Social Value Ideas for Hart District Council

Enforcement workload remains high

The team reported a busy quarter with 140 live cases, 28 cases with notices issued, 152 new reports in the quarter, 80 cases closed, plus urgent tree complaints and possible encampment sites requiring…

“So referring to the uh main report um and section nine just a quick recap of our incoming service requests and the performance. Um we currently have u…”

Warning notices power approved

Members approved use of the new enforcement warning notices power introduced by the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act, delegating authority to the development manager to issue them. This gives the enf…

“Right now, we're going to move to development item 10. And for people who want to leave uh we can um which is the fur grove farm application um now th…”

Enforcement process strengthened

Officers agreed to change the enforcement process by adding a final formal warning/correspondence step before prosecution, alongside welfare checks, so that files are stronger and courts can see repea…

“Um, we've also adjusted to Sharon working three days a week. Um and she's also currently got two appeals on the go at the moment. So she's nice and bu…”

Handover for retiring officer

Sylvia’s retirement prompted a managed handover of ongoing enforcement cases, with weekly meetings, file notes, and support from an assistant planning officer until the end of August. The team also sa…

“Well, it's got over that little hurdle. Um, uh, minutes of the previous meeting. Any comments? I did read them and I think they're pretty comprehensiv…”

Five Acres prosecution prep

For Five Acres, officers are preparing a prosecution file, including welfare checks, a final warning letter, and witness statement material. The process improvement from this case will be reused for f…

“Five acres broad oak odium and this is a case in point of trying to get further information is it not? >> Yes. Yes. So um this is one of the um cases …”

New NPPF changed test

Members repeatedly referred to the new national planning policy framework, which had come into force days before the meeting and replaced the old 'tilted balance' wording. Officers and speakers explai…

“So, we are concluding, we're recommending that permission is granted um subject to the conditions set out in the report um and the section 106 agreeme…”

Local plan timetable confirmed

The council reaffirmed the local plan timetable, including October consultation on site options and submission by March 2028. Officers said there are no current delay risks and that the process will p…

“That is correct. That is that is the timetable we're working to. Yes. Council”

Local plan briefing rescheduled

The committee determined that the local plan briefing could not remain on the October agenda because the consultation material would not yet have been published. A special meeting will be arranged aft…

“I'm just looking at the >> I take exactly we'll we'll look at that date first of all for the overview and scrutiny me me me me me me me me me me me me…”

Local plan evidence and consultant support

The council confirmed that it has appointed external consultants and is building a substantial evidence base for the new local plan. This creates an ongoing procurement and consultancy opportunity acr…

“So there is already been a lot of useful work. We've completed the early scoping consultation. We've published local plan timetable, and we've appoin…”

Temporary mixed plastics banks

The waste service proposed temporary bring banks for mixed plastics and cartons while waiting for Hampshire’s new materials recovery facility, currently expected in summer 2028. Officers said the prop…

“essentially it is for the proposals to deploy temporary mixed plastics and cartons banks um which will help to expand the range of recyclable material…”

No three-weekly bin collections

In response to resident concerns and committee questioning, officers said Hart is not considering moving to three-weekly refuse collections. The mixed plastics proposal was framed instead as part of t…

“Um in terms of being driven by BDBC, um I think I'd just go back to my previous point, councelor Fster, um just regarding the, uh, resources and, uh, …”

Mixed plastics recycling service

Cabinet approved extending recycling services to mixed plastics and some cartons via bring sites, pending wider materials recovery capacity coming online in 2028. Officers said the service would be de…

“This is really to expand the services to our residents of being able to recycle mixed plastics. We've always had a an ambition to do that. And from my…”

Waste infrastructure gap until 2028

The current Hampshire processing facilities cannot separate mixed plastics and cartons, so they are currently rejected and incinerated. Officers said the new MRF will not be available until summer 202…

“Um so in terms of mixed plastics and cartons within the recycling stream at the moment the existing facilities are aging. Um they have a technical lim…”