HIBHA Update – Council Decisions & Whats Next

Council Rejects Every Recommendation – HIBHA Continues to Fight for Members

Working on Your Behalf

The past few weeks have been exceptionally busy for your HIBHA Committee. We have continued meeting with Havant Borough Council, challenging decisions where necessary and pressing for meaningful engagement on behalf of beach hut owners and renters. At times we believed genuine progress was being made, only to find those expectations dashed.

The Beach Hut Policy

As members will know from our previous update, Council Officers completed a new Beach Hut Policy without involving HIBHA in its preparation. We made clear that we were disappointed both by the content of the document and by our exclusion from the drafting process. During discussions with Council Officers we were informed that amendments would only be made if they were recommended by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as that was said to be the correct process.

Overview & Scrutiny

When the Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the policy, members listened carefully to representations and ultimately made six recommendations. Most importantly, they recommended that approval of the policy should be paused until meaningful consultation with HIBHA had taken place. It was encouraging to see growing recognition from some councillors that HIBHA and beach hut licence holders had not been treated fairly.

Cabinet Decision

Unfortunately, those recommendations were only advisory. Because Havant Borough Council operates a Cabinet system, Cabinet was under no legal obligation to accept them. Government guidance encourages Cabinets to work collaboratively with Overview and Scrutiny Committees, carefully considering their recommendations before making decisions. Regrettably, every one of the six recommendations was rejected and the Beach Hut Policy was approved unchanged. We believe this represents poor governance and a missed opportunity to work constructively with residents.

Three-Year Rule Explained

The policy introduces a new three-year limit for Council rented beach huts from September 2026. Importantly, this applies only to new tenants. Existing renters are not affected. It is also worth remembering that local government reorganisation is expected to replace Havant Borough Council with the new South East Hampshire Authority in 2028.

Unauthorised Structures

Members have contacted us regarding temporary tent structures appearing along the seafront. We have raised these concerns with the Council, who have confirmed that the matter rests with their Enforcement Team. We understand contact has been made with some individuals, although progress appears frustratingly slow.

Supporting Individual Members

HIBHA is also assisting a member who has been charged more than £1,000 following the emergency movement of their beach hut during December's shingle shuffle. We believe significant questions remain over this case and it is now progressing towards the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

The Next Challenge

In parallel with all of the above, HIBHA is developing a substantial challenge concerning the Council's ability to charge beach hut licence fees at their current level. We are unable to provide further detail at present, but we believe this work could prove extremely significant and members will be updated as soon as we are able.

Call for Evidence
If the 50% increase in licence fees has forced you to sell your hut, surrender your licence, reduced your quality of life, or affected your mental or physical wellbeing, please tell us your story by emailing hutters@hibha.org. Every account strengthens our ability to demonstrate the real human consequences of these decisions.

Watching the Meetings

Overview & Scrutiny:
https://havant.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=532&MId=13444&Ver=4
Beach hut discussion begins approximately 1 hour 30 minutes into the meeting, with recommendations confirmed around 2 hours 42 minutes.

Cabinet:
https://havant.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=128&MId=13433&Ver=4
Beach hut discussion begins approximately 35 minutes into the meeting.

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