Agenda, decisions and draft minutes
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Apologies To receive any apologies for absence. The quorum for Cabinet is 3 members.
Additional documents: Minutes: There were no apologies for absence. |
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Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: There were no declarations of interest from Members or officers present. |
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To approve the minutes of the previous meeting of Cabinet held on 4 June 2026. Additional documents: Decision: The purpose of this item was to consider the minutes of Cabinet held on 4 June 2026.
Councillor Andrea Pellegram requested that the word sacks be used in the place of containers on Page 7 of the draft minutes. Councillor Patrick Coleman requested the addition of the word ‘to’ before the word seek in Minutes point 247- Asset Management - Abberley House/ Corinium Museum Roof Repair Project.
The recommendation to approve the amended minutes was proposed by Councillor Juliet Layton and seconded by Councillor Paul Evans.
RESOLVED that, subject to the two amendments above, the minutes of the meeting of the 4 June be approved as a correct record.
Voting 7 For, 0 Against 1 Abstention Minutes: The purpose of this item was to consider the minutes of Cabinet held on 4 June 2026.
Councillor Andrea Pellegram requested that the word sacks be used in the place of containers on Page 7 of the draft minutes. Councillor Coleman requested the addition of the word ‘to’ before the word seek in the Abberley House recommendations on Page 9 of the draft minutes.
The recommendation to approve the amended minutes was proposed by Councillor Juliet Layton and seconded by Councillor Paul Evans.
RESOLVED that, subject to the two amendments above, the minutes of the meeting of the 4 June be approved as a correct record.
Voting 7 For, 0 Against 1 Abstention
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Leader's Announcements To receive any announcements from the Leader of the Council. Additional documents: Minutes: There were no announcements from the Leader.
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Public Questions To deal with questions from the public within the open forum question and answer session of fifteen minutes in total. Questions from each member of the public should be no longer than one minute each and relate to issues under the Cabinet’s remit. At any one meeting no person may submit more than two questions and no more than two such questions may be asked on behalf of one organisation.
The Leader will ask whether any members of the public present at the meeting wish to ask a question and will decide on the order of questioners.
The response may take the form of: a) a direct oral answer; b) where the desired information is in a publication of the Council or other published work, a reference to that publication; or c) where the reply cannot conveniently be given orally, a written answer circulated later to the questioner. Additional documents: Minutes: There were no Public questions. |
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Member Questions No Member Questions have been submitted prior to the publication of the agenda.
A Member of the Council may ask the Leader or a Cabinet Member a question on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affects the Cotswold District. A maximum period of fifteen minutes shall be allowed at any such meeting for Member questions.
A Member may only ask a question if: a) the question has been delivered in writing or by electronic mail to the Chief Executive no later than 5.00 p.m. on the working day before the day of the meeting; or b) the question relates to an urgent matter, they have the consent of the Leader to whom the question is to be put and the content of the question is given to the Chief Executive by 9.30 a.m. on the day of the meeting.
An answer may take the form of: a) a direct oral answer; b) where the desired information is in a publication of the Council or other published work, a reference to that publication; or c) where the reply cannot conveniently be given orally, a written answer circulated later to the questioner. Additional documents: Minutes: There were no Member questions. |
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To note the decisions taken by the Leader and/or Individual Cabinet Members. Additional documents: Minutes: The purpose of the report was for Cabinet to note the decisions taken by the Leader and/or Individual Cabinet Members since the agenda for Cabinet 4 June 2026 was published. It was noted that the following non-key decisions had been taken by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, Councillor Juliet Layton under delegated authority: 1. Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning - Decision meeting 15 June 2026
Decision taken regarding: The Cotswold District Council response to the Reg. 14 Siddington Neighbourhood Plan consultation. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning had considered the recommendations within the report, noted that the consultation had followed due process and accepted the officer recommendations. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning had confirmed their decision to approve the Council's response to the Regulation 14 consultation on the Siddington Draft Neighbourhood Plan 2025–2031 for submission to Siddington Parish Council. In approving the response, the Cabinet Member had noted that the comments represented a supportive package of officer observations intended to assist Siddington Parish Council in refining the Plan and ensuring that it met the relevant legal and basic conditions prior to its submission under Regulation 15.
