Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor S D Martin, Executive Member for Planning and Development.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 05 February 2024.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 05 February 2024 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

There were no Executive Leader announcements.

To receive any declarations of interest from members in accordance with Standing Orders and the Council’s Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of Interest made at this meeting.

The Assistant Director (Democracy) confirmed that an online petition has been submitted on the Council’s website in respect of the closure of the Ashcroft Centre. The petition asks that the Council step in and work with Hampshire County Council, Hampshire Cultural Trust, the Ashcroft Arts Centre and residents in finding a solution to keep the Ashcroft Arts Centre open.

The petition closed on 2 March with 303 signatures.

It was confirmed that Trafalgar Entertainment, has begun dialogue with the Ashcroft Arts Centre to ensure that community groups and organisations, who wish to move across to Fareham Live, can be accommodated when the Ashcroft Centre closes later this year. These discussions are taking place as the intention for Fareham Live has always been to provide a community hub with a well-balanced programme of events.

Hampshire County Council’s consultation on the provision of future services is currently running and closes on 31 March. The results of this petition will be made known to the Culture, Communities and Strategic Programmes Lead Officer at the County as part of that consultation.

The Executive Member for Leisure & Community will write to the lead petitioner to confirm that action and to explain the situation with regard to Fareham Live and the Ashcroft Arts Centre closure.

To receive any deputations, of which notice has been lodged.

A deputation was received in respect of item 10(2) on the agenda from Claire Powell, local business owner and lead petitioner of the petition requesting that parking at Middle Road car park, Park Gate be extended to 3 Hours.

To receive any references from the committees or panels held.

Health & Public Protection Scrutiny Panel - 24 January 2024

Minute 7 – Petition - Middle Road car park, Park Gate

The Panel considered a report by the Head of Environmental Health in respect of a petition received requesting that the 2-hour maximum stay at Middle Road car park, Park Gate be extended.

A deputation was received in respect of this item from the Lead Petitioner, Claire Powell.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor I J Bastable, ward member for Parkgate, addressed the Panel on this item.

In considering this item the Panel felt that too big an increase in the length of the maximum stay in the car park would encourage parking by people working in the District Centre and people parking and travelling on elsewhere to work.  This would create over demand for parking spaces and have an impact on businesses that rely on a quick customer turnaround such as the convenience stores, bakery and card shop.

The Panel recognised however that some of the businesses in the District Centre such as the hairdressers, the estate agent and the funeral parlour deliver services that create a genuine need for their customers to park for longer than 2 hours. Members therefore felt that the increase in maximum stay to 3 hours would strike a balance between the different needs of the businesses and would not be long enough to create over occupancy in the car park.

RESOLVED that the Health and Public Protection Scrutiny Panel recommends to the Executive that the maximum stay in Middle Road car park be increased from 2 hours to 3 hours.

This was discussed at item 10(2) on the agenda.

Minute 9 – Air Quality Update

The Panel received a report by the Head of Environmental Health which provided members with an air quality update and a review of Gosport Road and Portland Street Air Quality Management.

The Panel discussed how, with the Air Quality Management areas being revoked, the Council will be aware if air quality objectives for different pollutants are unlikely to be achieved.  Members were advised that there will still be monitoring tubes around the Borough which will measure levels of pollutants. Members of the public with concerns about excessive levels in a particular area can also request that monitoring take place.  Going forward, the Council will also be required to implement an Air Quality Strategy next year which will cover in detail how the Council will manage Air Quality across the Borough.

RESOLVED that the Health and Public Protection Scrutiny Panel recommends to the Executive that the two AQMA’s be revoked by approving the Order as Scheduled at Appendix A to the draft report to be considered by the Executive at the meeting scheduled to take place on 04 March 2024.

This was discussed at item 10(1) on the agenda.

Daedalus Scrutiny Panel - 21 February 2024

Minute 6 - Daedalus Vision and Outline Strategy – 2024 Update: Progress and Next Steps

The Panel considered a report by the Director of Planning and Regeneration on the Daedalus Vision and Outline Strategy, which provided an update on progress made to date, and the next steps for the strategy.

Members all agreed that the Daedalus 2024 Update was a fantastic ‘brochure’ document which highlighted the positive progress that has been made at Daedalus to date. They were keen for Officers to ensure that this is well publicised as they felt that there is a lack of public knowledge of all of the facilities that are available on the site.

The Chairman addressed the Panel and suggested that a recommendation is made to the Executive that reference is made in the Next Steps section of the Daedalus 2024 Update which highlights the key continued role of the general aviation sector at Solent Airport, alongside work to attract other aviation sectors. In particular the published Government policy on Flightpath to the Future; a Strategic Framework for the Aviation Sector was seen as highly relevant to Solent Airport as the policy focuses on how local government and industry can work together to deliver a successful aviation for the future.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor S D T Woodward, Executive Member for Policy and Resources, addressed the Panel on this item. He informed members that the Council is a member of the Strategic Aviation Special Interest Group which is made up of local authorities and is a forum for them to discuss strategic aviation policies and major issues.

