Fleet Town Council gathered all 18 councillors at The Harlington Function Room on Wednesday evening to weigh a £150,000 loan for The Views Playground and a switch from hot meals to cold buffets for the annual Christmas Day Lunch.
The borrowing application, spread across 15 years from the Public Works Loan Board, would fund replacement of the existing playground. Separately, the festive community meal for vulnerable residents is set to change format because the current organiser is stepping down after a decade and the council’s future accommodation at MSU4 lacks a commercial kitchen. Councillors also considered whether to endorse the Plant Based Treaty, a decision that follows a previous vote not to declare a Climate Emergency on the grounds that such declarations fell outside the Town Council’s statutory remit. The evening’s public question session allowed residents three minutes each to address the chamber, capped at 15 minutes in total.
Contractor HAGS-SMP Limited already holds a £199,390.42 contract for the playground work, awarded during the June Full Council meeting on condition the loan wins approval. Residents had earlier voted on three design options before the contractor was chosen. Hampshire County Councillor Steve Forster updated the meeting on school parking restrictions, while Hart District Councillor P. Wildsmith reported on the Smart Move housing scheme. In financial matters, Councillor J. Stanton verified the bank reconciliation and payments list for May 2026, and members agreed to add Finance and Administration Manager Georgia Dunphy to the council’s bank mandate.
Beyond the main agenda, the council received a social media report for May 2026 showing video of the new skatepark opening on 18 May delivered the highest engagement rates. The skatepark, supplied by Safeplay Playground Services Ltd at £156,000, represents a recently completed capital project. A survey post about The Views reached an audience ten times the typical size. Full meeting papers are published on the council website, and the next Full Council meeting takes place on Wednesday 2 September at 7pm at The Harlington.
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