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New Forest Borough Council
Councillors: 48
Wards: 27
Committees: 15
Meetings (2026): 40
Meetings (2025): 77

Meeting

Council - New Forest

Minutes
Pending
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Monday, 15th December 2025
6:30 PM
End:
Monday, 15th December 2025
10:30 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Date:
15 Dec 2025
Location:
Council Chamber - Appletree Court, Beaulieu Road, Lyndhurst, SO43 7PA
Meeting Attendees
Cllr Geoffrey Blunden photo
Committee Member
Cllr Geoffrey Blunden

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Philip Dowd photo
Committee Member
Cllr Philip Dowd

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Cllr Kate Crisell photo
Committee Member
Cllr Kate Crisell

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Sean Cullen photo
Committee Member
Cllr Sean Cullen

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Cllr Jack Davies photo
Committee Member
Cllr Jack Davies

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Cllr Mark Clark photo
Committee Member
Cllr Mark Clark

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

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Cllr Steve Clarke photo
Committee Member
Cllr Steve Clarke

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Hilary Brand photo
Committee Member
Cllr Hilary Brand

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Cllr Colm McCarthy photo
Committee Member
Cllr Colm McCarthy

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Cllr Barry Rickman photo
Committee Member
Cllr Barry Rickman

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Steve Rippon-Swaine photo
Committee Member
Cllr Steve Rippon-Swaine

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Michael Thierry photo
Committee Member
Cllr Michael Thierry

Non-aligned

Present, as expected

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Cllr Derek Tipp photo
Committee Member
Cllr Derek Tipp

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Neil Tungate photo
Committee Member
Cllr Neil Tungate

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Alex Wade photo
Committee Member
Cllr Alex Wade

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Cllr Malcolm Wade photo
Committee Member
Cllr Malcolm Wade

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Cllr Christine Ward photo
Committee Member
Cllr Christine Ward

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Richard Young photo
Committee Member
Cllr Richard Young

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr David Harrison photo
Committee Member
Cllr David Harrison

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

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Cllr John Sleep photo
Chairman
Chairman of the Council
Cllr John Sleep

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Barry Dunning photo
Committee Member
Cllr Barry Dunning

Reform UK

Present, as expected

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Cllr Jacqui England photo
Committee Member
Cllr Jacqui England

Independent

Present, as expected

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Cllr Allan Glass photo
Committee Member
Cllr Allan Glass

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Matthew Hartmann photo
Committee Member
Cllr Matthew Hartmann

Conservative

Apologies

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Cllr David Hawkins photo
Committee Member
Cllr David Hawkins

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr John Haywood photo
Committee Member
Cllr John Haywood

Labour and Co-operative

Apologies

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Cllr Jeremy Heron photo
Committee Member
Cllr Jeremy Heron

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Nigel Linford photo
Committee Member
Cllr Nigel Linford

Independent

Present, as expected

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Cllr Neville Penman photo
Committee Member
Cllr Neville Penman

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr David Millar photo
Committee Member
Cllr David Millar

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Cllr Alan O'Sullivan photo
Committee Member
Cllr Alan O'Sullivan

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Dan Poole photo
Committee Member
Cllr Dan Poole

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Caroline Rackham photo
Committee Member
Cllr Caroline Rackham

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Cllr Alvin Reid photo
Committee Member
Cllr Alvin Reid

Conservative

Apologies

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Officer
Chief Executive
Kate Ryan

In attendance

Cllr John Adams photo
Committee Member
Cllr John Adams

Conservative

Apologies

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Cllr Ian Murray photo
Committee Member
Cllr Ian Murray

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Stephanie Osborne photo
Committee Member
Cllr Stephanie Osborne

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

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Officer
Principal Democratic Services Officer
Karen Wardle

In attendance

Officer
Assistant Director - Strategy and Engagement
Matt Wisdom

In attendance

Officer
Democratic ICT Officer
Daniel Reynafarje

In attendance

Cllr Dave Penny photo
Vice-Chairman
Vice-Chairman of the Council
Cllr Dave Penny

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Alan Alvey photo
Committee Member
Cllr Alan Alvey

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Peter Armstrong photo
Committee Member
Cllr Peter Armstrong

