AM 738/26 – Appointments of Committees

AM 738/26

NEW FOREST NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY

AUTHORITY MEETING – 23 JULY 2026

APPOINTMENTS OF COMMITTEES

Report by: Gareth Hale, Solicitor and Monitoring Officer

Summary:

Due to recent changes in membership arising from local authority elections, the Authority has a number of vacancies on each of its Committees, as well as a vacancy for Deputy Chair of the Authority. There is also a new position available for the Hampshire and Solent Combined County Authority (HSCCA) Planning Advisory Board which will provide advice and recommendations to the HSCCA Board.

In accordance with its Standing Orders and Scheme of Delegations, where vacancies in Committee memberships and Chair/Deputy Chair positions arise in-year, the Authority must secure the vacancies are filled as soon as possible. The current membership of the Planning Committee, Resources, Audit and Performance Committee and the Standards Committee showing the vacancies is listed in the schedule attached as Annex 1.

1. AUTHORITY

1.1 Due to local recent local authority elections there is a vacancy for the position as Deputy Chair of the Authority.

Recommendation 1:

To appoint as Deputy Chair the member as agreed at the Authority meeting until the Annual meeting of the Authority in October 2026 or until such earlier time as the Authority wishes to amend the membership.

2. PLANNING COMMITTEE

2.1 This Committee comprises 11 members: 6 local authority appointed members and 5 Secretary of State members. Due to recent local authority elections there are two vacancies for local authority members.

Recommendation 2:

To appoint the two local authority members to the Planning Committee as agreed at the Authority meeting to fill the two vacancies shown in Annex 1 until the Annual meeting of the Authority in October 2026 or until such earlier time as the Authority wishes to amend the membership.

3. RESOURCES, AUDIT AND PERORMANCE COMMITTEE

3.1 This Committee comprises 11 members: 6 local authority appointed members and 5 Secretary of State members. Due to recent local authority elections there are two vacancies for local authority members.

Recommendation 3:

To appoint the two local authority members to the Resources, Audit and Performance Committee as agreed at the Authority meeting to fill the two vacancies shown in Annex 1 until the Annual meeting of the Authority in October 2026 or until such earlier time as the Authority wishes to amend the membership.

4. STANDARDS COMMITTEE

4.1 This Committee comprises 7 members: 4 local authority appointed members and 3 Secretary of State members. Due to recent local authority elections there is one vacancy for a local authority member.

Recommendation 4:

To appoint the one local authority member to the Standards Committee as agreed at the Authority meeting to fill the single vacancy shown in Annex 1 until the Annual meeting of the Authority in October 2026 or until such earlier time as the Authority wishes to amend the membership.

5. HSCCA PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD

5.1 There is a single position available for an Authority member to sit on the new HSCCA Planning Advisory Board. HSCCA will need the nominated representative in early September which is why the item is before members in this July meeting rather than the Annual meeting in October. It therefore makes sense to appoint the representative to this role until the Annual meeting in 2027.

Recommendation 5:

To appoint one Authority member to the Hampshire and Solent Combined County Authority Planning Advisory Board as agreed at the Authority meeting until the Annual meeting of the Authority in October 2027 or until such earlier time as the Authority wishes to amend the membership.

Contacts

Gareth Hale

Gareth.Hale@newforestnpa.gov.uk

Vicki Gibbon

Vicki.Gibbon@newforestnpa.gov.uk

Papers

AM 738/26 – Cover paper

Equality Impact Assessment

There are no equality or diversity implications arising directly from this report.

ANNEX 1

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS PRIOR TO AUTHORITY MEETING IN JULY 2026