Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were noted from Councillor Withers, Chairman of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (standing observer).

All Members who believe they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting must declare that interest and, having regard to Part 3 Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members’ Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code.  Furthermore all Members with a Personal Interest in a matter being considered at the meeting should consider, having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 4 of the Code, whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 5 of the Code, consider whether it is appropriate to leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter considered at the meeting they must declare that interest at the time of the relevant debate and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3, Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Personal interest in a matter being considered at the meeting they considered whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 5 of the Code, considered whether it was appropriate to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meetings held on 10 December 2024 and 10 January 2025.

The minutes of the meetings held on 10 December 2024 and 10 January 2025 were reviewed and agreed.

To receive any deputations notified under Standing Order 12.

There were no deputations.

To receive any announcements the Chairman may wish to make.

The Chairman made the following announcements:

·         Update on Devolution and Potential Postponement of May Election: There were no new updates from the government. Preparations for local government reorganisation continue. The Chairman expressed gratitude to the various leaders and chief executives of both the district and borough councils and our unitary neighbours who had continued to work well and positively in preparing for the proposals that need to be put forward later in the year

·         Adult Social Care Commission: An independent commission into adult social care would begin work in April under Baroness Louise Casey. The commission's first phase, reporting in 2026, will identify the critical issues facing adult social care and set out recommendations for reform and improvement in the medium term. The second phase, reporting by 2028, will make longer-term recommendations for the transformation of adult social care. The Chairman emphasised the importance of this commission in addressing the rising costs and challenges faced by the council in providing adult social care

·         Household Support Fund: The fund had been extended until 31 March 2025 providing additional support for low-income families and households. By 31 December 2024 almost three-quarters of Hampshire's £7.1 million fund had been distributed both through direct support and in partnership with other local organisations and district and borough councils. The Chairman highlighted the importance of this fund in providing essential support to those in need and expressed hope for future funding confirmations

·         Person-Centred Planning Approaches: Over 200 staff had been trained in person-centred planning to support inclusive practices in schools. There were plans to train 20 post-16 providers, another 100 staff from education settings, and up to 30 coordinators of SEND provision over the first two terms of 2025. The Chairman praised the efforts of Hampshire Educational Psychology in adopting and sharing person-centred approaches to reduce demand for specialist settings

·         Bus Service Improvement Plan: £13 million funding was available for 2025-26 to improve bus services across Hampshire. This included ensuring more frequent services on busier routes, more real-time information screens, improved bus shelters, and more accessible bus stops. The Chairman noted the importance of this funding in enhancing public transport and supporting sustainable travel options

·         Ukraine Scheme Update: Ukrainian nationals could apply to extend their residency for a further 18 months. Hampshire had welcomed 3,745 guests under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, with 733 guests still living with 506 host households in the county. The Chairman expressed gratitude to the residents who had generously hosted Ukrainian families and highlighted the ongoing support provided by the council

·         Agricultural Property Relief: The council had written to the Secretary of State requesting the proposed changes to agricultural property relief be stopped. The Chairman and other council leaders had signed the National Farmers Union petition on the issue and emphasised the importance of supporting local farmers and communities

·         Southern Water Issues: A meeting had been held with Southern Water to address concerns about water outages affecting parts of Hampshire in December 2024. The Chairman emphasised the need for better planning,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 263.

To consider a report of the Director of Public Health providing the Annual Report of the Director of Public Health for 2024-25.

Cabinet received a report of the Director of Public Health providing the Annual Report of the Director of Public Health for 2024-25 focusing on ‘Let’s Make Smoking History’.

The report highlighted the importance of tobacco control and the impact of smoking on health, addiction, and the need for a collaborative approach to make smoking history. The increased investment from the government into smoking cessation services was highlighted and the importance of working with partners to achieve this goal.

