Policy and Project Advisory Board - Tuesday, 25th March, 2025 6.30 pm - Agenda and draft minutes

To note the appointment of Cllr Abe Allen as a Member of the Policy and Project Advisory Board in place of Cllr Julie Hall for the remainder of the 2024/25 Municipal Year. The appointment has been made by the Leader of the Council in accordance with Standing Orders and arrangements to secure political balance.

The Committee NOTED the appointment of Cllr Abe Allen as a member of the Board in place of Cllr Julie Hall for the remainder of the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

 

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Board for the remainder of the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED: That Cllr Lisa Greenway be appointed as Vice-Chairman for the remainder of the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 19th November, 2024 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 19th November, 2024 were agreed as a correct record.

On the 17 February, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government launched a consultation to seek views on the effect of establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) to cover the areas of Hampshire, Portsmouth, Isle of Wight, and Southampton (Hampshire and Solent). This would be the Hampshire and Solent Combined County Authority. A briefing note (copy attached) has been prepared and this was circulated to Members on 4th March. There will be a discussion on the evening on the emerging draft  and further comments and input will be sought from Members.

 

Alex Shiell, Service Manager – Policy, Strategy and Transformation will be in attendance at the meeting to guide the discussion.

The Chairman welcomed Mr Alex Shiell, Service Manager – Policy, Strategy and Transformation, who presented the emerging draft return to the Government’s consultation on the effect of establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) to cover the Hampshire and Solent area.

 

The Board was reminded that this new administration would comprise the areas covered currently by Hampshire County Council and the Southampton, Portsmouth and Isle of Wight unitary authorities.

 

Members were informed that the consultation had commenced on 7th February and would close on 13th April.

 

It was confirmed that details of the consultation would be circulated through the Council’s usual communications channels to encourage residents, partners and businesses to respond. During discussion on this, the view was expressed by the opposition group that an extension to the deadline for returns should be sought to enable a Borough-wide survey to be carried out to gather residents’ views. It was contended that this was vital in light of the County Council elections having been cancelled. This approach was not supported by the Board overall, however, and the majority view was that Councillors would know the feelings of their residents through their normal interactions with them.

 

As Mr Shiell worked through the consultation contents, the following comments were made by members of the Board:

 

Governance

 

·                     North Hampshire is a long way away from Winchester – we do a lot of cross border work with Surrey and Berkshire

 

·                     How do we avoid being a small outlier?

 

·                     Mayoral precept – how do we protect our residents from large increases?

 

·                     Government confirms that number of constituent members could change from five

 

·                     A pictorial version of the proposed structure might help local residents to understand

 

·                     Important the differences between local government reorganisation and devolution are made clear to prevent powers is being passed down and not taken away

 

Economic Development

 

·                     Concern expressed over how the Rushmoor area will get a voice – fears that the big cities will swallow up large amounts of funding

 

·                     Easier to see the economic benefits in a city area – less obvious elsewhere

 

Social Outcomes

 

·                     Concerns devolved funding from central government for housing and local transport

 

·                     Feels like local transport is disconnected from rest of Hampshire

 

·                     Why not take the opportunity to build Council houses rather than housing association properties?

 

·                     Need to take account of Marmot findings

 

·                     Trains in Rushmoor used extensively for commuting

 

Local Government Services / Local Natural Environment

 

·                     There was insufficient time for Members to consider these areas, so Members were urged to get any views to Mr Shiell ahead of the April deadline

To discuss the Policy and Project Advisory Board Work Plan (copy attached).

The Board noted the current Work Plan.