Council - Wednesday 18 March 2026, 2:00pm - Vote_events Tab - Cotswold District Council Webcasting

Council
Wednesday, 18th March 2026 at 2:00pm 

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  1. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Councillor Mark Harris
  2. Angela Claridge
  3. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. 03. To confirm the minutes of a meeting held 23 February 2026
    Status: In progress
  2. 03. To confirm the minutes of a meeting held 23 February 2026
    Status: Ended
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  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Public Speaker
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  4. Councillor Mark Harris
  5. Public Speaker
  6. Public Speaker
  7. Councillor Mike Evemy
  8. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Councillor Tom Stowe
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor Juliet Layton
  4. Councillor Mark Harris
  5. Councillor Tony Slater
  6. Councillor Mike Evemy
  7. Councillor Mark Harris
  8. Jane Portman, CEO
  9. Councillor Mark Harris
  10. Councillor Tom Stowe
  11. Councillor Mike Evemy
  12. Councillor Mark Harris
  13. Councillor Tony Slater
  14. Councillor Andrea Pellegram
  15. Councillor Mark Harris
  16. Councillor Andrea Pellegram
  17. Councillor Mark Harris
  18. Councillor Jeremy Theyer
  19. Councillor Mark Harris
  20. Councillor Jeremy Theyer
  21. Councillor Andrea Pellegram
  22. Councillor Mark Harris
  23. Councillor Len Wilkins
  24. Councillor Mark Harris
  25. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  26. Councillor Mark Harris
  27. Councillor Mark Harris
  28. Councillor Laura Hall-Wilson
  29. Councillor Tony Dale
  30. Councillor Mark Harris
  31. Councillor David Fowles
  32. Councillor Mark Harris
  33. Councillor David Fowles
  34. Councillor Mike Evemy
  35. Councillor Mark Harris
  36. Councillor Mike Evemy
  37. Councillor Mark Harris
  38. Councillor David Fowles
  39. Councillor Mark Harris
  40. Councillor Mike Evemy
  41. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor Len Wilkins
  4. Councillor Mark Harris
  5. Angela Claridge
  6. Councillor Mark Harris
  7. Councillor David Fowles
  8. Councillor Mark Harris
  9. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  10. Councillor Mark Harris
  11. Councillor Juliet Layton
  12. Councillor Mark Harris
  13. 08. To approve Constitution Working Group recommendations, recs 1-3
    Status: In progress
  14. 08. To approve Constitution Working Group recommendations, recs 1-3
    Status: Ended
  15. Councillor Mike Evemy
  16. Councillor Mark Harris
  17. Councillor Juliet Layton
  18. Councillor Mark Harris
  19. 09. To approve the Committee political proportionalities, recs 1-2
    Status: In progress
  20. 09. To approve the Committee political proportionalities, recs 1-2
    Status: Ended
  21. Councillor Helene Mansilla
  22. Councillor Mark Harris
  23. Councillor Len Wilkins
  24. Councillor Mark Harris
  25. Councillor David Cunningham
  26. Councillor Mark Harris
  27. Angela Claridge
  28. Councillor Mark Harris
  29. Councillor David Cunningham
  30. Councillor Mark Harris
  31. Councillor Joe Harris
  32. Councillor Mark Harris
  33. Angela Claridge
  34. Councillor Mark Harris
  35. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  36. Councillor Mark Harris
  37. Angela Claridge
  38. Councillor Mark Harris
  39. 10. To approve the appointment of Independent Members to A&G, recs 1-2
    Status: In progress
  40. 10. To approve the appointment of Independent Members to A&G, recs 1-2
    Status: Ended
  41. Councillor Mike Evemy
  42. Councillor Mark Harris
  43. Councillor Len Wilkins
  44. Councillor Mark Harris
  45. Councillor Mike Evemy
  46. Councillor Mark Harris
  47. Councillor David Fowles
  48. Councillor Mark Harris
  49. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  50. Councillor Mark Harris
  51. Councillor Laura Hall-Wilson
  52. Councillor Mark Harris
  53. Councillor Mike Evemy
  54. Councillor Mark Harris
  55. Councillor Joe Harris
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  1. Councillor Mark Harris
  2. Councillor Joe Harris
  3. Councillor Mark Harris
  4. Councillor Ian Watson
  5. Councillor Mark Harris
  6. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  7. Councillor Mark Harris
  8. Councillor Helene Mansilla
  9. Councillor Mark Harris
  10. Councillor Paul Evans
  11. Councillor Mark Harris
  12. Councillor Juliet Layton
  13. Councillor Mark Harris
  14. Councillor Daryl Corps
  15. Councillor Mark Harris
  16. Councillor Mike Evemy
  17. Councillor Mark Harris
  18. 11. To approve the Community Governance Review, recs 1-2
    Status: In progress
  19. 11. To approve the Community Governance Review, recs 1-2
    Status: Ended
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  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor Mike Evemy
  4. Councillor Mark Harris
  5. Councillor Juliet Layton
  6. Councillor Mark Harris
  7. Councillor Mike Evemy
  8. Councillor Mark Harris
  9. Councillor David Cunningham
  10. Councillor Mark Harris
  11. 12. To approve the amended Full Council meeting date
    Status: In progress
  12. 12. To approve the amended Full Council meeting date
    Status: Ended
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  1. Councillor Angus Jenkinson
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  4. Councillor Mark Harris
  5. Councillor Angus Jenkinson
  6. Councillor Mark Harris
  7. Councillor Juliet Layton
  8. Councillor Mark Harris
  9. Councillor Juliet Layton
  10. Councillor Mark Harris
  11. Councillor Angus Jenkinson
  12. Councillor Mark Harris
  13. Councillor Mark Harris
  14. Councillor Claire Bloomer
  15. Councillor Mark Harris
  16. Councillor Angus Jenkinson
  17. Councillor Mark Harris
  18. Councillor Laura Hall-Wilson
  19. Councillor Angus Jenkinson
  20. Councillor Mark Harris
  21. Councillor Jeremy Theyer
  22. Councillor Mark Harris
  23. Councillor Jeremy Theyer
  24. Councillor Mark Harris
  25. Councillor Angus Jenkinson
  26. Councillor Mark Harris
  27. Councillor Joe Harris
  28. Councillor Mark Harris
  29. Councillor Mark Harris
  30. Councillor Mark Harris
  31. Councillor Mike Evemy
  32. Councillor Mark Harris
  33. Councillor Mark Harris
  34. Councillor Mike McKeown
  35. Councillor Mark Harris
  36. Councillor Joe Harris
  37. Councillor Mark Harris
  38. Councillor Mike Evemy
  39. Councillor Mark Harris
  40. Councillor Tom Stowe
  41. Councillor Mark Harris
  42. Councillor Dilys Neill
  43. Councillor Mark Harris
  44. Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
  45. Councillor Mark Harris
  46. Councillor Tony Dale
  47. Councillor Helene Mansilla
  48. Councillor Mark Harris
  49. Councillor Ray Brassington
  50. Councillor Mark Harris
  51. Councillor Clare Turner
  52. Councillor Mark Harris
  53. Councillor Angus Jenkinson
  54. Councillor Mark Harris
  55. 13. To approve Motion A, recs 1-2
    Status: In progress
  56. 13. To approve Motion A, recs 1-2
    Status: Ended
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  1. Webcast Finished

Councillor Mark Harris - 0:00:00
to remind members of the public to turn off their mobile phones or put them on silent
and to remain quiet as the meeting is ongoing. To avoid disruption I'll turn off my phone
as well. Members, officers and members of the public in attendance are reminded that
this meeting is being live streamed and recorded. Please may I remind members to turn their
microphones on while speaking and turn them off once they have sat down so they may be
seen and heard as this meeting is being live streamed. Most speeches are capped at five
minutes. Members will be aware of the timer displayed on the screens in the
room which shows a traffic light system which begins at green then turns yellow
for the last 50 seconds and red for the last 10 seconds. Once the time is
completed I'll intervene and ask the member to bring their remarks to a close
unless I'm exercising my discretion. Thank You Councillor Coleman. Right we
ready to roll? Good okay we're now webcasting. Good afternoon and welcome to
this meeting of Cotswold District Council's full council. My name is
Councillor Mark Harris I'm the chair of the council and I'd like to welcome all
members public in attendance and those watching online. You're very welcome. For
those watching at home we will be using electronic voting and will broadcast the
outcome of each vote. Should anything go wrong with the electronic voting which
cannot be resolved we'll revert to voting by clear show of hands. So first

1 Apologies

item is apologies and Nicky we got some apologies we're just cranking up Nicky's
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:01:31
microphone that's all right there we go
Angela Claridge - 0:01:38
so we've got apologies from councillors Michael van and Tristan Wilson
Wilkinson and Gina Bloomfield is also delayed on her travel so we can't make
it today and we have Nicky in who's also
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:01:51
Thank you very much. Yes it says it says council Bloomfield may or may not be

2 Declarations of Interest

back from India. Item 2, Declaration of Interest. Are there any declarations from
members please at this point? As usual if you become aware of any during the

3 Minutes

meeting please declare it at that time. Item 3 is minutes to confirm the
meeting held on the 23rd the budget meeting. Can I have a proposer please
Councillor Everly thank you and a seconder Councillor Stowe thank you
Councillor Stowe. Right recommendations of full council accept the minutes of the
meeting held on the 23rd February 2026 as a correct record and can we go to the
vote please thank you.
That's 24.
26.
27.
I think we're good now.
That's carried.
That's 23, 4 and 3 abstentions.
I've got one person who hasn't voted so I don't know who that is.
It carries.
Thank you.

