Fareham Borough Council
Property & Living
Portchester falls within Fareham Borough Council for local government purposes. The borough council is the principal local authority responsible for a wide range of services that directly affect daily life in the village, including planning applications, building control, council tax collection, waste collection and recycling, housing, environmental health, parks and open spaces, parking enforcement and community safety. The council offices are in Fareham town centre at Civic Way.
Fareham is a non-metropolitan district in Hampshire, and local government in the area operates on a two-tier system. Hampshire County Council handles services such as education, highways and transport, social care, libraries and fire and rescue. Fareham Borough Council handles the more local services listed above. This means that some matters, such as road repairs and school admissions, are dealt with by the county council rather than the borough. It can be confusing, and residents are not always sure which council to contact for a particular issue. The Fareham Borough Council website has a useful guide to which authority handles what.
Portchester is represented on Fareham Borough Council by councillors elected from the Portchester East and Portchester West wards. Elections take place on a cycle of three years out of every four, with one councillor elected per ward each time. The council is made up of councillors from various political parties, and the overall political control of the council can change at elections. Ward councillors can be contacted about local issues and are usually willing to take up cases on behalf of residents, whether that is a planning concern, a problem with waste collection, antisocial behaviour or any other council-related matter.
Planning is one of the most visible and sometimes contentious areas of council activity. Fareham Borough Council determines planning applications for new buildings, extensions, changes of use and other development within the borough. Major applications, such as large housing developments, often attract public interest and objections. The council's Local Plan sets out the long-term strategy for development in the borough, including housing targets, employment land and environmental protections. Portchester, as a built-up area within the urban boundary, is subject to ongoing development pressure, and new housing proposals are a regular topic of debate at council meetings and in local forums.
Council tax is set annually by Fareham Borough Council, with separate precepts added by Hampshire County Council, Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority. The total council tax bill for a Band D property in Fareham borough is published each year and can be found on the council's website. Portchester residents pay the same council tax rates as other residents of the borough.
The council also manages leisure facilities, community centres and events across the borough. Fareham's parks, playgrounds and open spaces are maintained by the borough council, and the council supports community groups through grants and partnership working. Reporting issues such as fly-tipping, noise complaints, missed bin collections and abandoned vehicles can be done through the council's website or by telephone.