New Forest Borough Council
Councillors:
48
Wards:
27
Committees:
15
Meetings (2026):
40
Meetings (2025):
77
Meeting
Cabinet - New Forest
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Friday, 26th September 2025
10:00 AM
Friday, 26th September 2025
10:00 AM
End:
Friday, 26th September 2025
2:00 PM
Friday, 26th September 2025
2:00 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed; Special
Confirmed; Special
Date:
26 Sep 2025
26 Sep 2025
Location:
Council Chamber - Appletree Court, Beaulieu Road, Lyndhurst, SO43 7PA
Council Chamber - Appletree Court, Beaulieu Road, Lyndhurst, SO43 7PA
Meeting Attendees
Officer
Chief Executive
Kate Ryan
In attendance
Officer
Strategic Director of Corporate Resources (Section 151 Officer)
Alan Bethune
Expected
Officer
Strategic Director Place, Operations and Sustainability
James Carpenter
Expected
Officer
Chief Operations Officer and Deputy Chief Executive
Richard Knott
In attendance
Officer
Democratic Services Officer
Joe Tyler
In attendance
Officer
Principal Democratic Services Officer
Karen Wardle
Expected
Officer
Assistant Director - Strategy and Engagement
Matt Wisdom
In attendance
Agenda
0
Apologies
There were no apologies for absence received from any Cabinet Members.
Minutes
0
Leader's Announcements
The Leader thanked Democratic Services for their hard work in preparing and facilitating the Special meetings of both Council and Cabinet.
Minutes
1
Declarations of Interest
To note any declarations of interest made by members in connection with an agenda item. The nature of the interest must also be specified.
Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.
Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.
Minutes
The Monitoring Officer reminded Cabinet of the dispensation awarded to all District Councillors regarding item 3, Local Government Reorganisation – Final proposal, and explained that members were able to participate and vote on the matter.
There were no declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests made by Cabinet Members.
There were no declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests made by Cabinet Members.
2
Public Participation
To receive any public participation in accordance with the Council’s public participation scheme.
Minutes
There was no public participation.
3
Local Government Reorganisation - Final proposal
Attachments:
- Document LGR proposal - Final proposal report 17 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 1 - Letter from the Secretary of State Feb 2025 17 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 2 - LGR Interim Plan 17 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 3 - Interim Plan Feedback Form - Hampshire and the Solent 17 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 4a - Business Case 17 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 4b - Supporting Appendices - Appendix 1 17 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 4b - Supporting Appendices - Appendices 2-4 17 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 4b - Supporting Appendices - Appendices 5-8 17 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 5 - Engagement Summary 17 Sep 2025
- Document Appendix 6 - Keep the Forest Whole and Appendices 17 Sep 2025
- Document Council Summary of Debate 17 Sep 2025
Minutes
RESOLVED:
That Cabinet:
1. Approve Option 1 contained within Appendix 4 as its single local government reorganisation proposal, for submission to government by the 26 September 2025 deadline.
2. Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make any final amendments to the full proposal in advance of submission to the Government.
3. Endorse the Council’s LGR Engagement work undertaken, summarised at Appendix 5, noting that the outcome of this engagement is strongly in favour of Option 1.
4. Endorse the case to ‘Keep the Forest Whole’, at Appendix 6, for continued dialogue with MHCLG as local government reorganisation progresses.
KEY DECISION:
Yes
PORTFOLIO:
Leader / all
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED/REJECTED:
As set out in the report.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:
None
DISCUSSION:
The Leader reflected on the Special Council meeting and the debate between NFDC Councillors. She acknowledged that NFDC had not sought devolution nor local government reorganisation. However, it was recognised that the Council had worked collectively to understand and take forward what all NFDC Councillors felt was the very best course for their residents. Keeping the forest whole had been the Council’s primary task and the Leader thanked all group leaders for their united support. It was recognised that having unanimous support from all district councillors was a strong statement.
The Leader explained the report and its various appendices. She emphasised the engagement outcomes, with residents, communities, businesses and town and parish councils having consistently spoken with one voice; they wanted to keep the forest rural and whole.
The Leader explained that Option 1 would: keep the forest whole, give a voice in the new Strategic Authority to the country’s rural and market towns, avoid boundary changes that would split communities, deliver financial sustainability and was backed by a robust financial model with a clear implementation plan.
Finally, the Leader recognised the significance of the upcoming Government decision on the future of the forest.
