Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council
Councillors:
54
Wards:
18
Committees:
23
Meetings (2026):
68
Meetings (2025):
75
Meeting
Resident Services Committee - Basingstoke & Dean
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Tuesday, 16th December 2025
6:30 PM
Tuesday, 16th December 2025
6:30 PM
End:
Tuesday, 16th December 2025
10:30 PM
Tuesday, 16th December 2025
10:30 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
New
New
Date:
16 Dec 2025
16 Dec 2025
Location:
Council Chamber - Deanes
Council Chamber - Deanes
Meeting Attendees
Vice-Chair
Vice-Chair of the Resident Services Committee
Committee Member
Reserve
Leader of the Conservative Group
Reserve
Deputy Leader of the Labour Group and Chair of the Environment and Infrastructure Committee
Reserve
Chair of the South Ham & Buckskin Regeneration Committee
Committee Member
Vice-Chair of the Audit and Accounts Committee
Committee Member
Chair of the Licensing Committee
Committee Member
Reserve
Chair of the Human Resources Committee
Secretary
Ellie Cole
Expected
Reserve
Chair of the Investigating and Disciplinary and Standards Appeals Committee and Vice Chair of the Environment and Infrastructure Committee
Committee Member
Councillor Alex Lee
Apologies, sent representative
Committee Member
Councillor Jenny Vaux
Present, as expected
Reserve
Councillor Paul Gaskell
Not required
Committee Member
Chair of the Licensing Committee
Councillor Tony Jones
In attendance
Agenda
1
Apologies for absence and substitutions
Minutes
Councillor Lee was replaced by Councillor G Watts.
2
Declarations of interest
Minutes
There were no declarations of interest.
3
Minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 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 15 October 2025 04 Dec 2025
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on 17 September 2025 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
4
Review of Cabinet Decision to select Down Grange as the preferred site for the reprovision of Golf Facilities
Contact Officer: Sarah Good
The purpose of this report is to outline the assessment criteria, and the
process undertaken, for the selection and consideration of the long list and
short list of sites which supported the decision, taken by Cabinet on 7
January 2025, to select Down Grange as the preferred site for the reprovision
of golf facilities and to progress with further investigations and
detailed design work.
The purpose of this report is to outline the assessment criteria, and the
process undertaken, for the selection and consideration of the long list and
short list of sites which supported the decision, taken by Cabinet on 7
January 2025, to select Down Grange as the preferred site for the reprovision
of golf facilities and to progress with further investigations and
detailed design work.
Attachments:
- Document Report 04 Dec 2025
- Document Appendix 1 Part 1 04 Dec 2025
- Document Apendix 1 Part 2 04 Dec 2025
- Document Appendix 2 04 Dec 2025
- Document Apendix 3 Part 1 04 Dec 2025
- Document Appendix 3 Part 2 04 Dec 2025
- Document Appendix 4 CONFIDENTIAL 04 Dec 2025
- Document Appendix 5 04 Dec 2025
- Document Appendix 6 04 Dec 2025
- Document Appendix 7 04 Dec 2025
- Document Redacted appendix P1 04 Dec 2025
- Document Redacted appendix P2 04 Dec 2025
Minutes
The Cabinet Member for Sports, Leisure and Culture introduced the report which outlined the assessment criteria, and the process undertaken, for the selection and consideration of the long list and short list of sites which supported the decision, taken by Cabinet on 7 January 2025, to select Down Grange as the preferred site for the reprovision of golf facilities and to progress with further investigations and detailed design work.
The Chair invited visiting speakers Stewart Johnston, Lucy Wain and Claire Harrison to address the Committee, their comments included:
The proposed plans were a significant downgrade of the current Council facilities.
The Athletic groups based at Down Grange had produced a number of medallists.
The Disc golf club would be ended by the proposals.
There were numerous examples where municipal pitch and putts caused a number of health and safety issues.
Access for a number of users would be removed with certain protected groups also displaced.
The groups had gathered detailed information on usage data and requested that a suitable alternative site was progressed instead.
