Sarah Robinson

Corporate Peer Challenge Outcome

From: from 2 June 2025, Executive - Tuesday, 3rd June, 2025 6.00 pm, - June 03, 2025

To provide an update on the recent Corporate Peer Challenge and to seek approval to publish the Local Government Association’s (LGA) feedback report.   As part of the Council’s commitment towards continuous improvement and to meet its Best Value Duty, the Council hosted the Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) Peer Team between 10-12 March 2025. The aim of the challenge was to provide assurance, share good practice with the wider sector, as well as receive valuable challenge and advice to support improved service provision. The draft feedback report produced by the Peer Team, presented in Appendix A, shared very positive findings about the Council. It also provided recommendations to help support continuous improvement at the Council If approved, the report will be published by the Council on the website and by the LGA on their own website.

Recommendations Approved

Simpler Recycling - Recycling Collection Services

From: from 12/05/25, Executive - Tuesday, 20th May, 2025 6.00 pm, - May 20, 2025

To consider the introduction of new recycling collection services across the Borough in March 2026.   The Environment Act 2021 and its associated Regulations, known as Simpler Recycling, requires the Council to collect household food waste weekly, collect glass from the kerbside and extend the range of dry missed recyclables collected from households by 31 March 2026.   In November, Members approved the proposals for introducing food waste collection services from 30 March 2026.  This report considers what dry recycling collection services will be offered to Fareham’s households.   Hampshire County Council, as Waste Disposal Authority, has advised that the current waste disposal infrastructure cannot currently process paper, card, metal, glass and plastics in a way that is compliant with the new Simpler Recycling requirements.  As such, Fareham Borough Council has four options to consider for dry recycling collections.  The recommended option is to make no changes to the dry recycling collections until the new waste disposal infrastructure is operational in Winter 2027.  This is supported by Defra, has minimal impact on the Borough’s potential to improve recycling performance and incurs no additional costs.    

Recommendations Approved

The Draft Fareham Housing Tenant Alterations and Improvements Policy - Adoption

From: from 12/05/25, Executive - Tuesday, 20th May, 2025 6.00 pm, - May 20, 2025

To seek Executive approval for the Draft Fareham Housing Tenant Alterations and Improvements Policy for adoption.   Under section 97 of the Housing Act 1985, as amended, all eligible tenants have the right to make alterations or improvements to their homes.  While tenants must have the permission of the landlord to carry out any such alterations or improvements, the law also stipulates that this permission cannot be ‘unreasonably withheld’.   The draft Fareham Housing Alterations policy provides comprehensive information on the alterations process, background and relevant legislation.  This document updates the information on our website and brings it together in a single policy.   At its meeting on 9 January 2025, the Housing Scrutiny Panel approved the document to go to Executive with changes to the process chart in Appendix C to improve clarity.  Following Executive agreement on 3 February 2025, the draft Tenant Alterations and Improvements policy was circulated for public consultation from 17 February to 31 March 2025.

Recommendations Approved

From: from 12/05/25, Executive - Tuesday, 20th May, 2025 6.00 pm, - May 20, 2025

Recommendations Approved

Sheltered Housing Later Living Strategy

From: from 12/05/25, Executive - Tuesday, 20th May, 2025 6.00 pm, - May 20, 2025

To seek Executive approval for the draft Fareham Housing Later Living Strategy to go for six weeks public consultation.   The Later Living Strategy details the renewed approach to Fareham Housing’s sheltered housing service.  The term ‘later living’ replaces the outdated name of ‘sheltered housing’ to remove the old-fashioned connotations that surround it.   The strategy focuses on three priorities based on the building, the service and the route into later living housing.  It identifies the aims and actions, as well as the issues that need to be overcome.   Approval is sought for a six-week period of consultation before the strategy is brought back to the Executive for adoption.   At its meeting on 3 April 2025, the Housing Scrutiny Panel considered the strategy and no comments or suggestions were made.

Recommendations Approved