The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Havant Borough Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday 8 October 2025, to discuss the Hampshire Home Choice and Housing Allocations scheme, the Quarter 1 Performance Report, and the committee's work programme. The committee will be able to make recommendations to the cabinet regarding these topics.

Hampshire Home Choice and Housing Allocations

The committee is scheduled to conduct a pre-scrutiny review of the report regarding the Hampshire Home Choice and Housing Allocations scheme, before it is considered by the cabinet on 22 October 2025.

Havant Borough Council currently uses Hampshire Home Choice, a choice-based lettings scheme, to manage its housing waiting list and property nominations. The report states that a six-month investigation revealed that only 16% of available properties were allocated to people in homeless need, while the remaining 84% went to residents with low or no housing need.

The report suggests transitioning to a needs-based allocation policy to address the increasing homelessness in the borough and its financial implications for the council. This policy would prioritise available properties for those with the most urgent needs and would be ringfenced for Havant residents.

The report outlines the following recommendations for the cabinet:

• Agree to move to a needs based allocations scheme and prepare a policy for adoption.
• Agree to bring the existing Hampshire Home Choice Scheme to an end.
• Delegate authority to the Executive Head of Housing and Communities, following consultation with Councillor Amy Redsull, Cabinet Lead for Housing, to terminate existing contractual arrangements and develop a needs-based allocations policy for Havant Borough Council.

The report highlights the advantages and challenges of both choice-based and needs-based allocation schemes. Choice-based lettings schemes are said to involve applicants in the process and promote transparency, while needs-based systems prioritise those with the most urgent circumstances.

The report identifies several potential drawbacks of a choice based letting scheme:

Unmet demand: In areas with high housing demand and low stock turnover, choice-based lettings can create unrealistic expectations and lead to extremely long waiting times for many applicants.

Exclusion of vulnerable applicants: Some applicants, particularly those members of vulnerable households, may struggle to engage with an online bidding system and receive less favourable outcomes than their need would warrant.

Residents with Low or No housing need are housed first based on the length off time waiting on the list.

The report also identifies potential drawbacks of a needs-based approach, including the removal of choice for applicants and the risk of allocating properties in less desirable areas.

The report presents three options for the committee to consider:

1. Take no action and delay the decision until completion of Local Government Reorganisation.
2. Agree to terminate the existing contract with Hampshire Home Choice but remain as a choice-based policy.
3. Agree to terminate the existing contract with Hampshire Home Choice and develop a needs-based allocations policy for Havant Borough Council.

The report states that Havant Borough Council is currently in contract for Hampshire Home Choice and that a notice period of one year is required to terminate the agreement. If the decision to terminate is agreed, the proposed timeline includes formally giving notice to Hampshire Home Choice by the end of October 2025, starting procurement for a new system in November 2025, developing a needs-based allocations policy in December 2025, and consulting residents and local stakeholders on the draft allocations policy in February 2026. The new system is expected to go live with a transition period in June 2026, with full implementation by November 2026.

An integrated impact assessment¹ has been completed, which assesses the potential impacts of the proposed changes on various factors, including age, disability, race, religion, sex, community safety, housing, poverty, health and wellbeing, and the environment.

Quarter 1 Performance Report

The committee is scheduled to review and comment on the Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter 1 of 2025/26. The report provides an update on the corporate priorities for 2025-26, as identified in the council's Corporate Strategy Delivery Plan, and the performance of council services as of the end of June.

The report states that overall performance across key performance indicators has been maintained, and progress is being monitored against the Corporate Strategy Delivery Plan.

The report highlights several projects currently listed as 'at risk' on either time, quality, or cost:

• Stockheath Road temporary accommodation
• Water quality signage
• Environment Act changes
• Community skips
• Langstone Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Scheme
• Cemetery provision
• Community based energy projects
• Property Asset Management system
• Letting of Plaza A block

The report also notes significant progress on a number of projects over the summer, including the completion of CCTV installation, income generation from Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) properties, completion of the Local Plan consultation, delivery of Waterlooville street art, contract exchange for Bulbeck Road, purchase of Market Parade, appointment of a contractor for the Langstone sea wall, and launch of procurement for electric vehicles.

The report provides updates on the performance of various council services, including housing, commercial services, and place-related services. In housing, the number of prevention outcomes has shown a positive trend, and placements in temporary accommodation are at their lowest in over two years. The council has also met the government requirement to have no families staying in bed and breakfast-type accommodation for longer than six weeks. In commercial services, the number of missed bins is below target, and recycling rates have increased. However, in place-related services, there has been a dip in planning performance due to the implementation of the Arcus software system².

Work Programme

The committee is scheduled to consider its work programme and discuss potential additions from the forward plan.