The New Forest District Council met on 15 September 2025, to discuss a range of issues including the new waste collection service, local government reorganisation, and the council's transformation strategy. Councillors were scheduled to discuss a motion to suspend the rollout of the new waste collection service, and to consider questions relating to the new waste service, shared ownership homes, and the New Forest Community Lottery Scheme. They were also scheduled to discuss reports from the Cabinet meetings held on 6 August and 3 September.

Lymington Parking

Councillor Jack Davies was scheduled to move a motion to reinstate the one-hour free parking period on Lymington High Street. The council was asked to note that Hampshire County Council is responsible for on-street parking across the county, and that the free on-street parking period in Lymington has been reduced from one hour to twenty minutes. The council was also asked to note that local shopkeepers and residents have raised concerns that twenty minutes is not long enough.

The council was asked to believe that the reduction from one hour to twenty minutes free parking is damaging to the vitality of Lymington High Street, and that a reasonable period of free parking supports both residents and small businesses.

The council was asked to recommend that the Leader of the Council writes to Hampshire County Council requesting the reinstatement of at least one hour of free on-street parking in Lymington, and that the council engages with local business groups, chambers of commerce, and residents' associations to gather evidence on the impact of parking policy on high streets across the district. Councillor Colm McCarthy was scheduled to second the motion.

Waste Collection Service

The council was scheduled to consider a motion to suspend the implementation of Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the waste container rollout. This followed an extraordinary council meeting that was called to discuss the rollout of the new waste and recycling service.

The council was asked to note ongoing waste and recycling operational issues in Phase 1 areas, including missed collections, overflowing bins, interference from animals, confusion about collection point requirements, the impact on collections in Phase 2 and 3 areas, as well as call-waiting times for residents, and the impact on NFDC officer time and staff morale.

The council was asked to believe that waste removal is an essential service, and that an efficient and effective rollout of Phase 2 and 3 is essential to ensure that additional costs are avoided and disruption is minimised for residents and staff.

The council was asked to resolve to suspend the implementation of Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the waste container rollout until a full report is made to council categorising the Phase 1 issues with clear mitigating actions identified and delivered, results of the trials on bin placement and container security are available and reported to Full Council, an agreed operational policy for collection in open forest areas is in place and communicated appropriately with all relevant stakeholders, the council reviews its commercial waste policy with regard to camping and caravan sites where there is residential use alongside commercial use, secure food waste container options have been identified and tested, a full risk assessment for Phase 2 and Phase 3 areas is completed and published, and an improved communication and education service is implemented to support residents in the transition to the new service.

The council was also asked to resolve that bin placement in open forest areas should, where practicable, be inside property cattle grids pending the adoption of any secure container solution, to prevent animal access, that monthly performance data be published on missed collections, animal interference incidents, complaint volumes and resolution rates, and customer service SLA compliance, for the duration of the Phase 2 and 3 rollout, and that the Leader of the Council and Councillor Geoffrey Blunden, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability report progress directly to Full Council before any further rollout stages proceed.

The Report of Cabinet - 3 September 2025 included a review of the new waste collection service phase 1 roll out and motion to suspend phases 2 and 3. The report noted that the new waste collection service is a significant change that will affect every household in the district and is a key corporate priority for the council, and that the service also contributes to the council's environmental and climate change objectives, increase recycling rates, reducing emissions, and reducing the amount of overall general waste and littering from sacks.

The report also noted that during the Phase 1 roll out to 31,000 households, issues have been encountered with data, systems and processes that have impacted on the project and residents, and that these are being addressed with the learning used to shape phases 2 and 3.

The report recommended that Cabinet consider the contents of the report, and the summary of the debate at the Extraordinary Council meeting, included at Appendix 4, note the change in approach to food waste collection during the pannage period, whereby residents within the perambulation¹ will be asked to keep food caddies behind gates, that officers continue to work on a business case to extend the behind gate policy beyond pannage, and that an in principle agreement to this longer-term policy change is given, with the final decision being subject to a business case, that the Waste Programme Board will retain oversight of implementation, and will receive a Phase 2 plan and updated risk assessment, that Cabinet support further dedicated engagement sessions for ward councillors throughout the phased rollout to support their role within their local communities, and that, in considering the motion referred to Cabinet by Council at Appendix 1, the Cabinet note that the options appraisal in this report identifies that phases two and three should proceed as planned, with the mitigations and improvements noted in the action plan in this report.

