Test Valley Borough Council
Councillors:
43
Wards:
21
Committees:
17
Meetings (2026):
29
Meetings (2025):
92
Meeting
Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Test Valley
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Wednesday, 15th April 2026
5:30 PM
Wednesday, 15th April 2026
5:30 PM
End:
Wednesday, 15th April 2026
9:30 PM
Wednesday, 15th April 2026
9:30 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Confirmed
Date:
15 Apr 2026
15 Apr 2026
Location:
The Annexe, Crosfield Hall, Broadwater Road, Romsey SO51 8GL
The Annexe, Crosfield Hall, Broadwater Road, Romsey SO51 8GL
Meeting Attendees
Officer
Director of Strategy and Innovation
James Moody
Expected
Officer
Head of Community Development
David Growcott
Expected
Officer
Director of Community and Leisure
David Tasker
Expected
Committee Member
Housing and Enivronmental Health Portfolio Holder
Committee Member
Leader and Strategic Regeneration and Partnerships Portfolio Holder
Councillor Phil North
In attendance
Agenda
1
Apologies
Minutes
Apologies were received from Councillors Leech, G Cooper and Donnelly.
2
Public Participation
Minutes
There was no public participation.
3
Declarations of Interest
Minutes
There were no declarations of interest.
4
Urgent Items
Minutes
There were no declarations of interest.
5
Minutes of the previous meeting
To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2026.
Attachments:
- Document $$Minutes 07 Apr 2026
Minutes
Councillor Daas proposed and Councillor Hasselmann seconded the motion that the minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2026 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2026 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2026 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
6
Call in Items
Minutes
There were no call in items.
7
Urgent decisions taken since last meeting
Minutes
There were no urgent decisions taken since the last meeting.
8
Corporate Action Plan: Review of year 3
Presentation by the Leader to review year 3 of the Corporate Action Plan and a look forward to year 4 (45 minutes)
Attachments:
- Document CAP Year 3 Annual Report to OSCOM 07 Apr 2026
- Document CAP - review of year 3 - OSCOM 07 Apr 2026
Minutes
The Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive provided an update on the Corporate Action Plan (CAP) Year 3 Review. The CAP set out in detail how the Council intended to make progress against its strategic priorities through key projects to be delivered over a four-year period.
The Year 3 performance of the CAP had delivered a successfully implemented Food Waste Service, achieved national recognition for place?based working, and that key areas of the CAP, including economic development, climate change, and housing, had been successfully embedded into day?to?day service delivery.
The presentation focused on key regeneration projects across Test Valley, including the New Andover Lights Theatre, Western Avenue Riverside Park, and South of Romsey Town Centre. Each slide set out the project status, timelines for completion, estimated costs, and key risks.
The presentation concluded with future projections for the CAP, with strategic regeneration and agreed community priorities remaining a central focus. Projects highlighted included investment in Vigo Park and Charlton Lakes, improvements to the Chantry Centre in Andover, and the development of a ‘Test, Learn & Grow’ programme.
The Committee discussed the following matters:
· The business plan opportunities for the development of the new Andover Lights Theatre and the ongoing work with consultants to develop a more detailed business plan.
· The process of granting a Stopping Up Order for Western Avenue Riverside Park.
· The success of the Food Waste Service.
· Future asset management after Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).
· How the current CAP put project delivery in a strong position after LGR.
The Year 3 performance of the CAP had delivered a successfully implemented Food Waste Service, achieved national recognition for place?based working, and that key areas of the CAP, including economic development, climate change, and housing, had been successfully embedded into day?to?day service delivery.
The presentation focused on key regeneration projects across Test Valley, including the New Andover Lights Theatre, Western Avenue Riverside Park, and South of Romsey Town Centre. Each slide set out the project status, timelines for completion, estimated costs, and key risks.
The presentation concluded with future projections for the CAP, with strategic regeneration and agreed community priorities remaining a central focus. Projects highlighted included investment in Vigo Park and Charlton Lakes, improvements to the Chantry Centre in Andover, and the development of a ‘Test, Learn & Grow’ programme.
The Committee discussed the following matters:
· The business plan opportunities for the development of the new Andover Lights Theatre and the ongoing work with consultants to develop a more detailed business plan.
· The process of granting a Stopping Up Order for Western Avenue Riverside Park.
· The success of the Food Waste Service.
· Future asset management after Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).
· How the current CAP put project delivery in a strong position after LGR.
9
Presentation by the Housing and Environmental Health Portfolio Holder
Homelessness Prevention and rough sleeping strategy, and the recent affordable housing panels linking into the Housing Strategy (45 minutes)
Minutes
The Housing and Environmental Health Portfolio Holder and the Director of Housing and Environmental Health delivered a presentation on the Council’s approach to housing and homelessness.
