Councillor Steve Forster

05/06/2026

This petition has the support of Fleet BID (Business Improvement District) and I hope will be presented to M&S early next week, when I meet them.

Please do sign it and encourage as many as you can to also sign it, alongside the businesses who already have.

Petitions like this don’t get results on their own, but they show the depth of community feeling - which is really strong. That’s why I immediately contacted M&S when the wrote about the closure. I hope to get them to consider a delay, and find out what they’re looking for as a permanent alternative site.

📢 SAVE M&S FLEET HIGH STREET!

05/06/2026

Useful info on the MCCA that’s coming soon - and its mayor.

The Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority has now been formally established.

This is an important milestone for our region and, if we get it right, devolution can bring real benefits for residents across Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.

For too long, too many decisions about transport, skills, housing, investment, public safety, health and economic growth have been taken too far away from the communities they affect. Devolution should mean more decisions being made locally, by people who understand the needs, challenges and opportunities of our area.

The new Combined County Authority gives us the opportunity to work together across council boundaries, attract investment, improve infrastructure, support better skills and employment opportunities, and strengthen long-term economic growth.

But it must also be about fairness.

The benefits of devolution cannot simply flow to the places that are already doing well. The new Authority must have a clear focus on the most deprived communities across Hampshire and the Solent — including those areas where residents face poorer health outcomes, lower skills levels, weaker transport links, fewer opportunities and greater barriers to employment.

Growth matters, but it must be growth that reaches people and places that have too often been left behind.

That means using the new powers and funding to improve opportunity, support regeneration, tackle inequality, strengthen local transport, and help people access the skills and jobs they need to build better futures.

Hampshire has enormous strengths — strong businesses, world-class universities, major ports, rural communities, market towns, cities, coastline and countryside. Devolution gives us the chance to bring those strengths together more effectively.

Now the formal structure is in place, the real work begins: making sure this new Authority delivers practical, visible and lasting benefits for residents, businesses and communities across the whole region.

05/06/2026

I’m glad to see Hart finally responding to my requests to promote this.

Now we need to see proper zero tolerance enforcement - Church Rd car park is a repeated hotspot for fly tipping at the recycling bank.

That enforcement should be coupled with increased emptying of the bring bank containers.

Leaving bags beside or on top of recycling Bring Sites or clothing banks might feel helpful, but it's actually fly-tipping. 🚫

Items left outside of donation banks are frequently damaged by weather or other factors, rendering them unsuitable for reuse. In such circumstances, the responsibility for disposal falls to the charity or landowner, resulting in additional cost and disruption.

If waste is taken by a car or van and left, the person responsible for the vehicle is treated as if they knowingly caused the waste to be dumped.

If you are unable to deposit items within a charity bank, you must remove the items and either return at a later time or dispose of them via an authorised waste facility.

You can find recycling points here bit.ly/4cvDwAp

All instances of fly-tipping cost the tax payer thousands each year. 💷 💰 Recycle smart!

04/06/2026

It’s getting considerable coverage. https://www.facebook.com/share/1C5YHZPxYL/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/1C5YHZPxYL/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Updates - see below. Sad news: M&S is closing its Fleet branch in August. 🥺
————
🆕Update. 1pm Wednesday. I’ve been in contact with the team at M&S who responded very quickly when I requested to meet with them to understand rationale, and discuss options (if there are any) or future opportunities.
⚠️I’ll post update after that meeting takes place. Please do ‘follow’ my page for latest info.
______

This will be a real blow to our high street and to many of the other businesses that depend on the footfall it generates.

👉The news came from Hart’s Chief Executive late this afternoon. While M&S have cited a need for larger premises, many local people have already raised with me a deeper concern: that years of under-investment in Fleet town centre - on parking, on vision, and on property - have made us less competitive than we should be.
Hart cabinet members chose to invest commercially in Eastleigh and Basingstoke.
Fleet deserved the same ambition but they have failed us.

⚠️I’ll be requesting a meeting with M&S management, and exploring whether there are any alternative sites locally that could work for them.

I also want to say: the staff at Fleet M&S are excellent. I’m glad to hear they will be looked after, and I hope that commitment is honoured.

In the meantime, please continue to support all of Fleet’s businesses. They need your custom now more than ever.

Fleet is an affluent, growing town. We could be atteacting major brands and independents, not losing them. I’ll be pressing Hart cabinet to establish a dedicated economic growth team focused on inward investment - and to seriously consider developing suitable sites and new properties in the town to make that happen.

Fleet BID and members - I’d welcome your thoughts on this too, along with other businesses and of course local residents comments. Also any Fleet Town Councillors comments.

03/06/2026

Useful coverage about the M&S Fleet announced closure.

