Agenda and draft minutes

At the request of the Chairman a presentation from Citizens Advice Hart.

Members received a presentation from Samantha Mabbatt, CEO of Citizens Advice Hart, on how the organisation has used the UKSPF funding they received.  Their bid for £37,000 had been used for a number of areas including outreach in community hubs, advice first aid training and communications.

Members heard:

·       The number of clients and locations assisted

·       The demographic of clients

·       The Advice First Aid Course

·       Communications improvements

Members asked questions of Ms Mabbatt on areas including:

·       How to engage residents who were not able to/could not use a computer

·       Whether Members could assist the organisation in arranging to meet more residents in their Wards

The Chairman declared a non pecuniary, non prejudicial interest in this item as Citizens Advice Hart was one of his Charities for the year.

(Cllr Harward arrived at 7:02 during this item)

To confirm the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 26 September 2024.

The Minutes of the meeting of 26 September 2024 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Proposed by:  Cllr Worlock;  Seconded by: Cllr Jones;  Unanimously agreed.

To receive any apologies for absence from Members*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they will be absent.

Apologies were received from Councillors Bailey, Coburn, Delaney, Hale, Southern, Taylor and Thomas.

To declare disclosable pecuniary, and any other interests*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they may have an interest to declare.

No declarations were made.

To receive any questions from members of the public submitted pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 12.

Note:  The text of any question under Council Procedure Rule 12 must be given to the Chief Executive (email committeeservices@hart.gov.uk) no later than Noon on Friday,22 November 2024.

No questions had been received.

To receive any questions from Members submitted pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 14.

Note: The text of any question under the Council Procedure Rule 14.3 must be given to the Chief Executive (email committeeservices@hart.gov.uk) not later than 5.00pm on Monday 25 November 2024.

The text of any question under Council Procedure Rule 14.4 must be submitted to the Chief Executive before 10.00am on Monday 25 November 2024.

No questions had been received.

The Chairman announced that he had undertaken a range of engagements:

5 October                Mayor of Basingstoke Variety Show 

9 October                Forget Me Not Charity at Basingstoke & North Hants Hospital for Baby Loss Awareness Week 

10 October              Citizens Advice Hart - "A Way Forward" 

11 October              Meeting with Simon Gornall, Chairman, Fleet,                                           Crookham & District Branch of The Royal British Legion 

13 October              Mayor of Winchester's Law Sunday Service 

18 October              Stop Domestic Abuse event in Hedge End 

18 October               Hart Youth Achievement Awards (Fleet Phoenix) 

23 October              Farnborough College of Technology Graduation                                   Ceremony at Guildford Cathedral 

27 October              Mayor of Eastleigh's Festival of Remembrance 

8 November            Mayor of Rushmoor's Fashion Show 

9 November            Mayor of Eastleigh's Charity Concert 

10 November           Hook Remembrance Sunday morning service

10 November           Church Crookham Remembrance Sunday morning                                       service (Cllr Clarke attended on behalf of the Chair)

10 November           Fleet Remembrance Sunday Service and Parade 

11 November           Fleet Armistice Day Two Minutes Silence Service 

26 November           Opening of Yateley Police Station 

• The Leader of the Council, and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Direction, and Partnerships, Councillor Neighbour said that he would not be making any announcement about local authority reorganisation.  There was a white paper on combined authorities due by end of month (Saturday).

Hart had received its fifth green flag for Hartland Park.  We have not had 5 green flags before, the most we have had is 4.

• The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Radley :  had nothing to report in advance of the budget meetings in the New Year

• The Portfolio Holder for Community Services, Councillor Bailey :  In Cllr Bailey’s absence, Cllr Neighbour reported that the Community Partnerships and Projects Team have selected the successful Winter Cost of Living projects and payments have been processed. A full list of these can be found on the Council's website and the press release from last week. The team are now shortlisting the applications for the Armed Forces Community Support Fund, and we will be able to announce successful bidders in coming weeks. 

The night of Wednesday 13th November was our Annual Rough Sleeper count, the figure that will be reported to central Government is that we had 1 rough sleeper out on that night. This is a decrease on last year where we reported 4, This is just a snapshot, but it does reflect the work of the team in bringing into accommodation our vulnerable residents, where ever it is possible to do so.  

Last week we held our annual Landlords Forum, which was incredibly well attended by 40 landlords. We use these networking events to provide free training to landlords, and also as an opportunity to further develop our relationships with them. They are a key piece in the jigsaw of helping to prevent homelessness. So far this year we have signed up 45 households into the private sector. We thank those landlords for working with us, and we thank the team for putting on events like these to nurture those relationships. 