Cabinet Members praised the report for its comprehensive data and case studies and inquired about the most important actions the council and its partners could take to make smoking history. The Director responded by emphasising the need for a whole-systems approach, including expanding smoking cessation services, supporting clients through adult services, challenging NHS colleagues to offer better support, and working with trading standards on underage sales of vapes. Cabinet members expressed concerns about the long-term effects of vaping among young people and asked what more could be done to address this trend. The Director acknowledged the challenges and highlighted the importance of legislation, supporting schools, and working with trading standards to address the issue. Cabinet Members thanked the Director for the report and noted the importance of tailored support for smoking cessation and it’s contribution to addressing health inequalities in Hampshire.

The recommendations in the report were considered and agreed. A decision record is attached to these minutes.

To consider a report of the Assistant Director Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, seeking endorsement of a revised Audit Committee Terms of Reference for recommendation on to County Council.

Cabinet received a report of the Assistant Director Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, seeking endorsement of a revised Audit Committee Terms of Reference for recommendation on to County Council.

It was highlighted that the changes included proposing the appointment of two independent co-opted members and changes to promote the independence of the audit committee. The proposal included expanding the existing terms of reference and ensuring no member of the executive could be a member of the audit committee. Cabinet Members supported the changes, emphasising the importance of the audit committee's independence. Cabinet Members inquired about the ease of finding suitable candidates for the independent member positions. The Monitoring Officer responded that the independent remuneration panel had agreed on an allowance of £2,000 per annum, which should attract the right calibre of candidate.

The recommendations in the report were considered and agreed. A decision record is attached to these minutes.

To consider a report of the Assistant Director Legal Services and Monitoring Officer seeking Cabinet’s endorsement to amend Contract Standing Orders for recommendation on to County Council.

Cabinet received a report of the Assistant Director Legal Services and Monitoring Officer seeking Cabinet’s endorsement to amend Contract Standing Orders for recommendation on to County Council.

It was noted that the proposed changes were to update contract standing orders in response to the Procurement Act 2023. The changes aimed to simplify procedures and introduce additional reporting requirements for transparency. Cabinet Members asked if the changes would make the procurement process quicker or more agile. Officers explained that the new legislation introduced more flexibility, which may streamline some processes, but also included additional transparency and reporting requirements.

The recommendations in the report were considered and agreed. A decision record is attached to these minutes.

To consider a report of the Director of People and Organisation seeking approval of a revised Corporate Complaints Policy.

Cabinet received a report of the Director of People and Organisation seeking approval of a revised Corporate Complaints Policy and introducing a new unacceptable actions by customers policy.

It was reported that the new approach aimed to provide faster, more comprehensive and definitive responses to complaints, reducing unnecessary stages to complaints handling. It was noted that the proposals had been pre-scrutinised by the Hampshire 2050, Corporate Services and Resources Select Committee and the Chairman of the Select Committee confirmed the Committee were supportive of the proposals. Cabinet Members inquired about the benefits of removing the third stage of the complaints process. The Director explained that a trial of the new process in 2024 resulted in better outcomes for both the council and customers, with fewer interventions from the local government and social care ombudsman.

The recommendations in the report were considered and agreed. A decision record is attached to these minutes.

To consider a report of the Director of Hampshire 2050 recommending an update to the Development Scheme for the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan.

Cabinet received a report of the Director of Hampshire 2050 recommending an update to the Development Scheme for the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan.

It was reported that the update was based on a requirement from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government communicated in December 2024. Cabinet Members asked how the plan would deal with the impact of planning reform and increased housing numbers. Officers explained that the plan included flexibility to deal with peaks and troughs of demand and that a review would be conducted in early 2027 to assess its performance.

The recommendations in the report were considered and agreed. A decision record is attached to these minutes.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Operations providing an update on the financial position for 2024/25.

Cabinet received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Operations providing an update on the financial position for 2024/25.

It was highlighted that good progress had been made on implementing Savings Programme 2025 Phase 1 savings and closing down previous savings programmes. The predicted overspend had reduced from £15 million as previously reported to £6 million, including taking account of the in year impact of the Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme. Cabinet Members inquired about the correlation between spend controls and the reduction in expenditure. The Director explained that an analysis of expenditure types showed reductions in areas targeted by spend controls, such as staffing costs, printing, and mileage claims.

