Agenda and draft minutes
PDF 548 KBVenue: 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 Council is 9 members.
Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillor Gina Blomefield, Councillor Chris Twells, Councillor Helene Mansilla, Councillor Angus Jenkinson, Councillor Jon Wareing, Councillor Tony Slater, Councillor Tristan Wilkinson and Councillor Tony Dale.
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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: There were no declarations of interest. |
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To confirm the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 22 January 2025. Additional documents:
Minutes: Council considered the minutes of the previous Council meeting held on 22 January 2025.
There were no amendments. Councillor David Fowles proposed the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting held 22 January 2025, the proposal was seconded by Councillor Mike Evemy.
Voting record: 21 For, 0 Against and 4 Abstentions.
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Announcements from the Chair, Leader or Chief Executive To receive any announcements from the Chair of the Council, the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive. Additional documents: Minutes: Chair’s announcements The Chair thanked the Deputy Chief Executive and S151 Officer David Stanley and his team for their hard work in preparing the budget and for the budget briefing.
The Chair spoke about the adoption of Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT) software and the huge benefits already seen.
In December 2024, the first campaign using the Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT) was launched to support pension-age residents missing out on Pension Credit. As a result, 22 pensioners claimed £88,025 in financial support, including £68,545 in annual Pension Credit, £15,079 in backdated payments, and £4,400 in Winter Fuel Payments. The campaign was expected to have a lifetime impact of over £421,269.
The Thrive and Drive initiative was also mentioned taking place on the 6 March 2025 in Cirencester. Attendees could test-drive the latest electric vehicles, explore energy-efficient home solutions, and discover smart, sustainable options.
The Chair also mentioned the joint initiative with the DWP to hold a jobs fair with local businesses which she had been invited to open.
Leader’s announcements The Leader began by paying tribute to Ukrainian friends and colleagues on the three-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, acknowledging their significant contributions to the local community.
The Leader announced his decision to step down as leader of the Lib Dem Group and intention to resign as Leader of the Council in May, allowing time for a thorough leadership campaign to elect his successor. However, he remained committed to serving the community as a district councillor for Cirencester and confirmed that he would seek re-election to Gloucestershire County Council in May. He also spoke of having more time to dedicate to his role as Vice Chair and Leader of the Lib Dem Group at the Local Government Association, ensuring community-focused local government changes.
The Leader reflected on the challenges faced, including the global pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, and highlighted achievements such as the Green Economic Growth Strategy, which had delivered over 500 jobs, the delivery of energy-efficient homes, and support for vulnerable residents, as well as the award-winning Crowdfund Cotswolds initiatives which had helped to raise over one million pounds for local projects.
The Leader expressed gratitude to Council members, staff, and the community for their support during his term as Leader.
Chief Executive’s announcements The Chief Executive had no announcements. |
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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 Council’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 Chair 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 two public questions.
Question 1 Mr Peter Hooper, a long-term resident of Stratton ward, expressed his and his family's desire to be buried in Stratton Cemetery or the Churn Valley graveyard, where they had lived all their lives. Over the last five years, his wife had regularly contacted the relevant authority of Cotswold District Council to book a grave plot, but they were continuously told that the cemetery was fully booked. Mr Hooper himself had written to the Leader of the Council and Rev. David Minns to pursue this issue further. He pointed out that a walk around the graveyard and cemetery revealed a large quantity of unused space that could be given over to grave plots. He questioned what action the Council would take to provide more grave plots for the ever-growing number of residents of Stratton and whether they would engage with the Churn Valley to discuss space in the graveyard.
Councillor Joe Harris acknowledged the frustration and suggested meeting up with Mr Hooper to explore the situation further. Councillor Harris proposed that his Executive Assistant would arrange a meeting with Mr Hooper and relevant officers to find a resolution and provide clarity for people in Cirencester.
Question 2 Before asking her question Mary Cobbett thanked Cotswold District for its support, highlighting a £10,000 grant that helped establish the pantry serving 90 households weekly while preventing 20,000 kg of waste. She also reported having secured household support fund vouchers, and their use as an incentive for helping people to apply for benefit checks, 50 recent checks had uncovered £67,816 in benefits—£28,000 of which was for working families who hadn’t expected eligibility.
Mrs Cobbett raised concerns about the lack of a safe crossing on Midland Road, recalling a meeting two years ago where officials agreed on its necessity. Despite road system changes beneficial to traffic, pedestrian safety had worsened. She questioned whether CIL funds could cover the estimated £100,000 cost of the crossing.
Council Leader Joe Harris acknowledged the issue, promised a detailed response, and emphasised the need for balanced infrastructure development.
Councillors expressed gratitude for Mary’s dedication to helping residents access financial support. |
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A Member of the Council may ask the Chair, the Leader, a Cabinet Member or the Chair of any Committee 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 Chair 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.
