Leigh Usher

Community Fund Application - Bee-released CIC

From: Executive Portfolio for Leisure and Community - Friday, 10 July 2026 - 9.30 am - July 10, 2026

This report presents an application for funding under the Council’s Community Funding Programme. Executive summary: An application to the Community Fund has been submitted by Bee-released Counselling CIC (Community Interest Company) for £389 from the Community Fund to support the purchase of a laptop. Bee-released Counselling CIC, based at Fareham Marina, was established in 2024. Since the end of 2025, the organisation has moved to larger premises at the marina to increase its capacity to support more clients. They provide a low-cost counselling service for individuals on benefits and for those in caring roles. Volunteer counsellors deliver weekly face-to-face sessions for Fareham residents at a cost of £10 per session. In addition, they host themed coffee mornings focused on mental health and attend community events, including Fareham’s Community Showcase, to raise awareness of their services. In 2024, Bee-released Counselling CIC supported 75 Fareham residents, increasing to 82 in 2025. In 2026, demand has continued to grow, resulting in a current waiting list. The purchase of a laptop would support the organisation to improve accessibility for counselling sessions, particularly for those unable to attend in person, and will help to increase capacity in response to rising demand. Bee-released Counselling CIC is requesting £389 from the Community Fund for the purchase of the laptop. In addition, they intend to purchase a mobile phone to the value of £299 from their own reserves to support communications as their contribution towards the project. As of the close of July 2025, the CIC listed £658 in their accounts. Both Ward Councillors, Councillor Lisa Whittle and Councillor Kirsten Wiltshire, are supportive of this application.

Recommendations Approved

Community Fund Application - Talisman Bowmen

From: Executive Portfolio for Leisure and Community - Friday, 10 July 2026 - 9.30 am - July 10, 2026

This report presents an application for funding under the Council’s Community Funding Programme. An application to the Community Fund has been submitted by Talisman Bowmen for £3,222.50 from the Community Fund towards the purchase of beginner archery equipment including bows, arrow rests and guards. Talisman Bowmen is a local archery club, affiliated to Archery GB. They have been based at Hunts Pond Road Recreation Ground since 1980 with local school facilities used for winter training. They currently have 77 members, and plan to grow the club and its instructors by encouraging access for all levels of ability. The club takes part in Archery GB’s Start Archery Week to encourage new members to join, which proves very popular. The group plans to run 3 beginner courses per year. 6-8 people will be able to attend each course, with the minimum age of participant being 10yrs old. Once the course is complete, the equipment will be able to be hired to participants for £10 per month for up to 3 months to enable attendees to try before they buy their own equipment. The money raised will make the equipment sustainable allowing replacements to be bought in future as and when required. The total cost of this project is £3,580.50. Talisman Bowmen are looking for £3,222.50 from the Community Fund, with the remaining amount of £358.00 being funded from their reserves. As of August 2025, the Club had £7,273.21 in their accounts. Titchfield Common Ward Councillor, Councillor Andrew Murphy, is supportive of this application. At the time of writing, no comments have been received from Ward Councillor Jack Englefield.

Recommendations Approved

Community Fund Application - MHA Communities Hampshire South

From: Executive Portfolio for Leisure and Community - Wednesday, 18th March, 2026 3.00 pm - March 18, 2026

An application to the Community Fund has been submitted by MHA Communities Hampshire South, a registered charity supporting older people across the area, requesting £2,475.50 as a startup grant to establish a new weekly indoor kurling group for older residents in Fareham. MHA Communities Hampshire South exists to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of older people who may otherwise be isolated, lonely, or unable to participate in local community activities. They currently support over 250 older residents across South Hampshire, offering a range of regular volunteer-led activities, including exercise groups, with oversight from a small part-time staff team. The organisation has identified a growing need in Fareham for accessible exercise opportunities for older people. In response, they ran a 12week trial indoor kurling group at the United Reform Church in Fareham Town Centre. Attendance grew from 4 to 20 participants within this trial period, with demand continuing to rise. They also recruited volunteers to support the sessions. Their aim is to build on this trial and reach at least 50 additional isolated or lonely older residents in Fareham by the end of 2026. MHA Communities Hampshire South are seeking start-up funding to purchase indoor kurling equipment, cover promotional costs, and fund six months of hall hire and one staff member for 3 hours per week. They acknowledge that marketing to the older population can be challenging and plan to promote the group through referrals, word of mouth, local publications, newsletters, and social media. To ensure long-term sustainability, attendees will be asked to pay £6 per session, with income and expenditure reviewed throughout the project. The total cost of the project is £3,195. MHA Communities Hampshire South are requesting £2,475.50 from the Community Fund to support the first six months of delivery, with the remaining £719.50 to be funded from their reserves. As of 30 January, MHA Communities Hampshire South held £10,904.06 in their accounts. In the accounting year 1 January 2024 – 31 December 2024 within the Hampshire South accounts, there was an income of £155,694.83 and expenditure of £126,127.46. Money received for this project will be ringfenced for designated spending towards the establishment of the Fareham kurling group. Both Ward Councillors, Councillor L Whittle and Councillor K Wiltshire support MHA Communities Hampshire South community funding application.