The recommendations in the report were considered and agreed. A decision record is attached to these minutes.

To consider a report of the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Corporate Operations providing the view of the Chief Financial Officer as to the robustness of the estimates included in the budget and the adequacy of the financial reserves.

Cabinet received a report of the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Corporate Operations providing the view of the Chief Financial Officer as to the robustness of the estimates included in the budget and the adequacy of the financial reserves.

It was highlighted that the Chief Financial Officer was recommending a council tax increase of 15% to trigger a referendum, due to the rejection of Exceptional Financial Support by the government. The report emphasised the need for a sustainable budget and the challenges faced in balancing the budget. Cabinet Members acknowledged the importance of financial stewardship and the need to plan ahead for a sustainable budget.

The Chief Financial Officer explained that additional funding was required due to increasing costs of social care and home to school transport outstripping the capped level by which Council Tax could be increased. The impact of the Council previously freezing council tax for five years was also highlighted, with Hampshire now charging the second lowest Council Tax of all County Councils in the Country.

The recommendations in the report were considered and agreed. A decision record is attached to these minutes.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Operations regarding the proposed revenue budget and precept for 2025/26.

Cabinet received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Operations regarding the proposed revenue budget and precept for 2025/26.

The Monitoring Officer highlighted that all Councillors were Council Tax payers and would normally declare an interest when considering the rate of Council Tax to set, however, a general dispensation from the Conduct Advisory Panel was in place to allow all Councillors to take part in debates and decisions regarding Council Tax.

The Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Operations summarised the report and highlighted a number of changes to the figures that had been received since publication, which resulted in a net increase of £3.2 million. It was noted that the budget proposals included an assumption that the savings in the report would be agreed. If those savings were not agreed, then any difference would need to be met from the budget bridging reserve.

Cabinet Members noted that there would be hard decisions to be made in the coming year in order to focus available funds on services for the most vulnerable. It was noted that in previous public consultations regarding the budget less than 20% of respondents supported an above 5% Council Tax rise.

The Chairman of the Cabinet proposed that the Cabinet not support raising Council Tax by more than the cap. He noted that the Council had a track record of finding savings and that the Independent Panel Report had identified further opportunities. There would be a focus on the Council’s core purpose and Legal Minimum Service Levels going forwards. He noted that it was not sustainable to use reserves to fund the revenue budget in future.

RESOLVED:

Cabinet agrees to: 

1. Note and take account of the Chief Financial Officer’s Section 25 report on the Budget. 

2. Approve the updated cash limits for directorates for 2025/26 as set out in Appendix 2 as updated by the changes outlined by the Chief Financial Officer. 

3. Note the report from the Independent Panel who supported the Council’s work on reviewing Legal Minimum Service Levels  

4. Delegate authority to the Director of Corporate Operations, following consultation with the Leader and the Chief Executive to make changes to the budget following Cabinet to take account of new issues, changes to figures notified by District Councils or any late changes in the final Local Government Finance Settlement. 

5. Approve for submission to County Council and subject to further consultation where necessary, the savings proposals in Appendix 7; after taking due regard of the Equality Impact Assessments in Appendix 8 and the Cumulative Equality Impact Assessment in Appendix 13. 

6. Approve that the Chief Executive and Corporate Management Team can progress any Phase 3 Savings Proposals where these do not have a direct impact on services provided to the public. 

7. Note that the Council’s request to the Government for Exceptional Finance Support was not approved and for the reasons outlined in the meeting, Cabinet do not support triggering a referendum. 

Recommend that the County Council approve: 

1. That County Council notes and takes account  ...  view the full minutes text for item 271.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Operations regarding the proposed capital programme for 2025/26 and provisional programmes for the subsequent two financial years.

Cabinet received a report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Operations regarding the proposed capital programme for 2025/26 and provisional programmes for the subsequent two financial years. It was highlighted that reporting of the Capital Budget would now be on an expenditure basis rather than a mixed starts and expenditure basis as it had been previously.

The recommendations in the report were considered and agreed. A decision record is attached to these minutes.