The following questions were submitted prior to the publication of the agenda:
Question 1 from Councillor Maclean to Councillor Layton, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning. During the construction of Victory Fields in Upper Rissington the developer created bunds made from waste material (arising from the demolition of military structures) around the perimeter of the village despite the original planning requirement to remove it from site. The planning permission was subsequently amended to allow this change but made conditions that the material be remediated (there was asbestos and other contaminating materials in the waste) and capped. The case officer’s report from 2018 states that the capping should be 1 m but the final capping layer used was 150 mm of topsoil which was then planted with grass and trees and had a network of pathways and play equipment built on them. Last year, all the public open space was sold to Upper Rissington Parish Council for £1 in accordance with the 106 agreement and this land is now their responsibility. The parish council has some plans for installing equipment that may need foundations but are obviously extremely cautious about digging into possibly contaminated ground. At a recent public meeting there were several questions asked about this which the current Parish Council could not answer as none of them were serving at the time. The case officer’s report also mentions the need for a long term monitoring and maintenance scheme. The parish council is unaware of any ongoing monitoring and has not been given any instructions for maintenance. Please can CDC therefore help with supplying as much information as possible and in particular: CDC asked for extra remediation of the waste bunds and the case officer’s report shows that this work was carried out by various specialist companies. Do we now hold any documentation or a certificate to show ... view the full agenda text for item 80. Additional documents:
Minutes: Member questions, supplementary questions and responses can be found in Annex A attached. |
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Budget Council Protocol The Budget Council protocol within the Council’s Constitution (Part G Appendix D) sets out the process by which the Council will determine its Budget for the forthcoming financial year within the statutory framework.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair introduced the Budget Council Protocol and reminded attendees and the viewing audience that the full protocol was available online. A hard copy of the relevant section was made available for all those present in person.
The Chair made it clear that the Budget Council Protocol, Part G Appendix D of the Council’s Constitution, would be followed in debating and setting the Budget for 2025-2026. |
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Budget 2025/26 and Medium Term Financial Strategy Purpose To present the Revenue Budget for 2025/26, the Capital Programme and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy for 2025/26 to 2028/29.
Recommendation Council resolves to approve:
Additional documents:
Minutes: Purpose The purpose of this report was to present the budget for 2025-2026. The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation was invited to propose the administration’s budget. Councillor Evemy proposed the Council’s budget for the sixth consecutive time. The budget prioritised maintaining essential services while adapting to financial pressures. The Council faced significant financial pressures due to government funding cuts, the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, high inflation, and ongoing cost-of-living challenges. Despite these difficulties, the Council remained financially stable and was not at risk of issuing a Section 114 notice or requiring exceptional financial support. A forecast budget gap of £1.6 million for the next financial year and nearly £5 million for the following year needed to be closed through a combination of savings, income generation, and prudent financial management to maintain financial stability. The government’s devolution white paper suggested potential restructuring, including the creation of unitary councils, which could have led to the abolition of the current Council by April 2028. Financial planning incorporated this uncertainty to ensure sustainability. Cost Savings & Income Generation:
The funding settlement from the government for the upcoming year was the lowest since 2019, reflecting a £256,000 reduction. Additionally, the £1.5 million grant from the Extended Producer Scheme remained uncertain for future years, making financial planning more challenging. The Council’s capital fund (Capital Reserves), originally £56 million from the 1997 housing stock sale, had been gradually used for key infrastructure and community projects. With reserves nearly depleted, the Council carefully managed remaining funds to reduce pressure on revenue budgets. Revenue & Investment Initiatives:
Despite financial pressures, the Council’s service delivery and support remained a priority. The Council committed to supporting vulnerable residents, maintaining high-quality public services, and investing in community development initiatives. Efforts to date included housing support programmes, social care investments, and enhancements to local amenities. Council Tax & Charges:
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Council Tax 2025/26 Purpose To set the Council Tax and Precepts for 2025/26
Recommendation
It is recommended that (subject to confirmation of Gloucestershire County Council’s precept):
1) for the purposes of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 Section 35(2), there are no special expenses for the District Council in 2025/26; 2) it be noted that, using their delegated authority, the Deputy Chief Executive calculated the Council Tax Base for 2025/26: (a) for the whole Council area as 44,456.16 [item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)]; and (b) for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish Precept relates as in the attached Schedule 1. 3) the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2025/26 (excluding Parish Precepts) is £158.93. 4) the following amounts be calculated for the year 2025/26 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act: (a) £50,782,191 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (2) of the Act, taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils and any additional special expenses. (b) £38,558,091 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (3) of the Act. (c) £12,224,100 being the amount by which the aggregate at 4(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 4(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year (Item R in the formula in Section 31B of the Act). (d) £274.97 being the amount at 4(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish Precepts and Special Expenses); (e) £5,158,845 being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish Precepts and Special Expenses) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act as per the attached Schedule 2. (f) £158.93 being the amount at 4(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 4(e) above by Item T(2(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no Parish Precept or special item relates; (g) the amounts shown in Schedule 2 being the amounts given by adding to the amount at 4(f) above, the amounts of the special item or items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council’s area shown in Schedule 2 divided in each case by the amount at 2(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(3) of the Act, as the basic amounts of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate; (h) the amounts shown in Schedule ... view the full agenda text for item 83. Additional documents: Minutes: Purpose The purpose of the report was to set the Council Tax for 2025-2026. The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation introduced the report and made the following points:
It was noted that some parishes did not have a Parish Council and so did not charge a precept.
Councillor Joe Harris seconded the report and reserved the right to speak. There were no contributions in debate.
The Chair then moved to the vote on the report recommendation proposed by Councillor Evemy and seconded by Councillor Harris.
Voting Record: 26 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstentions.
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Notice of Motions No motions were received. Additional documents: Minutes: No motions had been received for this session of Full Council. |
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Next meeting The next meeting of Council will be held on 19 March 2025. Additional documents: Minutes: The next meeting was confirmed as being on 19 March 2025 at 2.00 pm.
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Carried
Rejected