Date decision effective: 24 June 2026. |
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Issue(s) Arising from Overview and Scrutiny and/or Audit and Governance To receive any recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and to consider any matters raised by the Audit and Governance Committee. Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet noted that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had met earlier in the week and had pre-scrutinised the following items:
As a result of this scrutiny recommendations were made. The recommendations and the Cabinet’s response are set out in Annex to this item. The Leader thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for its scrutiny and confirmed that its recommendations would be referenced during consideration of the relevant agenda items.
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Planning Enforcement Update Purpose This report provides an update on the performance, staffing, and capacity of the Planning Enforcement Team following the transition of planning services back into the Council in November 2024 and the subsequent PAS Peer Review. It summarises progress against the PAS Action Plan, identifies continuing service pressures including recruitment challenges and backlog management, and sets out the measures underway to improve resilience, service efficiency, and performance. Cabinet is asked to consider the progress made and note the areas where performance remains constrained.
Recommendation That Cabinet resolves to: 1. Endorse the Chief Executive’s decision under delegated authority (Part C4 of the Constitution and section 112 of the Local Government Act 1972) to establish and appoint to a time-limited Enforcement Leadership role and approve the additional budget provision required to fund the role to be funded from the Council’s earmarked ‘Capacity Building Reserve’. Additional documents: Decision: The purpose of this item was to provide an update on the performance, staffing, and capacity of the Planning Enforcement Team following the transition of planning services back into the Council in November 2024 and the subsequent PAS Peer Review.
It summarised progress against the PAS Action Plan, identified continuing service pressures including recruitment challenges and backlog management, and set out the measures underway to improve resilience, service efficiency, and performance. Cabinet was asked to consider the progress made and note the areas where performance remained constrained.
Councillor Juliet Layton, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing introduced the report, and noted the challenges associated with existing systems and data retrieval processes, as well as the work underway to support the transition and improvement of the service. To provide additional leadership capacity during this period of change, the committee was asked to endorse the Chief Executive's delegated decision to establish a time-limited enforcement leadership role until 31 March 2028. The additional budget provision required for the post was to be funded from the Council's earmarked Capacity Building Reserve.
The Leader, Councillor Mike Evemy added that the Overview and Scrutiny committee had considered the report on 29 June and that the Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would present their concerns.
Members of the Committee recognised the value of the Planning Compliance and Enforcement service in providing information and assurance to Members, residents and the wider public, and expressed support for further strengthening the service. The committee noted the findings of previous work, including the PAS review, and acknowledged that significant issues relating to systems and processes had been identified and were continuing to be addressed. The importance of improving these systems was emphasised and the proposed appointment of an officer with the necessary skills and experience to review current arrangements and identify opportunities for improvement was welcomed. The committee encouraged Cabinet to ensure that adequate resources were made available to support this work and to address the existing case backlog, recognising the importance of maintaining an effective and resilient service during the transition to local government reorganisation.
Cabinet Members backed the planned employment contract. The Leader agreed to put the request on the Council Forward Plan and requested that a progress update be added to the Cabinet Agenda for January 2027.
The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Juliet Layton, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning and seconded by Councillor Mike Evemy. Cabinet RESOLVED to: 1. Endorse the Chief Executive’s decision under delegated authority (Part C4 of the Constitution and section 112 of the Local Government Act 1972) to establish and appoint to a time-limited Enforcement Leadership role and approve the additional budget provision required to fund the role to be funded from the Council’s earmarked ‘Capacity Building Reserve’. 2. Consider a further report, at January 2027 Cabinet which would outline the service performance and highlight any problems or particular highlights. Voting record: 8 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstentions.
Minutes: The purpose of this item was to provide an update on the performance, staffing, and capacity of the Planning Enforcement Team following the transition of planning services back into the Council in November 2024 and the subsequent PAS Peer Review.
It summarised progress against the PAS Action Plan, identified continuing service pressures including recruitment challenges and backlog management, and set out the measures underway to improve resilience, service efficiency, and performance. Cabinet was asked to consider the progress made, note the areas where performance remained constrained and endorse the Chief Executive's delegated decision to establish a time-limited enforcement leadership role to support service improvement.
Councillor Juliet Layton, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing, introduced the report and referred to the detailed discussion that had previously taken place at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The challenges associated with the Council's existing planning systems and data retrieval processes were highlighted and it was noted that these had become increasingly apparent following the transfer of the service back in-house. It was explained that a temporary leadership post, until 31 March 2028, would provide additional capacity and expertise to oversee improvements to the service, support the implementation of the PAS recommendations, and strengthen the transition arrangements. The additional budget provision for the post would be met from the Council's earmarked Capacity Building Reserve.