4 Announcements from the Chair, Leader or Chief Executive

Right now item 4 announcements from the chair leader or chief executive and or chief executive.
So from my own part I'd just like to say in order to maximise the use of time available
could members please keep their comments disciplined, try and avoid repetition and be succinct with
any remarks made.
The length of this meeting will be capped at four hours and after three hours have elapsed.
If we get to that point, we'll take a vote on whether to continue for the final hour.
First, I'd like to welcome our new Councillor for the Beaches, Councillor Paul Evans.
Congratulations Paul on over 50 % of the vote.
Very welcome.
If you put as much work into this as you put into that, then I'm sure you'd be a great
Councillor.
And we've got more winners as well.
I'd like to congratulate Emma Cathcart, Assistant Director of the Counter Fraud Enforcement
Unit, who's been awarded Female Pioneer of the Year at the Public Sector Counter Fraud
Awards in recognition of our outstanding leadership and innovation in local government.
Congratulations.
I'd also like to recognise the achievement of our Director of
Communications and Place, Helen Martin, who has been named as one
of the planners Women of Influence for 2026.
This national accolade awarded by the Royal Town Planning
Institute's official magazine recognises women who have made a
significant impact within the planning profession and their
communities.
Helen has been recognised for her work in helping to shape inclusive, resilient and vibrant communities,
and for the leadership she provides across the playing sector.
I'm sure members will join me in congratulating Helen on this well -deserved recognition.
APPLAUSE
I've been out a little bit myself.
I was recently invited to judge the RSC Primary Schools Competition, which is a public speaking competition,
sometimes known as Look Who's Talking.
It's a county -wide speaking competition designed to help
primary -aged children practise and celebrate their oracy
skills, their ability to speak clearly, confidently,
effectively in front of others.
And the standard was really, really very good.
In fact, we could probably learn a little bit from them ourselves.
You'll love some of the subjects.
I'll share a couple with you.
Air traffic control, that was one.
My dog, Fred, was another.
sharks, obviously in a primary school, and get this, gender pay gap in professional golf.
It really was incredibly inspiring and congratulations to everybody in the area who took part.
I'd also like to wish Kira Thompson of Democratic Services and Elections Team well for her maternity leave.
She's not here so she's having a burpee. So all the best with that, Kira.
Members are also advising the council's currently advising and advertising for the post of head of democratic and electoral services.
Andrew Brown, on my right, has been carrying out this role on a shared 50 -50 basis with West Oxfordshire District Council.
As members may be aware, West Oxfordshire District Council now wishes to retain Andrew on a full -time basis.
It's anticipated that Andrew will continue to provide some transitional support during the recruitment period, although the arrangements are still being finalised.
And I confirm there isn't a bidding war going on between us and West Oxford.
As this is likely to be the last occasion we'll see, on which members will see Andrew at this meeting in this capacity,
I'd like to invite you to take this opportunity to place on record our sincere thanks and appreciation for his valuable contribution and service.
Thank you very much.
Thank you Andrew. Okay let's move on to announcements from the Leader.
Councillor Ebermeade, what have you got for us?
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:07:34
Thank you chair. I've got five things for you this afternoon but they'll all be fairly brief I hope.
So I wanted to just follow up your comments and congratulate Councillor Evans,
sat behind me for his resounding win in the election last week.
That means that this group of now 22 members, it's the largest it's ever been on this council.
Seven years into our administration and we've just gained a seat and held very comfortably once.
So I'm really pleased the vote of confidence that's given us in our administration.
Moving on to matters of council operation and the future of the council, members won't be surprised
that I've been spending a lot of my time talking about local government reorganisation
since I last spoke to you at a council meeting.
So obviously lots of work continuing amongst our officers led by our chief executive.
But as leaders we do meet on a monthly basis as well.
So I would just want to encourage members, anybody watching at home or watching this
back before the 26th of March to take part in the government consultation that is currently
live on the three proposals for the future organisation of local government
in Gloucestershire. And just to say to members that you will get something in
your inboxes very soon there are going to be two all member calls so you won't
have to go to both of them they will be exactly the same on the 14th and the
17th of April between 6 and 7 p .m. as a progress update meeting for all
Councillors across Gloucestershire.
I think there's about 280 of us.
Moving on, members may have seen,
obviously it's been in the press a lot over the weekend
and on Monday, the government announced a scheme
to support people who rely on heating oil,
who are on a lower income.
They announced that 27 million pounds
would be available for England,
and it will be put into the new fund
called the Crisis and Resilience Fund,
which starts on the 1st of August.
Clearly, as a very rural district,
we will have a disproportionate number of people
in our district reliant upon heating oil.
The money, as we understand,
based on the government announcement,
will go to the upper tier authorities.
So in our case, that's Gloucestershire County Council.
And it will be up to them to determine
how that money is spent.
There'll be discussions between officers and obviously we have the expertise here
in terms of benefits within our our team so they will clearly work with the
officers at County Council to determine how we can allocate this money but at
the moment there isn't any more detail I've looked on the government website
than that so yeah obviously we will do everything we can to support those
people in our district who reliant upon a heating oil who will very much struggle
to pay the exponentially increased prices that they're currently facing.
Moving on then to talk about the local plan. So members will have heard me talk
about the local plan at previous council meetings subsequent to the closure of
the consultation back at the start of January. We are about to publish
imminently today by the end of this week a summary of the consultation
responses. We had over three and a half thousand individual comments, we had over
2 ,000 people responding to our consultation. So we will be putting that summary
into the public domain with some comments from myself around that. So
you'll look out for that. And the last thing I just wanted to talk to members
about and it's a subject that's starting to get a bit more coverage nationally
and very much I think affects us in terms of the future of our area is the
government plans for devolution and what they're now calling foundation
strategic authorities. I'm conscious I'm sat here with Councillor Spivey sat
behind me as the leader of Gloucestershire County Council who's very
much leading the group of leaders as we make to discuss this but Councillor
Spivey and I have engaged in discussion with the other Gloucestershire leaders
supported by our chief executives about the options available to us as the
government seeks to progress its agenda for devolution and mayoral authorities.
This followed a letter from the government on the 12th of February which
made some unexpected changes to how the government wish to take this forward
introducing the concept of foundation strategic authorities. I agree with my
fellow council leaders across Gloucestershire that joining the West of
combined authority with its elected mayor would be the best option for
Gloucestershire of those that are potentially available.
Councillor Spivey as leader of Gloucestershire County Council is
leading for the county on this and her cabinet has this morning agreed that
joining Weka is its long -term goal and that it will submit an expression of
interest for a county -wide foundation strategic authority in advance of that.
I want to add publicly my support to that decision and my administration's
support to that decision and we'll work with Lisa and our fellow leaders to
support that goal. That's it, Chair. Thank you. Thank you very much, Councillor
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:13:13
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:13:16
Ebenle. Any announcements from Chief Executive? Thank you. Okay, right, we're
going to move on now to our Unsung Heroes Awards and what I'll do is I'll

5 Unsung Heroes Awards

announce the Unsung Heroes for March 2026 and what we'll do, I think we have a
couple of the nominees here and I'll read out all the commendations and then
I'll invite the people who are here forward to collect a certificate and a
lapel pin. So our first unsung heroes are Rachel and Arthur Cunningham
and this is a double award. This couple has spent many years carrying out an
extraordinary amount of work in the Chipping Camden area. Much of
quietly and without recognition. Working together as a partnership, they provide vital support
to their community. Quite simply, if they were not there, the gap in support would be
unimaginable. In a very rural part of the Cotswolds, many services struggle to reach
their reach. Their commitment, generosity and tireless efforts make an immeasurable
difference to the lives of those around them. What an example to all of us and what a great
team. Our next award winner is Jane Davis and Jane truly embodies
everything that the Unsung Hero Awards stand for. Selfless volunteering,
community spirit, making a real difference in the lives of young people
across the Cotswolds. Over the past year she's generously given her time
volunteering with the Headspace Wellbeing Group and acting as a trained
mentor for vulnerable young people offering support, compassion and
stability when it matters most. Jane's contribution doesn't stop there. She's
shown remarkable commitment and creativity in raising funds, opening her
beautiful home for an organ, even offering to cook for eight people with
all the proceeds donated to the charity. These quite generous acts have helped
sustain Headspace's work, allowing them to reach and support even more young
people at crucial moments in their life. In all she does, Jane puts others first,
often working behind the scenes with no expectation of recognition. Exactly the
kind of person the Unsung Hero Awards are designed to honour. For her compassion, dedication
and genuine kindness and for the tangible difference she has made in young people's
lives, we are proud to celebrate Jane as one of our community's true unsung heroes.
And finally Tony King, his remarkable first responder, giving his time completely voluntarily,
currently leading the Syrancestor Group of first responders. Outside of his regular work
hours, he answers call outs across Gloucestershire and Swindon. Evenings, weekends and throughout
the night, always ready to help no matter what the hour. His selfless commitment brings
reassurance, support and sometimes life -saving assistance to people when they need it most.
Simply put, his dedication makes an extraordinary difference to this community and he truly
exemplifies the spirit of service that this award is designed to honour.
So that's our three unsung heroes or four unsung heroes and I'd like to invite Jane
forward who I think is here and Rachel and Arthur to come forward and we'll
present you with the certificates.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
It's the young people who are in this connexion with the North House.
And we'll get the award to Tony as well. And thank you so much again for all the work you do.
It's hugely appreciated and we know that folks like you really are the glue that keeps our
communities together. Thank you. Right, do we have any members of the public who'd like to

6 Public Questions

Ask a question. Not answer a question, ask a question.
Mary Covitt, yeah.
I think you know the form, don't you, Mary?
Yeah, I do.
I'd love to get you your own seat and microphone.
We could have a quiet connexion.
Okay, over to you, when you're...
Thank you.
Public Speaker - 0:18:42
My name is Mary Cobbert and I am coming to see you again to follow up on the questions
that I had presented at the last Council meeting.
First, I want to say to Democratic Services, I cannot tell you how supportive and helpful
they have been through this last month, and Nikki in particular.
I really would commend that I feel when I'm desperately trying to get in touch with members
and officers, she will always answer the phone.
But I feel like it's herding cats.
She has a hard time.
And the reason I'm here today is that the question that I asked and I gave a written question
Was how many pensioners in the Cotswolds living on their state pension are receiving housing benefit and council tax reduction?
That was not a response that I got I got many stats, but that is the absolute
Number that I I need to be able to really assess
the number of people we have to reach out to who are going to be suffering
with unexpected tax demands within the next month or so. They and the following
issue which is attached to that that they need the help to go come to the
council and ask for their tax to be added to their or taken off their income
and that their council tax and housing benefit is recalculated,
because they are, as the example I gave you last time,
there is a resident who has got a tax bill, 450 pounds,
and she's lost 385 pounds in benefits at this point.
So that's nearly a thousand pounds,
and she's only living on her state pension.
It's a very important number that we identify,
and we know how to action support for them.
Policy and practise have been helping me too.
As you know, they're your supplier of the LIFT programme.
And they have at the moment identified 160 ,000 pensioners
who are going to be affected by this.
Now that is in their local counties, that's all LGAs.
So it's not just us of course.
But I really do need this figure, and we really do need to help this group.
There seems to be very little attention.
It's very hard to get through to anybody.
But not only is this the group that lives on their state pension, they do not get pension
credit.
And one of the issues that is going to happen, and was mentioned by the leader, is that there's
going to be the new Crisis and Resilience Fund and help for heating this winter. And
I am very worried that this will also only be directed to people on pension credit. There
is this strata of pensioners who are really worse off and the identifying criteria for
whether you are on housing benefit.
Because if you are on housing benefit,
you are not able to live on what you earn,
and the councils have already established
that people need help.
So that should be the criteria.
So if any of you in any of your other forums
can please use that message.
And I'm just asking, thank you for hearing this.
And please, can I have that figure of the number
of people on state pension?
And my second question was are you sending out letters to all our residents to tell them that the minute that they get this tax bill they must bring it to the council so they get their benefit corrected. Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:22:49
Thank you Mary. Who's picking this up? Mike? No, sorry Patrick. Go on.
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:23:00
Thank you very much, chair. Thank you, Mary. You continue to be an inspiration and hope
for the rest of us. I must commit to written reply and I think that we all appreciate that
the difficulties that you have described are not caused by local policy but by national
policy. That's what I understand it. But we need to do more if we legally can to
to stop this situation where people who are living close to the bread line with
little spare money are having to face sudden bills that weren't expected. It
may be there'll be a while in sorting this out nationally but everything we
can do locally I commit ourselves to do. It's legal, it's obviously affordable and
I will disclose as what we call not a declaration of interest that I see Mary fairly regularly
at the community pantry here in Sire and Cestor and I rely on her telling me how badly I'm
doing, sorry, how well we as a council are responding if at all.
But I understand that you're taking us to court, I don't know if that's so.
We're in court.
Sorry?
Yes, we're at court.
We're at court.
But this is not in any adversarial, not an adversarial thing and you're not asking about
that today but we will continue in partnership I hope.
Thank you.
Councillor Conlon, very quickly.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:24:19
So the question was, we'll get the number of pensioners and we'll establish that we
are sending a letter to pensioners or not as the case may be.
And if we aren't, probably you might think we ought to on that advice.
Okay.
Yeah.
Good.
I just want to be clear on that.
Quite a bit of talking.
Is that okay, Mary?
Do you have a supplementary?
Yes.
Sorry, I should have said...
Public Speaker - 0:24:47
Public Speaker - 0:25:01
The DWP in the South West have sent back a response to me to say that it is in the hands of the local authorities,
which is my reading, which is why we're going to court.
So I do not agree and I at least would like to make sure that everybody understands what I'm saying as Patrick you will
You will say I have explained it many times. It is very complicated, but we need to be clear on it and
So I would I would like to have the opportunity to be particularly because of the leaders
position on other levels of local government and
Particularly when we're in one or two or whatever is it we're going to
Thank you. Thanks, Mary.
Don't have any other positions in local government.
I'm not quite sure what you're referring to.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:25:51
But obviously we have Councillor Harris behind me,
who obviously has a senior position in the Local Government Association.
And I know from talking to him that he has races at a national level.
I do understand the point that you're making.
I do understand the process that you're going through
on behalf of the residents that you're working with to support them.
I do understand that it's a national issue and our officers are after working within the constraints and the advice they get from the Department for Work and Pensions.
I think in answer to your first question, and I don't know why you haven't had an answer to those specific points,
I haven't seen any of that, the correspondence that what you have had back from the officers, because clearly they're the people that can get you the answer in terms of how many,
And if we know how many people there are in our district that will fall into this process
whereby essentially they will be lost, they will lose income on the basis of tax that
they have to pay so it won't be taken into account.
So I don't know the answer to that.
Obviously we are running the LIFT programme as you know in order to support people to
get all the benefits they are entitled to.
And we do have a process in that that we can use to write out to people.
So if we can identify these people, there absolutely should be a key priority.
So I will have that conversation, Patrick and I will go take that back to our officers who are obviously not in the room this afternoon and say,
look, actually, can we identify these people?
If we can, can we write them a letter saying, you know, this is what you need to do when you get the first tax demand?
and clearly hopefully through the process that you're taking us through we
will get a determination that says that this money that essentially they will
not lose out because there's the tax is being taken subsequently from them so
totally get the point that we assess them for benefits and then some point
later the tax person comes along and takes the money off them and they then
doesn't means that they don't get the benefits that they should have got so
totally get that point and we'll see what we can we should be able to get you
the answer I don't know why you haven't got the detailed answer but we will take
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:28:10
that back to officers and get you one thank you. Thank you Mary. Just for the
record normally it's one minute allowed per question and but because this is a
sort of complex area and so on I'm happy to cut some slack and we don't have any
We don't have a lot of other members of the public, if any, so I'm giving you the time we have available.
Do we have any other members of the public? No, clearly not.

