Resolution status:Carried
Cabinet RESOLVED to :
1. Propose the single unitary council option for Gloucestershire in response to the ministers invitation on 5 February 2025.
2. Treat the decision as urgent under Part D6, paragraph 4.14 of the Constitution, and therefore dis-apply the call-in procedure, on the grounds that any delay likely to be caused by the call-in process would prejudice the Council’s and the public’s interests.
RESOLVED that, subject to the above amendments the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 16 October 2025 be approved as a correct record.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 6 November 2025 be approved as a correct record.
RESOLVED that Cabinet:
1. Noted the content of the Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) attached at Annex A,
2. Endorsed the document to be published on the Council’s website by 31 December 2025 in accordance with legislative requirements.
Cabinet RESOLVED to adopt the Gloucestershire Tackling Domestic Abuse Strategy 2025-28.
Cabinet resolved to APPROVE
1. an addition to the consultation document for the Cotswold District Council Local Plan Review Regulation18 Consultation Preferred Options (November 2025) and;
2. to commence a seven-week public consultation on this starting on 14 November 2025 and finishing on 2 January 2026
RESOLVED that the minutes of Cabinet held on 4 September 2025 be approved as a correct record of the meeting.
RESOLVED that cabinet agreed and adopted the updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.
RESOLVED that Cabinet recommended that Council:
1. Agree the increase to income bands as detailed within paragraphs 3.2, 3.3 and Annex A of this report from 1 April 2026.
2. Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer, in Consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, to amend the income bands by the September 2025 CPI rate due to be published on 22 October 2025, should this be different to the assumed increase set out in the report and annex A.
3. Agree that any balance remaining in the earmarked reserve ‘Hardship Fund’ be made available in 2026/27 financial year for reasons detailed in paragraphs 3.6 and 3.7 of the report.
RESOLVED that Cabinet
1. Approved the Cotswold District Council Local Plan Review Regulation 18 Consultation Preferred Options (November 2025) document and the commencement of a six-week public consultation on this, together with a call for sites from 5 November 2025 to 18 December 2025.
2. Delegated authority to the Director of Communities and Place, the Accountable Officer and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning to agree any minor amendments or additions to the Consultation Document prior to the Regulation 18 Consultation.
3. Delegated authority to the Director of Communities and Place and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning to approve for consultation any supporting technical documents for the Regulation 18 consultation.
4. Delegated authority to the Director of Communities and Place and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning to approve additional technical documents for further Regulation 18 consultation as and when necessary.
5. Approved the Local Development Scheme.
RESOLVED that Cabinet approved the 2026/27 Budget Strategy as outlined in the report.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 10 July 2025 be approved as a correct record.
Approved the implementation of the Preventing Homelessness Strategy 2025-2030 with immediate effect.
RESOLVED that Cabinet :
1. Approved the People & Culture Strategy as detailed in Annex A
2. Approved the four core workforce values:
a. We put our communities first:
b. We are one team: working for our residents and businesses
c. We are business focussed: ensuring efficiency, effectiveness and good value for money
d. We are set up for success: to deliver against our corporate priorities
3. Approved the year 1 implementation plan as detailed in Annex B (September 2025 – August 2026)
4. Noted the Internal Communications & Engagement Strategy as detailed in Annex C.
RESOLVED that the minutes of Full Council 19 March 2025 were approved as a true and accurate record.
RESOLVED that the minutes of Annual Council 21 May 2025 were approved as a true and accurate record.
RESOLVED that the minutes of Extraordinary Council 26 June 2025 were approved as a true and accurate record.
RESOLVED that Council:
1. AGREED to the establishment of an Appeals Committee with responsibility for considering appeals by the Council’s statutory officers about disciplinary action taken against them, in accordance with the Local Government Association’s Model Procedure;
2. AGREED that the Appeals Committee will be a politically balanced committee comprising 5 Members, including one Member of Cabinet, who are not members of the Performance and Appointments Committee, with a quorum of 3 Members;
3. APPOINTED Councillors Dale ,Fowles, Mansilla, Slater and Wilkinson to the Appeals Committee;
4. Authorise the Director of Governance, in consultation with the Chair of the Constitution Working Group, to include the Appeals Committee within the Constitution;
5. NOTED that further proposals relating to Statutory Officer employment rules will be considered by the Constitution Working Group.
6. AUTHORISED the Director of Governance and Development, in consultation with the Chair of the Constitution Working Group, to include within the Planning Protocol a deadline for representations to the Planning and Licensing Committee of 2.00pm two working days before a meeting.
Council RESOLVED to APPROVE the appointment of Nikki Clark, Nick Craxton, David Hindle and Graham Russell to the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP).
RESOLVED that Council REQUESTS that the Leader writes to the Chancellor of the Exchequer expressing concerns that the proposed changes to Inheritance Tax rules as they relate to farms will have unintended consequences that could have far-reaching implications for the viability of the farming sector of the Cotswolds.
Amendment status:Rejected
Council is recommended to AGREE to merge the two ongoing Local Plan projects:
and
into a single comprehensive Full Local Plan Update in conjunction with incorporating work of the Gloucestershire Strategic Plan, where appropriate, with a view to submission in 2026 and adoption in 2027.
Appointment of Councillor Tristan Wilkinson to the Planning and Licensing Committee.