Independent

Present, as expected

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Cllr Jill Cleary photo
Committee Member
Leader of the Council
Cllr Jill Cleary

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Steve Davies photo
Committee Member
Cllr Steve Davies

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Adam Parker photo
Committee Member
Cllr Adam Parker

Green

Absent

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Cllr Joe Reilly photo
Committee Member
Cllr Joe Reilly

Independent

Present, as expected

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Cllr Janet Richards photo
Committee Member
Cllr Janet Richards

Green

Present, as expected

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Cllr Phil Woods photo
Committee Member
Cllr Phil Woods

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Officer
Strategic Director of Corporate Resources (Section 151 Officer)
Alan Bethune

In attendance

Officer
Strategic Director Place, Operations and Sustainability
James Carpenter

In attendance

Officer
Sara Hamilton

In attendance

Officer
Chief Operations Officer and Deputy Chief Executive
Richard Knott

In attendance

Officer
Interim Strategic Director of Housing & Communities
Peter Matthew

In attendance

Officer
Assistant Director Place Operations
Chris Noble

In attendance

Cllr Richard Frampton photo
Committee Member
Cllr Richard Frampton

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Cllr Patrick Mballa photo
Committee Member
Cllr Patrick Mballa

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Agenda
0 Apologies
1 Minutes
To confirm the minutes of the following meetings as correct records:

· 25 September 2025 (Special meeting)

· 13 October 2025

· 3 November 2025 (Special meeting)
2 Declarations of Interests
To note any declarations of interests made by members in connection with an agenda item. The nature of the interests must also be specified.

Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.
3 Chairman's Announcements
4 Leader's Announcements
5 Taxi Licensing Policy – Amendments to Appendix B
6 Report of Cabinet - 5 November 2025
8 Questions
To ask questions under Standing Order 22. Questions received will be published ahead of the meeting. (Members are reminded that questions must be submitted to Democratic Services by no later than 12.00 noon, Wednesday, 10 December 2025).
Attachments:
9 Notice of Motion
In accordance with Standing Order 21, Cllr M Wade will move the following motion:-

This Council Notes Associated British Ports have been holding public consultation meetings on their plans for their Strategic Land Reserve on Dibden Bay.

Dibden Bay has not been identified in this Council’s Current statutory planning document, the District Local Plan 2016 -2036, as an allocated site for port expansion. However, a decision on whether port operations can be expanded looks to be taken out of our hands on the basis that it is nationally significant.

This Council believes that the likely local impacts to the environmental sites on Dibden Bay along with being so close to our National Park outweigh the potential economic benefits. Notwithstanding this, the decision should be taken by locally elected Councillors.

Therefore Council resolves to write to the Prime Minister accordingly, urging him to give local people, through their local councillors, the final say and in doing so reminding him of his commitment to localism.

Cllr M Clark will second the motion.

Under the provisions of Standing Order 42, the above motion, after being proposed and seconded (without speeches), should stand referred to the body within whose terms of reference the subject matter of the motions comes, or the Cabinet or such Committees or Panels that the Council may determined.

The Chairman may allow the motion to be dealt with at this meeting if they consider it urgent, convenient or conducive to the despatch of business.
10 Allocation of seats and appointments to committees and panels
11 Date of next meeting
RECOMMENDED:

That the Council Meeting scheduled for 6.30 pm, Monday 23 February 2026, be moved to 6.30 pm, Thursday 26 February 2026.
12 Any Other Items Which the Chairman Decides Are Urgent
Previous Meetings
Meeting

26th Feb 2026 Yesterday

Council

Meeting

15th Dec 2025

Council

Meeting

3rd Nov 2025

Council

Meeting

13th Oct 2025

Council

Meeting

25th Sep 2025

Council

Meeting

15th Sep 2025

Council

Meeting

28th Aug 2025

Council

Meeting

14th Jul 2025

Council

Meeting

12th May 2025

Council

Meeting

14th Apr 2025

Council

Future Meetings
Meeting

13th Apr 2026

Council

Meeting

18th May 2026

Council

Meeting

13th Jul 2026

Council

Meeting

14th Sep 2026

Council

Meeting

12th Oct 2026

Council

Meeting

14th Dec 2026

Council

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