7 Member Questions

Next item is member questions. So these have been submitted and they have been responded to in writing.
They're on the desks and on the website if you want to look at that.
Questions on the agenda are presented in the order that we received them.
Each question will be asked whether they have a supplementary question and they have one minute.
and there's less slack being cut here because we have nine questions here,
which must arise out of the original question. I'll then
invite cabinet members to respond to each subtly message question for which
they have two minutes and I would suggest asking a question not to making
a long speech prior to that otherwise I may have to cut you off. So the first question is
from Councillor Tom Stowe to Juliet Layton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for
and planning on the current number of open planning enforcement cases and the
current level of staffing and resources within the planning enforcement to
deliver an effective and timely service. Councillor Stowe, you have an answer,
do you have a supplementary? Yes thank you chair, so thank you Councillor Layton
Councillor Tom Stowe - 0:29:40
for your written response. It highlights significant pressure on the planning
enforcement department. There has been a consistent upward trend trajectory of
live enforcement cases increasing by 25 % in the last 18 months and that was from an already
deeply concerning position.
Now due to the Department being grossly understaffed for years, leaving 684 live cases, there is
a mountain to climb.
The figures show just part of the situation.
There is a growing perception among residents that this service is struggling to function
effectively with limited communication, a lack of updates and concerns about insufficient
control of unauthorised development across the District.
It is reassuring to see that the Department is going to be fully resourced in the coming
months.
But please can you set a realistic timescale for when the backlog of cases will begin to
reduce and when is expected to return to a more manageable level.
Thank you.
Councillor Layton, over to you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:30:33
Thank you.
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:30:35
I cannot, oh gosh, the sun.
That's an unusual thing that's happening.
Can we close the blinds?
We've been blinded.
I can't give you a time scale right now because I need to get officers to say that.
What I do know is that we are getting nearly one a day enforcement cases coming in.
So as we work, the load just gets bigger and bigger and bigger.
We are, this is the third time that you've brought this similar question to
me in the last three councils, so I don't have a great deal more to tell you
but you have given that something specific you wanted a time scale when we
are going to be able to, what was the exact word? Well we will be fully
resourced, we are waiting, we've had a long term six, hopefully that person is
coming back shortly.
We haven't got, we are hoping for that.
We've done recruitment.
We've been supported by our officers for our recruitment.
We have tried to fill places, but we've still got to have
agency staff in senior roles and principal roles.
They are continuing.
We've still got them here.
So we should have a full team.
But when we, some enforcement cases may take,
with a bit of luck, a couple of months to sort.
Others take years and years and involve the planning department because what we're trying
to do is get a planning application.
Had that enforcement breach, had that had an initial planning application had covered
that, would they have been granted it?
So we have to go through planning again to see whether or not we can resolve an issue.
The idea is we're not there to pull down buildings or take off extensions and we're trying to
work with the people who are not complying.
And it takes a long time.
So the planning team is involved, it might be the conservation team involved, and if
it goes that we need to be being, take it further, we then have to get the legal team
involved.
So the process of enforcement is long and slow, very sensitive, so there's lots we can't talk about about it.
But when you get one coming in every day, it adds to it, adds to it, adds to it all the time.
So I don't know whether even our officers could give you a, you'd speculate a time frame for you.
Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:33:15
Thank you. Question two from Councillor Tony Slater to Councillor Mike Evermy on the allocation
of senior officers to local government reform work given the impact on Cotswold District
Council services and the associated costs to local taxpayers. Councillor Slater, you've
got an answer or you've got a supplementary question?
Yes, please.
Go for it.
Councillor Tony Slater - 0:33:39
Thank you, Councillor, for addressing the financial implications. I am still concerned
about the workloads for our senior officers. For example, our CFO obviously has a demanding
and full -time role but will now be spending 50 per cent of his time on LGR. I am sure
we'd all agree that we wouldn't want to cause our senior officers to go off with
stress. So what measures are in place to ensure individuals aren't overburdened
when doing their day job and the demands of LGR? Thank You Councillor Slater for
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:34:20
your question. Obviously that was a concern that myself and my cabinet
colleagues had whilst yeah clearly actually as I put in my response we're
very pleased that three of our senior officers have these roles. The conversation that I
had with the Chief Executive was, can she go away and work out how they were going to
be able to manage that on top of the day job? I am confident that she has, through the discussions
that she has had with the individual post holders and with the arrangements that she
is putting in place, that is manageable.
Ultimately, the Chief Executive is responsible
for managing the staff workload.
Two of the three people concerned
report directly to her.
One reports indirectly.
I am confident, and to answer your specific point
about the Deputy Chief Executive,
he sat at the front of the room.
We're not expecting him to do this work
on the LGR programme,
as well as everything he currently does.
What each of the individuals concerned has done
working with Jane and their colleagues
is worked out how they can essentially pass over
essentially half of their current workload
to get that done in another way.
And there are three different ways
in which that's being done
for the three different individuals.
I'm sure the chief executive will be very happy
to share that with all members, that arrangement,
because that has, I think, I'm pretty sure,
has now been agreed with all three of them and their teams and how that is
going to work going forward. So what we are doing in terms of the finances of
them the money that we get back from essentially from the programme will be
used to fund some of that backfill arrangement in order to be able to get
the people in place to do the work that our officers on this programme will not no
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:36:18
longer be doing. Thank you Mike. Is it would you like to add anything to
Reassure Councillor Slater or do you think that was covered?
Jane Portman, CEO - 0:36:34
Councillor Slater just to say that I'm very happy to provide all members with a
summary of the arrangements we've put in place if that would be reassuring and
And in fact, we've got two members of staff who are starting part -time to do some of the
work to relieve David of some work and Helen to relieve her of some work.
And actually, they start today.
But I'd be happy to put a written note available for all members.
Thank you very much.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:37:10
So the question is from Councillor Tom Stowe to Councillor Mike Henry on whether Cotswold
District Council owns a camera drone. You've had an answer I presume and I
expect you've got a supplement. Yes thank you Councillor Efney for your
Councillor Tom Stowe - 0:37:27
response. I think this raises concerns about what else might be lurking in that
communications budget. We are a small local rural council and despite the
efforts of some members we are not a Hollywood film studio. There are
absolutely no circumstances whatsoever where we should be requiring the use of
drone footage for communications purposes.
So the procurement of this drone was a total folly
and has added absolutely no value
to the taxpayers who funded it.
You've confirmed that there are currently
no recurring costs.
The reason being that the CDC taxpayer funded drone
has now been grounded.
What were the recurring costs when it was operational?
How many flights did it undertake?
And where can the resulting footage
be accessed by the public?
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:38:11
Well, okay, so this is obviously very exciting for the leader of the opposition.
We got a drone because our communications officer at the time said it would be useful
for him to do his job.
And if not, I'm as an officer, I tend, as a member, I tend to listen to officers that
say this is going to help me do my job.
And clearly we have used it and we can get you an answer about when it was used.
I'm not sure we're going to show all of the footage from everything, but we can get you the answer.
But actually, to be fair, I mean, I think this is a ridiculous question.
Can't believe that you're wasting our time talking about something.
We can't use the drone now because the law has changed, which means it's not that we can't,
we're not using it because there's a lot more restrictions on use of drone.
But the answer that I gave you, which obviously was researched by the officers, was said
that it has been used, that we have got value for money out of it.
I think that's the that's enough on that.
Thank you Councillor Everly and Councillor Stowe.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:39:08
Question four is from Councillor Tony Slater to Councillor Andrew Pellegram
Regarding litter on the roads in the district and steps being taken to combat it.
Don't throw litter out of the window. That would be a start I think.
Thank you for your answer.
Councillor Tony Slater - 0:39:27
and I'm sure that we all appreciate the size of the district and the difficulties involved in keeping clean.
However, the amount of litter has reached an all -time high,
but we don't appear to be rising to the challenge and keeping on top of it.
I think my colleague also recently asked about increasing litter in laybys,
which I think you're still awaiting a response.
Following my recent 15 minutes of fame, I've received several interesting suggestions on
how councils can start to fight back.
And I've asked if I could discuss these with the senior officer concerned.
But this will likely require some investment from the administration.
But from my engagements with officers, the team already appears overstretched.
Could the Member indicate how many people are actively working on keeping
our district clean and I could I suggest this might be bolstered by the money
we're saving now in the comms team as a result of them being seconded to LGR.
Councillor Andrea Pellegram - 0:40:39
Thank You Councillor Slater. First of all let me say I do actually agree with
that littering is an important issue to tackle and I'm going
to explain again why we're, what we're doing.
I have to say I was a bit surprised with your question
in the saying that it was becoming intolerable
and that it is a menace.
I don't think it's that bad.
It's not perfect but I don't think it's that bad.
In response to your question,
the head of waste actually went driving around to look
and she did conclude that most places are okay.
She's taken notes where maybe something needs to be done.
She did notice that there is quite a lot of litter
around the bird lip construction area.
So she is going to be speaking directly to them.
You say it's at an all -time high.
I'd be interested to know how you can quantify that
and what evidence you have.
You might want to have that.
I'm absolutely happy for you to discuss your ideas with our head
of Waste and I'm happy to join you in that because I'm also interested. I know you do
have a particular interest in this. The team you think is overstretched, they're not actually
involved in LGR right now. I just confirmed that yesterday. So the main team is the head
of Waste and then we've got two other people who are actually handling the phones. In addition
to that, we deal with other officers across the council and mainly rely on Yubico who
is our supplier. Just to remind you all of the things that we're doing, we are working
closely with Keep Britain Tidy and there are quite a few community litter picks this week
and next week. As you know, I've also explained this before, Burton on the Water, we're doing
We're doing a quite detailed study about litter
and affected by tourism.
We've done a bin audit where we've looked at them all.
We've identified bins that need to be replaced or cleaned.
We're working with a parish council to actually identify
a different configuration of bins
and different types of bins.
We're working with suppliers to actually see
if some other bin types will be superior to what we've got.
We are doing a lot of work in Borton on the water.
We are working with other councils and I am thinking mainly of Stroud right now to actually
come up with joint litter protocols and ways of working with parish councils with the view
to what happens when we go into LGR and how we can help parish councils be more accountable.
Could you wrap your comments up, Councillor?
Sorry?
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:43:17
There is a very false mark.
Sorry, very finished.
Well, that is how I am.
Councillor Andrea Pellegram - 0:43:21
Sorry.
And of course we have continuous contact with Yubico,
so I can assure you that we do take it very seriously.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for that very full response.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:43:32
Personal view here,
I think it's the duty of every single resident
and every visitor to the Cotswolds not to drop their litter.
And I think it's disgusting that people think
that council should have to pick up after them.
The real menace here is people who drop litter,
not councils who haven't got the capacity necessarily
to pick up all other people's. Right next question is council Jeremy Fair to
council a pellogram on the flexibility of the new waste vehicles will which
will have to adapt to any future changes in recycling and waste collection
legislation. Exciting. Have you got a supplementary council fair? Thank you for
Councillor Jeremy Theyer - 0:44:15
your answer most appreciated. The only other question to ask is the potential
which wasn't covered in your answer about the population boom and housing
boom which is imminent to hit sort of Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds. As you
did note that we are going into a joint sort of practise and also as we have
more capacity now as we've got a new bin fleet as such we should have bigger
and be able to consume more rubbish or carry more rubbish from A to B. Would the
labour I bins be reintroduced as they could be put back on the routes as
they're passing them on their way to their designated villages or roads? Thank
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:45:07
Councillor Jeremy Theyer - 0:45:08
Councillor Andrea Pellegram - 0:45:09
you. Thank You councillor Thayer. I will give this shorter answer this time.
First of all, with population growth, I did speak to the head of waste yesterday and she
is in the process of procuring the new vehicles.
As part of that, she's doing waste flow modelling where she's actually looking at future scenarios
in terms of changes in behaviour, changes in shopping, changes in legislation, changes
in population.
So that is all being looked at and then she's doing sensitivity testing to actually see how these materials will change
And that is all being built into the specification for the new vehicles
That means we will not be necessarily getting bigger lorries
but differently configured lorries on different routes utilised in different ways and
Also, let me remind you that we will be going into the local government reorganisation where we will be harmonising all the services
As far as lay -by bins reintroduced, no, that's not something on the cards.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Councillor Pedogram.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:46:11
Just to let you know, I'm using a bit of the public question time for this, but I'll cut
it off when I feel that we're going to fall behind.
We're not falling behind yet, in my view.
Question six.
Councillor Lynn Wilkins, Councillor Coleman, on the protection of financial reserves built
up by Cotswolds residents over decades ensuring these reserves are actively
protected in the local government review negotiations and prevented from being
used to bail out other councils. Councillor Wilkins have
you got a supplementary? We were you perfectly happy with Councillor
Coleman's answer. I'm perfectly happy with the answer but I do have a second
Councillor Len Wilkins - 0:46:53
question. It's a great shame that we can't mark all the work that's been done by
previous councils, councillors and staff. The question for Councillor de Colbin, can
you please tell us what assets CDC has and what your intentions are for these?
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:47:13
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:47:19
You have two minutes. Thank you, Chair. I'll provide a written reply which will almost
certainly include reference to the asset management strategy and undoubtedly a
long list of physical assets. Of course many of the assets of this council can't
really be quantified in terms of a physical object. The talents of our staff
for instance are one of the reasons our council continues to excel in so many
areas. But I will find a written answer from somebody and let it get to you. Thank
you very much for your question. Thank you. Thank you Councillor Coleman. Thank
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:47:51
Councillor Wilkins. Next is from Councillor Laura Hall Wilson to Councillor Tony Dale.
On what measures are being taken in reaction to the town centre's initiative
report to improve the flow of cars and facilitate parking in Tethbury?
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:48:10
Councillor Laura Hall-Wilson - 0:48:13
You might go for it. Thank you very much and thank you Councillor Dale for your
response and draw my attention to the parking strategy which I had already
seen. There are some recommendations in the REPF funded report which came after
the parking strategy which aren't included in the parking strategy. Parking
is a really contentious issue in Tethbury as it is across the district. I
would like to know what further measures we can do as a district council to take
forward the measures in the REPF funded report alongside the parking strategy.
That was this council that led on the town centres initiative so there are
some aspects that involve
Blottshire County Council and our town councils,
what more can we do to lead
on pulling all of those bodies together
to deliver parking solutions,
which will offer real benefits to our businesses
and our town centres at the moment?
Councillor Tony Dale - 0:49:09
Firstly, thank you very much, Laura.
That's very kind of you.
It's a really good question.
And it's extremely relevant,
ideal most days most weeks under the car parking element of my portfolio with the
requirements of additional different differently configured differently
regulated parking everything from carer parking which I know has been raised by
fellow colleagues of mine right through to more parking in places where it is in
high demand sadly no one's building any more land in the centre of our Cotswold
towns and villages. Goodness knows I wish they were. I think when we did the
parking strategy before I inadvertently left the council for a little while I
went to speak to all the towns and villages that either had one of our
managed car parks or who would like one of them and where I found the most
positive responses I very much encouraged officers to create an action
plan that would enable the local town or parish council to identify land that could then be
progressed jointly to address any parking deficiency. I remember particular areas in
Lechlade and Fairford that met that requirement. I'm perfectly happy to continue to engage
with TETBRI. I did a wonderful tour of TETBRI with Councillor Nicky Yinn, in fact, when
we did the parking strategy. I'm fully aware there are challenges, there really are. We
do manage it on behalf of the FIAAs. I would love to continue to work with them within
the parking strategy with our parking officers to see if they can either identify other parcels
of land that we could use. The goods shed is already a great place to go and park, albeit
a bit out of town. But in terms of action plan moving forwards, always a moveable feast.
I'm very happy to engage with TETRI councillors and yourself indeed to try and figure out
if there are additional opportunities. Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:51:13
Thank you, Councillor Dale. Our next question, 8, is from Councillor Fowles, requesting an
update of the leader on the status of the Living Memorial Historical Association Museum
collection after notice of the sale of the Syrinsester Memorial cottages.
Councillor Fowles, you've got a supplementary?
Councillor David Fowles - 0:51:34
Thank you, Mike, for your reply. I'm sure you're aware that Syrinsester Town Council
has put together an expression of interest for scientists to become a town of culture
and that bid goes in on the 31st of March. If successful, the town will get £60 ,000
to develop the bid and if that's successful they will receive a million pounds. It therefore
seems to me that to have the history of World War II sitting in a garage and in an underground
bunker having vacated the premises from the cottages is really unfortunate and I
would be really keen to sit down with you outside this meeting to find out
what the results of conversations with landlords and agents has been and
whether we've explored the opportunity of giving the living heritage the living
memory trust some space in this building and I know that council Nick bridges and
I are working on the heritage open day in September and it would be great to
find a solution by then so that the museum's artefacts can be presented to the public.
Thank you Chairman.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:52:36
Councillor Evmy, I'm not quite sure what the question is.
Yeah, I didn't hear a question David.
Councillor David Fowles - 0:52:41
I think what Councillor Fowkes is asking...
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:52:43
Hold on, no, no.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:52:44
David, thank you.
I think he was asking if he could sit down with you.
Can we sit down with you outside this meeting to get an update?
David, David, please.
Thank you.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:52:56
Okay, I mean I think, yeah clearly obviously it's unfortunate that they haven't found a new place in Syrinsester.
I wasn't aware of the expression of interest, I don't know everything that's going on in Syrinsester.
So that's useful to know, that's the town council is making that bid.
and it does sound from what you say useful that that might be able to in some way support
or accommodate the Living History Memorial Association.
But I do think, and I put this in my reply, I do think we have to be clear, and I obviously
spoke to Councillor Bloomer after I saw this question and before I put the reply in, because
I know Councillor Bloomer, together with Councillor Hodgkinson, did do quite a lot of work with
the Living History Memorial Association supporting them, obviously, and we obviously made accommodation
for them to store their artefacts in the short term while they found a new home.
But I have to be clear, David, it's not our responsibility to do that.
We do recognise the value of the collection, but we are not the Living History Memorial
Association.
They are a separate individual trust.
And Claire, I know, as the portfolio,
Hunt and Paul were doing what they can to support them.
So I don't think I need to sit down with you necessarily for
you to tell me what you just told us all.
What obviously we want to make sure that that collection is
maintained, we will do as officers,
we will do what they can to support the organisation in
doing that.
But ultimately we are not running that organisation and we
also have to recognise that we have a responsibility to everybody and so we
are not able just to make available space. I'm sure we have thought about a
lot of the things that you've said but I'm very happy to give more consideration
find out a bit more obviously I sought to find out more from officers but
clearly yeah I don't think I can give you any more than I've given you in this
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:55:01
answer. Thank You councillor Ebony. Last one David keep it snappy this is
Tristan Wilkerson who's not here so I think Mike will give an answer. Your
supplementary David, if you've got one I mean you may be perfectly happy with the
Councillor David Fowles - 0:55:15
response. Go, be quick please. How could I not resist giving a supplementary? It was
great to see in the local press last week that the Growth Hub concept has
been extremely successful across Gloucestershire and for members who
didn't read the article, since 2014 16 ,000 businesses have been supported, 45 ,000
visitors have visited the centres and the centres have delivered 1 ,700 training events.
I think it's really important to maintain this asset in our town and I know that the
Chairman and I were involved through the Town Council, Chamber of Commerce and Community
Development Trust in supporting the bid for the Growth Hub. I note that the funders, I
note that the fundings for 12 months, I just want to be reassured by our leader and obviously
the leader of the County Council that we would do all that we can to support the Growth Hub
going forward beyond the next financial year. Thank you.
Councillor Ebony, I think this one might be down to the...
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:56:08
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:56:09
Yes, thank you. So that funding was agreed by the City Region's Board across
Gloucestershire, which Lisa doesn't sit on. Julian Tooke is the chair of that in her
cabinet and I was there together with the other district leaders and we agreed
that's a priority. I think we're in a situation where the business rates pools
are coming to an end that's what we can use to fund this sort of funding so we
use the strategic economic development fund comes off the business rates
pooling so we can't make a commitment beyond what we've already committed
which is the financial year coming up but you know I think actually we
recognise the value of the work and the response that you've got from Tristan
demonstrates that we value the work of the growth hub in Syrinsester and also
with the outpost in North Cotswolds and we want that to continue but you know
funding is difficult. We used to be in the EU, the money came from the EU.
Then the government before gave us this money and then you know
basically money is tighter so you know we want these things to continue, we
want to support businesses. I think the growth hub has been very successful, we
wanted to see it continue. Thank you Councillor Ebony. Right, thank you all
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:57:22
Thank you for we've hit the mark on that. I'm going to get those done by one minute past three, so it looks like we've done it.
So next item is constitutional working group recommendations and
purpose of this is to present recommendations from the

