Agenda and minutes
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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 for Councillor Clare Bloomer, Councillor Ray Brassington, Councillor Laura Hall-Wilson, Councillor Joe Harris, Councillor Helene Mansilla andCouncillor Lisa Spivey.
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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. |
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To confirm the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 16 July 2025. Additional documents:
Minutes: Council considered the minutes of the Council meeting held on 16 July 2025. A wording error was identified in the response to Councillor Gina Blomefield’s question from the previous meeting.
Councillor Juliet Layton proposed the approval of the amended minutes, the proposal was seconded by Councillor Stowe, put to the vote and agreed by Council.
RESOLVED that the amended minutes of Full Council 16 July 2025 were approved as a true and accurate record.
Voting record: For 21, Against 0, Abstentions 6
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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 highlighted the success of both the Phoenix Festival, which welcomed over 22,000 people and the Orpheus Festival, noting the value of such events in strengthening community life. He thanked volunteers, noted Cotswold Districts Council’s funding had enabled inclusion and community pride, and suggested similar events be supported further north in the District.
The Leader welcomed Tyler Jardine, the new Trainee Democratic Services Officer, and wished him a long and successful career at Cotswold District Council.
Leaders Announcements The Leader congratulated two local winners of the BBC Gloucestershire Make a Difference Awards. Ed Simpson, a 16-year-old from Cirencester who had raised over £100,000 for charity while undergoing treatment for leukaemia, had won the Young Hero Award. Students from the National Star College received the Green Award for creating a hedgehog-friendly campus. The Leader reminded Members of the following events: · A planning enforcement briefing was planned for Monday 29 September. The briefing would update members on enforcement issues, discuss challenges, and aimed to improve communication between members and officers. · An online Local Government Organisation (LGR) briefing on 14 October. This briefing was in preparation for the Council discussion in November. Members were reminded that the Cabinet would formally submit the Council’s response after the November discussion. · An All-Member briefing on the Local Plan update scheduled for 7 October, ahead of the Regulation 18 consultation documents being considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 13 October and Cabinet on 16 October. The public consultation was expected to start in early November. |
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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 three public questions.
Question 1 Nicola Charleswaith, a resident, raised concerns about ongoing rat infestations at their newly purchased home. They reported that, despite notifying the Senior Environmental Officer and Health Officer on 12 September no progress report had been received. The infestation had caused damage to electrical wiring, leading to power loss, and required multiple pest control interventions. The resident highlighted health hazards, property damage, personal disruption, and the impact on their family, and requested clarity on what long-term preventative measures would be enforced.
The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning shared the feedback obtained from officers. Following the resident’s concerns, the Officer had visited the property, confirmed it had been boarded up, and contacted the property owner’s business address but received no response. They planned to serve a “prevention of damage by pests” notice if no satisfactory action was taken. Further, the officer shared recent correspondence with the neighbouring property owner, who expressed surprise at the infestation and indicated they would engage a pest control firm to investigate. The officer confirmed that the issue remained open and would continue to be pursued due to its unacceptable nature.
Question 2 A resident of Middle Duntisbourne, Valerie Dyson reported that, since the refuse-collection reorganisation in June 2024, black-bin collections had been unreliable, with roughly one in three missed. As collections were scheduled for Fridays, uncollected bins often remained on the roadside over the weekend, affecting the appearance of the hamlet.
The resident understood that the contractor, Ubico, lacked sufficient small vehicles for the area’s narrow lanes, relying on a single truck that frequently broke down. Although the Council had been informed, it was reported that no replacement vehicles had been purchased. Missed collections could not be logged online because the issue was already recorded.
The resident noted that the 2024–25 draft financial statements showed an unspent vehicle-replacement allocation and that the missed-bin rate was 170 per thousand against a target of 80. They therefore asked why this statutory service was performing so poorly, why necessary vehicle investment had not been made, and why other spending appeared to take priority. The Cabinet Member for Environment and Regulatory Services acknowledged ongoing issues with Friday bin collections, caused by vehicle breakdowns, insufficient crews, and reliance on agency staff. A new Friday service round will soon be implemented, moving some collections to Wednesday. Vehicle replacement and refurbishment plans were underway. Improvements to communication with residents, including a future app, were being developed. Smaller vehicles suitable for narrow lanes were being considered.
Question 3 Councillor Ben Eddolls, Member for Stow on the Wold Town Council, raised concerns about the poor condition of public toilets in Stow on the Wold, describing them as frequently dirty and inadequate for visitor numbers. Complaints had been received from the public highlighting issues with cleanliness, functionality, and odour. The Cabinet Member for Health, Culture and Visitor Experience acknowledged the seriousness of public toilet standards, noting that users should expect clean facilities. ... view the full minutes text for item 40. |
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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 member questions have been submitted for response:
Question 1: Councillor Dilys Neill to Councillor Juliet Layton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning I have often raised concerns about the number of long-term empty properties across the district and in my own ward in particular (120) which I consider to be scandalous. The question I would like to ask today is about two specific properties, the Old Funeral Directors in Well Lane and the adjacent house, Shepherd's Cottage which are in the same ownership. These properties have been empty for over ten years and are in a state of disrepair and continuing to deteriorate. They have both been broken into and littered empty alcohol cans suggest that they may have been used for under-age drinking and possibly drug dealing. Windows have been broken with glass on the ground outside. Both properties have been repeatedly boarded up and then broken into. They are an eyesore in Stow and have attracted complaints from many residents. The latest concern is that they are infested with rats which are getting into the roof space of the house to which the properties are attached. The owner of the adjacent house has employed a pest control officer who is unable to gain access to the empty properties and so the rats are still present, causing a nuisance and health hazard. CDC know who owns the property but officers seem unable to take action. What can the Council do about this longstanding and worsening problem?