The Chair invited visiting members, Councillor Jones and McCormick to address the Committee, their comments included:
Stated that Like-for-like provision had not been given sufficient consideration in the proposals.
The sites located at Manydown and Carpenters Down had good access and potential.
It was felt that there had been poor engagement with residents and that the current site was ideal.
Would have like to have seen more detailed consultation with ward members.
The Cabinet Member for Sports, Leisure and Culture responded to the comments made and responded that:
All sites were constrained in their own way.
They thanked the speakers for their comments and hard work to gather data.
They had visited the site on multiple occasions and engaged with the sports clubs on a number of issues.
They acknowledged the access issues and noted that the emphasis on Council-owned land was intended to ensure that the Council had greater control over the charging arrangements.
The Committee discussed the report and agreed that the correct procedures had been followed.
However, it was felt that a more robust method for setting weighted criteria in evaluating potential sites for a new pitch and putt facility was required considering options beyond Council-owned land and the additional information that had come to light since the original decision.
Following the Committees examination of the report and detailed questioning of those present, the Committee agreed to make two recommendations to the Cabinet for further consideration.
RESOLVED: The Committee requests that the Cabinet considers the following recommendations of the Resident Services Committee and provides a response to the Committee:
To review the criteria previously set and adopt a more robust approach to evaluating the proposed sites for the replacement facility.
That an updated report is presented to the Resident Services Committee following any changes made to the criteria or sites.
The Chair invited visiting speakers Stewart Johnston, Lucy Wain and Claire Harrison to address the Committee, their comments included:
The proposed plans were a significant downgrade of the current Council facilities.
The Athletic groups based at Down Grange had produced a number of medallists.
The Disc golf club would be ended by the proposals.
There were numerous examples where municipal pitch and putts caused a number of health and safety issues.
Access for a number of users would be removed with certain protected groups also displaced.
The groups had gathered detailed information on usage data and requested that a suitable alternative site was progressed instead.
The Chair invited visiting members, Councillor Jones and McCormick to address the Committee, their comments included:
Stated that Like-for-like provision had not been given sufficient consideration in the proposals.
The sites located at Manydown and Carpenters Down had good access and potential.
It was felt that there had been poor engagement with residents and that the current site was ideal.
Would have like to have seen more detailed consultation with ward members.
The Cabinet Member for Sports, Leisure and Culture responded to the comments made and responded that:
All sites were constrained in their own way.
They thanked the speakers for their comments and hard work to gather data.
They had visited the site on multiple occasions and engaged with the sports clubs on a number of issues.
They acknowledged the access issues and noted that the emphasis on Council-owned land was intended to ensure that the Council had greater control over the charging arrangements.
The Committee discussed the report and agreed that the correct procedures had been followed.
However, it was felt that a more robust method for setting weighted criteria in evaluating potential sites for a new pitch and putt facility was required considering options beyond Council-owned land and the additional information that had come to light since the original decision.
Following the Committees examination of the report and detailed questioning of those present, the Committee agreed to make two recommendations to the Cabinet for further consideration.
RESOLVED: The Committee requests that the Cabinet considers the following recommendations of the Resident Services Committee and provides a response to the Committee:
To review the criteria previously set and adopt a more robust approach to evaluating the proposed sites for the replacement facility.
That an updated report is presented to the Resident Services Committee following any changes made to the criteria or sites.
5
Recommendation Tracker
The Committee are presented with the recommendation tracker for the Resident Services Committee which includes any recommendations or actions requested by the Committee so far in the 2025/26 municipal year for noting.
Attachments:
- Document Recommendation Tracker 2024 onwards 04 Dec 2025
Minutes
The Committee noted the recommendation tracker.
6
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 04 Dec 2025
- Document RSC Topics - policies and strategies 04 Dec 2025
Minutes
The Chair introduced the work programme and gave a brief overview of the items that would be included on the agenda for the upcoming meetings.
The Chair encourage members to submit a topic suggestion form for any items they would like to be considered at a future meeting.
The Chair encourage members to submit a topic suggestion form for any items they would like to be considered at a future meeting.
7
Confidential/exempt items for information
Item 4 – Appendix 4
Previous Meetings
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