It marks the second time in recent weeks that M&S has announced plans to close a store in the Surrey and Hampshire area

02/06/2026

Updates - see below. Sad news: M&S is closing its Fleet branch in August. 🥺
————
🆕Update. 1pm Wednesday. I’ve been in contact with the team at M&S who responded very quickly when I requested to meet with them to understand rationale, and discuss options (if there are any) or future opportunities.
⚠️I’ll post update after that meeting takes place. Please do ‘follow’ my page for latest info.
______

This will be a real blow to our high street and to many of the other businesses that depend on the footfall it generates.

👉The news came from Hart’s Chief Executive late this afternoon. While M&S have cited a need for larger premises, many local people have already raised with me a deeper concern: that years of under-investment in Fleet town centre - on parking, on vision, and on property - have made us less competitive than we should be.
Hart cabinet members chose to invest commercially in Eastleigh and Basingstoke.
Fleet deserved the same ambition but they have failed us.

⚠️I’ll be requesting a meeting with M&S management, and exploring whether there are any alternative sites locally that could work for them.

I also want to say: the staff at Fleet M&S are excellent. I’m glad to hear they will be looked after, and I hope that commitment is honoured.

In the meantime, please continue to support all of Fleet’s businesses. They need your custom now more than ever.

Fleet is an affluent, growing town. We could be atteacting major brands and independents, not losing them. I’ll be pressing Hart cabinet to establish a dedicated economic growth team focused on inward investment - and to seriously consider developing suitable sites and new properties in the town to make that happen.

Fleet BID and members - I’d welcome your thoughts on this too, along with other businesses and of course local residents comments. Also any Fleet Town Councillors comments.

01/06/2026

Just a month until the biggest local event of the year - with a few opportunities still available for businesses and local groups/organisations and extra schools to take part in the parade (walking display or a float/vehicle).

📧 email the carnival (or me) if interested.

🎭🚶‍♀️ Shouldn't YOU be taking part in the Procession? 🚶‍♂️🎭

With just four weeks left until , now is the perfect time to sign up and be part of one of the biggest community events of the year!

Whether you're a school, community group, local business, charity, sports club, or simply a group of friends, we'd love to see you join the parade and help bring colour, creativity, music, and fun to the streets of Fleet.

Don't miss out - register today and be part of the celebration!

👉 Enter now via the Fleet & District Carnival website: https://fleetcarnival.org/procession-2/



Procession sponsor:

Charity of the Year:

01/06/2026

You’ve likely seen some of the new bus shelters installed previously in the Fleet area including one in the high street - today we’ve just announced a significant upgrade for 137 more as part of the overall BSIP programme.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1HFnYdPGZx/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Passengers across rural areas in Hampshire are set to benefit from an improved travel experience as 41 parish councils have been awarded grants to refurbish or replace 137 bus shelters

01/06/2026

It’s not only the north of the County that’s seeing bus investments (the Blackwater valley routes and the upcoming planned Farnborough/Fleet service).

We’re also investing in the latest buses in SE Hampshire.

A £3.4m investment from Hampshire County Council will enable up to 77 new electric buses across the county, supporting a major expansion of zero-emission services.

The funding, delivered through the council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), will go towards upgrading charging and power infrastructure at Stagecoach Group’s Farlington depot in Portsmouth.

The work will include new electrical systems, improved grid capacity and additional depot charging points needed to support a larger electric fleet.

Once in service, the new buses are expected to run across routes linking Portsmouth with Havant, Hayling Island, Waterlooville and Petersfield, expanding zero-emission travel options across south-east Hampshire.

The programme builds on early stages of electrification already under way in the wider region, including neighbouring Surrey.

Councillor Steve Forster, the county council’s cabinet member for highways and passenger transport, said: “I’m delighted to confirm funding through our Bus Service Improvement Plan for upgrades at Farlington depot.

“This investment will help unlock commercial funding for new electric buses and speed up the move to cleaner, zero-emission travel across Hampshire.

“It’s all part of our wider aim to make bus journeys more appealing – with services that are faster, more frequent and more reliable – while also cutting congestion and improving air quality for our communities.”

Marc Reddy, Managing Director of Stagecoach South, said: “What we are seeing across the South is the beginning of a long-term transformation. Hampshire shows how we will scale it through targeted infrastructure investment and partnership working.

“This is about delivering a cleaner, quieter and more accessible bus network for the communities we serve, built on strong collaboration with local authorities, industry partners and local communities.”

Separately, 11 electric buses are also planned for the 700 service between Portsmouth and Chichester, supported by funding from West Sussex County.

✍Original copy by Natalia Forero, Local Democracy Reporter

01/06/2026

A 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ mile walk to raise charity funds for su***de prevention. 🚶🏾 That's significant.

Sabs, Mille & Jade are walking 200 miles in memory of Sabs sister Sara, with all funds raised going to Sasha’s Project 💜

Please give them a cheer, some encouragement and/or if you are able to or would like to please donate 💜

Keep walking girls and thank you for your support 💜

https://www.justgiving.com/page/sabrina-carroll-2

***deprevention