Agenda, decisions and draft minutes
Venue: the Council Chamber - Council Offices, Trinity Road, Cirencester, GL7 1PX. View directions
Contact: Democratic Services
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Apologies To receive any apologies for absence. The quorum for Cabinet is 3 members.
Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillor Mike McKeown. Apologies were also received from the Chief Executive Officer. |
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Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations of interest from Members and Officers, relating to items to be considered at the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: Councillor Hodgkinson declared an interest in Agenda Item 11 by virtue of his appointment to the CNL board by Gloucestershire County Council.
Councillor Layton declared an interest in Agenda Item 11 by virtue of her appointment to the CNL board by Cotswold District Council.
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To approve the minutes of the previous meeting of Cabinet held on 3 April 2025.. Additional documents: Decision: The purpose of this item was to consider the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet on 3 April 2025. There were no amendments to the minutes.
The approval of the minutes was proposed by Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of the Cabinet and seconded by Councillor Mike Evemy, Deputy Leader and Member for Finance and Transformation. This proposal was put to the vote and agreed by Cabinet.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 3 April 2025 be approved as a correct record.
Voting Record: 6 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstentions Minutes: The purpose of this item was to consider the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet on 3 April 2025. There were no amendments to the minutes.
The approval of the minutes was proposed by Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of the Council, and seconded by Councillor Mike Evemy, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation. This proposal was put to the vote and agreed by Cabinet.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 3 April 2025 be approved as a correct record.
Voting Record: 5 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: The Leader commented on the Council Chamber being decorated with Union flags for the VE-day commemoration and congratulated all of those who had made the moving event, with councillors, staff, and community members attending such a success.
There was a special mention of guest of honour Alan McQuillin, a 102-year-old D-Day veteran from Kemble, who had shared reflections on the war.
Representatives from Tetbury and Fairford Historical Societies who had shared insights into local wartime history were also thanked.
A minute’s silence was held in remembrance of those who served.
Councillor Joe Harris announced that this would be his final Cabinet meeting as Leader of Cotswold District Council, marking six years in post. Cllr Harris expressed thanks to Cabinet colleagues, councillors, officers, and staff for their support and service.
Councillor Mike Evemy was congratulated on being elected Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and would be the controlling group’s nomination to be elected as the new Council Leader at the Annual Council meeting on 21 May 2025.
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Public Questions A 15-minute open forum is provided for members of the public to ask questions.
Each question must relate to matters within the Cabinet’s remit and should take no longer than one minute to present.
At any one meeting no individual may ask more than two questions, and no more than two questions may be asked on behalf of any single organisation.
The Leader will ask any members of the public present at the meeting to indicate if they wish to ask a question and will determine the order in which questions are taken.
The response may take the form of: a) A direct oral answer at the meeting; b) A reference to a published Council document or other relevant publication containing the requested information; or c) A written response, circulated to the questioner after the meeting, where an oral reply is not practical. Additional documents: Minutes: No public questions were received. |
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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.
Answers to questions may be provided in one of the following ways: a) A direct oral answer at the meeting; b) A reference to a published Council document or other relevant publication containing the requested information; or c) A written response, circulated to the questioner after the meeting, where an oral reply is not practical. Additional documents: Minutes: No member questions were received. |
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To note the decisions taken by the Leader and/or Individual Cabinet Members since the agenda for Cabinet 3 April 2025 was published. The following non-key decision has been taken by individual Cabinet Member under delegated authority:
1. Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning Decision meeting 2 April 2025 – Review of the Neighbourhood Plan submitted by Chipping Campden Town Council (CCTC) and determination of legal compliance to move forward to the Regulation 16 Consultation stage. Non-key decision taken by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning 2 April 2025
Date decision effective: 11 April 2025 Decision notice attached as Appendix 1 . Additional documents: Minutes: There was one Cabinet Member decision to report to Cabinet since the agenda for Cabinet on 3 April 2025 was published.
Cabinet Member Delegated Decision 1.
The Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning participated in a decision meeting on 2 April 2025 regarding the progression of a Neighbourhood Plan submitted by Chipping Campden Town Council and whether it met the legal criteria to progress to a Section 16 Consultation.