The Leader, Councillor Mike Evemy, advised that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered the wider Planning Enforcement performance report at its meeting on 29 June and invited the Vice-Chair of the Committee to summarise the Committee's observations and recommendations.
Members recognised the significant value of the Planning Compliance and Enforcement service in providing assurance to Members, residents and the wider public, and expressed strong support for further strengthening the service. It was acknowledged that planning enforcement was a high-profile area of the Council's work and one that generated considerable public interest and expectation.
Members welcomed the findings of the PAS review and recognised that substantial work remained to address weaknesses in systems, processes and data management. They supported the appointment of an experienced officer to provide additional leadership and to undertake a comprehensive review of current working practices, with a view to improving performance, resilience and efficiency. The importance of ensuring that adequate resources were made available to support both the review and the reduction of the existing case backlog was emphasised, particularly in advance of local government reorganisation.
Several Members noted that improved digital systems and reporting arrangements would help officers manage cases more effectively, provide greater transparency for Members and residents, and reduce unnecessary administrative activity. It was recognised that the new post should not only address current operational challenges but also identify longer-term improvements to processes and service delivery.
Members also acknowledged the complexity of planning enforcement work, recognising that cases often involved lengthy legal processes, careful consideration of proportionality and expediency, and close collaboration across planning, legal and other Council services. Whilst there was broad support for strengthening enforcement activity, Members recognised that enforcement remained a ... view the full minutes text for item 260.
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Service Performance Report - Q4 2025/26 Purpose To provide an update on progress on the Council’s priorities and service performance for Q4 2025/26.
Recommendation That Cabinet resolves to: 1. Note overall progress on the Council priorities and service performance for 2025-26 Q4 (January – March 2026). Additional documents:
Decision: The purpose of this item was to provide an update on provide an update on progress on the Council’s priorities and service performance for Q4 2025/26.
Councillor Mike Evemy, Leader of the Council, introduced the regular quarterly report. It was noted that overall performance against corporate plan targets was generally positive, with a number of indicators performing above target. In particular, missed bin collections were reported as being below target levels, gym membership performance was strong, and residual household waste had reduced, indicating a positive trend in waste reduction. Members were also asked to note that also noted that a small number of performance areas were below target and had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, whose recommendations were included within the report pack. Concerns had been highlighted in relation to land charges turnaround times, with performance not consistently meeting the 10-day target. It was noted that action was underway, including the appointment of a new member of staff, with an expectation that performance would improve. It was further noted that some historic pressures relating to housing benefit and council tax support processing were continuing to stabilise, with in-quarter performance showing improvement. In relation to planning appeals, Members noted that a higher proportion of appeals had been allowed than the 30% target, although this did not place the Council at risk of designation by Government. It was also noted that this position was linked to the absence of a five-year housing land supply. Finally, Members noted that while recycling performance had declined in line with national trends, the Council continued to perform comparatively well against other authorities, remaining within the top quartile. It was further noted that although residual waste had decreased, recycling rates had also fallen slightly, reflecting broader national pressures in this area. Cabinet RESOLVED to note the overall progress on the Council priorities and service performance for 2025-26 Q4 (January – March 2026). Minutes: The purpose of this item was to provide an update on progress against the Council's priorities and service performance for Quarter 4 of 2025/26.
Councillor Mike Evemy, Leader of the Council, introduced the regular quarterly performance report. He noted that overall performance against the Corporate Plan targets remained positive, with a number of indicators exceeding target. In particular, missed bin collections remained below target levels, reflecting continued improvements in waste collection performance. Strong gym membership figures and lower levels of residual household waste were also highlighted as positive outcomes, indicating continued progress in reducing general waste.
Members noted that a small number of performance measures remained below target and had been considered in detail by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, whose recommendations accompanied the report. Particular concern had been expressed regarding land charges turnaround times, which had not consistently met the 10-day target. It was noted that recruitment to the team had recently taken place and that performance was expected to improve as additional capacity became established.
Members also noted that historic pressures relating to housing benefit and council tax support processing continued to improve, with in-quarter performance showing positive progress. In relation to planning appeals, Members acknowledged that a greater proportion of appeals had been allowed than the Council's target of 30%. Whilst this reflected the continuing impact of the Council's reduced five-year housing land supply, it was noted that performance remained above the Government's threshold for designation. Members also recognised the continued strong performance of the planning service in managing a high volume of applications and noted that planning income had exceeded expectations.