Councillor Needham enquired as to whether there are any opportunities for commercial flights at Daedalus in the future. Councillor Woodward addressed the Panel to confirm that this could be possible in the future, firstly however they need to install both the Aeronautical Ground Lighting and the Performance Based Navigation system, which will allow pilots to be able to see where to land their aircrafts and will provide certainty that they will always be able to land despite poor weather conditions.

RESOLVED that: -

(i)            The Panel recommends that the Executive add an additional reference in the Next Steps section of the Daedalus 2024 Update which highlights the key continued role of the general aviation sector at Solent Airport.; and

(ii)          Recommends that the Executive endorse the recommendations set out in its report at its meeting on 4 March 2024.

This was discussed at item 11(1) on the agenda.

A report by the Assistant Director (Democracy).

RESOLVED that the Executive considered the proposal and agrees:

(a)   subject to any representations received following statutory advertisement and subject to planning approval and any necessary assessments, to agree in principle to the disposal of 1500 sqm of public open space for a 4-court padel tennis centre at Park Lane Recreation Ground as shown on the map marked Appendix A and to agree to the financial terms as set out in the confidential Appendix B to the report;

(b)   to authorise the Head of Asset Management to advertise the proposed disposal of above public open space for two consecutive weeks in a local newspaper circulating in the locality in accordance with the requirements of s123 Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) and to approve the disposal, subject to no representations being received.  If representations are received, to note that a further report will be presented to the Executive for determination and for a final decision to be made as to the disposal;

(c)    subject to the above, to delegate authority to the assistant Director (Democracy), following consultation with the Executive Member for Leisure and Community, to agree the terms of the disposal as set out in the report including the Heads of Terms and to enter in to contractual and all necessary arrangements to give effect to the proposals in the report if there are no representations from the disposal of the open space; and

(d)   in the event of there being representations, to note that a further report will be presented to the Executive. 

A report by the Director of Neighbourhoods.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)   confirms this Council’s commitment to implementing the proposed Environment Act 2021 Recycling Regulations to deliver significant improvements to our waste and recycling services and reduce our impact on the environment as cost effectively as possible;

(b)   agrees that £970,000 be added to the Capital Programme for the introduction of a food waste collection service across the Borough;

(c)    subject to the outcome of the current analysis of the optimal collection approach to dry mixed recyclables, agrees to assert that this Council’s preferred option is a co-mingled recycling collection service collecting a wider range of materials and that Hampshire County Council be advised accordingly; and

(d)   agrees that future detailed reports on additional recycling collection services, trade waste services and the introduction of a food waste collection service be brought forward once the Regulations are published.

A report by the Director of Neighbourhoods.

The comments of the Health and Public Protection Scrutiny Panel were taken into account in considering this item.

RESOLVED that the Executive approves the Revocation of the two Air Quality Management Areas as detailed in the report.

A report by the Director of Neighbourhoods.

A deputation was received in respect of this item from Claire Powell, local business owner and lead petitioner of the petition requesting that parking at Middle Road car park, Park Gate be extended to 3 Hours.

The comments of the Health and Public Protection Scrutiny Panel were taken into account in considering this item.  In doing so, the Executive expressed concern about making further changes to the parking restrictions, given the history of amendments made, as set out from paragraph 7 of the report, which were made in response to requests from the local traders.

In presenting the item, the Executive Member for Health & Public Protection proposed a compromise of introducing a new Traffic Regulation Order of a two hour time limit (with no return) between the hours of 8am and 6pm. This would, in effect, provide unrestricted parking from 4pm until 8am.

In considering the amendment, the Executive concluded that it would not agree with the recommendation of the Scrutiny Panel on this occasion due to new information coming forward regarding the parking habits of current customers using the car park.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)   to maintain the current two hour maximum stay period at Middle  Road Car Park, Park Gate, having considered  the petition and the recommendation from the Health and Public Protection Scrutiny Panel on 24 January 2024; and

(b)    to authorise the Executive Member for Health and Public Protection to approve the statutory representation process and subsequent decision on an amendment to the Traffic Regulation Order of a two hour time limit (with no return within 4 hours) between the hours of 8am and 6pm.

A report by the Director of Planning and Regeneration.

The comments of the Daedalus Scrutiny Panel were taken into account in considering this item.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)   considered the progress made in delivering the adopted Vision and Outline Strategy for Daedalus;

(b)   agrees the next steps identified in the 2024 Update; and

(c)    requests Officers to undertake a range of actions to publicise the Council’s continued delivery progress and next steps.

A report by the Assistant Director (Democracy).

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees that:

(a)   no more than two candidates are selected, from the nominations attached at Appendix A to the report, to be formally recognised as Citizens of Honour 2024;

(b)   no more than one candidate is selected from the nominations as attached at Appendix B to the report, to be formally recognised as a Young Citizen of Honour (under 18) 2024; and

(c)    candidates 1 and 5 be selected to receive the annual Citizen of Honour and candidate 3 be selected to receive the Young Citizen of Honour (under 18) Awards 2024.