Resolution status:Carried
RESOLVED that the minutes of Full Council 24 September 2025 were approved as a true and accurate record.
Council RESOLVED to:
1. Appoint Jane Portman to the role of permanent Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 January 2026 on an annual salary of £140,000 with an additional one-off allowance of up to £8,000.
2. Appoint Jane Portman as the Council’s Head of Paid Service for the purposes of Section 4 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 with effect from 1 January 2026.
3. Appoint Jane Portman as the Council’s Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer for the purposes of Section 35 of the Representation of the Peoples Act (1983) and Regulation 4 of the Parish & Community Meeting (Polls) Rules (1987).
Resolved that Council APPROVED the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel with regards to Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA’s):
Council also APPROVED
Council also NOTED
Council resolved to :
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. 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 this report.
Council resolved to:
APPROVE and ADOPT the Terms of Reference and Draft Proposals for consultation for the Community Governance Review (CGR).
Council RESOLVED to
1. Agree the programme of meetings from June 2026 to May 2027 as set out in Annex A and Annex B.
2. Delegate authority to the Director of Governance and Development (Monitoring Officer), in consultation with Group Leaders, to make changes to the programme of meetings in the event that there is any future decision of Council to change the committee structure or committee remits that impacts the programme of meetings.
3. Delegate authority to the Head of Democratic and Electoral Services to set the meeting dates for the Performance and Appointments Committee, member training and briefing sessions, any working groups established by the Council and any meetings of the Licensing Sub-Committee (Licensing Act 2003 Matters) and the Standards Hearings Sub-Committee (if required).
4. Agree that the meeting start times will be rolled forwards from 2025/26.
1. Request that the Cabinet proposes the single unitary council for Gloucestershire in response to the minister’s invitation on 5 February 2025
2. Request that the Leader sends an accompanying letter to the minister indicating the reasons for this decision based upon the debate at this meeting and at Cabinet
3. Request that the Cabinet and Officers continue their work to prepare for LGR in advance of a decision by the government that is expected in June or July 2026.
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.
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.
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 the minutes are accepted as a true and accurate record of the meeting of 24 February 2025.
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.
© Cotswold District Council