The Cabinet Member considered the recommendations within the report and resolved to AGREE that the submitted documents met the requirements of Regulation 15 of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 and RESOLVED that the Council should launch the statutory ‘Regulation 16’ consultation period for the standard six-week period.
The decision was effective on 11 April 2025. |
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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: There was one recommendation from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider. The Committee had recommended that the Council give higher priority to implementing the recommendations of the Public Conveniences Working Group, which had been agreed by Cabinet on 1 February 2024.
Cabinet considered this recommendation and agreed that the implementation of the agreed recommendations should be treated as a higher priority. |
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Rural England Prosperity Fund 2025/26 (REPF) Update Purpose To update Cabinet on the award of Rural England Prosperity Funding for 2025/26, to seek approval for the approach to delivery of REPF projects in 2025/26 and to agree the necessary delegations.
Recommendation That Cabinet RECOMMENDS to Council to:
Additional documents: Decision: The purpose of the report was to update Cabinet on award of Rural England Prosperity Funding for 2025/26, to seek approval for the approach to delivery of REPF projects in 2025/26 and to agree the necessary delegations.
Councillor Tristan Wilkinson, Cabinet Member for Economy and Environment, introduced the item.
The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Tristan Wilkinson and seconded by Councillor Mike Evemy.
RESOLVED that Cabinet recommend to Council to
Voting Record: 6 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstain. Minutes: The purpose of the report was to update Cabinet on the award of Rural England Prosperity Funding for 2025/26, to seek approval for the approach to delivery of REPF projects in 2025/26 and to agree the necessary delegations.
Councillor Tristan Wilkinson, Cabinet Member for Economy and Environment, introduced the item and thanked the Economic Development Lead and their team. It was noted that the applications already received were of high quality, and the assessment process was praised as fair, transparent, and effective.
The funding, provided through a direct government grant, would enable the Council to support local charities and community groups aligned with its objectives. Although the latest funding was lower than in previous years, it still represented nearly £1 million over three years.
The impact of even small grants was considered significant, particularly as other funding sources had diminished. Emphasis was placed on due diligence and value for money in decision-making. A key caveat required all projects to be completed within the financial year, necessitating timely decisions.
Promotion of CDC branding on funded projects was encouraged to raise awareness of District Council investment.
It was confirmed that the funding would be split, with 20% allocated to improving health and wellbeing, and 20% to developing the visitor economy. It was clarified that "tackling homelessness" was incorporated under "health and wellbeing" in line with government terminology.
Timelines were clarified, and it was confirmed that the application form was ready for publication, pending Council approval on 21 May. Applications would be scored and assessed by the assessment panel, producing a shortlist, with final decisions made by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy and Environment.
Awareness of the scheme would be promoted via a press release, social media, the Council website, and the Business Matters newsletter. Strong interest in the funding had already been noted.
The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Tristan Wilkinson and seconded by Councillor Mike Evemy.
RESOLVED that Cabinet recommend to Council to
Voting Record: 6 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstain.
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Cotswold District Council Renewable Energy Study January 2025 Purpose The purpose of the Renewable Energy Study report is to provide Cotswold District Council with evidence-based guidance to support decision-making on renewable energy development and progress toward net zero targets, whilst also supporting the Local Plan Update.
Recommendation(s) That Cabinet resolves to endorse the Renewable Energy Study for use as:
Due to the size of the report Annexes B to F are published as a supplement and are available via the Cotswold District Council Website https://meetings.cotswold.gov.uk/ Additional documents:
Decision: The purpose of the report was to present the Cotswold District Renewable Energy Study and to provide evidence-based advice to inform decisions on renewable energy deployment and achieving net zero, while also supporting the Local Plan Update. Cabinet endorsement was sought to use the study as an evidence base for Council policies going forward.
The report was introduced by the Principal Planning Policy Officer in the absence of Councillor Mike McKeown, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Sustainability.
The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Joe Harris and seconded by Councillor Tristan Wilkinson
Cabinet RESOLVED to endorse the Renewable Energy Study for use as:
Voting record: 6 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstain. Minutes: The purpose of the report was to present the Cotswold District Renewable Energy Study and to provide evidence-based advice to inform decisions on renewable energy deployment and achieving net zero, while also supporting the Local Plan Update. Cabinet endorsement was sought to use the study as an evidence base for Council policies going forward.