• The Portfolio Holder for Digital and Communications, Councillor Clarke  announced that as Members probably already knew, Hart was to have an LGA Corporate Peer Review coming up next spring.  Prior to that, we arranged a one day LGA Communications Health Check which took place here earlier this month.

It was a snapshot improvement-orientated review to externally assess and validate, to make helpful suggestions and to highlight potential opportunities.

Initial feedback is good and useful.  Our team is highly regarded and communications are considered effective and improving.  And there are various helpful suggestions that we agree and are looking to implement.

Meanwhile, something that we can all help with, to help better inform and engage our residents, is to encourage sign-up to the email newsletter via the website.

We now have nearly 3,000 subscribers and growing, but there is obviously much more potential.

I would also remind all members to get in touch with our Communications team in good time if there are local items that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

The Chief Executive reported that staff pay rises had now been agreed and had been implemented in November pay, with Member allowances being updated with the December payroll run.

The Minutes of the following Committees, which met on the dates shown, are submitted.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.1, Members are allowed to put questions at Council without Notice in respect of any matters in the Minutes to the Leader of the Council or any Chairman of the relevant meeting at the time those Minutes are received by Council.

The Minutes of the following Committees, which met on the dates shown, were received by Council.

Purpose of Report

Cabinet has agreed to extend and vary the joint waste collection contract with Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council (BDBC) and Serco for eight years from October 2025. It also approved the deployment of mandatory weekly food waste collection service, in with the Environment Act 2021 from October 2025.    

Cabinet recommendation to Council:

Cabinet recommends to Council that it approves:

A.   a net budget increase of £0.5m in 2025/26 and a further £0.4m in 2026/27 within the Medium Term Financial Strategy to reflect the estimated additional net costs of the contract extension from October 2025.

B.   an initial capital budget of £1.59m to acquire food waste vehicles and other waste vehicles necessary to commence the contract extension period, funded from new burdens funding and other HDC funds to be determined in the budget setting process.

C.   a capital budget of £0.3m to acquire food waste containers and bins, to be funded from new burdens funding.

The Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Corporate Services introduced this paper and explained the reason why this had been brought to Council for consideration. 

Members heard:

·       DEFRA had not yet announced the level of new burdens funding that would be allocated

·       The view had been taken that the Council needed to move forward with this and that whilst there were no budgetary implications for 2024/25, the MTFS and 2025/26 budget would show associated costs

Proposed by Cllr Quarterman; Seconded by Cllr Radley

Members asked questions on areas including:

·       Whether it was proposed the vehicles would be zero emission

·       How long the vehicles would be kept for

·       What the cost of introducing food waste six months earlier than the mandatory date would be

·       The need for education on reducing food waste

·       The type of collections

·       Whether any change to the recommendations would come back to full Council for agreement

A written response would be made to the first two questions as that information was not available at the meeting.

Cllr Forster declared a non pecuniary, non prejudicial interest as a Hampshire County Councillor.

Unanimously agreed.

Decision

Council approved:  

1. a net budget increase of £0.5m in 2025/26 and a further £0.4m in 2026/27 within the Medium Term Financial Strategy to reflect the estimated additional net costs of the contract extension from October 2025. 

2. an initial capital budget of £1.59m to acquire food waste vehicles and other waste vehicles necessary to commence the contract extension period, funded from new burdens funding and other HDC funds to be determined in the budget setting process. 

C.   a capital budget of £0.3m to acquire food waste containers and bins, to be funded from new burdens funding. 

To receive any feedback from Members who are representatives of the Council on an Outside Body.

Cllr Dorn reported that the Farnborough Aerodrome Consultative Committee (FACC) had met the previous week. There had been concern raised over the planning application submitted by the airfield operators to increase the number of flights, and a report submitted by Natural England had strongly recommended that this application be refused.  An environmental impact assessment was to be undertaken in January 2025, with the application being heard at the Rushmoor Development Management Committee potentially at the end of February 2025.  

The Noise Sub Committee report would be reviewed at the next FACC meeting.  Plans were being finalised as to where the noise monitor would next be positioned.

Cllr Radley, the Council’s other representative on the FACC, agreed with all that Cllr Dorn had said but emphasised that the Natural England response to the planning application had been exceptionally strong, and they had implied that if the application was approved, that they would be willing to take it to a judicial review.  

A question on the FACC reports was put regarding sustainable aviation fuel, carbon emissions and pollution in general.