8 Constitution Working Group recommendations

Constitution working group arising from meetings on the 7th of October and the 13th last year and 13th of February
relating to disclosure interest standards, hearings,
Sub -committee procedural rules and committee membership and Councillor Mike
Evermy is going to propose the recommendations. Councillor Evermy.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:57:56
Thank you. You've said half of what I was going to say, Chair. So that shortens it.
Not quite. I have got something to say. So we're just going to take members through
the detail then because you've given the introduction. So the first
recommendation really talks about the planning protocol and this is about
strengthening the planning protocol about disclosure of interests.
And we as a constitution working group, obviously took advice on this from the head of legal services.
And you can see the proposed additional wording in the red text in Annex A.
Recommendation two is to look after, make some improvements and
to how we run standards hearings. We had our first one in a very very long time
in November and those changes are shown in Annex B. I'm saying red text and now
looking at it thinking as the text read it is that's good. Should have checked
that before and then the third one talks about and I raised this because I wanted
to appoint chair from our group view to the planning committee and we discovered that
we couldn't because the vice chair was already a member and there was this bit in the constitution
that said the chair and the vice chair couldn't both be a member of the planning and licencing
committee. So we asked the question of officers why could this be, is there a legal prescription
or anything and our officers weren't able to furnish us with a reason other than we
believe this may have been historic and in some way relate to some previous post holders
who will remain nameless, I don't know who they are.
But it seemed that in the current environment,
we have, the chair has served for many years
on the planning and licencing committee
with great distinction.
Similarly, the vice chair.
So having a prohibition from having both of them
sat on the committee when we know
that the planning and licencing committees,
every individual has to make their own decisions.
That seemed an unnecessary prohibition.
So we've got the three recommendations
that are moving for you.
Strengthen the planning protocol
on about disclosure of interests, clarify how we are going to run standards hearings
and improve that, having taken account the experience that we had back in November, and
allow both the chair and the vice chair to sit on planning and licencing if they would
like to do so. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Do we have any questions for clarity?
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:00:23
Councillor Wilkins.
Councillor Len Wilkins - 1:00:29
I was involved in the November meeting.
We had several complaints who demanded to be heard and they all asked the same question.
Unfortunately, they all got the same answer.
The reason I am asking the question is on 3 .3 page 49 of the papers it says we are going
to ask the complainant, should there be more than one, to put together their
complaints to one speaker. What I want to know is how is that going to be
organised? Will that be up to CDC's monitoring officer to contact them or
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:01:12
how will it be done? Thank you. I'm going to defer to our monitoring officer on
that one for the technical response. Thank you, thank you. So thank you Councillor Wilkins for
Angela Claridge - 1:01:19
questions. Yes, you might recall there were a number of complainants and despite the chair
asking at the time for one or two speakers, everybody of course wanted to have their say.
What we will do in advance when we are making the arrangements for hearing, if we have to have a
future one, is we will ask in advance who they wish their nominated speaker or speakers to be.
It's clear from the outset and if there is a number of complainants they can discuss in
advance who they want to ask those questions and what those questions are to be so that
we avoid that situation that we had in November.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:01:57
Thank you, Councillor Wilkins. Any other questions for clarity on this? Do we have a seconder?
I think Councillor Fowles is seconding this. Is that right? Would you like to speak now?
Councillor David Fowles - 1:02:10
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:02:12
I'll keep it short and say yes, I'm very happy to second the motion. Thank you, Councillor
Anybody wish to speak in debate? Any questions? Any views? Any thoughts?
No? Okay. Mike, do you want to sum up? No?
No, I think Councillor Layton was going to second. Oh, you've already...
No, Councillor Fowles is doing it. Yeah, yeah. It's moving so fast, he didn't realise.
Yeah. Okay. So, you've got the recommendation in front of you.
I'm not going to read it out because I...
Oh, Councillor Coleman snuck in there before we managed to go to the vote.
Go for it.
Yes, Chair.
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 1:02:47
Initially, I was going to delay you by inquiring for the definition of
Disclosable Interest, which is a phrase that appears.
But I think at the bottom... near the bottom of page 36,
in the first of the red paragraphs,
got a reference to,
as far as possible should have discussed any possible interest,
and perhaps with clarity that should be any possible
disclosable interest and I'll go away and look at what a
disclosable interest may or may not be. If we could add that word in there.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:03:19
Councillor Layton you I think... Just as an answer about
Councillor Juliet Layton - 1:03:24
disclosable interest whether they're pecuniary or non or just general
interests that can all be found on the website right at the back of the pages
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:03:39
and the annexes. Job done then question answered. Right so shall we go to the
vote now to approve the Constitution working group recommendations. That's 27
in favour. So that's carried. Thank you very much. Well done everybody. Well done.
I don't mean well done everybody for urging in favour. Well done everybody for managing
to find a button. It doesn't always happen. There's always a couple there. Right. We
the election of a new councillor. Councillor Ebony. Thank you chair. So on
Councillor Mike Evemy - 1:04:35
page 59 is the start of the report. So to let members know that following the in
advance of the election for in the Beaches Ward but following the election
in the Rissington's ward, I indicated to our Democratic Services team that I would be seeking
to move a chair this report at this council. And so that obviously with the outcome of those two
elections, as I said earlier, the Liberal Democrat group now has 22 members when it had 21 at prior
to at the end of last year so therefore the committees of the council are now
out of balance with that and we also as members obviously we were sad to see
former Councillor McLean leave the council but his place therefore was
remaining unfilled on the Planning Committee because he's no longer here so
and the planning committee has a couple of cycles where it has not had a full
complement of members. So the report that we've got before us this afternoon and
we've got two annexes. We've got Annex A which has been shared I think with all
members. It goes through how political proportionality works and committees
and you will note that we have five committees, three of which we're probably
very familiar with, who have been scruiting me planning and licencing and
audit and governance because they are regularly scheduled, two of which are
less familiar, although the performance and appointments committee has met a
couple of times in this calendar year. The appeals committee hasn't met at all,
just for those of you not sure what that is, that is a committee to consider any
appeal against the decision of the performance and appointments committee.
So we established that back at our council meeting in July of last year.
So the officers have done the work.
Andrew is here to answer any technical questions about how he's calculated the numbers based
on the overall proportion.
And clearly now there are only two groups on the council, the Liberal Democrats group
and the Conservative group.
So seats are allocated to groups and then spaces are offered to the non -aligned members of which we now have two.
So you can see on table two there, over the page if you've got that on page four, the new numbers on the committees.
And what that means is that essentially, and I have, I can say as we get onto the last part of this,
is we have circulating, hopefully members may have that already, the names of, or about to go out,
the names that I'm going to propose to fill the places for the Liberal Democrats group.
I've got a couple of changes to the current membership of the groups. So essentially,
before I do that, I will just explain that I had a conversation yesterday with Councillor Turner,
who is happy to continue on the over in scrutiny committee and I also had a
conversation by digital means I should say with Councillor Ind who is happy to
join the planning and licencing committee so you'll note that they are
those appointments are therefore in this revised list and the other changes are
up to the nominations from the Liberal Democrats Group.
So, orders and governance, the vacant role on that
will be filled by Councillor Craig Firling.
The overview and scrutiny committee,
Nick Bridges is stepping down from that committee
and he will, I'm nominating Paul Evans in his place.
The additional place on the performance
and appointments committee will be taken
by Councillor Tony Dale.
And because he's been appointed to that,
He can no longer sit on the Appeals Committee and his place on the Appeals Committee will be taken by Councillor Mark Harris.
I think that's it, Chair. So happy to answer any questions that any members may have.
Anybody require any clarity on that?
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:09:06
No, do we have a seconder? I can't remember.
Juliet, were you seconding this? Yeah. Do you want to add anything?
I'm just going to second it and I have got nothing to add because that was I think
Councillor Juliet Layton - 1:09:17
very clear and we've got it all written down in front of us as well. Thank you. Thank you Julia. Anybody want to thrash this out and
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:09:24
take this for a bit of a drive?
Don't make yourself popular.
No?
Okay.
Would you like to sum up, Councillor Ebony? I don't think it's necessary.
Okay, well we'll go to the vote now and the vote is that council resolve to agree the political proportionality is set out in Annex A
and to appoint any vacant seats on committees in accordance with wishes of the political group to which the seat has been allocated
as expressed at the meeting and
Joe's locked himself out
I know we're in the middle of the vote, but just to clarity, because it doesn't express
it explicitly, I have made two changes to not just the vacancies, so we need to make
sure that we are agreeing that the change of Paul Evans for Licoridge is on overview
and scrutiny and Mark Harris for Tony Day on the appeals committee.
I think we're good on that.
That's unanimous. Thank you, Members.
Item 10 now is an appointment of an independent member to the Audit and Governance Committee.
Mike, would you... Oh, no, sorry. I do apologise.
Mike does so much that this is actually... Elaine's going to confirm the nomination of the independent member.
Elaine, would you go for it?
Councillor Helene Mansilla - 1:11:05
Thank you, Chair. As you can see from the summary report on pages 65, 66 and 67, this
item concerns the appointment of independent members to the Audit and Governance Committee.
We have had two independent members in place since September 2020 -23 and their external
expertise continues to strengthen the Committee's oversight over financial and non -financial
matters.
John Cheshire has recently resigned and I would like to place on record our thanks for
his contribution and wish him well in the future.
Following a recruitment exercise, I am proposing the appointment of Nick Craxton to replace
him.
Members will be aware that Nick currently serves as a chair of the independent remuneration
panel, a role from which he will be standing down if he gets elected.
This is also an opportunity to extend the tenure of the other independent member, Chris
Bass.
Chris was elected in 2023 for a four -year tenure and I am proposing that his appointment
is extended to 31 March 2028, aligning with the abolition of the causeway district council.
Thank you.
Thank you, Elaine.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:13:05
Have we got any questions for clarity on that?
No? Well done. Really, clearly very clear.
I've got Councillor Wilkins who's going to second that.
Councillor Wilkins, would you like to speak now?
Yep, I'll take it now. Thank you, Chair.
Councillor Len Wilkins - 1:13:22
Chris has answered some very interesting questions at the audit, which has worried us.
We don't know much about Nick Claxon, but he knows us, so I'm sure it will be a good match.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:13:36
Councillor David Cunningham - 1:13:51
Thank you very much.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:14:05
give some detail. I mean thank you thank you Dave, Councillor Cunningham. If I
Angela Claridge - 1:14:09
could just draw your attention to paragraph 2 .2 in the in the report and I
give admittedly a very potted summary but give some information there about
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:14:23
Nick Craxton who's joining us. And we know about Mr. Bass. Thank you that is
Councillor David Cunningham - 1:14:27
quite a potted isn't it really. My question really was more about what do
know of his abilities to take this on and what he's done in the past that
could help. There's some things here that he sits on an organisation's ethics
forum but doesn't seem to be a lot more about what experience he has for this
sort of role. I don't need an answer for this today but if we could make it
available that would be quite helpful I think. Thank you Councillor Conningham.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:14:55
Councillor Joe Harris. Yeah I was under the impression and certainly I'm casting my
Councillor Joe Harris - 1:14:59
mind back to when we appointed members of the Independent Remuneration Panel
panel, we asked and I think we asked in future that they came to the council meeting, so
if we had the ability to ask some questions of the person, we could do that. So I don't
know if that invitation is extended or whether that was an oversight or perhaps he can't
make it, but I do think in future that would be helpful, because I quite agree with David's
point. It's quite difficult to get the cut of somebody's jib, isn't it, on a paragraph.
