Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council
Councillors:
53
Wards:
18
Committees:
23
Meetings (2026):
63
Meetings (2025):
75
Meeting
Resident Services Committee - Basingstoke & Dean
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Wednesday, 17th September 2025
6:30 PM
Wednesday, 17th September 2025
6:30 PM
End:
Wednesday, 17th September 2025
9:30 PM
Wednesday, 17th September 2025
9:30 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Confirmed
Date:
17 Sep 2025
17 Sep 2025
Location:
Council Chamber - Deanes
Council Chamber - Deanes
Meeting Attendees
Reserve
Leader of the Conservative Group
Committee Member
Vice-Chair of the Licensing Committee
Reserve
Vice Chair of the Environment and Infrastructure Committee
Committee Member
Vice-Chair of the Resident Services and Standards Committee
Reserve
Deputy Leader of the Labour Group and Chair of the Environment and Infrastructure Committee
Reserve
Chair of the Investigating and Disciplinary and Standards Appeals Committee
Councillor Michael Howard-Sorrell
Not required
Secretary
Ellie Cole
Expected
Committee Member
Chair of the Resources Committee
Reserve
Chair of the Human Resources Committee
Chair
Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Resident Services Committee
Committee Member
Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing
Committee Member
Committee Member
Cabinet Member for Communities, Partnerships and Inclusion
Agenda
1
Apologies for absence and substitutions
Minutes
There were no apologies for absence or substitutions.
2
Declarations of interest
Minutes
There were no declarations of interest.
3
Appointment of Vice-Chair
To appoint a Vice-Chair to the Resident Services Committee for the 2025/26 municipal year.
Minutes
Councillor Slimin was appointed as the Vice-Chair of the Resident Services Committee for the 2025/2026 municipal year.
4
Minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2025
The Chair will move that the minutes of the meeting be signed as a correct record. The only part of the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.
Attachments:
- Document Minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2025 08 Sep 2025
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2025 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
5
Adoption of Housing Renewal Policy 2025
Contact Officer: Chris Williams
The purpose of this report is to present the draft Housing Renewal Policy 2025for comment.
The purpose of this report is to present the draft Housing Renewal Policy 2025for comment.
Attachments:
- Document Report 08 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 1 08 Sep 2025
Minutes
The Cabinet Member for Residents Services and Housing introduced the report which provided the Committee with the draft Housing Renewal Policy for 2025.
The Committee also received a presentation which provided them with a brief overview of Disabled Facilities Grants.
The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments:
Questioned whether tenants in Housing Associations were eligible. The Environmental Health Team Leader confirmed that tenants were eligible, but a referral would be required from occupational therapy through Hampshire County Council.
Sought clarification on the monitoring processes for the policy.
Questioned how the policy was promoted to residents.
Raised concern in relation to the issue of digital exclusion. The Environmental Health Team Leader confirmed that the Team helped applicants to complete any forms as much as was required.
Suggested that the policy should specifically reference benefits that had previously been means tested, in order to help residents to more easily determine their eligibility for a grant before applying.
RESOLVED: The Committee recommends to Cabinet that:
The name of the policy be amended to better reflect what the policy covers.
The policy should reference figures related to claim types, performance measures, waiting times and any relevant KPIs to give context to the volume of claims, budgets and performance.
The Committee also received a presentation which provided them with a brief overview of Disabled Facilities Grants.
The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments:
Questioned whether tenants in Housing Associations were eligible. The Environmental Health Team Leader confirmed that tenants were eligible, but a referral would be required from occupational therapy through Hampshire County Council.
Sought clarification on the monitoring processes for the policy.
Questioned how the policy was promoted to residents.
Raised concern in relation to the issue of digital exclusion. The Environmental Health Team Leader confirmed that the Team helped applicants to complete any forms as much as was required.
Suggested that the policy should specifically reference benefits that had previously been means tested, in order to help residents to more easily determine their eligibility for a grant before applying.
RESOLVED: The Committee recommends to Cabinet that:
The name of the policy be amended to better reflect what the policy covers.
The policy should reference figures related to claim types, performance measures, waiting times and any relevant KPIs to give context to the volume of claims, budgets and performance.