The report was introduced by the Principal Planning Policy Officer in the absence of Councillor Mike McKeown, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Sustainability.
The Cotswold District Renewable Energy Study, conducted by the Centre for Sustainable Energy in Bristol had been commissioned by the District Council to support its goal of becoming "Green to the Core", and funded through the local plan reserve, as it supported the update of the local plan.
The comprehensive study had two main strands: assessing how the Council estate could move toward carbon neutrality and; exploring how planning policy could support wider district efforts to become more sustainable. The importance of investing in renewable energy as a means to strengthen energy security and reduce long-term costs was noted.
No contradictions with current planning guidelines were identified when considering the recommendations. It was noted that while the study went further than national policy in some areas, this was permissible and not expected to cause issues.
Financial implications were highlighted, and it was noted that any future projects would require business cases to be submitted to balance future development with financial constraints.
The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Joe Harris and seconded by Councillor Tristan Wilkinson
Cabinet RESOLVED to endorse the Renewable Energy Study for use as:
Voting record: 6 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstain.
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Endorsement of the Cotswolds National Landscape (CNL) Management Plan 2025-2030 Purpose The purpose of the report is to seek the Council’s endorsement of the Cotswolds National Landscape (Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty - AONB) Management Plan 2025 – 2030.
Recommendation(s) That Cabinet resolves to endorse the Cotswolds National Landscape Management Plan 2025–2030 for use as:
Additional documents:
Decision: The purpose of the report was to seek Cabinet’s endorsement of the Cotswolds National Landscape (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - AONB) Management Plan 2025 – 2030 and seek endorsement of its use as part of the evidence base for the preparation and implementation of relevant Council strategies, policies and projects including but not limited to the Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plans.
Councillor Juliet Layton and Councillor Paul Hodgkinson declared an interest as they serve on the board of the CNL. Both Councillors left the Chamber for the debate.
The report was proposed by Councillor Joe Harris and seconded by Councillor Claire Bloomer.
Cabinet RESOLVED to endorse the recommendation of the report that the Cotswolds National Landscape Management Plan 2023-2025 be used as · part of the evidence base for the review of the Local Plan; · part of the evidence base for the preparation of Neighbourhood Development Plans; · part of the evidence base for the preparation and implementation of relevant Council strategies, policies and projects; · as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications (where compatible with relevant Local Plan and national policy); and · to inform the development and delivery of the Council’s services and activities.
Voting Record 4 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstain.
Minutes: The purpose of the report was to seek Cabinet’s endorsement of the Cotswolds National Landscape (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - AONB) Management Plan 2025 – 2030 and seek endorsement of its use as part of the evidence base for the preparation and implementation of relevant Council strategies, policies and projects including but not limited to the Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plans.
Councillor Layton introduced the Cotswold National Landscape Board five-year management plan.
The policies within the plan were described as ambitious and comprehensive, addressing key issues such as climate change, farming mitigation, landscape management, carbon sequestration, and hedgerow management. These themes aligned closely with recent agenda items and Council priorities.
Although the plan did not fully align with every local plan policy it was noted that Council policies would take precedence where necessary. However, few conflicts were anticipated.
The plan also supported nature recovery across the Cotswolds and promoted improved public access to enhance physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. It aimed to preserve and enhance the natural beauty and special qualities of the Cotswold National Landscape and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).
Monitoring and reporting arrangements were outlined in the annexes.
Councillor Juliet Layton and Councillor Paul Hodgkinson having declared an interest as they serve on the board of the CNL, left the Chamber for the debate and the vote.
The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Joe Harris and seconded by Councillor Claire Bloomer.
Cabinet RESOLVED to endorse the recommendation of the report that the Cotswolds National Landscape Management Plan 2023-2025 be used as · part of the evidence base for the review of the Local Plan; · part of the evidence base for the preparation of Neighbourhood Development Plans; · part of the evidence base for the preparation and implementation of relevant Council strategies, policies and projects; · as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications (where compatible with relevant Local Plan and national policy); and · to inform the development and delivery of the Council’s services and activities.
Voting Record 4 For, 0 Against, 2 Abstentions due to conflict of interest.
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