So I think in future if we can get the person in to ask a few questions
And I think that would be that would be worthwhile but in the interim. I think we have trust in our
In our officers and the recommendation that Mike is making and I'm content to support this recommendation
Angela I think you got a comment before
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:15:53
Angela Claridge - 1:15:58
Thank you, Councillor Harris. You are absolutely right. We have asked our independent persons
to come to council before. If I could just remind you, it was Nick who presented the
members allowances presentation to you in November. He has actually been here. To quote
your fate, you have seen the cut of his jib but it was in a different capacity. Just to
I assure you, it was a thorough recruitment exercise and an interview process that we
went through with Nick Braxton.
It wasn't just we know you.
There was at least one other very, very strong candidate that had, if we needed a third,
we would be able to select.
But happy to provide more information.
You'll see them all in governance anyway.
I think I have Councillor Coleman next.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:16:47
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 1:16:51
Just a question for confirmation I have. I'm pretty certain that the independent members
of remuneration panels, possibly across the south west, have some kind of coordination
meeting amongst themselves. I'm thinking that possibly the same might apply to this other
type of independent members sitting on all the committees. If that's the case
it's very helpful because it's quite a lonely job at times and it's good if
they can work together and ensure perhaps a small measure of consistency
across the widely varied types and numbers of councils in the southwest.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:17:34
Thank you Councillor Colman for that comment. Angela. Thank you.
I'm, as you're absolutely right, in terms of independent
Angela Claridge - 1:17:40
renumeration panel members, there is a south west
collaborative group that does meet, that's organised
once a quarter, something along those sorts of lines.
And that's really good for sharing experiences
and knowledge and picking brains and that type of thing.
In terms of independent members who sit on audit
and governance committee, I'm not aware that there is
a similar group, SIPF who are obviously, who are David,
the deputy execs professional body, they will support in terms of training, guidance and
that type of thing. But also David and I do once a year meet with the independent persons
on audit and governance committee, independent members and just basically test that they
are getting out of it what they want, that we are getting out of it what we want and
that the process is working well. I think for those of you who have been on audit and
and I can see the new chair nodding behind.
They have provided, I think, some really good independent challenge to the process.
It's been very supportive.
Thank you. Any other comments before we go to the vote?
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:18:44
Or before we go to a sum up and then go to the vote?
No? Okay. Do you want to sum up, Helene?
No? Okay. So, we can go to the vote.
So, Council resolves to appoint Nick Crachton to the Council's Ordinance
Government's Committee commencing immediately until 31st March 28 and to
extend Christopher Bass' appointment to the Council's Ordinance and Government's
Committee until 31st of 2028.
It's his screw fix, Nick Crangston.
Other hardware stores are available.
There we go. We've got one abstention and 27 in favour. So that's carried. Thank you
very much for that. Now go to item 11, which is the community governance review. And Councillor
your revenue is going to be proposed.
Yeah, it is me this time, Chair.
So, members may recall, those of you who were here
last November, that we agreed to carry out
a community governance review in response to requests
from a number of parish and town councils.
And so the report we've got in front of us today
asks us to make some decisions on those.
So following our meeting there was a consultation within the parish and town
council areas including the process and with some as well as we town the parish
councils with affected potentially affected individual householders. And the
Councillor Mike Evemy - 1:20:33
conclusion of the consultation period there was a meeting held with relevant
board members to ask us for our views and the recommendations in front of you
taking into account both the responses that we got back to the consultation and
the ward member views but clearly it's obviously a matter for council to
determine. So the report sets out conclusions and the recommendations of
the review and I'll just briefly talk through there are seven different ones.
The first two both concern the boundaries of Syrinsester Town Council with Preston Parish Council and with Siddington Parish.
Both those are ones where there was a difference of opinion between the Syrinsetown Council and the relevant parish councils.
In the case of Sire and Cester and Preston, the view from Preston Parish Council was there's a recognition, I think, that the boundary of Sire and Cester will change at some point.
And indeed it has changed. Preston boundary of Sire and Cester changed when the Kingshill Meadow development was moved into the Sire and Cester Parish before the 2015 elections.
Elections so but I think the view and this is my view reflecting it back is that that is premature
So we do have an outline planning permission on a site adjoining Kings Hill Meadow
We don't have a reserve matters
And we looked at the times which it could take for housing to start to come forward on that development
and
Recognising that given that we are not going to be here as a council in two years time a new unitary authority
will need to do a boundary review in its first term which will include
potentially a boundary change for including that area. We felt it wasn't
necessary to change the boundary at this point.
Sire ancestor of Siddington also in my ward this was the one which got 90 large
number of responses. The majority of people didn't want to see any change
That was on both those who live in Siddington currently and those who live in
Syrinsester with a counter proposal that came forward from Siddington Parish Council. As the ward member
I would say to you that community in Siddington is very well established as part of the
community even though it's
essentially a joins onto Syrinsester and that came back very much from the feedback that residents there showed.
So there's the pros and recommendations. I don't think we should
change that. More straightforwardly I think Cutstein Parish Council wants to
become a meeting and I think there's any objection or nothing we were happy or
there's one person that wasn't happy but I think we agreed that that was it made
sense made sense that would happen. Fairford wants two more councillors
which the majority of people involved agreed with and the ward councillor
Michael van it can't be here today from Fairford it was very supportive of that
similarly to what I was describing in
siren sester the Morton in Marsh application I think is also from the
town council to expand their boundary is also premature and the ward
councillors were both in that meeting as described and both agreed that we
shouldn't look to change the proposal the boundary between the two parishes at
this time. Sotheroff wants a couple more councillors as well and I think Ward
Council is supportive of that, Councillor Fowles. And finally, Tettbury Town Council
asked to be warded and all three of the Tettbury town councils were supportive
of that and the majority of the responses it was a clear preference in
favour of doing that and it makes sense for a lot of reasons for the town council.
So I would refer you back to the recommendations there on page 69 to
approve what I've just described in one and to authorise the head of legal
services to make the reorganisation of community governance order to implement
the changes that we're going to agree this afternoon. Thank you. Thank you
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:25:02
Councillor Everly. Any questions for clarity? Yes Councillor Wilkins and
Councillor Fowles.
Thank you.
Then Councillor Colle.
Thanks, Chair.
It's actually probably in the wrong place.
Councillor Len Wilkins - 1:25:11
Cutstein, any chance of bringing that date forward to this year?
Because they are really, really struggling.
We have four of us in the black lab and it's not very easy.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:25:21
There may be a legal issue there.
Councillor Evony.
And maybe we go to an officer.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 1:25:30
Yeah, I think that the date on the cutscene is sooner
Councillor Wilkins in the recommender in the report it talks about that being in October
So first this change to come into effect no later than the 1st of October
2026 once all the legal requirements have been put in place. I'm sure
The director of governance will take that back with the responsibility for the legal service
I'm sure they'll be doing what they can to effect that as quickly as they can hearing what you've had to say
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:26:02
Thanks for that comes for bookings. I've got a council files next
Councillor David Fowles - 1:26:07
Thank you, just to endorse what Mike said about Southrop
They're very active parish council. It's
Really strange that we have some parish councils and town councils
Which are very active and want to increase the size and and just spends a lot of her time
dealing with town and parish councils where the opposite applies.
But as far as Southrop is concerned, they're an excellent parish council.
And if any of them are watching, well done.
The question I was going to ask about Cutstein.
One of the parish councils I represent, Hathrop, did actually explore becoming a parish meeting.
And when they discovered that there wouldn't be a precept, they decided they'd stick with the parish council.
Is that correct, Mike, that when you switch from a council to a meeting, you lose the
ability to raise a parish council precept?
Is that right?
I think that's the question for the deputy financial officer.
That's correct, Councillor Fowles.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:27:04
Thank you for those comments and questions.
Councillor Coleman and then I've got Laura next.
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 1:27:16
I apologise in advance if this turns out to be a tricky question, but I just noticed in
the reports on Fairford and Southrop, we have got their populations are given in the paragraph
of the population, but the table refers to a electorate. Whilst I appreciate there are
very few children in many villages, I suspect the numbers in population aren't the same
as numbers in the electorate and we are at risk of having a bit of chalk and cheese here.
And I just wondered if we could have that clarified after today. I'm sure it doesn't
make any changes to our decision. Thank you, Councillor Coleman. I'm sure it will be clarified
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:27:57
Councillor Laura Hall-Wilson - 1:28:09
in due course. I thought all these were done on electorate, aren't they? Councillor Paul
and for taking into account the views of the ward members
and just tweaking the numbers for the wards in Tepary.
Of the comments that were submitted, some of them
that were unclear as to whether they were for or against,
I think was because there was some uncertainty
as to what was being proposed.
If this passes today and does go forward, is there the possibility
to do a central comms piece from CDC,
just explaining what's happening in sort of simple terms
so that people know exactly what's happening.
I'll defer to Mike.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:28:44
Do we need a drone for this or can we just do a simple piece?
You want me to answer now? I was going to pick it up at the end.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 1:28:54
I'm sure we probably don't.
I mean, clearly, obviously, it would be we would need to talk to Tethbury Town Council,
obviously, as you would expect me to say in the first instance,
because the change ultimately is to their council.
they have asked us. So how and they will have channels in which they can
communicate things to their residents which I'm sure you're familiar being a
resident of Tethbury. So in the first instance I think I would expect Tethbury
Town Council to do that communication because ultimately it's the
change to them. But if there is any requirement for our team to support then
we can look at that. And the other question I was just going to pick up the
other question that you asked Patrick. Sarah is at the back of the room so
She will picked up that point about electorates and population because yes
absolutely they're not the same but as Sarah is our electoral services manager
she knows what the electorates are anyway and if they were any different or
they'd require difference I'm confident that you would have brought that forward
yeah okay. Thank you Mike. Councilman Joe Harris. Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:30:00
Councillor Joe Harris - 1:30:05
I think we have one of these, don't we, every few years.
I have worked out this is now the fifth time since I became a Councillor all those years
ago that we have been through one of these.
It is the fifth time, I think, that a proposal has come from Syrins, Mr Town Council to annex
Siddington, frankly.
Now listen, when I first got elected, I was young and impressionable and if I'm totally
honest, probably far too young to be in elected office.
And I merely went along with the view that yes, we should absolutely annex that part
of Siddington.
It doesn't look good on a map.
Clearly there's co -terminosity with the urban sprawl of Sire and Sester.
But then, then I educated myself.
I started meeting the voters of this wonderful part of Siddington in a quest to get Councillor
Reverevnly elected about 10 years ago.
Actually, what has been very clear is that this is actually a very proud part of Siddington.
It really is.
I have to admit that just surprised me.
Actually, when you look at it and go into a bit more detail, it's very easy to go,
oh, well, they just like it because they pay a slightly lower rate of council tax.
That was the cynical me going into it.
It is very clear, they are proud, what is the word for a group of people from Siddington?
It must be right.
This is an area with a very proud sense of place, sense of community and sense of ownership.
That should absolutely be respected.
I went along all those years ago when I was a town counsellor saying we should absolutely
go for this.
But over time, it's become clear to me that they are a proud part of Siddington.
And therefore, I'd say to my colleagues who are also Syrinsister town councillors,
I don't want to be reading again about this coming back to Cotswold District Council.
Because actually, this is the fifth time we're now considering it.

