Hart District Council is scheduled to discuss the final recommendations of a community governance review, and a proposal for local government reorganisation in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. They will also consider approving Councillor Gerry Crisp's continued absence from meetings, and receiving feedback from members representing the council on outside bodies. Additionally, Mustard Seed Autism is scheduled to give a presentation.

Local Government Reorganisation

The council is being asked to endorse a recommendation from the cabinet regarding local government reorganisation (LGR) in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The key document for consideration is titled 'Close Enough to be Local, Big Enough to Stay Strong'.

The recommendation includes a few key points:

• A five-unitary council structure, with four new mainland unitary councils plus the Isle of Wight, is considered the best option.
• A unitary council comprising Basingstoke & Deane, Hart, and Rushmoor is seen as the best option for Hart.
• The council is asked to endorse Option 1A, an adaptation of Option 1 within the Close Enough to be Local, Big Enough to Stay Strong framework, and to urge the Secretary of State to modify the original Option 1 proposal to incorporate Option 1A.
• The Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, is authorised to approve minor editorial changes to the proposal, if all 11 other councils agree to them.

The report pack includes an addendum that reflects changes considered and agreed at a cabinet meeting on 16 September 2025. This addendum clarifies that the government will accept proposals that include council boundary changes as part of LGR submissions, with final decisions resting with the Secretary of State, who may seek advice from the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) under the Local Government & Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

To justify boundary changes, councils should provide:

• Community identity evidence (consultation results, local ties)
• Service delivery benefits (efficiency, resilience)
• Governance improvements (clear accountability)
• Impact analysis (costs, risks, and transition planning)

The preferred option for submission to the Secretary of State is Option 1A, which contains some proposed boundary changes to council areas in the south of Hampshire. This option is considered to create stronger, more balanced unitary authorities that are better set up to drive economic growth across the region than other options.

Option 1A would see the creation of a new unitary in the south west of the region formed by the existing boundaries of Southampton City Council and Eastleigh Borough Council joined with the parishes of Valley Park, Chilworth, Nursling and Rownhams, Totton and Eling, Marchwood Hythe and Dibden and Fawley. The south east of the region would develop a new unitary that comprised the existing boundaries of Fareham, Gosport, Portsmouth, Havant, and the adjoining parishes of Newlands, Horndean, Clanfield and Rowlands Castle.

The report pack notes that Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the proposal at a meeting on 9 September, and that members discussed:

• The three main unitary options, focusing on boundary changes and the New Forest area's position.
• The financial implications including concerns about council tax harmonisation, the exclusion of inflation from calculations and the overall lack of detailed financial impact calculations.
• Changes to local representation with fewer councillors could lead to less local representation, with a potential shift to more full-time roles.
• The report contained minimal references to the Armed Forces Covenant and did not reflect Hart's protected landscapes and environment.
• The approval process, noting a single unified submission is required, Cabinet will submit a motion to Council and there is potential for a side letter to be submitted to address local concerns.
• The proposed financial savings and that they are based on assumptions about organisational right-sizing and service contract consolidation.

The Chief Executive agreed to ask KPMG for more background behind the financial saving assumptions, and the Leader of the Council committed to reviewing external comments and enhancing references to the Military Covenant and Hart's Countryside.

Community Governance Review

The council is scheduled to receive the findings of a recently completed Community Governance Review and consider the recommended changes. The purpose of the review was to consider what, if any, changes are needed to current arrangements. A consultation took place from March 2025 to August 2025, including two consultations and two workshops with the group HDAPTC (Hart District Association of Parish/Town Councils).

The council is being asked to resolve to:

• Agree to increase the number of councillors in Elvetham Heath Parish from 7 to 9.
• Agree to change the name of Long Sutton Parish to Long Sutton & Well.
• Agree to increase the number of councillors in Odiham Parish from 10 to 11.
• Agree to increase the number of councillors in Winchfield Parish from 5 to 7.
• Agree to creating two wards within the Parish of Hook using the existing polling district boundaries.

The report pack notes that with the exception of Hook all changes are operational, and that Hook Parish currently has over 7,000 electors. The district ward is split into two polling districts called Hook East and Hook West, and names for the parish wards are to be decided.

The change in the name of Long Sutton to Long Sutton & Well and increase of councillors in Winchfield were late submissions from the relevant parishes so have not been consulted on.

Approval of Absence from Council Meetings

The council is being asked to approve Councillor Gerry Crisp's continued absence from meetings due to ill-health, beyond the six-month limit set by Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972, extending the exemption until 31 January 2026. Councillor Gerry Crisp last attended a meeting on 24 April 2025.

Outside Bodies - Feedback from Members

The council is scheduled to receive feedback from members who are representatives of the council on an Outside Body. The report pack includes a list of Hart Representatives on Outside Bodies 2025/26. Some of the outside bodies listed are:

• Blackbushe Airport Consultative Committee
• Blackwater Valley Advisory Committee for Public Transport
• Blackwater Valley Recreation & Countryside Management Committee
• Bourley Conservation Group
• Citizens Advice Hart
• Crookham Almshouse Charity (Trustee)
• Farnborough Aerodrome Consultative Committee (FACC)
• Fleet Business Improvement District
• Fleet Pond Society
• Hampshire Police and Crime Panel
• Hart Voluntary Action
• LGA General Assembly (Annual Event)
• Local Government Association - HIOW
• District Councils Network
• Military Community Covenant
• North Hampshire Road Safety Council
• Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL)
• Project Integra Strategy Board
• Safer North Hampshire Community Safety Partnership
• South East England Councils (SEEC)
• Thames Basin Heaths – Joint Strategic Partnership
• Thames Basin Heaths Strategic Access Mgmt and Monitoring Project Board
• Vivid Housing Association

Presentation by Mustard Seed Autism

At the request of the Chairman, a presentation from Mustard Seed Autism is scheduled to take place.