Havant Borough Council Cabinet Meeting

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Paul Gray.

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

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 12 February 2025 were approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillor Munday, the Chairman, reported on the progress of Local Government Reorganisation and that a report will come to Cabinet later in March outlining a set of principles agreed by the other local authorities in the area and on which decisions will be made. 

There were no questions from Councillors under the provision of Standing Order 9.3.

There were no matters for Cabinet to consider under the provision of Standing Order 9.4c.

The Leader welcomed Councillor Diamond as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee who shared the committee’s views upon their consideration of this matter at their meeting of 6 February 2025.

The Leader thanked Councillor Diamond for her attendance and the committee’s scrutiny of this item and confirmed his support to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee in scrutinising this matter further and pledged Cabinet’s support.

The Leader further introduced the report inviting all elected members and residents to provide feedback and to take part in the consultation and further highlighted that there will be a number of open sessions and public meetings so that residents can discuss the proposals and share their thoughts with Councillors.

The Leader provided members opportunity to ask questions, which were duly responded to within the meeting.

Members considered the report and the options available to Cabinet.

Following the question and answer session, debate and a vote, Cabinet agreed the recommendations in the report, subject to confirmation that recommendation 4 in the published report was the only matter for recommendation to Full Council, all other recommendations were a decision for Cabinet to make.

Following that clarification from the Leader to Cabinet, Cabinet

RESOLVED to

1.       Approve the Draft Building a Better Future Plan (Appendix A) for consultation;

2.       Approve the Consultation Programme for the Draft Building a Better Future Plan (Appendix B), which is scheduled to take place from May 2025;

3.       Approve the 2025 Statement of Community Involvement (Appendix C);

4.       Delegate authority to the Executive Head of Place, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make any necessary amendments to the documents above. These shall be limited to minor updates and editing, changes and correction of any errors and shall not change the substance of the material.

Cabinet were are also requested to make recommendation to Full Council, which is that the Housing Delivery Position Statement be withdrawn.

Councillor Philippa Gray, as relevant Cabinet Lead, introduced a report recommending Cabinet to note the contents of the report, to release of funds to address the in-year budget pressure and that full Council will be asked to support the Leader in writing a letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government requesting further funds be released to help support the housing crisis.

Councillor Gray highlighted the Council expect to increase spend to £21.3m in the current financial year delivering services, which is mainly as a result of statutory obligations to address temporary accommodation and homelessness.  There has been some overachievement in investment income, combined with financial resilience reserves the increase in spend can be met.

Further work to invest in solutions to meet the additional temporary accommodation need and the national housing crisis continues to be undertaken to help minimise the financial impact to the Council in the future.

Cabinet discussed the report and the options available to Cabinet.

Following a question and answer session, debate and a vote, Cabinet agreed the reports’ recommendations, for reasons set out in the submitted report.

Cabinet therefore,

RESOLVED to

1.   note the Quarter 3 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report for 2024/25.

2.   endorse the management actions outlined within this report and confirm they are assured that appropriate mitigations are in place.

3.   endorse the release of Financial Management Reserves to address the additional in-year budget pressure.

Cabinet are also requested to make recommendation to Full Council, which is that Council

4.       approves the draw down of £2m from the Councils Financial Management Reserve to fund the anticipated overspend.

5.       supports the Leader writing a letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to seek further financial support with which to manage the ongoing local housing crisis and tackle ever increasing demands on temporary accommodation.

Councillor Grainne Rason introduced the report on behalf of Councillor Philippa Gray, the relevant Cabinet Lead, recommending Cabinet to note the contents of the report.

Councillor Rason highlighted the principles of a scheme that would see developers contributing financially to the scheme which will raise funds to increase the number of rangers, community events and education in the Solent area to protect the area’s diverse birdlife.

Cabinet discussed the report and the options available to Cabinet.

Following a question and answer session, debate and a vote, Cabinet agreed the report’s recommendations for reasons set out in the submitted report.

Cabinet therefore,

RESOLVED to

1.   approve The Bird Aware Solent Revised Strategy as endorsed by the Partnership for South Hampshire Joint Committee on 30 September 2024; and

2.   delegate authority to the Executive Head of Place to approve any necessary updates to the Strategy, as endorsed by the Partnership for South Hampshire Joint Committee.

In the absence of Councillor Paul Gray, relevant Cabinet Lead, Councillor Munday introduced a report recommending Cabinet to adopt the Property Asset Management Strategy 2025-2030, which sets out the Council’s approach to property rationalisation to help identify opportunities for disposal of surplus assets.

Cabinet discussed the report and the options available, during which Cabinet committed to the setting up of a group to review the current hiring and leasing arrangements for Volunteer and Community Groups and to develop a policy which supports those groups.

Cabinet further suggested the strategy would benefit from having the ability to install solar panels on Council buildings included.

Following a question and answer session, debate and a vote, Cabinet agreed the report’s recommendations for reasons set out in the submitted report.

Cabinet therefore,

RESOLVED to

1.   adopt the Property Asset Management Strategy 2025-2030 for immediate implementation.

2.   endorse the sale of any assets identified as surplus, subject to the approval of the Executive Head of Commercial and the Section151 Officer following consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Commercial.

Councillor Brown, as relevant Cabinet Lead, introduced a report recommending Cabinet to endorse the draft Character Appraisal and Management Plan for the St Faiths Conservation Area, the consultation of which, will run alongside the Local Plan consultation from May to July 2025.

Cabinet discussed the report and options available to Cabinet.

Following a question and answer session, debate and a vote, Cabinet agreed the report’s recommendations for reasons set out in the submitted report.

It was therefore,

RESOLVED

1.   endorse the draft Character Appraisal and Management Plan for the St Faiths Conservation Area, which sets out the special interest of the area, and the draft management proposals for consultation.

2.   delegate authority to the Executive Head of Place, following consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Place, to make any necessary amendments to Appendix A prior to the public consultation. These shall be limited to minor updates, amendments, changes and correction of any errors and shall not change the meaning of the material.

Councillor Brown, as relevant Cabinet Lead, introduced a report recommending Cabinet to approve the Draft Waterlooville Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document for consultation which will run alongside the consultation for the Local Plan from May to July 2025.

Cabinet discussed the report and the options available to Cabinet.

Following a question and answer session, debate and a vote, Cabinet agreed the report’s recommendations for reasons set out in the submitted report.

Cabinet therefore,

RESOLVED to

1.       approve the Draft Waterlooville Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document (Appendix A) for consultation; and

2.       delegate authority to the Executive Head of Place, in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Place, to make any necessary amendments to Appendix A. These shall be limited to minor updates, changes and correction of any errors and shall not change the meaning of the material.

There were no delegated decisions or minutes from the following meetings since the last meeting of Cabinet, to be considered at this meeting.