Meeting

All Members are required to disclose at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter, any disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest in any item(s) being considered at this meeting

To sign as a true and correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 15 July 2026.

(NOTE: Standing Order No. 3.4 requires that notice of a Deputation should be received by the Borough Solicitor NOT LATER THAN 12 O’CLOCK NOON ON MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2026 and likewise Standing Order No. 3.5 requires that notice of a Public Question should be received by the Borough Solicitor NOT LATER THAN 12 O’CLOCK NOON ON MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2026)

NOTE: Members are reminded that Standing Order No. 3.3 requires that Notice of Question pursuant to that Standing Order must be received by the Borough Solicitor NOT LATER THAN 12 O’CLOCK NOON ON TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER 2026 )

To consider the Part I recommendations of the Boards of the Council.

Economic Regeneration and Skills Board – 24 September 2026

NOTICES OF MOTION UNDER STANDING ORDER 2.25

MOTION 1

Motion: Increasing Fixed Penalties for Fly-Tipping and Littering

This Council notes that:

Fly-tipping and littering damage the environment, reduce the accessibility of footpaths and public spaces, harm wildlife and impose unnecessary costs on local taxpayers. Residents rightly expect Gosport Borough Council to take robust and effective action against those who illegally dump waste or litter our streets, parks, open spaces and coastline. The Environmental Offences (Fixed Penalties) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026 have increased the maximum fixed penalty available to local authorities for fly-tipping to £5,000 and the maximum fixed penalty for littering to £750. The Regulations came into force on 1 September 2026, giving local authorities greater discretion to impose stronger and more meaningful penalties for environmental offences. Gosport Borough Council's current fixed penalty for the unlawful depositing of waste is £200, reduced to £120 where payment is made within the 10-day early-payment period. The Council should ensure that its enforcement approach provides an effective deterrent, reflects the seriousness of environmental offences and is transparent and accountable to elected Members and the public.

This Council believes that those who damage our environment through fly-tipping and littering should face meaningful consequences and that Gosport Borough Council should make full use of the increased penalties now available under the Environmental Offences (Fixed Penalties) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026. The Council further believes that regular reporting to the Community and Environment Board is essential to ensure timely responses to emerging trends in fly-tipping offences.

This Council therefore resolves to:

Increase the fixed penalty for fly-tipping and the unlawful depositing of waste to the maximum level of £5,000 permitted under the Environmental Offences (Fixed Penalties) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026. Increase the fixed penalty for littering to the maximum level of £750 permitted under the Environmental Offences (Fixed Penalties) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026. Review the current early-payment discounts for fly-tipping and littering offences and bring forward recommendations to ensure that any discounts do not undermine the effectiveness of the penalties as a deterrent. Authorise the relevant officers to undertake any necessary review and amendment of the Council's Environmental Enforcement Policy, enforcement procedures and delegation arrangements required to implement these increased penalties. Ensure that serious, repeat and organised fly-tipping offences continue to be considered for prosecution where this is the most appropriate enforcement action. Require fly-tipping figures and enforcement activity to be reported quarterly at meetings of the Community and Environment Board, including, where available:

a) the number of reported fly-tipping incidents;

b) the locations and types of fly-tipping recorded;

c) the number of investigations undertaken;

d) the number of fixed penalty notices issued;

e) the number and value of fixed penalty notices paid;

f) the number of cases resulting in prosecution or other enforcement action; and

g) the costs of clearing fly-tipped waste.

Request that these reports enable the Community and Environment Board to monitor trends in fly-tipping, assess the effectiveness of enforcement activity and make recommendations for further action where necessary. Publicise the increased penalties and successful enforcement action, where legally appropriate, to send a clear message that fly-tipping and littering will not be tolerated in Gosport.

Proposed by: Councillor Thomas Finn

Seconded by: Councillor Julie Westerby

MOTION 2

Motion: Discretionary Council Tax Relief for People Living with a Terminal Illness

This Council notes:

