The Havant Borough Council Cabinet was scheduled to meet on 15 September 2025 to discuss several matters, including the annual fees and charges setting process, the Shareholder Sub-Committee Annual Report, and the Corporate Peer Challenge Report and Action Plan. The Cabinet was also expected to consider the updated terms of reference for the Cabinet Liaison Panel for the Local Plan.

Corporate Peer Challenge Report

The Cabinet were scheduled to review the findings and recommendations from the Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) that the council participated in during June 2025. The Corporate Peer Challenge Report summarised the key findings and recommendations from the CPC. The report also sought approval of the draft proposed action plan in response to the recommendations highlighted by the corporate peer team.

The report noted that Havant Borough Council had experienced significant change in the three years prior to the review, including the disaggregation from East Hampshire District Council in 2022, and the election of a new council in 2024 which resulted in a coalition of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Parties forming the Administration after many years of Conservative control.

The CPC considered five themes:

• Local priorities and outcomes
• Organisational and place leadership
• Governance and culture
• Financial planning and management
• Capacity for improvement

The feedback report highlighted that the organisation was delivering a lot and that there was much the council could be proud of, and that there was a strong emphasis on the council enhancing its engagement with communities and stakeholders.

The report also noted nine recommendations for improvement:

• Establish a dedicated savings programme that is robust, has clear accountabilities and appropriate officer and elected member governance, oversight and monitoring.
• Establish a limited set of key performance measures and report these regularly politically and managerially to ensure focus on what really matters.
• Ensure a clear and consistent political direction, focused on the strategic, around which there is collective Cabinet ownership and responsibility.
• Invest further in 'top team' working across the Cabinet and Executive Leadership Team to aid decision-making and further develop relationships.
• Address issues in relation to the Planning Committee and Planning service.
• Fulfil the commitment to test the approach to the Local Plan through external expert advice.
• Consider the options and opportunities around the £9m capital funding that is ringfenced for 'regeneration' but currently appears unallocated to projects.
• Continue the investment in training for managers at the Operational Leadership Team level to develop understanding around corporate responsibilities and collective working and establish closer engagement with the Executive Leadership Team.
• Reassure yourselves in relation to the level of risk being carried around the quantum of change activity being undertaken over the coming months and the effectiveness of the council's key corporate processes and systems and the capacity to support this.

The Appendix B - Corporate Peer Challenge document contained the proposed action plan to address the recommendations.

Review of the Annual Fees and Charges Setting Process

The Cabinet were scheduled to be advised of the outcome of a challenge session scrutinising the Annual Fees and Charges Setting Process. The Review of the Annual Fees and Charges Setting Process report included a recommendation that the Cabinet agree to several actions, including:

• Completing an integrated impact assessment to accompany the fees and charges schedule to Cabinet for decision and any subsequent substantial changes to individual fees and charges lines.
• Conducting the fees and charges schedule process in accordance with the Local Government Association '6 Points of Best Practice'.
• Identifying and reporting any substantial increase, above 5% of the Consumer Price Index¹ or any fees and charges that were free, to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.
• Ensuring that any increases to fees and charges consider the impact on the value of council assets.
• Holding an All Member Briefing to introduce the fees and charges schedule ahead of the Cabinet decision each year.
• Submitting the Fees and charges schedule to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for pre-scrutiny ahead of the decision to be made by the Cabinet each year.

Shareholder Sub-Committee Annual Report

The Cabinet were scheduled to consider the recommendations of the Shareholder Sub Committee held on 22 July 2025. The Shareholder Sub Committee - Annual Report was to provide a report on governance, financial and performance arrangements for the council's companies. The Shareholder Sub-Committee's terms of reference require an annual report to be prepared and presented to Cabinet to consider matters in on the overall governance, financial and performance arrangements for the council's companies.

NorseSE Audit - Limitation of Liability Agreement

The Cabinet were scheduled to consider the recommendations of the Shareholder Sub Committee held on 22 July 2025 regarding the NorseSE Audit - Limitation of Liability Agreement. Norse SE auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) sought agreement to limit their liability to Norse South East for their duties in carrying out the statutory financial audit. The Council, as Shareholder, was requested to consider this request and waive Shareholder approval to agree the Liability Limitation Agreement, referring this matter to the company for approval.

Cabinet Liaison Panel - Local Plan

The Cabinet were scheduled to agree to the updated terms of reference for the Cabinet Liaison Panel for the Local Plan. The Cabinet Liaison Panel - Local Plan Working Group Terms of Reference document stated that the working group is an informal consultative group set up to work with officers developing the Borough's new Local Plan. The group will review the evidence base as it is developed together with the emerging development strategy and draft policy proposals. The group is not a decision-making body and has no formal status under the constitution.

Other Matters

The Cabinet were also scheduled to:

• Confirm the minutes of the last meeting held on 09 July 2025.
• Receive a report from Councillor Philip Munday, Leader of the Council - Cabinet Lead for Corporate Strategy. Performance, and External Relations, Chairman of Human Resources Committee, in his role as Chairman.
• Receive questions from councillors.
• Note any delegated decisions.
• Note the minutes from the Portchester Crematorium Joint Committee, the Langstone Harbour Board², and the Solent Freeport Consortium Ltd Board.