Cabinet - Thursday, 20th March, 2025 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

Under the Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors, all Members are required to disclose relevant Interests in any matter to be considered at the meeting.  Where the matter directly relates to a Member’s Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Registrable Interest, that Member must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain in the room unless they have been granted a dispensation (see note below). If the matter directly relates to ‘Non-Registrable Interests’, the Member’s participation in the meeting will depend on the nature of the matter and whether it directly relates or affects their financial interest or well-being or that of a relative, friend  or close associate, applying the tests set out in the Code.

NOTE:

On 27th May, 2021, the Council’s Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee granted dispensations to Members appointed by the Council to the Board of the Rushmoor Development Partnership and as Directors of Rushmoor Homes Limited.

Having regard to the Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors, no declarations of interest were made.

To consider Report No. ACE2506 (copy attached), which sets out an interim Local Government Reorganisation Plan.

The Cabinet considered Report No. ACE2506, which set out an interim plan in respect of the ongoing Local Government Reorganisation process.

Members were reminded that the Government had selected all authorities within the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight area to be part of its Devolution Priority Programme (DPP). A requirement of the DPP was that Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) should be taken forward, with district councils joining together with other councils to create larger, unitary councils. The Secretary of State had formally requested that an interim LGR plan should be submitted by the deadline of 21st March, 2025, with a final business case to be submitted later in the year. It was explained that, in light of this deadline, this Cabinet decision would be considered to be urgent and, therefore, would be exempt from the call-in process.

The Cabinet was informed that the proposed interim plan had been drawn up collaboratively by all authorities in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area and that there had been good joint working between the councils at this stage. The same interim plan was being considered by the relevant decision-making body within each of the councils involved. It was confirmed that there would be two changes to the document before submission in relation to the removal of signatures and the correction of data in terms of Hampshire County Council’s financial deficit.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that the interim plan, as set out in Appendix 2 of Report No. ACE2506, be approved for submission to the Government, subject to the changes detailed above.

To consider resolving:

That, subject to the public interest test, the public be excluded from this meeting during the discussion of the undermentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraph of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against such item:

Item                Schedule      Category

No.                  12A Para.

                        No.

4                      3                      Information relating to financial or business affairs

RESOLVED: That, taking into account the public interest test, the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the under mentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraph of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against the item:

Minute           Schedule      Category

No.                  12A Para.

                        No.

78                   3                      Information relating to financial or business affairs

To consider Exempt Report No. PG2509 (copy attached), which seeks authority to revise the Heads of Terms in relation to the disposal of the freehold interests in respect of Plots 4.2 and 4.3 at Frimley Business Park.

The Cabinet considered Exempt Report No. PG2509, which sought approval to revise the Heads of Terms for the disposal of the freehold interests in plots 4.2 and 4.3 at Frimley Business Park.

Members were informed that this disposal would contribute to the delivery of the Financial Recovery Plan and was, therefore, a key priority. The Exempt Report set out all of the terms of the disposal, including where changes had been made. It was explained that, in light of financial disadvantages should the deal not be secured by 31st March, 2025, this Cabinet decision would be considered to be urgent and would be, therefore, exempt from the call-in process.

The Cabinet expressed strong support for the proposed approach as an important step towards improving the Council’s financial position.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

(i)           the amendment of the Heads of Terms, to proceed with the disposal of the freehold interests in plots 4.2 and 4.3 at Frimley 4 Business Park, for the consideration and on the amended terms set out in Exempt Report No. PG2509, be approved; and

(ii)          this decision be treated as an urgent decision due to any delay caused by the call-in process being likely to seriously prejudice the Council’s financial interest. The Mayor and the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, in consultation with the Executive Head of Property and Growth, had agreed that the decision proposed was reasonable in all of the circumstances and to it being treated as a matter of urgency.