Questions to Portfolio Holders

Councillors were scheduled to ask questions to the relevant portfolio holders. Councillor Alan O'Sullivan was scheduled to ask Councillor Geoffrey Blunden, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, about preparations being made for phases 2 and 3 of the ongoing rollout of the new Waste Service. Councillor Alvin Reid was scheduled to ask Councillor Steve Davies, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness, about when and where new Shared Ownership homes might be expected next. Councillor Ian Murray was scheduled to ask Councillor Dan Poole, Portfolio Holder for Community, Safety and Wellbeing, for a progress update on the New Forest Community Lottery Scheme. Councillor Steve Rippon-Swaine was scheduled to ask Councillor Jill Cleary, Leader of the Council, about the impact of LGR² on the Corporate Plan priorities. Councillor Allan Glass was scheduled to ask Councillor Derek Tipp, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economy, for an update on progress since the publication of the Skills Action Plan at July Cabinet. Councillor Richard Young was scheduled to ask Councillor Jeremy Heron, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate, about how the recent increase in workload for customer services is being managed. Councillor Christine Ward was scheduled to ask Councillor Geoffrey Blunden about coastal management measures in place in preparation for winter storms. Councillor Malcolm Wade was scheduled to ask Councillor Geoffrey Blunden how many properties has been confirmed as not being suitable to take wheelie bins across the district. Councillor Jack Davies was scheduled to ask Councillor Geoffrey Blunden when residents will get the service they pay for. Councillor Colm McCarthy was scheduled to ask Councillor Geoffrey Blunden about risk assessments, monitoring, and mitigations measures to prevent farm animals from accessing food waste. Councillor Patrick Mballa was scheduled to ask Councillor Jill Cleary what reassurance can be given to the people of Marchwood and the Waterside regarding the tangible benefits of the Freeport to the Community and improvements to local infrastructure. Councillor Phil Woods was scheduled to ask Councillor Geoffrey Blunden what the income from car parks in Fordingbridge was in the last financial year. Councillor Caroline Rackham was scheduled to ask Councillor Geoffrey Blunden if he has signed up to do the same residents survey of our rivers for Waterwatch. Councillor Mark Clark was scheduled to ask Councillor Jill Cleary if she will now return to her Conservative colleagues at County and seek a joint proposal that reflects cooperation and credibility, or will you persist with this lemming-like dash towards the cliff edge. Councillor Philip Dowd was scheduled to ask Councillor Jill Cleary why there is no clear financial risk equalisation model outlined in the proposals. Councillor David Harrison was scheduled to ask Councillor Jill Cleary why NFDC proceeded with a public consultation that contained no meaningful financial modelling, no costings of transition, no analysis of projected savings, and no comparative data on council tax or service delivery. Councillor Jack Davies was scheduled to ask Councillor Derek Tipp if he agrees that we need a new planning category of use for second homes, so this council has the power to manage numbers and protect housing for local families. Councillor Caroline Rackham was scheduled to ask Councillor Geoffrey Blunden how much income the Totton car parks made last financial year.

Cabinet Reports

The council was scheduled to consider the Report of Cabinet - 6 August 2025.

The report noted that Cabinet had approved the draft Housing Landlord Strategy for public consultation, had noted the Housing Annual Compliance report, had noted the Tenant Satisfaction Measures 2024/25, and had noted the summary of comments and endorsed the recommended responses to the issues and scope consultation, approved the revised Local Development Scheme for preparing the Local Plan review, approved the scope of the Conservation Area Appraisal reviews, and noted the updates on the associated evidence base work.

The report also recommended that Council note the revised business case position, and approve the revised transformation strategy, and adopt the Principal Rish Register updates.

The council was also scheduled to consider the Report of Cabinet - 3 September 2025.

The report noted that Cabinet had noted the latest budget forecasts of the General Fund, HRA, and Capital.

The report also recommended that Council endorse the Cabinet's resolutions above, as the correct and proportionate response to the motion.

Housing Landlord Strategy

The Report of Cabinet - 6 August 2025 included a discussion of the proposed draft Housing Landlord Strategy (2025-2030) with Reference to the HRA Business Plan. The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness introduced the report welcoming the draft Housing Landlord Strategy to help the Council in meeting the regulator's consumer standards and addressing the regulatory changes in the housing sector. The Portfolio Holder recognised the consultation that had taken place on the strategy, in particular with the Tenant Involvement Group (TIG), ensuring tenants had a voice and the value of the tenant representative on the Housing and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

The Assistant Director – Housing reported that the Housing Landlord Strategy was not a legal requirement for the Council, but that the Strategy encapsulated the ambitions of the housing service to achieve a high compliance score with the housing regulator for the benefit of tenants. The Strategy also detailed the offer to tenants and stakeholders, which was broader than bricks and mortar, and included partnership working in order to meet the needs of vulnerable tenants. In addition, the strategy reflected on the HRA and business approach, which was the largest income source for the council, and it was recognised that this income came from tenants' rents which needed to be spent in a responsible way. It was essential to improve existing housing and to make homes more energy efficient as well as being able to provide more affordable housing. The draft strategy had reviewed all the work carried out to date and detailed what the Council would do in the future.

