Agenda item

An opportunity for the Portfolio Holder’s to provide an update to the Panel on developments within their portfolio.

The Panel received updates from the Portfolio holders.

Cllr Tipp, Portfolio Holder, Planning and Economy

Local Plan

The revised timetable proposed a further consultation on a draft local plan, known as a Regulation 18 plan in later in the year, focusing on spatial growth options (general indications of where development might take place) and emerging policy directions.

This will be followed by a full draft Local Plan (known as a Regulation 19 plan) consultation in Autumn 2026 (containing specific sites for development), with submission to the Secretary of State planned by the end of 2026.  Officers were currently in the process of gathering all the necessary information to support the work.

There will also be reviews of Conservation Area Appraisals, starting with Eling and Breamore, to ensure alignment with current planning policy and heritage guidance. These reviews were expected to take approximately eight months each and would be undertaken by the Council’s conservation team.

This revised approach ensured the Council remained compliant with statutory duties, responsive to community priorities, and the work programme will continue to be kept under review as work progresses on Local Government Reorganisation.

We are currently working with our current Local Plan in place which only has an 18 month land supply instead of the five years required and so we are vulnerable to speculative development applications which planning inspectors would be more likely to allow, contrary to the wishes of the Council or local people.  A new Local Plan would deal with these issues, once adopted.

Economic Development

Skills Action Plan 2025 - 2030.

A new Strategic Group was in place, with its first working group focusing on young people.  It held its first meeting last week. Nearly £200,000 of UK Shared Prosperity Funding was backing new programmes — from start-up support and apprenticeships to digital skills and reaching out to young people who are not in education, employment or training.

The Council had also partnered with Maritime Solent to boost local careers in the marine sector - the first local authority to do so.  By working with Maritime Solent (a hub organisation which connects the many different parts of the marine industry), the Council is ensuring that local training and apprenticeship programmes are aligned with real industry needs—helping businesses access a skilled workforce and helping residents into quality jobs and driving economic growth across the District.

To champion small business, we’re sponsoring the Best Micro Business Award at the New Forest Business Partnership Brilliance in Business Awards — entries close 30 September. 

This September, New Forest residents and businesses can access Skills Bootcamps— short, flexible courses offering job-ready skills in high-demand sectors.  Open to anyone aged 19 and over in Hampshire, these bootcamps are ideal for career changers, business owners, and teams looking to upskill.  They are supported by the Department for Education, Hampshire County Council, Fareport Training, and GetSet for Growth.

Lastly our relaunched business e-newsletter now reached over 3,000 subscribers, sharing opportunities and updates across the New Forest.

In response to a question relating to the number of sites across the Forest where planning permission had been obtained to build houses but no action had been taken, the Portfolio holder explained that this information was in a report to Cabinet and he would make this information available to the member.

In answer to a question, Officers reported that the future direction of the Fawley power station site was still being actively looked at, there were issues with viability and the Council was working with the promoters of the site in the context of the new local plan, and members would be kept informed of progress as appropriate.

Cllr Blunden, Portfolio Holder, Environment and Sustainability

Waste service

The update earlier in the meeting had given a good picture of the progress on roll out of the new service.  The team have also been analysing waste tonnages from the first quarter from April to June 2026.  The new service only started at the end of the quarter but the improvement was already evident and the recycling rate in quarter one had just broken the 40% mark.

Public conveniences,

The Council would be investing in its valued public conveniences, there were 23 across the District and the Council was recruiting additional cleaning teams to maintain high standards across all facilities including new changing places facilities that had been rolled out at key locations.  It was anticipated that the new team would be in place by the end of this year. Public conveniences improvements would be looked at as part of the Council’s asset review and replacements considered.

It was requested that the Eling toilets near the cemetery needed attention, and the portfolio holder would follow this up. A similar point was raised regarding the facilities at Calshot. 

Coastal

The Coastal team were continuing to progress planned works at Hurst Spit.  Financial approval for the Government funding that this Council has secured is expected from the Environmental Agency in the coming weeks and in conjunction with this the team had tendered for the works to appoint a suitable contractor.  Tenders had been received and were being evaluated, works were due to start in mid-October.

The Portfolio Holder confirmed that officers were investigating environmentally friendly cleaning products for use at public conveniences, while ensuring they were effective.