11 Community Governance Review

And I hope it is the fifth time we're going to kick it out, because it doesn't make sense.
If people in this part of Siddington wanted to be part of Sire and Cestor, I'm sure they'd be petitioning us.
But I'm not aware of a single comment in favour of this from anybody living there on the ground.
So it just doesn't make sense.
So let's stop the land grab.
I love Sire and Cestor.
It's a wonderful organisation.
They do wonderful things.
But let's be clear.
This is a proud part of Siddington.
They don't want to be part of Sire and Cestor.
They have made that clear over the years many times and we have made that clear as a council many times that we agree with that
The point of clarification is?
So I say
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:32:53
Councillor Joe Harris - 1:32:54
I say long live Siddington
Long live Siddington, let's do it
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:33:03
Well, I think I think what he was saying is the point of clarification is why does this keep coming back to
CDC anyway, so I'm sure we find we've got I've got a council Watson
then Councillor Coleman, then Councillor Mclaughlin.
Thank you, Chair.
Councillor Ian Watson - 1:33:17
Yeah, I'm agreeing with Laura.
This is certainly the temporary part of the plan here.
Again, thanks to Sarah.
I know that our offices have been working with Sarah
as have the district councillors
and they need town councillors.
The district councillors are all aligned.
The town council is aligned.
But I do agree that a communications effort is necessary for Tepri. It's a change and people are suspicious of change
I'm sure that the Tepri Town Council officers can take control of this I would ask that they would
Consult with Sarah and Democratic Services. I don't think there's a problem there
But we need to get that message out that things have changed
Thank You councillor Watson
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:34:06
I'm mindful that the points for clarification have drifted into debating and comments and so on.
So I'm going to kind of keep it in a sort of hybrid way.
And I know that Councillor Coleman might want to speak in debate or might want to ask,
have a point of clarification, followed by Councillor Mancella.
Who's seconding this, by the way? Is it Councillor Layton?
That's all right, no I just wanted to make sure.
Let me know if you're feeling left out.
Councillor Coleman.
Thank you, Chair.
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 1:34:42
And thank you to my colleague formerly of Syrinsester Town Council,
yes, Chair Harris.
One of the longest running boundary discussions repeated was Bournton Lane.
One side was in Bournton, although it's nowhere near Bournton,
and the other side was in Syrinsester.
The one thing I learned, and this was coming before the Council in the second or third
time, was that one thing you can't use as an argument not to do it, or to do it, is
that it will save you money.
I do recall, because it sticks in your memory, that on probably one of the last unsuccessful
attempts, there was one affected lecturer who wrote and supported the change who said
in their reason everybody else is objecting is objecting because it's going
to cost them more to move the siren sister and but they don't say so because
they're not allowed to but I know that's the reason and I think it's a good idea
eventually we did move Morton Lane to be fully part of Stratton that was good and
I'm surprised therefore that there was an overwhelming support for sitting to
parish councils and proposal to move 213 properties from expensive siren sister
into cheap sittington finding non -financial reasons for their support and so I would like
to take this opportunity to welcome the I would say patriotism but the local pride of
those effective people who did reply that they didn't choose a cheaper life in sittington
they're proud to stay in siren sister and the third point I feel is worth making is
that when I first came on this council,
Tepry wasn't warded and you had ballot papers this long.
Then briefly they were, they didn't like it,
so they went back to ballot papers this long.
It's been a long period of time.
And I'm so pleased that Tepry are happy to be warded.
It's going to save them money
if they ever have any by -elections.
In passing, we may observe that the state of local government
at the parish and town level is such that they're more likely
to be by -elections when there would have previously
been co -options.
I think we all know the main reason for that which doesn't need to delay us but what I would encourage
Therefore Tethra town council to do is to have a quiet word with Fairford and say it would be easier if you were warded
Because I'm really pleased that Tethra making this change. I think it's a pity that Fairford aren't yet ready to do it
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:37:10
Councillor Mancella and then Councillor Evans and then unless anybody's got anything that's going to turn the whole debate round on its head will then go
to the
seconder who reserved her right to speak until later.
Councillor Mansella.
Thank you, Chair.
Just a brief comment.
Councillor Helene Mansilla - 1:37:22
One of the proposals is from Fairford Town Council
and reflects the expected growth and workload
and is consistent with our usual guidance on council size.
So I am content to support it.
Thank you.
Thank you, Elaine.
Councillor Evans.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:37:39
Thank you, Chair.
Councillor Paul Evans - 1:37:45
I am pleased to hear that we are going with the wishes of the residents of Seddington
in not wishing to move into Sire and Cestet. My question was, we had 90 responses. It says
a majority. Can we clarify what that majority was, how many were, who wanted to remain,
of those 90 who wanted to remain in Sedding, please?
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:38:03
Do we have that information to hand, Sarah?
I do.
If anybody has Sarah's.
Can I address it in the summing up? Yes, by all means. Okay, I think we'll get that in
the summing up. Yeah, Michael, address it. So, Juliet, would you like to second, unless
we have...
It's very brief, and I'm actually really pleased that we have had discussion about this, because
Councillor Juliet Layton - 1:38:28
it is an important issue, and it's very important for towns and parishes to have their say and
their communities to have their say. I do have to say that I was also ward member for
and I do fully support what Siddington are saying about wanting to stay in Siddington
because every parish council I ever went to in the village hall, it was those people that
were the members of the public there, not necessarily the members of Siddington Central.
Siddington Central, that sounds like a very large train station.
I'm not going to go into that.
I'm very happy to second this. Thank you. Thank you. We'll go to Councillor
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:39:11
Eberme now to sum up. Thank you for all your comments. I'm sorry, I do apologise.
I did, I've got a comment quickly from Councillor Darragh Corse. Sorry Mike, sorry.
Councillor Daryl Corps - 1:39:25
I just want to say very quick for clarity perhaps that I fully support
this recommendation. I really think it's way too early to make boundary changes
while the wider question of strategic development is still taking place.
I also want to thank Sarah for a brilliant consultation.
I'm talking about Morton here specifically.
117 objections were noted on the proposal, which I think is quite phenomenal.
Obviously, when I asked, we couldn't gage whether that was a great response or not,
but 117 seems pretty important to me.
That shows that the majority of residents are against the proposal.
I think it's about really good timing and about not preempting the local plan process. So thank you
Thank you, Darryl and sorry for overlooking you there wasn't intentional
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:40:08
Councillor over me if you'd like to sum up. Thank you. Yeah, I'll start by answering
Councillor Mike Evemy - 1:40:14
Councillor Evans's question and and thank you for his
comments on on Seddington
It's slightly confusing. It's the answer. That's a Sarah would probably tell you so we looked at this
So it was really in terms of the way it was constructed.
So we had 90 responses.
There were two options presented, an A and a B.
And I think an A was the proposal
from Syrinsester Town Council to expand.
And B was the proposal
from Siddington Parish Council to expand.
Of those people, of those 90 who responded,
only 33 actually expressed a preference
between those two. 12 agreed with the proposal to expand the town council, 21
agreed with the proposal to expand the parish council. So you will take from
that that the other 57 actually didn't explicitly express a preference between
those two. What's very very clear is that the majority expressed a desire to stay
in Siddington. So by definition they are already in Siddington and I thought by
way of summing up and as there's been quite a lot of discussion as the
board member for Sydington and Cerny Royal I take a slight opportunity just
to share one of those with you and a comment here. We live on the existing
boundary line between Sydington Parish and Cirencester. We are perfectly happy
to be part of the Sydington Parish and feel more a part of Sydington than
Cirencester as a whole. Moving the boundary line to include us as
Cirencester feels like a change we would not benefit from, we won't be any closer
So physically, the siren says, so next immunity,
so it doesn't improve our situation.
What's more, we love being a part
of the sitting to community, receiving the newsletter,
utilising the post office pub and the lovely dog walks
around the sitting to an area and eventually the school
and play parks when we have children.
Sitting to this where we have a rooted connexion more so
than siren says to town.
So to be governed by siren says
there would not be best representing us.
I think that pretty much sums up what people
in that part of my ward feel about the proposal
to move them into sitting into siren sester.
So that's the strength of feeling,
which as Joe said, I think, yeah, he and I both know,
obviously I'm as the Councillor
and he is someone who has spoken to many residents
in that part of the district.
I think to Councillor Coleman,
I think looking at Sarah at the back,
you did advise, she did advise us that
both
Fairford Town Council and Moreton Town Council indeed were offered the opportunity to consider
Whether they wish to be warded and both of them declined to do so
So what we're not seeking to do is to impose warding on town councils that don't want it
All we can do is encourage them
To do so and I understand the points and the reasons why Tetbury has gone down that route and I think it will make for
better representation to have people more closer to their communities as we
are with wards within a large where we've got larger towns and it makes
sense to do that. Thanks for all the other comments I think we've heard them
all and obviously that answered the point earlier about the timing on cuts
Dean so I'm sure the officers Councillor Wilkins have heard that. I think the
proposals to keep the status quo about Syrinsester and Preston and Siddington. We've aired quite
thoroughly. Thank you to Councillor Caulf for your points around Moreton and Councillor Fowles around
Sotherrop. So happy to
sum up and ask all members to support the recommendations as they are in front of you. Thank you. Thank you Councillor
Henry. Well, it feels like we should go to the vote now.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:43:59
You've got the recommendation in front of you. If we thrash that one out, shall we open the voting?
The next item is just a date change.
Okay that's 29, that's unanimous.
Thank you everybody.
The next item, item 12 is a proposal to change the full council date from the 17th of June,
the extraordinary full council meeting, to the 12th of August at 6pm.
And Councillor Ebony, will you explain why?