Revised Transformation Strategy

The Report of Cabinet - 6 August 2025 included a discussion of the Revised Transformation Strategy. The Leader reported she was happy to support the direction of the report and the new revised Transformation Strategy, and that the council was committed to delivering services to meet the needs of residents and make it as easy as possible for them to engage with the council, in a way that suited their needs. It was necessary to invest in the right systems to do this. The Leader reported she was passionate about supporting staff and that it was more important than ever to support staff, ensuring they had the right skills and capability to navigate the next few years and to thrive in any new authority. The revised strategy would deliver this.

The Leader reported it was also appropriate to reflect on the scope of the transformation programme to ensure it delivered meaningful benefits and to support the key objectives. Investment in systems and staff was required to improve the delivery of services to customers as well as the ability of the authority to respond to the uncertainty of LGR by positioning itself well in any transition to a new unitary authority.

The Transformation and Improvement Manager reported that LGR had significantly changed the context for the way the council approached transformation, and it was appropriate in this context to revise the transformation objectives and revisit the business case approved in 2024. The report presented a revised transformation strategy, and it considered the impact on the approved business case. The revised Transformation Strategy (Appendix 1) evaluated the original drivers for transformation in light of LGR and updated the Strategic Objectives. It also considered the scope of transformation activities, excluding those no longer feasible or practical in a shorter timeframe, considering the long-term future of the council. Whilst the original transformation strategy had aimed to deliver financial savings and modernised services, the focus for the revised strategy had a shift in approach to non-financial benefits, including ensuring a smooth transition to a new authority, maintaining service quality and preparing staff and systems for future integration. Most importantly the new strategy had removed changes to staff roles, responsibilities and staffing structures but sought to continue to deliver improvements in the digital capability and support to customers and staff.

The three main digital projects being undertaken was the implementation of a new Customer Relationship Management system, replacement of the Housing Maintenance system and the replacement of the existing Regulatory Services software. These were necessary for the continuity and quality of service delivery.

The Revised Transformation Strategy and Business Case stated that:

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) has fundamentally changed the context in which the council approaches transformation.

Although the originally anticipated financial benefits of transformation may not be realised ahead of reorganisation, the core drivers for change remain strong. The transformation programme continues to deliver significant value, ensuring the council is well positioned and adequately prepared for a smooth and effective transition to the new authority.

The strategy also stated that:

Efficiencies should be identified to help improve councils' finances and make sure that council taxpayers are getting the best possible value for their money.

Proposals should set out how an area will seek to manage transition costs, including planning for future service transformation opportunities from existing budgets, including from the flexible use of capital receipts that can support authorities in taking forward transformation and invest-to-save projects.

The strategy set out a vision for Future New Forest:

Modernising and improving services to meet changing customer needs and ensure our people, technology, data and processes are ready for the significant changes local government reorganisation will bring.

The strategy also set out objectives by theme:

• Customer and digital services
• People and capabilities
• Assets and accommodation
• Transformation delivery and LGR readiness

Principal Risk Register Review

The Report of Cabinet - 6 August 2025 included a discussion of the Principal Risk Register Review. The Leader presented the Principal Risk Register which was presented in a new format. The Risk Register (Appendix 1) detailed all 19 principal risks. Updates were provided on the register every 6 months to the Cabinet, which enabled oversight of all risks and mitigation plans in place to ensure that members were informed about risk management and the implications. Following a quarterly review, two risks had been removed and one had been added. The two risks which had been removed related to the political environment due to the HCC elections planned for May 2025 being postponed and Hardley depot, which had been completed. The new risk related to recruitment and retention of staff due to the uncertainty of LGR and devolution. It was highlighted that the Audit Committee had reviewed the Principal Risk Register and the feedback had been considered by officers and included within the report.

The Assistant Director of Finance confirmed that Cabinet were presented with an update on the Risk Register every six months and that two risks had been removed and a new one added. Feedback from the Audit Committee was highlighted within paragraphs 16-18 of the report, in particular that unmitigated (inherent) and mitigated (residual) risk scores had been included within the risk register.