Your Borough in March

Welcome to Havant Borough Council’s online newsletter which gives you the opportunity to find out more about what's going on and keep you up-to-date with our news.  

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Budget approved for 2024/25

Councillors in Havant have approved spending plans for 2024-2025, including £69m of investment across the borough over the next five years on new infrastructure, improved frontline services and coastal protection.

Among the proposals agreed were recommendations to:

• Invest £339,000 refurbishing play parks at Scratchface Lane in Bedhampton, Avenue Road in Hayling Island and Cowplain Recreation Ground in the next 18 months
• Freeze the cost of hiring council owned sports pitches in the borough
• Financially support the further development of Waterlooville Leisure Centre
• Invest a further £100,000 in deployable and static CCTV across the borough

How your Council Tax is spent

The decision to increase Havant Borough Councils portion of Council Tax by 2.99% was also approved as part of the Budget for 2024/25.

It means households living in Band D properties will pay an additional 56p a month (just 13p a week) for all the services provided by Havant Borough Council.   

The total amount of Council Tax you pay is made up of charges for services from four organisations: Hampshire County Council, the Police & Crime Commissioner for Hampshire & Isle of Wight, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service and Havant Borough Council.  

Public Spaces Protection Orders get approved

Following consultation with residents on Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) to tackle public nuisance issues or problems that have a negative impact on residents' quality of life in council-owned parks, public spaces and town centres, two orders will continue:

• to prevent the feeding of pigeons in Waterlooville Town Centre
• the control of dogs across the Borough of Havant

Renew your garden waste collection subscription

Residents who have used our garden waste collection service are being reminded that now is the time to renew.

Subscriptions do not renew automatically, so you will need to complete your application before 31 March to ensure your collections continue.

If you would like to subscribe to this service please email us at: customer.services@havant.gov.uk  with your name and contact details.

Residents are reminded to register to vote

Residents wishing to vote in the Havant Borough and the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner elections taking place on Thursday 2 May are being reminded to check they are on the electoral register at their current address.

You must also have the correct photo ID to show when you visit your polling station.

Welcome back to Waterlooville

The next phase of the Waterlooville Town Centre Masterplan project is approaching and we want to invite you to attend the Waterlooville Town Centre Masterplan Gallery and Exhibition.

Taking place in the vacant Game unit again, at 95 London Road, PO7 7EQ on:

· Friday 15 March - 8am to 9pm

· Saturday 16 March - 8am to 5pm

The purpose of this event is to showcase the draft content for the Masterplan, provide an opportunity for further feedback on the draft materials, and to discuss with the Project Team.

Everyone is welcome to attend this free drop-in event at any point during the opening times. There is no need to register your attendance.

For more information on this event, please visit www.havant.gov.uk/waterlooville.

Housing Strategy Consultation 

Havant Borough Council has produced a draft Housing Strategy for the next five years and we want to hear the views of our residents, partners and communities.

Our key aims are to:

• Prevent homelessness and help those who are homeless  
• Increase the supply of housing, including affordable housing
• Help housing choices to enable independence.
• Improve the quality of rented housing stock

You can have your say at www.havant.gov.uk/housing.

For those not able to access online materials, paper copies of the strategy and the survey will be available from all Havant libraries and your local community centre.

This survey is live until Monday 25 March 2024.

Our mailing address is:

Havant Borough Council, The Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 2AX

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