That a terminal diagnosis is an exceptionally difficult and distressing time for individuals, their families and carers. That people living with a terminal illness can face significant additional costs, including increased energy, heating, transport, care and medical-related costs, at the same time as household income may reduce because the individual is no longer able to work. That Marie Curie, the UK's leading end-of-life charity, has highlighted the increased risk of financial hardship and poverty faced by people living with a terminal illness and is campaigning for councils across England to provide greater financial support to people at the end of life. That Marie Curie is calling on local authorities in England to introduce Council Tax exemptions or reductions for people living with a terminal illness, so that people do not have the additional worry of Council Tax bills during the final months of their lives. That Marie Curie has highlighted the use of the SR1 medical report as a straightforward means of establishing eligibility. The SR1 is completed by an appropriate healthcare professional and confirms that a person has a terminal illness and is likely to die within 12 months. That using the SR1 as evidence of eligibility can avoid requiring residents and their families to undergo unnecessary additional medical assessments at an already extremely difficult time. That 27 English local authorities have already introduced Council Tax exemptions or reductions for households affected by terminal illness, demonstrating that councils can use their discretionary powers to provide additional financial support to people living with a terminal illness and their families. That Council Tax legislation provides local authorities with discretionary powers which can be used to reduce or remit Council Tax liability in appropriate circumstances. That Gosport Borough Council already operates Council Tax Support arrangements and has discretionary powers available to it in relation to Council Tax. That providing Council Tax relief to households affected by terminal illness would be a compassionate and practical measure which could remove one significant financial worry from residents and their families at the end of life. That access to such support should be straightforward, timely and should not place unnecessary administrative or evidential burdens on people who are living with a terminal illness.

This Council believes:

That nobody living with a terminal illness should have to spend their final months worrying about whether they can afford their Council Tax. That Gosport Borough Council should play its part in reducing financial hardship for residents living with a terminal illness and their families. That Gosport should follow the example of other English councils and consider introducing dedicated Council Tax relief for households affected by terminal illness. That support should be designed to ensure that a terminally ill person is not disadvantaged because they live with a spouse, partner, family member or other adult. That the process for accessing the support should be as simple and compassionate as possible, with the SR1 medical report used wherever legally and operationally practicable to establish eligibility.

This Council resolves:

To support the Marie Curie campaign for Council Tax relief for people living with a terminal illness. To request that the Policy and Organisation Board considers proposals for the introduction of a Discretionary Council Tax Relief Scheme for households affected by terminal illness, using the Council's powers under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, or such other lawful powers as officers consider appropriate. That the proposed scheme should provide for 100% discretionary Council Tax relief for a household where a person resident in the property is living with a terminal illness, subject to appropriate legal and financial advice. That, wherever legally and operationally practicable, eligibility should be established using an SR1 medical report, or equivalent appropriate medical evidence, without requiring applicants to undergo unnecessary additional assessments. That the scheme should, subject to legal and financial advice, apply from the date on which the qualifying medical certification is issued and remain in place for as long as the resident continues to meet the eligibility criteria, including until the person's death. That the Policy and Organisation Board should receive a report from officers setting out detailed proposals for the scheme, including:

a) the proposed eligibility criteria;

b) the appropriate legal mechanism;

c) the proposed level of relief;

d) the estimated number of potentially eligible households;

e) the estimated financial impact on Gosport Borough Council and other precepting authorities;

f) the proposed application and verification process;

g) arrangements for promoting the scheme to eligible residents and relevant health, social care and voluntary-sector organisations;

h) arrangements for monitoring take-up and cost; and

i) a proposed implementation date.

That the Policy and Organisation Board should seek to implement the scheme at the earliest practicable opportunity following consideration of the legal, financial and administrative implications. That the Council should ensure that information about any scheme introduced is clearly communicated through Council Tax correspondence, the Council's website, customer services and appropriate local health, social care and voluntary-sector organisations.

Proposed by: Councillor Thomas Finn

Seconded by: Councillor Richard Earle

MOTION 3

Nowhere in the United Kingdom is the Battle of Coronel remembered, yet in Coronel itself it is never forgotten. In November 1914, the battle of Coronel was considered a major disaster, the British Government blamed Admiral Cradock for not following orders, as for the first time in over 100 years the Royal Navy had been defeated at sea. The Royal Navy lost 2 ships with no survivors, over 1400 men were killed, the German Navy also had 3 sailors injured.

It was decades before Admiral Cradock was exonerated and the truth finally emerged. There were only 3 battles of significance during the Great War. The Battle of Coronel 1 November 1914, the Battle of the Falklands December 1914, when the Royal Navy exacted its revenge, and the Battle of Jutland 1916.

Coronel hosts and annual service of Remembrance on 1 November each year, to remember those that were lost.

A Link of Friendship between our two communities would be welcome and is possibly be the one and only focal point here in the United Kingdom for all the descendants of those who perished on HMS GOOD HOPE and HMS MONMOUTH on 1 November 1914 to thank the Coronel residents for their continued remembrance of those that perished, many of them with descendants in Gosport.

Proposal that–

That Gosport Borough Council forms a link of friendship with the citizens of Coronel, to thank them for their many years of honouring those that perished on HMS Monmouth and HMS Good Hope at the Battle of Coronel in 1914.

That an letter from the Council, be presented to the Mayor of Coronel, Boris Chamorro on 1st November 2026, extending an invitation to the residents of Coronel to form a link of friendship.

