Councillor Simon Martin
Activity Timeline
Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.
58 meetings · Page 1 of 12
Council - Thursday, 9th October, 2025 6.00 pm
38 attendees, 13 documents, 0 media files
Decisions from Meetings
99 decisions · Page 13 of 20
Housing Revenue Account Budgets, Fees & Charges 2025/26
From: Executive - Monday, 3rd February, 2025 6.00 pm - February 03, 2025
The report seeks agreement from the Executive to recommend to Council the approval of the revised budget for the Housing Revenue account for 2024/25, plus the base budgets, fees and charges and rent increases for 2025/26. The Executive recommended, and the Council approved, in February 2024 the base budget and rent increase for 2024/25 for Housing Revenue Account (HRA) services. The report sets out some revisions to the Housing Revenue Account revised budget for 2024/25 and base budget for 2025/26. The housing capital programme and financing for the years 2024/25 to 2028/29 is also included for information as this impacts on the revenue budget. The report also proposes the increases in rents and fees and charges for 2025/26. The report highlights the issues affecting the Housing Revenue Account. In particular it highlights the increased expenditure needed to maintain the Council’s housing stock in the next 2 years. This will mean that we will not be able to continue with our debt repayment put aside in these years. However, any surpluses that do arise will be considered for this purpose. Due to these pressures, increased budget monitoring has been introduced for this period and a specific HRA Opportunities Plan has been drawn up which contains actions that have been identified to help reduce net expenditure. Council budgets are susceptible to change in the level of expenditure and income caused by factors inside and outside the Council’s control. Scenario analysis has been carried out to indicate the effect on housing balances of changes in the level of expenditure and income. This has been included to support the need to maintain a prudent level of reserves and a working balance.
Recommendations Approved
Fareham Housing Decants Policy - approval for consultation
From: Executive - Monday, 3rd February, 2025 6.00 pm - February 03, 2025
To seek Executive approval for the draft Fareham Housing Decant Policy to go for six weeks public consultation. The Policy details the legislation and process for when occupants are required to move accommodation in an emergency or to enable repairs, major works and development. The policy applies to Council tenants, leaseholders, and in rare instances, private residents. Approval is sought for a six-week public consultation to be undertaken, prior to the policy returning to the Executive for formal adoption. An ‘easy read’ document accompanies the policy and will form part of the consultation. This is to ensure the key points of the policy can be communicated effectively. At its meeting of 9 January 2025, the Housing Scrutiny Panel considered the policy and requested clarification on the rent amount and the number of non-permanent decants in the past year. This is detailed in paragraph 16.
Recommendations Approved
Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators
From: Executive - Monday, 3rd February, 2025 6.00 pm - February 03, 2025
The report considers the draft treasury Management Strategy and Investment Strategy for 2025/26, prior to its submission to the Council for approval. Regulations require the Council to prepare and formally approve both an annual Treasury Management Strategy and Investment Strategy. The latest document updated for 2025/26 is attached as Appendix A to the report for consideration by the Executive before being submitted to Council for approval. In the past 12 months, the Council’s investment balance has tanged between £18 million and £32 million, lower levels are expected in the forthcoming year due to capital programme expenditure. The Council expects to be a long-term borrower and new treasury investments will therefore be made primarily to manage day-to-day cash flows using short-term low risk instruments. The existing portfolio of strategic pooled funds will be maintained to diversify risk into different sectors and boost investment income. BORROWING levels are expected to be £71.3 million at the end of 2025/26, compared to £72.3 million in the last strategy. The Council has previously raised all of its long-term borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) but will consider long-term loans from other sources. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has issued a consultation on the extension of the statutory override on accounting for gains and losses on pooled investment funds. The outcome is expected to be published in February 2025. Whether the override will be extended beyond 31 March 2025 is unknown. The Council has set up a reserve of £500,000 to mitigate the impact of the pooled funds statutory override not being extended as unrealised losses on pooled investment funds are required to be recognised in the General Fund. The actual impact will be based on the valuations of the Council’s long term funds on 31 March 2026.
Recommendations Approved
Portchester Foreshore Management
From: Executive - Monday, 3rd February, 2025 6.00 pm - February 03, 2025
To address public health and safety concerns as a result of ongoing coastal erosion of the historical landfill site at Alton Grove to Cador Drive. Since October 2022, our coastal Partners team has been identifying long-term options for addressing coastal flood and erosion risk along the stretch of the Portchester shoreline from Alton Grove to Cador Drive, in collaboration with engineering consultants AECOM, through the Fareham Quay and Alton Grove to Cador Drive Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Studies. Completion of these studies is expected in Summer 2025, by which point significant funding would need to be secured for detailed design and construction of any future scheme. This work is being monitored regularly by the Executive Member for Planning and Development and the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel. The ongoing coastal erosion is leading to historic landfill materials being exposed. Until a permanent solution is in place, any public risks presented by the site need to be managed and, where necessary, mitigated. The risks at this site have been comprehensively assessed and mitigation, in terms of enhanced periodic multi-disciplinary inspections, litter picking, dynamic remedial action and a clear escalation process, is proposed.
Recommendations Approved
Fareham Housing Tenant Alterations policy - approval for consultation
From: Executive - Monday, 3rd February, 2025 6.00 pm - February 03, 2025
To seek Executive approval for the draft Fareham Housing Tenant Alterations Policy to go forward for consultation. Under section 97 of the Housing Act 1985 all eligible tenants have the right to make alterations or improvements to their homes. While tenants must have permission to carry out any alterations or improvements, the law 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. The document updates the information on our website and brings it together into a single policy. A period of 6 weeks public consultation will be undertaken on the draft Policy before it returns to the Executive for formal adoption. At its meeting on 9 January 2025, the Housing Scrutiny Panel considered the Policy and a number of comments or suggestions were made.
Recommendations Approved
Summary
Meetings Attended: 58
Average per Month: 2.5
Decisions Recorded: 99