12 Change to Full Council meeting date

Thank you, Chair.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 1:44:52
So the dates that we have in our calendars currently for the extraordinary
council meeting to consider going out to consults regulation 19 consultation on
our updated local plan was put in some months ago now as the 17th of June this
year. The reason that I'm asking the council to agree to change the date to
12th of August is a very fundamental one in terms of the work that we are doing
on the local plan. As I said earlier in my introduction in my announcements we
had over 2 ,000 responses to Regulation 18 consultation. We also had in the
region of 200 new sites come forward as part of that consultation probably at
the same time as the consultation was going on. So there is a very great amount
of work for our officers to do to get everything ready for us to consider a
local plan to go out to consultation and what what I'm asking would like the
council to agree to the date change is we only get one shot at this we've got
to make sure that the plan that we agree to go to consultation should the council
agree to do so is the very best one it could possibly be. And this proposal gives
our officers essentially eight more weeks to make that happen because
there's an awful lot of work not just as I've described in terms of looking at
sites, they've got to have policies, there's a very large amount of work that needs
to be done and giving them more time means that our plan is more likely to be
class as robust by the inspector when it gets there hopefully in 2027 and that is the most important
thing you can't make a local plan if it doesn't get judged as sound by the inspector and we need
to give ourselves the very best opportunity for our local plan to be judged as sound and I
recognise that having a meeting in the middle of August is not what necessarily members we as want
but I want to assure members and looking at the time scales of that that we the consultation
wouldn't be therefore it would still obviously be able to happen within the
time frames that we've got we're assured by our officers that we could start the
consultation in the last week of August we could finish it in the first week of
October and there is still time then for our officers to do the preparatory work
that they need to do in order to submit the plan to the planning inspectors
before Christmas. It's the best time to spend that time. The time is now, between
now and when we need to publish. If we agree to change to the 12th of August
there obviously are meetings that line up before that. So it will be going
backwards, the cabinet would be on the 6th of August, the overview and scrutiny
would be on the 3rd of August, the papers for the ONS would be published on the
24th of July and there will be an all -member briefing on the day before on
the 23rd of July. I just want to remind members that we get one shot at this
really as a council. If we didn't if for some reason we didn't get it in by the
end of December we essentially have to start again and if we won't get it in
because the government is changing the rules in terms of how local plans are
all together. It is the biggest single project that we're doing. We've got the
two big projects local government reorganisation and the local plan but
this is the biggest one that we are solely responsible for. I'm confident
that if we hold our meeting on the 12th of August we will have the best plan we
possibly can have for us to consider. We can debate it, vote on it, then go out to
consultation on it and send it off to the inspector before Christmas.
And we are hopeful, optimistic,
pushing as hard as we can to get out there for the inspector to look at our plan
in twenty twenty seven so that it can be found sound so that it can
be put in place before we cease to exist as a council and so that we can manage
the development in our district, the reason we're doing this
and not be subject to the speculative development which we are already seeing
and that's the whole reason obviously we're doing our local plan. So I would
ask all members to support this change. Thank you, Chair. Thank you Mike. I'm
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:49:47
going to go to questions for clarity. I have a question myself. Is this something
that officers have requested as part of their workflow? So this is Officer Drew.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 1:50:00
It is. As members will recall, I am the chair of the local plan oversight board.
We meet on a monthly basis to track progress with the local plan, how that is going forward.
And we've got Helen Martin, our director at the back of the room, so she's here if members want to ask her anything specifically.
But, I mean, yeah, essentially the officers have come to us and said to give ourselves the best chance of getting our plan being found sound,
can you give us more time?
And what we can do is we can hold a meeting
slightly inconveniently for us in August,
six weeks, or sorry,
maybe eight weeks later than we were originally planning to do.
But that's all that's the inconvenience to us.
What it will mean is that the officers will be able to develop
and we hope a more robust, as robust a plan as they possibly can
for us to get that through, to consult with,
and then to get through an inspection. Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:50:57
Thank you, Mike. Have we got any other questions for clarity? No? The seconder is Juliet. Do
you want to reserve your right to speak? I'll reserve my right to speak.
Anybody wishing to speak in debate? You can speak now if you'd like.
Councillor Juliet Layton - 1:51:20
I'll speak now then. No, I just want to absolutely support this wholeheartedly. We've got an
exceptionally skilled officers working on this and not to take their advice
would be ridiculous for us. We need to, as Mike said, a totally robust plan that is
going to go through Reg 19. We do not want the Inspector asking us questions
about it because that's where we fall apart. We need to have it in place and we
need to get all those contractors that are working with us. They've all got
their deadlines to work to which they're working to that's fine everything's
moving along in a timely manner but this this bit of extra time absolutely
ensures that we will get something that will not be thrown out because we have
not given the right material so I do urge you to vote for this change of date
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:52:13
thank you thank you very much Julia Mike I'm gonna see me seeing it's only 30
second since you.
Can I sum up one other thing to say?
Go for it.
So the one thing that I neglected to say is that what
Councillor Mike Evemy - 1:52:24
we have said publicly is that the Regulation 19 consultation
will start in the summer.
So, yes, we will be in the last week officially of the summer
in August, but it doesn't contradict what we have said
to the public.
It will still start in the summer.
And because of that, it will run into, yeah, September and
October which I think is a better time actually to engage than July and August.
So I think there is a benefit if there is a benefit that's it that actually as
well as what I've described in terms of the planned development the consultation
will the public will take place largely you know once schools are back in the
period in largely in September and October and what I think what the last
consultation has shown is that our residents feel very passionately about
this, they care about their place. I'm sure they would respond whenever it was
but I think that really obviously means that those people who are away during
August they will have ample opportunity to take part. Those people who then choose
to be away in September they can take part in August or in early October so I
think there will be enough time it will just be slightly later than we had
envisaged but not necessarily the public. Thank you Mike. Okay let's go to the vote
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:53:42
recommendation is that we are I'm so sorry
council Cunningham snuck in there trying to get... Mr. Chair that's my fault I'm out of order.
Councillor David Cunningham - 1:53:51
Can I just ask we're gonna put this out aren't we so people because I've had
people asking us when the Reg 19 will start so we're gonna be sending a
message out right with a nice clear date on it. That's not what we vote.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:54:03
No we're not this is for clarity that's why I'm in the wrong place. Yeah let's deal with that
later let's go to the vote now because we're only changing the meeting now and
You heard the reasons why. We can go into the nitty -gritty of the Reg19 later.
Let's go.
So, it's recommended that we agree to move the date of the 17th June 26th for Council
the 12th August at 26 at 6pm.
There you go.
Right, that's 28. That's unanimous. Thank you very much colleagues.
Item 13 now is we have a motion. Keep it down a bit. Thank you, Helen.