The presentation provided a detailed analysis of housing approaches using charts, which were broken down into key categories, including age, household composition, and reasons for approach. A key theme of the presentation was the Council’s focus on prevention, which had enabled the Council to achieve significantly improved outcomes and exceed statutory requirements.
The presentation also outlined the Housing Team’s internal structures that supported the delivery of an effective housing strategy. It was added that close working with a range of stakeholder organisations supported individuals to transition into, and remain in, suitable housing. This was reinforced through recorded testimony from individuals with lived experience of the system.
Discussion with the Committee covered the following matters:
· The reasons for the increased number of single individuals approaching the Council.
· The role of partner agencies in referrals to the Housing Team and in prevention activity.
· The work undertaken by Community Wellbeing Workers.
· The rationale for using 65 as a statistical age marker.
· The impact of mental health on housing need.
· Intentional homelessness.
· The provision of council housing and third-party social housing following Local Government Reorganisation.
· The impact of social housing providers refusing to take on new housing units.
· The opportunity to explore new avenues to engage with young people over housing.
The presentation provided a detailed analysis of housing approaches using charts, which were broken down into key categories, including age, household composition, and reasons for approach. A key theme of the presentation was the Council’s focus on prevention, which had enabled the Council to achieve significantly improved outcomes and exceed statutory requirements.
The presentation also outlined the Housing Team’s internal structures that supported the delivery of an effective housing strategy. It was added that close working with a range of stakeholder organisations supported individuals to transition into, and remain in, suitable housing. This was reinforced through recorded testimony from individuals with lived experience of the system.
Discussion with the Committee covered the following matters:
· The reasons for the increased number of single individuals approaching the Council.
· The role of partner agencies in referrals to the Housing Team and in prevention activity.
· The work undertaken by Community Wellbeing Workers.
· The rationale for using 65 as a statistical age marker.
· The impact of mental health on housing need.
· Intentional homelessness.
· The provision of council housing and third-party social housing following Local Government Reorganisation.
· The impact of social housing providers refusing to take on new housing units.
· The opportunity to explore new avenues to engage with young people over housing.
10
Programme of Work for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee
To enable Members to keep the Committee’s future work programme under review (10 minutes)
Attachments:
- Document Work Programme - Report April 2026 07 Apr 2026
- Document Work Programme - Annex 1 Work Programme March 07 Apr 2026
- Document Work Programme - Annex 2 Panel Update 07 Apr 2026
- Document Work Programme - Recs Cabinet and Council - Annex 3 07 Apr 2026
- Document Work Programme - Annex 4 - CWP 07 Apr 2026
- Document Work Programme - Annex 5 07 Apr 2026
Minutes
Councillor Daas introduced the item on the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme. It was explained that several actions had been taken forward to progress and several topics agreed.
The Councillor away date was noted to have been provided due to availability.
There had been no briefing notes since the programme was last circulated.
It was noted that the Digital Inclusion Panel had met.
Councillor Daas updated the committee on the Cabinet work programme. It was noted the following items were to be added to the work-programme:
20 May 2026
· Public Spaces Protection Orders
· Solent Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund
· Estates Property Matters
· Andover Railway Station CIL
24 June 2026
· Valley Housing Outturn 2025/26
Councillor Daas explained the updates to the Corporate Action Plan and encouraged members to bring forward any areas that they would like to consider in more detail.
Councillor Daas proposed the recommendations within the report, which were seconded by Councillor Adams-King. The motion was put to a vote and duly carried.
RESOLVED
1. That the current Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme (updated for April 2026), as shown in Annex 1 to the report, be approved.
2. That the update on Panels shown in Annex 2 to the report be noted.
The Councillor away date was noted to have been provided due to availability.
There had been no briefing notes since the programme was last circulated.
It was noted that the Digital Inclusion Panel had met.
Councillor Daas updated the committee on the Cabinet work programme. It was noted the following items were to be added to the work-programme:
20 May 2026
· Public Spaces Protection Orders
· Solent Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund
· Estates Property Matters
· Andover Railway Station CIL
24 June 2026
· Valley Housing Outturn 2025/26
Councillor Daas explained the updates to the Corporate Action Plan and encouraged members to bring forward any areas that they would like to consider in more detail.
Councillor Daas proposed the recommendations within the report, which were seconded by Councillor Adams-King. The motion was put to a vote and duly carried.
RESOLVED
1. That the current Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme (updated for April 2026), as shown in Annex 1 to the report, be approved.
2. That the update on Panels shown in Annex 2 to the report be noted.
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