6
Community Buildings Policy
Contact Officer: Samantha Charlton
This report provides the Committee with the draft Community Buildings Policy, which sets out the council’s proposed approach to the provision of new community buildings and additions/improvements to existing community buildings in the borough to 2042 (in line with the new Local Plan period).
This report provides the Committee with the draft Community Buildings Policy, which sets out the council’s proposed approach to the provision of new community buildings and additions/improvements to existing community buildings in the borough to 2042 (in line with the new Local Plan period).
Attachments:
- Document Report 08 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 1 08 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 1 A 08 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 2 08 Sep 2025
Minutes
The Cabinet Member for Communities, Partnerships and Inclusion introduced the report which set out the council’s proposed approach to the provision of new community buildings and additions/improvements to existing community buildings in the borough to 2042 (in line with the new Local Plan period).
The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments:
Sought clarification on the safeguards in place to prevent developers from choosing a contribution rather than delivery.
Questioned whether there was protection to ensuring that community buildings stay for the use of the community in perpetuity.
Suggested that the policy should explain that it did not cover all community.
Stated that there should be master planning across smaller sites to ensure that infrastructure was included where it was needed.
Raised the issue of storage for local nature and biodiversity groups.
Suggested that user feedback from those involved in community buildings should be sought in relation to the design plans.
Acknowledged that different developers had different priorities, and some were more open to engaging and collaborating than others.
RESOLVED: The Committee recommends to Cabinet that:
The policy should include a preferred storage space standard as the 10% of floorspace given to storage to allow space for both centre and other local community users to store equipment is often inadequate.
Review how planning policy can embed a requirement for funding to align with the policy aims of the Community Buildings policy provisions and ensure that developer funds are ringfenced.
The name of the policy be amended or to include a reference to explain that it is a separate policy to the community assets policy.
Consider including heat maps in the policy to illustrate existing and proposed community buildings.
The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments:
Sought clarification on the safeguards in place to prevent developers from choosing a contribution rather than delivery.
Questioned whether there was protection to ensuring that community buildings stay for the use of the community in perpetuity.
Suggested that the policy should explain that it did not cover all community.
Stated that there should be master planning across smaller sites to ensure that infrastructure was included where it was needed.
Raised the issue of storage for local nature and biodiversity groups.
Suggested that user feedback from those involved in community buildings should be sought in relation to the design plans.
Acknowledged that different developers had different priorities, and some were more open to engaging and collaborating than others.
RESOLVED: The Committee recommends to Cabinet that:
The policy should include a preferred storage space standard as the 10% of floorspace given to storage to allow space for both centre and other local community users to store equipment is often inadequate.
Review how planning policy can embed a requirement for funding to align with the policy aims of the Community Buildings policy provisions and ensure that developer funds are ringfenced.
The name of the policy be amended or to include a reference to explain that it is a separate policy to the community assets policy.
Consider including heat maps in the policy to illustrate existing and proposed community buildings.
7
Review of the work programme
The Committee is asked to note and review its Work Programme and to receive updates from the Lead Members of Task and Finish Groups.
Attachments:
- Document Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme May v2 08 Sep 2025
- Document RSC Topics - policies and strategies 08 Sep 2025
Minutes
The Chair invited visiting speaker Paul Beevers to address the Committee.
He requested that the Committee consider scheduling three items on their work programme: an update of the wellbeing strategy, a revitalised Biz project and a review of the strengthening communities policy.
The Chair advised the Committee that a number of topic suggestion forms had been received and that they would be reviewed and timetabled in conversation with the relevant Officers.
It was suggested that a report on the funding provided to community groups and the voluntary sector be scheduled for the November meeting. Reference was also made to a review of leisure needs.
He requested that the Committee consider scheduling three items on their work programme: an update of the wellbeing strategy, a revitalised Biz project and a review of the strengthening communities policy.
The Chair advised the Committee that a number of topic suggestion forms had been received and that they would be reviewed and timetabled in conversation with the relevant Officers.
It was suggested that a report on the funding provided to community groups and the voluntary sector be scheduled for the November meeting. Reference was also made to a review of leisure needs.
8
Confidential/exempt items for information
Previous Meetings
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