Agenda and draft minutes

Prayers were led by the Chief Executive.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J Burnage, N Gwynne, S MacDonald, T Swain and S Yalden.

Councillor C Borg-Neal arrived at 5:54pm, he did not participate in decision making until agenda item 8 – To adopt a resolution relating to the Council Tax for 2025/26.

Mr Burley had registered to speak in accordance with the Council’s Public Participation Scheme under 11 – Demolition of Unit 62 - Andover Theatre.

Mr Flippance had registered to speak in accordance with the Council’s Public Participation Scheme under 11 – Demolition of Unit 62 - Andover Theatre.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 29 January 2025.

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 29 January 2025 were proposed by Councillor P North and seconded by Councillor Flood.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 29 January 2025 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Mayor advised that he would be hosting a Mayoral Ball for his Charity Appeal on 26 April at the Officers Mess Middle Wallop and encouraged Councillors to attend.

To receive and, where necessary, adopt reports of Committees.

Minutes of Meetings

The minutes of meetings were proposed by Councillor P North and seconded by Councillor Flood.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the following Committees and Cabinet meetings be received:

Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 22 January 2025

Northern Area Planning Committee – 30 January 2025

Southern Area Planning Agenda – 4 February 2025

To adopt recommendations from the following:

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor P North and seconded by Councillor Flood.

Cabinet – 26 February 2025

Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy 2025/26 (Annex 1)

Resolved:

1.  That the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and the Annual Investment Strategy for 2025/26, as set out in the report, be approved.

2.  That the Minimum Revenue Provision policy, as shown in paragraph 4.6 of the report, be approved.

3.  That the Prudential Indicators, as set out in Annex 1 to the report, be approved.

Revenue Budget and Council Tax Proposals 2025/26

The Finance and Resources Portfolio Holder introduced the item by delivering her annual budget speech. A balanced budget had been achieved. The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Flood and seconded by Councillor P North.

Councillor Hughes proposed an amendment delete recommendation 9 and replace it with: ‘the Special Expenses sum shall be paid for, by a withdraw of £350,692 from the provisional surplus of £1,439,000 identified at the Cabinet meeting on the 15^th January 2023, item 9 2025/26 Budget Process Update. Consequently, there shall be no special Expenses charge on the parish of Andover’. The amendment was seconded by Councillor Gregori.

As required by law, the Head of Legal and Democratic Services took the vote on the proposed amendment to the motion, Councillors voted as follows:

  The amendment to the motion was not carried.

As required by law, the Head of Legal and Democratic Services took the vote on the substantive motion, Councillors voted as follows:

Resolved:

1.  That the Forecast for 2024/25, as set out in Column 3 of Annex 1 to the report, be noted.

2.  That the Income Generation Proposals, Savings Options and Revenue Pressures, as set out in Annexes 2 and 3 to the report, be approved.

3.  That the transfers to or from reserves as detailed in paragraph 4.23 of the report be approved.

4.  That the creation of a Transformation Reserve, as set out in Annex 7 to the report, be approved and that the Head of Strategy and Innovation,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 434.

To consider the Council Tax resolution for 2025/26.

The Finance and Resources Portfolio Holder presented details of the Council Tax for 2025/26. The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Flood and seconded by Councillor P North.

The Mayor reminded Councillors that a recorded vote was required on this item. The Head of Legal and Democratic Services took the vote, Members voted as follows:

Resolved:

1.  That approval is noted of the revised revenue forecast for the year 2024/2025 and the revenue estimates for the year 2025/2026, together with the revised capital programme for the year 2024/2025 and the capital programme for the year 2025/2026.

2.  That for the purposes of Section 35(2) (d) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the Act), the sum of £350,692, being the aggregate sum of expenses in relation to burial grounds, sports grounds and playgrounds incurred by the Council in performing in the parish of Andover the functions not performed by the Town Council, shall be treated as Special Expenses and any expenditure other than the £350,692 herein specified shall be treated as general expenses.  The Special Expenses sum equates to an amount of £20.20 per Band D Council Tax.

3.  That it be noted that the Head of Finance & Revenues has calculated the Council Tax Base for 2025/2026 for the whole Borough area as 52,407 (Item T in the formula in Section 31B(1) of the Act) and, in those parts of its area to which a Parish/Town precept relates, as per the table below:

4.  That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2025/2026 in accordance with Sections 31, 34 and 35 of the Act and subsequent regulations:

4(a)  £134,201,355  being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act  ...  view the full minutes text for item 435.

There were no questions under Procedure Rule 11.1.

Councillor Alan Dowden asked the Planning Portfolio Holder the following question:

‘Can the Executive Member for Planning inform the Council, as to the number of Section 38 and Section 278 legal agreement drafts that are still to be completed?’

Councillor Bundy advised that the need for a developer to enter into a legal agreement under “Section 38” of the Highways Act 1980 arose when a developer proposes highway infrastructure for future adoption by the Highway Authority. A “Section 278 Agreement” is also made under provisions in the Highway Act 1980. This was required where a developer might propose works, often the delivery of new highway infrastructure associated with the grant of planning permission, on highway land.

In both instances the developer enters that process directly with the Highway Authority, which is Hampshire County Council.

Test Valley Borough Council does not therefore directly hold information about the number of draft legal agreements that remain incomplete however, the Council would liaise with Hampshire County Council colleagues to provide that information in due course. 

The Council understood that there were financial impacts on developers as a consequence of Hampshire County Council adopting their new Commuted Sums policy for the delivery and/or adoption of new highway infrastructure which would come into effect from the 1st July 2025.

As a supplementary question, Councillor Alan Dowden advised he had asked the question to advise Councillors of the process.

To seek approval for funding for the early demolition of Unit 62 at the Chantry Centre.

In accordance with the Council’s Public Participation Scheme, Mr Burley and Mr Flippance each made a statement on the Demolition of Unit 62 - Andover Theatre.

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Regeneration and Partnerships (North) which sought approval of the budget for the demolition of Unit 62 at the Chantry Centre, and the subsequent undertaking of works.

The demolition of Unit 62 of the Chantry Centre would enable the delivery of a new theatre in Andover town centre to progress in line with the agreed Levelling Up Fund timetable. In addition, bringing this element forward would reduce site risk in advance of procuring the main construction contractor.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor P North and seconded by

Councillor Flood.

Resolved:

1. That a budget of £2.260M be approved, in order to undertake the demolition of Unit 62 of the Chantry Centre.

2. The Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development be authorised to arrange for all steps to be taken to procure and carry out the works detailed in this report.

3. That the project to demolish Unit 62 of the Chantry Centre be added to the Council’s Capital Programme.

To approve the Pay Policy Statement prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011.

Consideration was given to a report of the Leader which set out the Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26. The Council was required in accordance with section 38 of the Localism Act 2011 to prepare and publish an annual Pay Policy Statement.

The pay policy statement must set out the Council’s policies for the financial year relating to:

·  The remuneration of its chief officers,

·  The remuneration of its lowest paid employees,

·  The relationship between the remuneration of its chief officers and the remuneration of its employees who are not chief officers.

The Pay Policy Statement assembled the required statutory information from the Council’s existing policies and presented them as a single document to meet the requirements of the Localism Act.

Councillor Phil North proposed, and Councillor Flood seconded the recommendation.

Resolved:

That the Pay Policy Statement attached at Annex 1 be approved.

There were no motions on notice under Procedure Rule 12 to consider.