In discussing environmental performance, Members welcomed the continued reduction in residual household waste and acknowledged that, although recycling rates had declined slightly in line with national trends, the Council continued to perform well compared with other authorities and remained within the top quartile nationally. Members also commended the work of the Environmental Services team and Ubico in responding promptly to fly-tipping incidents and undertaking proactive enforcement activity.
Members further welcomed the strong financial performance of a number of climate initiatives, noting that the Council's rooftop solar installation and electric vehicle charging infrastructure had both exceeded projected income and savings, delivering environmental benefits alongside reduced operating costs.
The Leader also highlighted improvements in council tax support processing times and provided additional context regarding long-term empty homes. Members noted that a significant proportion of empty properties were either actively being marketed for sale or rent, formed part of retirement housing stock, or were subject to probate or other transitional circumstances. It was further noted that officers continued to work proactively with owners to bring long-term empty properties back into use, supported by the Council Tax premium applied to qualifying empty homes.
Cabinet RESOLVED to note the overall progress on the Council's priorities and service performance for Quarter 4 of 2025/26 (January to March 2026). |
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Financial Performance Report - Q4 2025/26 Purpose This report sets out the full year budget monitoring position for the 2025/26 financial year.
Recommendations That Cabinet resolves to: 1. Review and note the outturn financial position set out in this report. 2. Approve the transfer to and from reserves as set out in Section 6 and Annex C. 3. Approve the carry forward of unspent capital budget included in paragraph 7.5 of £0.858m into the 2026/27 Capital Programme. Additional documents:
Decision: The purpose of this item was to set out the full year budget monitoring position for the 2025/26 financial year. Councillor Patrick Coleman, Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the report which set out recommendations to review and note the outturn position, approve transfers to and from reserves, and carry forward an unspent capital budget of £858,000 into the 2026/27 capital programme. Members were asked to note that the financial year had concluded in line with previous quarters, with generally positive outcomes and that earlier prudent financial decisions had supported a stable overall position. It was further noted that the Council remained in a sound financial position compared to many other authorities, with continued emphasis placed on maintaining a transparent, accurate and compliant financial framework in preparation for future reporting periods. Councillor Coleman thanked the Finance Team for their work throughout the year in managing, analysing and reporting the Council’s financial position. The Leader asked Cabinet members to note the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s comments, which expressed concern regarding the financial outturn position associated with UBICO and associated risks, and requested continued close monitoring. Members also noted the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s support for the allocation of £2 million towards local government reorganisation costs, whilst acknowledging that limited central Government funding meant a significant proportion of costs would need to be met by local authorities, including through the use of reserves pending future savings from reorganisation. The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Patrick Coleman and seconded by Councillor Tristan Wilkinson. Cabinet RESOLVED to: 1. Review and note the outturn financial position set out in this report. 2. Approve the transfer to and from reserves as set out in Section 6 and Annex C. 3. Approve the carry forward of unspent capital budget included in paragraph 7.5 of £0.858m into the 2026/27 Capital Programme.
