Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor I J Bastable.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 13 February 2025.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2025 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

In opening the meeting the Executive Leader welcomed the members of the Corporate Peer Challenge Team who were in attendance to observe proceedings.

The Executive Leader made the following announcements:

Winter Fuel Allowance

Following the decision by the Government to axe the Winter Fuel Allowance, the Council introduced a hardship support funding scheme to residents of Fareham. The Scheme closed on the 28 February 2025. We Received a total of 128 applications of which 20 were not paid. A total of £17,412.62 was released in funding. Of the 20 applications not paid, these were either duplicate applications, those not in receipt of Housing Benefit/Council Tax Support, or in receipt of Pension Credit.

I would like to thank the Revenue and Benefits Manager and his team in dealing with this scheme.

Fareham Live

Fareham Live has welcomed over 100,000 audience members since opening its doors last September. Fareham Live’s season of shows kicked off in style as the venue opened to a sold-out grand opening performance of The Prat Pack, (starring comedy legends Bradley Walsh, Brian Conley, Shane Richie and Joe Pasquale). This paved the way for a whole host of big-name stars and a wide variety of shows.

Since the opening, Fareham Live has hosted many more sold-out performances including those of top comedians Jimmy Carr and Al Murray, cruising legend Jane McDonald and local comedy club Stitches. With more sold out shows to come in the months ahead, (including comedian Josh Widdicombe, paranormal show Uncanny: Fear of the Dark and adventurer Ben Fogle), it’s clear that there’s no stopping Fareham Live. The amount of ticket sales and sold-out performances solidifies the venue’s status as a premier destination for live entertainment.

I am delighted that Fareham Live is doing so phenomenally well. The opening of this venue is just the first stage of our ambitious plans to regenerate our town centre, but these sales figures just go to show how popular Fareham Live is and how it is bringing people back into the heart of Fareham.  I'd like to personally thank everyone involved, from the Council staff for their hard work in getting the venue off the ground, to Cllr Connie Hockley in her role as Executive Member for Leisure and Community. I would also like to thank our operators, Trafalgar Theatres, for making the opening six months such a success, as well as everyone who has come to visit.

Holly Hill Woodland Park

We have just received the news that the Holly Hill Rediscoveredproject, which we added to our capital programme last year setting aside a contribution of £1.056M to support the £2.046M restoration works, has been awarded a £111,000 Development Grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) to implement the initial development phase of the project. Delivering these improvements is a key project in the Corporate Strategy. This is really good news as it means that the NLHF believes the project has strong potential to be awarded a grant for the project’s Delivery Phase, although there is no guarantee and our Delivery Phase application will still be in competition for funding in a year or so.

The project will enable the following: 

• Restoration of the lakes system with desilting, future silt management and creation of settlement ponds, and reinstatement of the Sunken Garden 
• Repair of lakes edges and the Pulhamite structures 
• Repair and upgrading of the paths network in the designed landscape  
• Woodland Managements plans 
• Development of plans for biodiversity monitoring, and enhancement of the site's ecology, habitat variety and resilience, in partnership with Hampshire ecology and other local partners  
• Development of an activity plan that considers the full heritage of the Parkland, and looks holistically at well-being, learning, volunteering and apprenticeships opportunities. 
• Development of inclusive visitor offer, which considers access for disabled people, and the needs of new Fareham communities 
• Development of interpretation appropriate for a range of audiences and exploring the full heritage of the Parkland.

A tender process is now underway to appoint the landscape architect and project consultancy team to work up the engineering and landscaping work to improve the functionality, sustainability and aesthetic appearance of the lakes and ponds within Holly Hill Woodland Park.  Public consultation will be undertaken as the project develops.

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.

There were no petitions submitted at this meeting.

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

Deputations were received from Hampshire County Council and from Pamela Charlwood, the Chair of the Hill Head Resident’s Association, in respect of item 9(2) – Asset of Community Value Nomination for the Stubbington Study Centre. 