The Assistant Director, Strategy and Engagement (Monitoring Officer) took Cabinet through the report, detailing the work undertaken collectively across Hampshire and the Solent, and the journey since the government’s devolution and local government reorganisation announcements. The report detailed how the case aligned with the government’s LGR criteria, and how Option 1 had emerged as being recommended. This included strong engagement outcomes and specific work to assess the risk of boundary changes.
Cabinet members reiterated the fact that local government reorganisation was a Government policy and was not the will of NFDC. Several Cabinet members explained that none of the local residents or businesses they had spoken to were in favour of local government reorganisation.
However, Cabinet members agreed that tireless work had been undertaken by both NFDC and its partners to develop and promote an option going forward that would best deliver for residents of the Forest. Option 1, which was unanimously supported by full Council on 25 September 2025, was acknowledged as the best option.
The Leader thanked her fellow Leaders who had worked together, particularly Cllr Phil North in Test Valley and Cllr Paul Harvey from Basingstoke and Dean whose councils joined NFDC in supporting Option 1.
The Leader gave further thanks to NFDC members, partners and businesses and specifically to residents who had got involved and given their views on the future that they want to see for the Forest.
The Leader explained that the next stage would be a Government consultation on proposals for Hampshire. She emphasised that NFDC and all concerned with the Forest’s future need to build on the strong consensus and together ensure that the Forest’s voice was heard by Government.
That Cabinet:
1. Approve Option 1 contained within Appendix 4 as its single local government reorganisation proposal, for submission to government by the 26 September 2025 deadline.
2. Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make any final amendments to the full proposal in advance of submission to the Government.
3. Endorse the Council’s LGR Engagement work undertaken, summarised at Appendix 5, noting that the outcome of this engagement is strongly in favour of Option 1.
4. Endorse the case to ‘Keep the Forest Whole’, at Appendix 6, for continued dialogue with MHCLG as local government reorganisation progresses.
KEY DECISION:
Yes
PORTFOLIO:
Leader / all
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED/REJECTED:
As set out in the report.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:
None
DISCUSSION:
The Leader reflected on the Special Council meeting and the debate between NFDC Councillors. She acknowledged that NFDC had not sought devolution nor local government reorganisation. However, it was recognised that the Council had worked collectively to understand and take forward what all NFDC Councillors felt was the very best course for their residents. Keeping the forest whole had been the Council’s primary task and the Leader thanked all group leaders for their united support. It was recognised that having unanimous support from all district councillors was a strong statement.
The Leader explained the report and its various appendices. She emphasised the engagement outcomes, with residents, communities, businesses and town and parish councils having consistently spoken with one voice; they wanted to keep the forest rural and whole.
The Leader explained that Option 1 would: keep the forest whole, give a voice in the new Strategic Authority to the country’s rural and market towns, avoid boundary changes that would split communities, deliver financial sustainability and was backed by a robust financial model with a clear implementation plan.
Finally, the Leader recognised the significance of the upcoming Government decision on the future of the forest.
The Assistant Director, Strategy and Engagement (Monitoring Officer) took Cabinet through the report, detailing the work undertaken collectively across Hampshire and the Solent, and the journey since the government’s devolution and local government reorganisation announcements. The report detailed how the case aligned with the government’s LGR criteria, and how Option 1 had emerged as being recommended. This included strong engagement outcomes and specific work to assess the risk of boundary changes.
Cabinet members reiterated the fact that local government reorganisation was a Government policy and was not the will of NFDC. Several Cabinet members explained that none of the local residents or businesses they had spoken to were in favour of local government reorganisation.
However, Cabinet members agreed that tireless work had been undertaken by both NFDC and its partners to develop and promote an option going forward that would best deliver for residents of the Forest. Option 1, which was unanimously supported by full Council on 25 September 2025, was acknowledged as the best option.
The Leader thanked her fellow Leaders who had worked together, particularly Cllr Phil North in Test Valley and Cllr Paul Harvey from Basingstoke and Dean whose councils joined NFDC in supporting Option 1.
The Leader gave further thanks to NFDC members, partners and businesses and specifically to residents who had got involved and given their views on the future that they want to see for the Forest.
The Leader explained that the next stage would be a Government consultation on proposals for Hampshire. She emphasised that NFDC and all concerned with the Forest’s future need to build on the strong consensus and together ensure that the Forest’s voice was heard by Government.
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