Proposed by Councillor Graham Burgess

Seconded by Councillor Lesley Meenaghan

MOTION 4

COUNCIL NOTES

The Council notes the events of the 4 October and the 22September 2026, when a significant local operational response was mounted in Gosport in anticipation of a possible small-boat landing. The vessel on the 22 September was ultimately taken by sea to Dover however the vessel on the 4 October was docked and disembarked at Fort Blockhouse.

These incidents placed significant demands upon local emergency services and demonstrated the importance of appropriate site selection, access, emergency resilience and the ability to manage the safe movement of people and vehicles. Local residents were also impacted due to the location and bottleneck of protests and large police presence, the government must take note of the community impact.

This followed the events of 6 September 2026, when approximately 140 people were rescued following an irregular small-boat crossing were brought ashore at Eastney in Portsmouth, which also required substantial local resources given its similar infrastructure challenges.

The Council notes that, prior to these events, concerns had already been raised with the Home Secretary regarding the potential use of Fort Blockhouse and other locations within Gosport. These concerns included the physical constraints of the Gosport peninsula, limited access routes, the capacity of local infrastructure, emergency access and resilience, the potential impact on local communities and services, and the wider implications for the future regeneration of the Haslar Peninsula.

The Council recognises and places on record its thanks to the RNLI, Coastguard, police, fire, ambulance and all other emergency and maritime rescue organisations, volunteers and individuals who respond to maritime emergencies and work to protect life. The Council recognises the difficult circumstances in which they operate and the importance of ensuring they have the information, resources and support necessary to carry out their roles safely and effectively.

The Council also recognises that information, speculation and live reporting about maritime incidents can now reach local communities almost immediately through social media, online platforms and livestreaming, often before elected representatives and local authorities have received verified information themselves. The Council therefore recognises the importance of timely and reliable communication where operational activity has the potential to affect local communities, infrastructure or emergency services, while fully respecting operationally sensitive information and the need not to impede emergency decision-making.

COUNCIL BELIEVES

The Council believes that Gosport is not a suitable location for a routine or planned disembarkation point or initial reception and processing site for irregular small-boat arrivals, given the particular physical, access, infrastructure and operational constraints of the Borough.

The Council believes that Gosport’s peninsula geography and limited routes create particular challenges for the movement of people, vehicles and emergency services. Any assessment of site suitability must therefore consider not simply the availability of a physical site, but also highway capacity, emergency access and resilience, transport movements, local services, community impact and the ability to maintain an effective emergency response.

The Council believes that Gosport’s existing infrastructure and service pressures, together with the potential impact of additional national operational requirements on residents, local services, the transport network and the Council’s wider responsibilities, should form an important part of any assessment of site suitability.

The Council also believes that Fort Blockhouse and the wider Haslar Peninsula have significant heritage, tourism, marine, leisure, economic and regeneration potential. Any temporary or operational use of the area should therefore be carefully considered so that it does not inadvertently create long-term constraints on access, investment, regeneration or the future use of this important part of Gosport. We are seeking reassurance from the Home Office on this position.

The Council believes that where national operational decisions may have significant local consequences and safety concerns, Gosport Borough Council and relevant emergency and maritime authorities should be engaged at the earliest appropriate stage, with sufficient reliable information to enable them to understand and prepare for the local implications, while respecting operational security and the need for emergency services to respond effectively.

Finally, the Council believes that this position does not extend to circumstances involving an immediate threat to life or a maritime emergency, where the safety of those involved and emergency responders must remain the overriding priority.

The Council Resolves

A. Emergency Services & Maritime Rescue

That the Council writes jointly to the Police and Crime Commissioner, Chief Constable and relevant senior representatives of the local ambulance and fire services, thanking them for their response to recent maritime incidents and recognising the demands placed upon emergency services. That the Council also formally recognises and thanks the RNLI, Coastguard and all other maritime rescue organisations, volunteers and individuals involved in responding to maritime emergencies and saving lives, recognising the vital contribution they make to the safety of those at sea and the wider community. That the Council supports the principle that the costs and operational consequences of national border and immigration responsibilities should be appropriately recognised and resourced, including where additional pressures are placed upon local authorities and emergency services.

B. Home Secretary & Gosport’s Position

1. Response; Requests a substantive urgent written response tothe concerns and requests for information set out in the Leader’s correspondence to the Home Secretary dated 17th and 24th September 2026

2. Site Suitability: Request recognition that Gosport is not a suitable location for a routine or planned disembarkation point or initial reception and processing site for irregular small-boat arrivals, given its particular physical, access, infrastructure, emergency resilience and operational constraints. Therefore, Gosport should be excluded from any further disembarkation operations.

3. Assessment: Requests that any future proposal affecting Gosport is subject to a full and evidenced assessment of site suitability, safety, access, emergency resilience, the safe movement of people and vehicles, the continued operational integrity of HMNB Portsmouth and the Dockyard Port, and the potential impact on local communities and services, taking account of the lessons arising from the events of 4 October and 22 September 2026.