To receive any references from the committees or panels held.

The following reference was received from other committees:

Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel – 4 March 2025

Minute 6 – Local Development Scheme

The Panel received a report presented by the Team Leader (Planning Strategy) on the Council’s draft Local Development Scheme. The Scheme is to be considered by the Executive on the 11 March and Members of the Panel were asked to pass any comments for consideration.

It was noted that at Figure 1 on page 15 of the agenda pack, a correction to the table was needed to show that the proposed mandatory consultation to take place at Gateway 1 should be for a period of 6 weeks and not 8 weeks as stated and that the proposed mandatory consultation to take place at Gateway 2 should be for a period of 8 weeks rather than 6.

Concern was raised that provision has not been made in the timetable to allow for slippage in deadlines, particularly since there is still a significant amount of information to be brought forward by the government on several elements of the process. Members were concerned that delays in information being provided by the government could result in the Council not having an updated, adopted Local Plan in place at the end of the timeline period. This could result in the Plan not holding as much weight as an up-to-date Local Plan when determining planning applications.

The Panel agreed that the Executive be asked to note the following points when considering this item at its meeting on 11 March 2025:

i)    the corrections to Figure 1 on page 15 of the agenda pack in respect of the mandatory consultation periods for Gateways 1 and 2; and

ii)    the Panel’s concerns regarding notable third-party risks to the Council’s ability to deliver the updated Local Plan Review within the proposed Local Development Scheme timeline

RESOLVED that the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel:

(a)  notes the contents of the Executive report and draft Local Development Scheme at Appendix One to the report; and

(b)  asks that the Executive consider the Panel’s comments on the Local Development Scheme, as detailed above, at its meeting on 11 March 2025.

This was discussed at item 9(1) on the agenda.

A report by the Director of Housing.

In presenting this item the Executive Member for Housing confirmed that, since this report was published, the full bid amount for £1.4 million has been agreed in full which is welcome news.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)  to enter into a contract for the works which facilitate the use of the Warm Homes funding, delegated to the Director of Housing following consultation with the Executive Member for Housing; and

(b)  the funding mechanisms to meet the Council’s contribution toward the costs of the works.

A report by the Director of Housing.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  approves the purchase of four homes, to include three for temporary accommodation, and one for use for the Afghan resettlement scheme, using the Local Authority Housing Fund, and match funded by the Council with Section 106 monies; and

(b)  agrees that authority to approve property purchases is delegated to the Director of Housing, following consultation with the Executive Member for Housing.

A report by the Director of Planning and Regeneration.

The comments of the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel were taken into account in considering this item.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)    approves the Fareham Borough Local Development Scheme (2025) as set out in Appendix A to the report;

(b)    authorises the Director of Planning and Regeneration, following consultation with the Executive Member for Planning and Development, to make any necessary minor changes to the Local Development Scheme, providing that these do not change the overall direction, shape or emphasis of the document; and

(c)    resolves that the Fareham Borough Local Development Scheme (March 2025), subject to any changes arising from (b) above, shall have effect from 1 April 2025

A report by the Director of Planning and Regeneration.

A letter of deputation was received in respect of this item from Hampshire County Council.

A deputation was also received from Pamela Charlwood, Chair of the Hill Head Residents Association.

At the invitation of the Executive Leader, Councillor D Hamilton addressed the Executive on this item.

RESOLVED that the Executive approves the registration of Stubbington Study Centre as an Asset of Community Value.

A report by the Assistant Director (Democracy).

RESOLVED that the Executive approves the Communications and Engagement Strategy, as provided in Appendix A to the report.

A report by the Assistant Director (Democracy).

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees that:

(a)  no more than one candidate is selected from the nominations, as attached at the confidential Appendix A to the report, to be formally recognised as Citizen of Honour 2025;

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

(c)  subject to (a) and (b) above, that candidate 1 be selected to receive the annual Citizen of Honour and that candidate 1 be selected to receive the Young Citizen of Honour Awards for 2025.