Agenda and draft minutes

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Ordinary meeting of the Council held on 26 February 2026 and the Extraordinary meeting of the Council held on 24 March 2026 be agreed as a correct record.

To receive any disclosure of interests from Councillors or Officers in matters to be discussed.

Note: Councillors are reminded of their obligations to declare disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs), other registerable interests (ORIs) and non-registerable interests (NRIs) in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct.

Councillors Batho, Clear, Small, Porter, Tod and Williams each declared disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of agenda items due to their role as Hampshire County Councillors. However, as there was no material conflict of interest, they remained in the room, spoke and voted under the dispensation granted on behalf of the Audit and Governance Committee to participate and vote in all matters which might have a County Council involvement.

Councillor Pett declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in respect of agenda items due to his role as the Council’s representative on the South Downs National Park Authority. However, as there was no material conflict of interest, he remained in the room, spoke and voted under the dispensation granted on behalf of the Audit and Governance Committee to participate and vote in all matters which might have a South Downs National Park Authority involvement.

The Mayor firstly paid tribute to former councillor and Mayor of Winchester, Mike Read who had passed away in April.  

Council stood in silent tribute to his memory.

The Mayor then referred to recent and forthcoming engagements.  He then requested that members encourage representatives to get in touch so that he was able to visit as many communities, groups and events as possible. 

The Leader provided an update regarding local government reorganisation (LGR) and reminded members that Option 1A had been decided by government, and most of the district would be reorganised into a new Mid Hampshire Unitary Council, alongside the majority of Test Valley, New Forest, and East Hampshire areas. The Newlands Parish area would form part of a South East Hampshire Council. 

Guidance had been received from government, and a wider reorganisation process was underway, led by an implementation team headed by the Chief Executive of Hampshire County Council. This council’s Chief Executive, Laura Taylor, had been appointed as Deputy Responsible Officer for Mid Hampshire, and congratulations were duly offered.

A joint committee would oversee the Mid Hampshire implementation work, and representation would consist of one place for this council, one place each for the other three districts, and four places for the county council.

The council had also established a Local Government Reorganisation Programme Board to monitor progress. This board included representatives from Cabinet, the Audit and Governance Committee, and both opposition groups.  All Member briefings would continue as required.

The Leader then advised that the government had requested further work regarding future warding arrangements for the new unitary authority, and options were being assessed by Monitoring Officers in line with guidance from the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. There was also a need to appoint a Returning Officer for the Mid Hampshire elections and it was explained that the Structural Change Order was to cancel the May 2027 elections and replace them with all-out elections for the new unitary authorities.  In addition, it was reported that consultation had taken place and the council was to confirm to the government that parish elections should be aligned with future unitary elections.

The Chief Executive then announced apologies for the meeting.

To receive and answer and questions from the public.

(Questions must be received in writing by Democratic Services – democracy@winchester.gov.uk – no later than 10am on Tuesday 26May 2026)

Seven written questions had been received from members of the public, who attended the meeting to present.   With the leave of the Mayor, it was agreed that each of questioners would read out their question in turn, and the cabinet member would then provide a detailed response that would deal with all the matters raised.

One supplementary question was also asked.

The questions and the response are set out on the council’s website.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.            Consider the Monitoring Officer’s report under S5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

2.            Approve the analysis of the Statutory Guidance at Appendix 1 of this report and confirm the Council’s decision of 27 February 2025 to adopt a policy of charging a 100% second home council tax premium with relevant exemptions.

3.            Approve the adoption of a 100% second home council tax premium for the next year 2027/2028 and future years unless and until an alternative determination is made. 

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report and then Councillor Cutler (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation) moved that the Recommendations in the report be approved and adopted (seconded by Councillor Tod, Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration).

Council proceeded to ask questions regarding the matters in the report.  There was no debate. 

Following the seconder speaking (Councillor Tod - having reserved his right), Councillor Cutler was then invited to sum up before the Council then voted on the Recommendations before it, which was a recorded vote, as requested by the Monitoring Officer.

The following Members voted in favour of the Recommendations in Report CL180:

1.    Councillor Sudhakar Achwal

2.    Councillor Vivian Achwal

3.    Councillor Andrew Adams

4.    Councillor Rachel Aron

5.    Councillor Liam Bailey-Morgan

6.    Councillor James Batho

7.    Councillor Kathleen Becker

8.    Councillor Michael Bennett

9.    Councillor Adrian Brophy

10.Councillor Chris Chamberlain

11.Councillor Martin Clay

12.Councillor Angela Clear

13.Councillor Susan Cook

14.Councillor Steve Cramoysan

15.Councillor Neil Cutler

16.Councillor Nathan Eve

17.Councillor Simone Fleuren

18.Councillor Russell Gordon-Smith

19.Councillor Brian Laming

20.Councillor Paula Langford-Smith

21.Councillor Kelsie Learney

22.Councillor Danny Lee

23.Councillor Jonny Morris

24.Councillor Jerry Pett

25.Councillor Clare Pinniger

26.Councillor Jackie Porter

27.Councillor Mark Reach

28.Councillor Jamie Scott

29.Councillor Anne Small

30.Councillor John Tippet-Cooper

31.Councillor Martin Tod

32.Councillor Malcolm Wallace

33.Councillor Jan Warwick

34.Councillor Chris Westwood

35.Councillor Suzanne White

36.Councillor Jonathan Williams

37.Councillor Charlie Wise

The following Members voted against the Recommendations in Report CL180:

1. None

Not Voted:

1. Councillor Stephen Godfrey

RESOLVED:

1.             That the Monitoring Officer’s report under S5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 be noted.

2.             That the analysis of the Statutory Guidance at Appendix 1 of this report be approved, and that the Council’s decision of 27 February 2025 to adopt a policy of charging a 100% second home council tax premium with relevant exemptions be confirmed.

3.                  That the adoption of a 100% second home council tax premium for the next year 2027/2028 and future years be approved, unless and until an alternative determination is made. 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.      Council is asked to note the updates and amendments to the council’s Constitution made by the Monitoring Officer.

 2.  Council is asked to note the Monitoring Officer’s approval of an extension to the term of the appointment of the council’s three Independent Persons for two further years.

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report and then responded to questions.

RESOLVED:

1.       That the updates and amendments made by the Monitoring Officer be noted.

1.             That the Monitoring Officer’s approval of an extension to the term of the appointment of the council’s three Independent Persons for two further years be noted.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

That Council note the Annual Audit and Governance Committee report for 2025/26.

Councillor Morris (Chairperson of the Audit and Governance Committee) moved

the Recommendation in the report be approved and adopted (seconded by Councillor Chamberlain).

There were no questions or debate before Councillor Morris was invited to sum up before Council voted on the Recommendations before it.

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Audit and Governance Committee Report for 2025/26 be noted.

RECOMMENDED:

That Council note the annual scrutiny report for 2025/26.

Councillor Wallace (Chair of the Scrutiny Committee) moved that the recommended minute of the Scrutiny Committee be approved and adopted (seconded by Councillor Batho).

There were no questions or debate, before Councillor Wallace was invited to sum up before the Council voted on the Recommendations before it.

RESOLVED:

That the Recommended Minute of the Scrutiny Committee held 26 May 2026 be approved and adopted:

That the Annual Scrutiny Report for 2025/26 be noted.

To receive any resignations from committees and to make any necessary re-appointments.

There were no changes to committee memberships for Council to note.

The total time for questions and the answer and supplementaries thereto shall not exceed 40 minutes.

7 written questions had been received which were heard at the meeting along with associated supplementary questions. The questions received and their response were subsequently set out on the council’s website.