4. Fort Blockhouse: Requests confirmation from the Home Office that Fort Blockhouse is not being considered as a site for the disembarkation, reception or processing of people arriving following irregular small-boat crossings, and that the Government clarifies its future intentions for the site, including its operational status and any proposed future use, so that the Council and local community can understand the implications for the wider Haslar Peninsula and its future regeneration.

5. Engagement: Requests that any future proposal or operational arrangement affecting Gosport is subject to appropriate local engagement, with Gosport Borough Council and relevant local emergency and maritime authorities engaged at the earliest appropriate stage.

6. Communication: Requests that the Home Office and relevant operational agencies establish clear arrangements for local authority engagement and timely public communication where future operations may affect Gosport or the wider Solent, recognising the changing information environment, including the ability of members of the public to track movements and broadcast activity live through social media and streaming platforms. Such arrangements should provide reliable information to local authorities at the earliest appropriate stage, while protecting operationally sensitive information and ensuring communications do not impede emergency decision-making.

7. Maritime Emergency: Confirms that this position does not extend to circumstances involving an immediate threat to life or a maritime emergency, where the safety of those involved and emergency responders must remain the overriding priority.

8. Call on the Government; To review the Border Force response to migrant boat crossings and wherever operationally feasible, interception are made at the earliest safe opportunity, to Border Force vessels and taken directly to an established formal processing centre like Dover.

C No Response / Further Action

1. That, if no substantive response is received from the Home Secretary within 14 days of the Council’s resolution, the Leader of Gosport Borough Council should write again to the Home Secretary seeking an urgent response. Seeking confirmation of the Government’s position on the future use of Fort Blockhouse, the findings and lessons arising from the 4 October and 22 September operation, future operational planning, local authority engagement and communications arrangements.

2. That the Leader reports back to the next appropriate meeting of Full Council on any response received and any further action considered necessary.

D. No to Violence, Intimidation, and Inflammatory Language

That the Council unequivocally condemn violence, intimidation and criminal damage from all sides of the political spectrum, especially when it places emergencyservice personnel, residents or the wider public at risk, and rejects inflammatory or derogatory language towards any individual or group. That the Council supports the right of individuals to express their thoughts about proposed operational arrangements lawfully, peacefully and respectfully. That the Council expects all elected Members to lead by example, both online and in public, including through social media, online platforms and press interviews, by communicating responsibly, correcting factual inaccuracies where appropriate and where identified, condemning violence, intimidation and criminal damage, and rejecting inflammatory or derogatory language towards residents expressing concerns lawfully and peacefully.

E. Local MP

That the Council writes to the local Member of Parliament, Dame Caroline Dinenage:

Requesting her continued support in conveying to the Home Secretary that Gosport is not considered a suitable location for routine or planned disembarkation of irregular small-boat arrivals and that Gosport should be exclude from future planning considerations. Requesting that she continues to request and support the council in seeking substantive answers from the Home Secretary regarding:

the identification of Gosport as a potential location on 4 Octoberand 22 September and the risk and operational assessments undertaken; the resources and costs incurred and the decision to take those on board to Dover; The future of Fort Blockhouse

Requesting her support for the establishment of a clear communications and engagement protocol between the Home Office, Border Force, Gosport Borough Council and relevant local emergency and maritime authorities. That she supports the principle that concerns about future arrangements should be expressed lawfully, peacefully and respectfully, and that violence, intimidation, criminal damage and inflammatory or derogatory language should have no place in public debate.

F. Distribution / Copies: That copies of the Council's correspondence be provided to relevant local emergency and maritime authorities and elected representatives.

Proposer – Councillor David Marshall

Seconder - Councillor Robbie Beech

Community and Environment Board – 15 July 2026 and 16 September 2026

Housing Board – 4 August 2026 and 23 September 2026 (to follow)

Economic Regeneration and Skills – 16 July 2026 and 24 September 2026

Policy and Organisation Board – 15 July 2026 and 30 September 2026

To advise Members on the forthcoming National Scheme of Delegation for planning applications.

Due to the nature of the proposed changes, it will be necessary to make amendments to the Council's Constitution to ensure that decisions on planning applications are legally sound following the introduction of the measures from 31 October 2026.

The report sets out the proposed changes to the Constitution which will be required to ensure compatibility with the new Regulations with a recommendation to agree the amendments as set out.

The purpose of this report is to seek approval from Council for Gosport Borough Council's Corporate Strategy for 2026-2028.

The Council is required to make an appointment to

· HSCCA – Planning Advisory Board

· Project Integra – Standing Deputy

· Hampshire and Police Crime Panel – Standing Deputy

That the Mayor deems urgent