Voting record: 8 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstentions
Minutes: The purpose of this item was to present the final budget monitoring position and financial outturn for the 2025/26 financial year. Councillor Patrick Coleman, Cabinet Member for Finance, introduced the report, which presented the Council's final financial position for the year ending 31 March 2026. Cabinet was asked to review and note the outturn position, approve the proposed transfers to and from earmarked reserves, and approve the carry forward of an unspent capital budget of £858,000 into the 2026/27 Capital Programme. Members noted that the financial year had concluded broadly in line with previous quarterly forecasts, with the Council delivering an overall positive financial outcome. It was recognised that prudent financial management throughout the year, together with earlier strategic decisions, had contributed to a strong and resilient financial position. Members also noted the importance of maintaining a transparent, accurate and financially sustainable position in advance of local government reorganisation. The Deputy Chief Executive highlighted a number of positive financial outcomes, including higher than anticipated planning fee income, stronger than budgeted car parking income, and the benefits arising from vacancy management measures introduced during the year. Members also noted the proposed increase in earmarked reserves, reflecting the Council's prudent approach to managing financial risk, supporting future priorities, and preparing for the transition to local government reorganisation. This included provision for Local Government Reorganisation costs, future Local Plan work, treasury management risks and other identified financial pressures. Members also considered areas where financial performance had been less favourable. Particular concern was noted regarding the financial outturn reported by UBICO, where the final overspend had increased significantly compared with the Quarter 3 forecast. Officers advised that discussions had already taken place with UBICO management to address forecasting accuracy and financial management, with further meetings planned to ensure closer monitoring and improved budget control during the current financial year. The Leader drew Members' attention to the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which had expressed concern regarding the UBICO financial outturn and requested that Cabinet continue to monitor the position closely. Members also noted the Committee's support for the allocation of £2 million from reserves towards the Council's share of Local Government Reorganisation costs, whilst recognising that only limited Government funding had been made available and that councils would therefore need to meet a significant proportion of these costs themselves pending future efficiencies arising from reorganisation. Members welcomed the positive overall financial outturn and recognised the importance of maintaining strong financial resilience during a period of significant organisational change. It was noted that the Council's healthy reserve position provided flexibility to respond to emerging priorities and enabled investment in key service improvements where required. Members also welcomed the prudent approach taken in setting aside funding to manage future risks and support strategic priorities ahead of local government reorganisation. Cabinet placed on record its appreciation for the work of the Finance Team throughout the year in managing, monitoring and reporting the Council's financial position. Particular thanks were expressed to officers for the quality of ... view the full minutes text for item 262.
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Strategic Risk Register - Q4 2025/26 Purpose The report sets out the current Strategic Risk Register for the Council.
Recommendation That Cabinet resolves to: 1. review the Strategic Risk Register and mitigation measures. Additional documents: Decision: The purpose of this item was to provide an update on the Strategic Risk Register and the mitigation measures in place. Councillor Mike Evemy, Leader of the Council introduced the report, which was also due to be considered by the Audit and Governance Committee at its meeting on 27 July. It was noted that, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the Audit and Governance Committee had responsibility for overseeing the Council’s risks and risk appetite. However, it was further noted that it was good practice for Cabinet Members, as key decision-makers, to have sight of the Corporate Risk Register and the opportunity to consider and challenge its content. The contents of the register were noted and a query was raised in relation to the terminology used within the document, seeking clarification on references that were not immediately clear. Members were asked to note that the Strategic Risk Register would be reviewed on a regular basis and that, as senior leaders of the organisation, they had a responsibility to be aware of and consider the Council’s key risks in conjunction with senior officers. It was further noted that additional operational and service-level risk registers existed beneath the corporate register and could be discussed with relevant senior officers as required. Cabinet reviewed and noted the Strategic Risk Register and mitigation measures.
Minutes: The purpose of this item was to provide an update on the Strategic Risk Register for Q4 2025/26 and the mitigation measures in place. Councillor Mike Evemy, Leader of the Council, introduced the report, noting that the Strategic Risk Register would also be considered by the Audit and Governance Committee at its meeting on 27 July. Members were advised that, in accordance with the Council's Constitution, responsibility for overseeing the Council's strategic risks and risk appetite rested with the Audit and Governance Committee. However, it was emphasised that good governance practice also required Cabinet, as the Council's principal decision-making body, to have oversight of the Corporate Risk Register and the opportunity to review, question and challenge its contents. Members considered the register and sought clarification on terminology used within the document, including references to previous resilience exercises. Officers explained that these referred to multi-agency emergency planning exercises undertaken to test the Council's preparedness for significant incidents, including a prolonged national power outage and a pandemic scenario. Members noted the importance of maintaining awareness of the Council's principal strategic risks and the actions in place to mitigate them. It was further noted that the Strategic Risk Register would continue to be reviewed on a regular basis and that Cabinet Members, together with the Corporate Leadership Team, had an important role in maintaining oversight of the Council's strategic risks. Members also noted that the Corporate Risk Register formed part of a wider framework of risk management, with more detailed operational and service-level risk registers maintained across individual service areas. Where appropriate, Members could seek further information on these from the relevant senior officers. Cabinet RESOLVED to note the Strategic Risk Register and the mitigation measures in place. |
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Next Meeting Purpose To confirm the date of the next meeting of Cabinet. Additional documents: Minutes: It was confirmed that the next meeting of Cabinet would be an Extraordinary Cabinet to consider the draft Local Plan on 6 August 2026, starting at 6.00pm. The following meeting of Cabinet would be held on 10 September 2026, starting at 6.00pm. |
Carried