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Test Valley Borough Council
Councillors: 43
Wards: 21
Committees: 17
Meetings (2025): 93
Meetings (2024): 86

Meeting

Council - Test Valley

Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Wednesday, 19th March 2025
5:30 PM
End:
Wednesday, 19th March 2025
9:30 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed; Extraordinary
Date:
19 Mar 2025
Location:
Crosfield Hall, Broadwater Road, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 8GL
Meeting Attendees
Councillor Rohit Kohli photo
Committee Member
Councillor Rohit Kohli

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

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Councillor Linda Lashbrook photo
Vice-Chairman
Councillor Linda Lashbrook

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Mark Leech photo
Committee Member
Councillor Mark Leech

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Nick Lodge photo
Committee Member
Democracy and Governance Portfolio Holder
Councillor Nick Lodge

Conservative

Apologies

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Councillor Stewart MacDonald photo
Committee Member
Delivery Lead - Community Led Projects Portfolio Holder
Councillor Stewart MacDonald

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Lisa Matthews photo
Committee Member
Councillor Lisa Matthews

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Ian Jeffrey photo
Chairman
Councillor Ian Jeffrey

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Alison Johnston photo
Committee Member
Climate Emergency and Countryside Portfolio Holder
Councillor Alison Johnston

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Jim Neal JP photo
Committee Member
Councillor Jim Neal JP

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Kirsty North photo
Committee Member
Housing and Enivronmental Health Portfolio Holder
Councillor Kirsty North

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Philip North photo
Committee Member
Leader and Strategic Regeneration and Partnerships Portfolio Holder
Councillor Philip North

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor John Parker photo
Committee Member
Councillor John Parker

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Nick Adams-King photo
Committee Member
Councillor Nick Adams-King

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Iris Anita Andersen photo
Committee Member
Councillor Iris Anita Andersen

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Carl Borg-Neal photo
Committee Member
Councillor Carl Borg-Neal

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Katie Brooks photo
Committee Member
Councillor Katie Brooks

Conservative

Apologies

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Councillor Philip Lashbrook photo
Committee Member
Councillor Philip Lashbrook

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Janet Burnage photo
Committee Member
Councillor Janet Burnage

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Debbie Cattell photo
Committee Member
Councillor Debbie Cattell

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Geoff Cooper photo
Committee Member
Councillor Geoff Cooper

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Mark Cooper photo
Committee Member
Councillor Mark Cooper

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Nik Daas photo
Committee Member
Councillor Nik Daas

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Chris Donnelly photo
Committee Member
Councillor Chris Donnelly

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Alan Dowden photo
Committee Member
Councillor Alan Dowden

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Celia Dowden photo
Committee Member
Councillor Celia Dowden

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor David Drew photo
Committee Member
Recycling and Environmental Services Portfolio Holder
Councillor David Drew

Conservative

Apologies

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Councillor Karen Dunleavey photo
Committee Member
Councillor Karen Dunleavey

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Maureen Flood photo
Committee Member
Deputy Leader and Finance and Resources Portfolio Holder
Councillor Maureen Flood

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Amanda Ford photo
Committee Member
Councillor Amanda Ford

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Sandra Gidley photo
Committee Member
Councillor Sandra Gidley

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Alexander Gillies photo
Committee Member
Councillor Alexander Gillies

Conservative

Apologies

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Councillor Luigi Gregori photo
Committee Member
Councillor Luigi Gregori

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Neil Gwynne photo
Committee Member
Councillor Neil Gwynne

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Susanne Hasselmann photo
Committee Member
Councillor Susanne Hasselmann

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Robin Hughes photo
Committee Member
Councillor Robin Hughes

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Jason Sangster photo
Committee Member
Councillor Jason Sangster

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Terese Swain photo
Committee Member
Community, Leisure and Tourism (including Diversity and Inclusion) Portfolio Holder
Councillor Terese Swain

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Committee Member
Councillor Dr Alan Warnes

Present, as expected

Councillor Sally Yalden photo
Committee Member
Councillor Sally Yalden

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Zilliah Brooks photo
Committee Member
Councillor Zilliah Brooks

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Jan Budzynski photo
Committee Member
Councillor Jan Budzynski

Conservative

Apologies

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Councillor Philip Bundy photo
Committee Member
Planning Portfolio Holder
Councillor Philip Bundy

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Gordon Bailey MBE photo
Committee Member
Councillor Gordon Bailey MBE

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Agenda
1 Prayers
Minutes Prayers were led by the Reverend Wharton.
2 Apologies
Minutes Apologies for absence were received from Councillors K Brooks, J Budzynski, D Drew, A Gillies, R Kohli, and N Lodge.

Councillor C Borg-Neal arrived at 5:34pm, he did not participate in decision making until agenda item 6 – Empty Dwellings Council Tax Premiums.
3 Public Participation
Minutes No members of the public had registered to speak.
4 Declarations of Interest
Minutes Councillor P Bundy declared an interest in agenda item 6 – Empty Dwelling Council Tax Premiums and left the room during consideration of the item.
5 Hampshire and the Solent Local Government Reorganisation - Interim Plan
To agree the submission of an interim plan for the Local Government Reorganisation.
Minutes Consideration was given to a report of the Leader which set out details of a joint submission, to be made by the local authorities in the Hampshire and Solent area to the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution in relation to proposals for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in the area.

The submission fulfilled the Government’s request for an interim plan for LGR to submitted to the Minister by 21 March 2025.

Councillor P North proposed and Councillor Flood seconded the recommendation.

Recommended to Cabinet:

That the submission to Government of the interim Local Government Reorganisation proposal for Hampshire and the Solent, as attached as Annex 2 to the report, be approved.
6 Empty Dwellings Council Tax Premiums
To consider changes to the Council’s policy of charging Council Tax premiums on unoccupied dwellings.
Attachments:
Minutes Consideration was given to a report of the Finance and Resources Portfolio Holder which recommended that a new policy which would reduce the timescales for charging the 100% premium for unoccupied and unfurnished dwellings from two years to one year and applied a 100% premium to dwellings which were no-one’s sole or main residence and had been substantially furnished for more than one year.

The premiums would act as an incentive to bring empty properties back into use, aligning with existing Council policies for housing and homelessness. It was recommended that premiums be charged on unoccupied dwellings from 1 April 2026.

Councillor Flood proposed, and Councillor P North seconded the recommendation.

Resolved:

That the Empty Dwellings Council Tax Premiums policy, as shown in the Annex to the report, be approved.
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23rd Apr 2025

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19th Mar 2025

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27th Feb 2025

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11th Dec 2024

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16th Oct 2024

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24th Jul 2024

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22nd May 2024

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Future Meetings
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18th Jun 2025

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23rd Jul 2025

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24th Sep 2025

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15th Oct 2025

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3rd Dec 2025

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28th Jan 2026

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26th Feb 2026

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22nd Apr 2026

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