Recommendations Approved

Community Fund Application - Natal Bean

From: Executive Portfolio for Leisure and Community - Wednesday, 18th March, 2026 3.00 pm - March 18, 2026

This report presents an application for funding under the Council’s Community Funding Programme.  An application to the Community Fund has been received from Natal Bean Foundation CIO requesting £2,500 towards the purchase of 12 Tripp Trapp Highchairs, which are safe, ergonomic and inclusive seating for babies and toddlers for use within their café and community spaces. Natal Bean Foundation is a Fareham-based early years family hub operating from Ashcroft Arts Centre. They support families from pregnancy through the first 1,001 critical days and beyond, delivering accessible community provision including infant weighing clinics, parent workshops, peer support groups, health education sessions and inclusive family activities. Their sessions currently welcome an average of 56 parents each Monday, support approximately 28 babies through weekly weighing clinics, and provide space for two small local businesses to deliver workshops. Across a full year, this equates to more than 2,800 parent visits and over 1,200 babies supported. Support from Community Playthings, IKEA Partnership, Howdens and Hopscotch Nurseries Ltd has already been secured for the new Ashcroft Family Wellbeing Hub project to reduce the overall setup costs. Natal Bean Foundation would like to purchase Tripp Trapp highchairs for use within their café and community spaces. As pushchairs will not be permitted inside the building due to space and safety considerations, it is critical that families have secure, developmentally appropriate seating available. This would enable accessibility, safety and equitable participation for families attending sessions at Ashcroft Family Wellbeing Hub. The total cost of this project is £2,748. Natal Bean Foundation are looking for £2,500 from the Community Fund, with the remaining amount of £248 being funded from Natal Bean Foundation reserves. As of 25 February 2026, Natal Bean Foundation held £692.56 in their accounts. In the account year 6 April 2024 – 5 April 2025, there was an income of £6,918.88 and expenditure of £7,032.90. Both Ward Councillors, Councillor L Whittle and Councillor K Wiltshire support Natal Bean’s community funding application.

Recommendations Approved

Private estate management arrangements - Response to consultation

From: Executive - Monday, 2nd March, 2026 5.00 pm - March 02, 2026

To provide the Executive with an overview of the proposals contained with the Government’s consultation on Reducing the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, and to seek approval for the submission of the consultation response attached at Appendix A to this report. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published a consultation document called “Reducing the prevalence of private estate management arrangements”. The consultation focuses on tackling the growing issue of unadopted amenities on privately managed housing estates in England, where roads, drainage systems, green spaces, and other communal infrastructure are maintained by private estate management companies rather than public authorities. The government is concerned that this trend has led to unfair charges, poor transparency and limited homeowner rights, creating significant consumer detriment. The government recognises the importance of new housing supply to meet national demand and proposes to deliver reform in parallel with wider housing ambitions, including building a record number of new homes, while making sure that public services are sustainable. The consultation sets out that the government aims to: · reduce reliance on private estate management and increase adoption of amenities by public authorities · implement common standards for adoptable amenities to improve quality and consistency · explore mandatory adoption for certain public amenities, while considering exceptions for premium or exclusive features · remove perverse incentives that make non-adoption attractive to developers · improve data transparency, homeowner protections, and dispute resolution mechanisms · consider prohibiting embedded management arrangements and promoting resident-controlled management · assess financial sustainability of estate management charges and introduce affordability safeguards · seek evidence on impacts for homeowners, developers, local authorities, and management companies. The consultation aims to better understand the root causes and incentives that have led to the rise of unadopted amenities and what options for reform exist. It is recognised that the options for reform being explored through the consultation are far-reaching and have implications for housing supply and local authority budgets. The consultation is open to a number of organisations not just local authorities, including housing developers, highways authorities, utility companies, resident- controlled management companies, private management companies and Registered Providers of Social Housing. The consultation is being considered by the Planning Strategy Advisory Panel on the 25 February and any matters raised by the Panel will be provided to the Executive to consider as part of their decision making. The consultation closes on 12 March 2026.

For Determination

Activity Timeline

Meetings Attended ^{Note this may include planned future meetings.}

Decisions from Meetings

Community Fund Application - Bee-released CIC

Community Fund Application - Talisman Bowmen

Community Fund Application - MHA Communities Hampshire South

Community Fund Application - Natal Bean

Private estate management arrangements - Response to consultation

Summary

Leigh Usher

Activity Timeline

Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.

Decisions from Meetings

Community Fund Application - Bee-released CIC

Community Fund Application - Talisman Bowmen

Community Fund Application - MHA Communities Hampshire South

Community Fund Application - Natal Bean

Private estate management arrangements - Response to consultation

Summary

Meetings Attended ^{Note this may include planned future meetings.}