Cabinet - Tuesday, 20th October, 2026 7.00 pm - Agenda and draft 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 confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 15th September, 2026 (copy attached).

The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 15th October, 2026 were confirmed and signed by the Chair.

To consider Report No. FIN2617 (copy attached), which sets out the Council’s forecasted financial position for 2026/27 as at the end of July, 2026.

The Cabinet considered Report No. FIN2617, which set out an update on the Council’s forecasted financial position for 2026/27, as at the end of July, 2026.

Members were reminded that the Council had a statutory obligation to set and maintain a balanced budget. It was reported that, in February 2026, the Council had identified a significant challenge to its future financial sustainability. Members were informed that the forecast outturn for 2026/27 was operating within the Council’s approved budget, with a predicted overall revenue underspend of £1.2 million. The report set out a number of key service variations, mostly where service budgets had been underspent. It was confirmed that, overall, the financial position over the period of the Medium Term Financial Strategy continued to be challenging, with progress being made. Officers would continue to monitor the situation closely and would provide regular updates to Members.

At the meeting, it was agreed to add a further recommendation to the report in respect of a virement of £80,000 from the 2026/27 IT infrastructure capital budget to fund the updating of the Integra Financial Management System.

The Cabinet was pleased with the progress that had been made in addressing the Council’s challenging financial position.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

(i)           the revenue budget forecast, as set out in Section 3 of Report No. FIN2617, be noted;

(ii)          the write offs, as set out in Section 4 of the Report, be approved;

(iii)         the capital budget forecast, as set out in Section 5 of the Report, be noted; and

(iv)         a virement of £80,000 from the 2026/27 IT infrastructure capital budget, to fund the updating of the Integra Financial Management System, be approved.

To consider Report No. ED2617 (copy attached), which sets out an update on progress made against the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan 2025-28.

The Cabinet considered Report No. ED2617, which set out an update on progress towards the Climate Change Action Plan 2025-28.

Members were reminded that the Council had declared a climate emergency in June 2019 and that the Cabinet had approved a Climate Change Action Plan shortly after this. The Climate Change Annual Report 2025-26 set out the progress made against the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan 2025-28 over the 2025-26 municipal year and outlined the positive impacts achieved through the projects that had been delivered. The report also provided an update on the implementation of Climate Change Impact Assessments, which were now required to be considered within any Cabinet reports. This aimed to inform decision makers on the potential climate or environmental impacts of proposals.

It was reported that progress had been made across eight of the ten actions within the Climate Change Action Plan 2025-28, with two yet to be commenced. Progress against all ten actions would continue to be monitored and included in future annual reporting.

In discussing this, Members stressed the importance of the climate change response of both the Council and the wider community. The Cabinet expressed strong support for the format and style of the Annual Report, which, it considered,  presented the information in a clear, concise and reader-friendly way.

The Cabinet NOTED

(i)           the progress made in delivering Climate Change Action within Rushmoor as detailed within the Climate Change Annual Report 2025-26, as set out in Appendix 1 of Report No. ED2617, to support the Council’s Climate Change commitments of becoming a carbon neutral Council and a greener and more sustainable Borough; and

(ii)          the introduction of the Climate Change Impact Assessments for Cabinet decisions from August, 2026.

To consider Report No. PG2617 (copy attached), which sets out a proposed  Temporary Accommodation Placement Policy for the Council.

The Cabinet considered Report No. PG2617, which set out the Council’s Temporary Accommodation Placement Policy for statutory homeless households.

Members were informed that the policy set out how the Council would secure, allocate, manage and review temporary accommodation for applicants that were owed homelessness accommodation duties, ensuring decisions were lawful, fair, transparent and based on assessed need. Members were reminded that local housing authorities had a duty to secure accommodation for unintentionally homeless households in priority need under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996. The report set out a number of key risks at paragraph 4.1. It was reported that the policy would support lawful and transparent decision making, strengthen safeguarding and equality considerations, improve monitoring of temporary accommodation use and help the Council to manage demand and financial pressures.

The Cabinet expressed support for the proposed approach in this important and specialised area of Council service delivery.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

(i)           the Temporary Accommodation Placement Policy, as set out in Appendix 1 of Report No. PG2617, be approved;

(ii)          the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Housing, Planning & Property Portfolio Holder, be authorised to make minor operational amendments required to keep the policy up to date; and

(iii)         the reviewing of the policy annually, or sooner where required by legislative, statutory guidance, case law or service delivery changes, be noted.

To consider Report No. REG2604 (copy attached), which sets out the findings of the Strategic Delivery Review of the Farnborough Civic Quarter Project.

The Cabinet considered Report No. REG2604, which set out the findings of the Strategic Delivery Review of the Farnborough Civic Quarter (FCQ) project.

Members were reminded that, at its meeting in April, 2026, the Cabinet had given approval for a Strategic Delivery Review of the FCQ project. It was reported that this process had now been completed and its findings and a series of recommendations to move forward with the regeneration of the Civic Quarter sites were included in the report. The outcome of the review confirmed that the outline masterplan could not proceed as originally planned due to a variety of external factors. However, new proposals were set out to deliver improvements for residents and to increase the vibrancy of the town centre. These would build on the successes of related projects, including The Landing town square, the Farnborough Pools and Fitness Centre and the new Loungers restaurant at The Meads Shopping Centre, to support a wider regeneration narrative for Farnborough.

In discussing this item, Members agreed a change to the key principles for the next steps on the Civic Quarter and agreed a number of changes to the recommendations in the Report, summarised as follows:

·                    Key principles (paragraph 5.3) – add, as bullet 2 “Optimise the Council’s financial position through a mix of capital receipts and revenue generating propositions” ;

·                    Recommendation 2, line 1 – amend reference for location of key principles to paragraph 5.3;

·                    Recommendation 3, line 1 – substitute “dispose of land” with “progress the sale of land designated as Plot B”; and

·                    Recommendation 5, last line – after “Executive Head of Finance” insert “, in consultation with the Economy, Skills and Regeneration Portfolio Holder,”.

The Cabinet agreed that the proposed approach was the right one to progress this key site within Farnborough town Centre back into meaningful use.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

(i)           the outcome of the Strategic Delivery Review exercise, as set out in Report No. REG2604, be noted;

(ii)          the key principles to guide the next stages of the regeneration of the Civic Quarter sites, as set out in paragraph 5.3 of the Report and amended at the meeting, be approved;

(iii)         the Executive Head of Property and Growth, Executive Head of Governance and Law and Executive Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Housing, Planning & Property Portfolio Holder, be authorised to progress the sale of the land designated as Plot B within the Civic Quarter for the purposes of housing and/or other uses within the wider scope of the existing masterplan, noting that associated legal and agency fees would be met from the capital receipt in due course;

(iv)         the Executive Director, Executive Head of Governance & Law and Executive Head of Finance and S151 Officer, in consultation with the Economy, Skills & Regeneration Portfolio Holder, be authorised to agree a variation of the grant agreement with One Public Estate for the Brownfield Land Release Fund and Phase 9 funding;

(v)          having considered the options aimed at bringing vacant  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.