Council resolved to:
1. APPROVE the recommendation of the Performance & Appointments Committee’s Selection Panel that Jane Portman be appointed as Chief Executive Officer/Returning Officer/Electoral Registration Officer for a period of up to 9 months from 1 July 2025 or the date of commencement in post of a permanent Chief Executive Officer, whichever is earlier, to ensure the Council’s statutory duties are fulfilled and provide sufficient time for a permanent appointment to be made;
2. APPOINT the Interim Chief Executive Officer as the Council’s Head of Paid Service for the purposes of Section 4 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, from 1 July 2025 until a permanent Chief Executive Officer is appointed;
3. APPROVE the recommendation of the Selection Panel that Jane Portman is appointed as Interim Chief Executive Officer (Head of Paid Service), Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer with effect from 1 July 2025 or as soon as practically possible after that date;
4. APPOINT, in the event that the Interim Chief Executive Officer is unable to take up the role with effect from 1 July 2025, David Stanley, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, to undertake the role of Head of Paid Service, Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer until such time as the Interim Chief Executive Officer is available to take up the role;
5. AUTHORISE the Head of HR to commence the process of appointing a permanent Chief Executive Officer (Head of Paid Service) and Returning Officer / Electoral Registration Officer.
RESOLVED: That Councillor Mark Harris be appointed as Chair of Council for the Civic Year 2025/26.
Council RESOLVED that Councillor Ray Brassington be appointed as Vice-Chair of Council for the Civic Year 2025/26.
Council RESOLVED that Councillor Mike Evemy be appointed as Leader of Council for a term of office extending to the Annual Council meeting in May 2027.
Full Council RESOLVED to:
Council RESOLVED to:
Table 1;
RESOLVED that the minutes are accepted as a true and accurate record of the meeting of 24 February 2025.
Council RESOLVED to
Council RESOLVED to approve the Council’s Pay Policy for 2025/26.
That a revised and strong letter to be sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, be considered by Overview and Scrutiny.
Resolved that the minutes of Full Council 22 January 2025 be approved as an accurate record.
It was proposed to Restructure the CDC communications team so that the staffing costs within the communications budget are reduced from £340,000 to £200,000 to give a £140,000 annual saving, reducing the overall Press & PR/Communications budget from £404,764 to £264,764.
£40,000 of this annual saving to be used towards a new permanent Level 1 Case and Field Work Officer post in the Environmental Protection Team.
Council RESOLVED to approve:
RESOLVED that subject to confirmation of Gloucestershire County Council’s precept Council NOTES and APPROVES that:
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) 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 3 being the amounts given by multiplying the amounts at 4(f) and 4(g) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation Band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands;
5) for the year 2025/26 the Gloucestershire County Council and the Police & Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire have issued precepts to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated below:
Valuation
Band
Gloucestershire County Council
Police and
Crime Commissioner
£
A
1,119.77
214.72
B
C
1,306.39
1,493.02
250.51
286.29
D
E
F
G
H
1,679.65
2,052.91
2,426.16
2,799.42
3,539.30
322.08
393.65
465.23
536.80
644.16
6) the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in Schedule 4 as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2025/26 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings.
7) the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax for 2025/26 is not excessive in accordance with principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.
8) the following Council/Publica Officers: Deputy Chief Executive, Interim Director – Resident Services, Director of Governance and Development, Legal Executive, Business Manager – Environmental, Welfare and Revenues, Revenues Manager, Revenues Lead and Senior Recovery Officer be authorised to:
(a) collect and recover any National Non-Domestic Rates and Council Tax; and
(b) prosecute or defend on the Council’s behalf or to appear on its behalf in proceedings before a magistrate’s court in respect of unpaid National Non-Domestic Rates and Council Tax.
Amendment status:Carried
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 7 November 2024 be approved as a correct record.
RESOLVED: That Cabinet
1. NOTED the report; and
2. NOTED the external funding for the project and APPROVED to underwrite the cost of the LIFT Licences and any associated costs estimated at £33,000.
1. NOTED the financial position set out in this report.
2. APPROVED the recommendation in paragraph 9.3: Continue to review in-year opportunities with Publica and Ubico to mitigate the forecast financial position.
3. APPROVED the recommendation in paragraph 9.5: Implement an Authority to Fill process with authorisation for any recruitment activity.
4. APPROVED the recommendation in paragraph 9.6: Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer to provide guidance to all service leads on criteria under which external agency support can be commissioned (subject to business case assessment).
5. APPROVED the recommendation in paragraph 9.7: accelerate development of refreshed Savings & Transformation plan to ensure adequate cost reductions are identified, scoped, and planned over the MTFS period.
6. APPROVED the recommendation in paragraph 9.8: review of fees and charges as part of the 2025/26 budget setting process from a cost recovery position.
7. APPROVED the recommendation in paragraph 9.9: Publica Review Phase 2 – the design-led principle Consideration of cost must ensure that the additional cost of bring services back to the Council are quantified with mitigating actions taken to reduce the potential impact on the MTFS.
8. APPROVED the revised Capital Programme to include £0.208m of expenditure in relation to Cirencester Leisure Centre decarbonisation work including the installation of solar PV and triple glazing funded through the Government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund.
Motion status:Carried
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the previous meeting on 25 September 2024 be APPROVED as a correct record.
RESOLVED: That Full Council
1. NOTED the update from the Leader of the Council regarding the change to the membership and responsibilities of Cabinet Members.
2. AGREED to appoint from the Liberal Democrat Group Councillor Lisa Spivey to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to replace Councillor Tristan Wilkinson.
1. APPROVED the Statement of Principles; and,
2. APPROVED to continue to adopt a “no-casino resolution”
for inclusions in the published Gambling Act 2005 Licensing
Policy Statement.
That Full Council resolves to:
1. Approve a dispensation for Councillor Tony Dale in accordance with Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972, on the grounds of ill-health.
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