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…”

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 …”

Outturn underspend and reserve allocations

The council reported a material revenue underspend and proposed moving most of it into reserves, then using those reserves to fund several identified pressures. These included phase two waste vehicle …

“Um so this is where we get into the meat of it. Um and have some real figures in front of you. So just walking through the um covering report. Um I'm …”

Local government reorganisation funding

Members discussed the emerging approach to funding local government reorganisation costs across Hampshire authorities. The council is increasing its reserve provision, but there is still no agreed app…

“Thank you. So work in progress really >> indeed as a summary. Yeah. >> If if I may, Mr. Clark, can I just ask a related question? Um we had a million …”

Q2 Budget Surplus Forecast

Hart District Council forecasts a revenue surplus of £1.1m against a net budget of £13.8m for Q2 2025-26 (period ending September 2025). This represents a modest softening from Q1 2025 when the surplu…

“we are looking at a surplus of 1.1 million compared to a net budget of 13.8. At quarter 1 it's 1.2. So we have um softened it a little bit. And capita…”

Structural Budget Deficit - 3-Year MTFS Shortfall

Medium-term financial strategy identifies three major budget pressures totaling approximately £3m shortfall over three years (to 2028). Root causes: (1) Inflation impact on council costs outpacing cou…

“Um the next big pressure is around waste. Our waste uh our costs of waste collection, food waste in particular. The lack of clarity certainty from the…”

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, …”

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…”