made with the implementation of the Council’s regeneration strategy

The Committee, via a verbal brief and presentation, followed by a question and answer session, examined:

1.          the utilisation of the money set aside for advertising under the scheme;

2.          the ownership of the ASDA site at Waterlooville;

3.          the opportunities to improve the traffic infrastructure to enable the future development of Broadmarsh;

4.          the success and future of Link-up Leigh Park and Havant Youth Club;

5.          the long term management of Hayling Island Beachfront;

6.          the plans to improve the link between Havant Town Centre and the Solent Retail Park;

7.          the provision made to promote tourism at Hayling Island;

8.          the progress made with Changing Places Toilets on Hayling Island and access for the disabled to Hayling Island beaches;

9.          the process for implementing a new ICT infrastructure and security provision and the budgetary implications;

10        the future of Waterlooville shopping centre;

11        the planning policy relating to the number of the same use classes allowed in shopping centres;

12        the biggest employers in the Borough and the reasons for why some employers have left the Borough;

13        the Council’s aspirations to encouraging young people in employment;

14        the delivery of the freeport scheme;

15        the circulation of a regeneration update newsletter;

16        the use of the funds from the sale of land at Broadmarsh;

17        the need for a composite project plan to monitor all regeneration projects;

18        the plans to refresh the branding for the regeneration scheme;

19        the need to deliver the regeneration scheme;

20        the need to consider findings of past focussed group work when delivering the scheme; and

21        the need for data sheets be circulated with future regeneration updates to enable the Committee to effectively monitor the progress of the scheme

During the question and answer session, the Leader and officers agreed:

a)                  to circulate copies of the report of the Havant High Street Task force to members of the Committee;

b)                  to advise members of the scope for the officer tasked to deliver the Broadmarsh project;

c)                  on the need for data sheets to enable the Council to monitor regeneration in the Borough;

d)                  to forward details of the number of Havant Borough residents employed at the Amazon depot; and

e)                  to investigate the long term future of Link Up Leigh Park and report back to the Committee.

RESOLVED that Cabinet be recommended to request the officers to provide performance data, including a dashboard with RAG rating and timelines when submitting future regeneration updates.

The Committee considered the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2023/24.

RESOLVED that:

1.                  the work programme as submitted be approved

2.                  Cllr Weeks be appointed a scrutiny lead for the Roundabout Sponsorship Task and Finish Group;

3.                  Cllr Milne and Cllr Gray be appointed to the Roundabout Sponsorship Task and Finish Group;

4.                  Councillors Kennett, Crellin, Gray, Milne, Patrick, and Tindall be appointed to an informal panel to prepare pre-submitted questions relating to the scrutiny on the future of Environmental Services; and

5.                  consideration of the inclusion of a review of the CCTV coverage in the Borough be deferred to enable the officers to circulate to all members of the Committees a copy of previous reviews of a CCTV system