Question 2: Councillor Tom Stowe to Councillor Juliet Layton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning Does the council monitor and record the number of Social Houses sold on the open market by Housing associations in the district?
Question 3: Councillor David Fowles to Councillor Juliet Layton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing ... view the full agenda text for item 41. Additional documents:
Minutes: Members’ written questions, written responses, supplementary questions and supplementary responses can be found in Annex A attached.
18:41- Councillor David Fowles left the meeting and did not return. |
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Corporate Plan 2024-2028 Update Purpose To seek Council adoption of a refreshed Corporate Plan for the period 2025 through to 2028. While the extant Corporate Plan was agreed last year, there have been significant changes nationally and locally which are reflected in the refreshed plan.
Recommendation Cabinet on 4 September 2025 resolved to recommend to Council to:
Additional documents:
Minutes: The purpose of the report was to seek Council adoption of a refreshed Corporate Plan for the period 2025 through to 2028.
The report was introduced by Councillor Mike Evemy, Leader of the Council.
The Council had updated its priorities to reflect changing national and local contexts, including the proposed Local Government Reorganisation and the new Local Plan for the district. A new priority, “Planning for the Future,” was added to guide sustainable development, housing, and transport, acknowledging that the Council may not exist in three years. Other priorities included maintaining high-quality, reliable services amid uncertainty; tackling the climate emergency by reducing emissions, promoting biodiversity, and greening operations; delivering affordable and suitable housing while addressing empty homes and homelessness; and supporting a resilient local economy, including high streets, the visitor economy, and sustainable business growth.
Councillor Cunningham asked the Leader to clarify the differences between the updated corporate plan and the previous version, noting that they seemed very similar. The Leader explained that the last plan had dated from January 2024 and that the new version removed some previously delivered items while introducing new priorities, including “Planning for the Future.” He highlighted that the updated plan provided clear direction for officers, assigned accountability to named Members, and included achievable delivery dates, ensuring it was both practical and actionable.
Councillor Layton seconded the report and reserved the right to speak.
The Chair then moved to the debate.
Members of the Conservative Group raised concerns that the Corporate Plan appeared uninspiring, underwhelming and rushed whilst not showing how outcomes would be measured to ensure success. The Cabinet Member for Health, Cultures and Visitor Experiences highlighted the two key areas of his portfolio, the Creative Cotswolds and the Community Safety Partnership which were claimed to be inspirational in their delivery.
Members agreed that housing and community resilience was key to responding to the climate emergency and urged the Council to confirm that the registered housing providers were planning on updating older housing across the district.
Councillor McKeown, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Digital, confirmed that the figures included in the Corporate Plan reflected the reduction in CO2 of Cotswold District Council activities.
A Member stressed that housing alone does not build communities and called for better follow-through on infrastructure, environmental issues, and unfinished developments, emphasising the importance of the inclusion of “Planning for the Future” in the Corporate Plan.
Councillor Layton rose to second the resolutions and noted that the document served both to set aims and priorities for councillors and, importantly, to ensure officers were clear on them. The Local Plan was highlighted as central to much of the Council’s work, underpinning areas such as climate change, housing, registered providers, and community support. The Chair invited Councillor Mike Evemy to sum up. It was noted that keeping staff informed and engaged during the LGR process would be essential to maintaining continuity of services. It was also highlighted that the Local Plan would play a key role in shaping ... view the full minutes text for item 42.
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Treasury Management Outturn Purpose To receive and discuss details of the Council’s Treasury management performance for the period 01 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.
Recommendation That Council resolves to:
Additional documents: Minutes: The purpose of the report was to receive and discuss details of the Council’s treasury management performance for the period 01 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.
The report was introduced by Councillor Patrick Coleman, Cabinet Member for Finance, who made the following points arising from consideration by the Audit and Governance Committee.
The recommendations were seconded by Councillor Nigel Robbins. He noted that investment returns were higher than expected, at £1.6 million against a forecast of £1.2 million, due to delayed capital spending and stronger yields.
19:31 Councillor Tony Slater left the Chamber and did not return.
The Chair then moved to the debate.
A question was raised regarding the approval of any future borrowing by the Council and whether the decision would come before Council or Cabinet. The Chief Accountant and Deputy S151 Officer would clarify the value which determined which body would action the request.
A Member observed that investment returns appeared broadly in line with service cost inflation, suggesting the Council had maintained the real value of its investments. The Deputy S151 Officer confirmed this was broadly correct, noting an average return of 4.6%, with overall costs rising by slightly less, resulting in a positive position overall.
Voting record: For – 25, Against – 0, Abstain - 0 Councillors Tony Slater and David Fowles did not vote having left the meeting.
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Notice of Motions No motions were received prior to the deadline of 5.00pm on Monday 15 September 2025. Additional documents: Minutes: No motions were received.
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Next meeting The next meeting of Council will be held on 26 November 2025 at 2.00pm.
Additional documents: Minutes: The next Council meeting was 26 November 2025 at 2pm. |
Carried