13 Notice of Motions

We have noticed a motion. We have a motion as climate and ecological transformation in Cotswold District and Council.
Colleagues, could we please concentrate on the matter in hand? Thank you very much.
Thank you. The proposal is Councillor Angus Jenkinson. I'm not going to read the entire
motion because it's quite long, but I'll let Councillor Jenkinson propose it.
Please.
Please.
Hello.
Councillor Angus Jenkinson - 1:55:21
Colleagues, the relevant pages are page 83 and 84, not 65 and 66 as appears at the front
of the document if you're looking for it and want to read it.
And this motion which has been brought, and I'm very grateful to Mike for seconding it,
is modest in some ways, but it addresses very serious and critical issues.
It's modest in the sense that it's only asking us to do what we can do.
But at the same time, it's really important because it's asking us not to do less that
we can do about something that's really vital.
This Council has already declared both ecology and climate crises and declared
that we wish to be green to the core. This relates to those kinds of issues
but expands it into the future as we move into a unitary and it asks that we
simply take note of a very significant factor that belongs to the nature of our
our county and to the crises that face us locally and globally.
What are they?
Well, on the 26th of January, if I remember the date correctly, of this year, the Joint
Intelligence Services of the UK Government published or the government published their
report which had been kept private
but a Freedom of Information Act brought it out and
the redacted version of it still declared that every single
ecosystem is on a trajectory towards failure
for the UK and globally.
Farming agriculture
is one of the most critical issues for making a difference to climate,
to ecology, to food, food health, flood mitigation and so on. It is one of the
most critical for the transformation of ecosystems. Now what we as a council can
do is limited. What the county can do is limited. But as we move into a unitary we
can make sure that this is regarded as a critical issue. We've heard about the
support for work through the hubs for general business.
What this is asking for is that we include a track that looks at food and farming in
the future.
As a result of the crisis in Iran, it was recently reported that there was only six
days' worth of food left in the country.
Establishing a more resilient food system, better short -chain food supply, and taking action that we can take, as Wales has recently done, is something that we should investigate and incorporate.
This motion provides a way by which that can be done and it asks the leader, sorry, it asks our very chief executive to explore the opportunity to see what can be done and how that might be done.
We have thousands of farmers, we are one of the most rural counties in the country. It's a critical issue, let us see what we can do.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:59:04
Thank you, Councillor Jenkinson. Next item on this is any questions to the
proposer? Questions to the proposer? Councillor Coleman.
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 1:59:21
Yes, Chair, of course this is a supportive question. On the third dot down on page 8
in the agenda, we have seen the appropriate, no, the fourth dot down in reference to Gloucestershire
It contains the largest national landscape in England.
It does, but there are three separate, I think.
Wye Valley, Forest of Dean, and Cotswold.
And so this might affect the whole of Gloucestershire
eventually, this policy.
And we mustn't do anything that would upset our colleagues
and the Forest of Dean in particular,
thinking they'd been neglected again.
But I'm just struggling to reword it, actually,
without adding too many extra words.
but I'm sure you meant all three national landscapes.
Thank you, Councillor Coleman.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:00:07
Councillor Angus Jenkinson - 2:00:10
The next point establishes the fact that there is also a forest, a national forest park.
And although we are connected to others across the county,
we have a smaller percentage of them.
But we are very specially connected to three different national landscapes, so that gives us a lot of leverage opportunity
You're absolutely right
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:00:35
Thank you any other any other questions of the prize of Juliet
Yes, thank you
Councillor Juliet Layton - 2:00:41
As a district council. There's very little we can do we have very few powers in asking our farmers to do anything
The whole country is an absolute crisis in terms of nature recovery and our
species are falling away and I think possibly we might be needing to
send this to government to try and change their ideas on how farming should
be because what my question is is how much power because this is looking for
not for this council to do anything,
but as a whole with LGR is what power have they got?
We know that we've got the cultural national landscapes.
They can influence farmers to a degree.
They find out about grants and they work with Defra
and there's farming in protected landscapes.
And there's lots of regenerative farming
going on through that.
And the work that they do along with flag
and regenerative and flood defences, etc.
There's a whole world around us that's working very hard,
but the main bulk, I believe,
and we have got a farmer that actually is sitting
in this room, so might be able to help us,
is that we've got issues around here
where we've got no abattoir.
So everything has got to go long distance.
Really difficult if you've got an organic farm,
if you're working on a small holding, you've got to take your animals a long way to be dealt with.
That's a really bad thing to be happening.
We've got the government who supported back in the day, and I don't know what the dates are,
farmers, let's get bigger, let's get rid of hedges, let's get fertilisers on,
let's get all these chemicals on.
and so what I'm asking, yeah my question, sorry,
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:02:38
Councillor Juliet Layton - 2:02:39
my question is, I think possibly Jane might know
as she's working with LGRs up there,
is how much could a new unitary be affected
and how can they work with this kind of document and motion?
Councillor Jenkinson's put his hand up to respond
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:03:01
and given that we're asking questions of the proposal, then we can come to Jane if need be.
Councillor Angus Jenkinson - 2:03:11
How much we can do remains to be seen at some level, but we as a district and as a county routinely take on things that are not statutory
and that we know we can only do the best we can. For example, I remember asking Tony when he was in charge of the economy,
Well, how much statutory authority do you actually have on this?
And the answer was, it's not much statutory authority that I have, but we have a certain
amount of convening power, and we have a certain amount of influence power.
So there are many, many different farms, farmers and farming cluster groups, landscape and
catchment area partnership groups that are working on this, different NGOs,
different national bodies, international bodies that are concerned with this.
What we can do is play a role in leveraging those things.
Also, I would refer you to what has been done in Wales,
where a massive transformation has taken place in the public areas
in terms of sourcing food for hospitals, for schools and so on,
and achieving transformation in the health outcomes in Wales as a result of those kinds of interventions.
This has also been discussed at the national level amongst farmers in regenerative farming.
There are many such areas in which we can have an influence
and this is simply seeking to search out what the potential is
and to ensure that we achieve whatever is possible in what we see as the best mechanism.
Thank you, Councillor Ching -Ching.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:04:51
I'm going to come to Councillor Bloomer and then Councillor Paul Wilson and then we'll
go to the seconder if that's alright if they're answering more questions.
Oh you've got, I'm sorry I've got a joke.
Councillor.
We didn't comment.
I'm sorry.
We didn't comment.
No, we're going to go, any questions to the proposer, which we're doing now, then we'll
go to the seconder and then if there are any amendments we'll do that and then we'll go
to the debate.
Debate?
No, we're doing questions to the proposer.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:05:18
Councillor Bloomer and Councillor Hall -Wilson. Thank you chair. Just it is a
Councillor Claire Bloomer - 2:05:25
question and I know that with LGR on the horizon that we're going to be working a
lot more with our local town councils and they hold a lot of land a lot of
allotments actually where crops are produced that feed into pantries and
work with local charities. I just wondered if we could at all work closer
with the town and parish councils that do hold this land in our local areas where communities
could get involved. Thank you.
Mr Jenkinson.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:05:53
Councillor Angus Jenkinson - 2:05:56
I totally agree. I approached the local Magdalen Marsh allotments on this very issue and there
are very simple things like it is extraordinary the amount of carbon that can be captured
in soil and just better composting for example makes a huge difference. It's extraordinary
the amount of difference you can take if you reduce the amount of herbicides, pesticides
and so on in terms of healthy food outcomes. Those healthy food outcomes translate and
it helps to create a climate because we are so separated from nature. Those are the kinds
of activities that help people to become more aware of the role of nature in the health
outcomes of our nation.
Thank you, Councillor Jinglinson. Councillor Hall -Wilson.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:06:37
Councillor Laura Hall-Wilson - 2:06:42
Thank you. I just, a quick question, I just wondered how many farmers and farming organisations
you spoke to in creating the motion and what their ask was from the local government reorganisation
programme and Cotswold District Council as an organisation?
Councillor Angus Jenkinson - 2:07:01
It's a very good question because obviously it also suggests, if I had to just pluck this
out of the air. I haven't. How many farmers I've spoken to, I couldn't specifically answer
that question and I very much doubt that even if I was to give you a written answer, I could
give you a completely comprehensive answer. Part of that is because a lot of the work
that I do, for example, I'm on two steering groups of farmers, is that I interact a lot
with advisory groups and so on that are working more broadly. I've interacted with DEFRA.
I have been on Thames Water catchment partnerships, looking at how they can intervene, and I've
explored this subject with a variety of experts in this field and attended a number of conferences
where I have met with and heard hundreds and hundreds of farmers speaking about these kinds
of issues.
So it is actually borne out of a lot of questions, including what are the most important things
that we could do and why.
Thank you, Councillor Chingston. Councillor Thayer?
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:08:02
Councillor Jeremy Theyer - 2:08:07
Thanks, Angus. Question, by the way. Question.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:08:09
Question. We're not debating yet. You're asking a question
Councillor Jeremy Theyer - 2:08:16
on the... Okay. Just one question. Have you ever heard
of the Norfolk four course rotation? It's been around since the 18th century and it
brought in regenerative farming ethics back then which are now being relaunched
in a government pushed SFI scheme which is failing under its own weight which is
now also imposing slightly going off course on this question it's just a bit
more information about it because everyone is moved away from growing corn
because the price of corn is so youth not really worth growing it's about 120
a pound a tonne and the input is about 200 pounds a tonne. It's probably now looking
at picking numbers out of the air, probably three or four hundred pounds a tonne to grow
because of the cost of fertilisers and fuel because of the Iranian war. But the whole
thing of regenerative farming, good farmers do regenerative farming, they will look after
the soil, the ones that aren't are failing and there aren't any failing farms, there's
not many coming on the market at the moment, the marketplace is just stagnant, nobody knows
what to do, it's Defra, government, this motion is I think would be better spent more time
firing at our local MPs, which I've done already.
And I thought on flat ears, I'm afraid,
but good luck to you.
Respond to that question.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:09:54
I know.
The specific question was,
Councillor Angus Jenkinson - 2:09:58
had I heard of the four course rotation
and I wrote an essay on it in my O levels in 1966.
Oh, wow.
So.
But I have been in correspondence with both MPs on this very subject and I've written
to the Liberal Democrat leadership on this issue.
So I do understand the importance of getting – and part of this is about getting as much
leverage as possible.
And it's certainly the case that I think that lots of farmers are struggling at the
moment as a result of the fact that we do not have a good culture that recognises the
value of food and the real cost of producing good food. Although that was not a question
you specifically asked, I think it's really important as part of this that we address
this as a cultural issue and that it's the entire food chain that really matters, which
is why it's food and farming that we're focusing on.
Thank you Councillor Jenkins. Thanks for the question Councillor Fair.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:11:03
Councillor Joe Harris, do you have a question for...
Councillor Joe Harris - 2:11:10
No, I've got a point of order. I'd just like some clarity from the monitoring officer.
So as I understand it, Rule 14 of the Council Procedure Rules refers to rules of debate.
Now, I know that the chair of the Council is a long -standing, or has been a long -standing
committed member of the planning committee where debate is broken up, or comment is broken
open to questions and then debate. As far as I'm aware and looking at the
precursor procedure rules that does not apply to motions. The motion is seconded
and then we open it up to debate. So within that yes I guess you could
contain questions but is my interpretation correct and it actually
is this debate more generally. I don't think there's discretion for the chair
from what I've seen either. So just be interested to get the monitoring officer's view on that.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:11:57
I'm following the flow that I've been given for the debate, which I'm going to assume is taken from the...
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:12:10
Flow here says, any questions for proposer, then seconder.
And we haven't had the seconder.
We haven't had the seconder, and then we go to debate after the seconder.
Yeah.
Okay.
We have questions, similarly for clarity.
I mean, do members feel that they're not getting the opportunity?
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:12:24
I think I will have a debate. Can I support Councillor Joe Harris's point of
Councillor Mike Evemy - 2:12:28
order? I don't think there is a question. I've never been in a debate where we
have questions. This isn't a report, this is a debate on a motion. We should have
speeches for and against it. People want to make questions. Angus can answer them
at the end is summing up. I don't think we should be doing it like this. It does
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:12:42
feel different from the motions we've had before. We started the process, we're
as set out here.
It's not destroying anything.
People will get a chance to speak.
So anyway, any more questions?
No, good.
No.
I'd like to go now to the second to Councillor McKeown
unless he wants to speak later after the debate.
No, no, the proposal will wrap up.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:13:16
Councillor Mike McKeown - 2:13:20
Obviously I'm pleased to second this motion.
Obviously what we focused on mainly as a council today is being really around
energy retrofitting homes and businesses and transport because there are a huge
amount of the emissions of our district. In reality most of that is not ours as a
council directly. Most of what we can do that actually has a meaningful impact on
climate is help and support our residents and our businesses take action.
And that's a lot of what we've been doing.
We've been bringing EV charges in to encourage people to transition to electric vehicles.
We've been running retrofit events to encourage people to put solar on their roofs, improve
their homes, et cetera.
And they have meaningful impacts.
They make people's lives cheaper, nicer, and cut carbon.
Effectively what we're doing here is saying we should consciously extend that to what's
effectively another part of our business community,
which is our farmers and the food supply
and do more of that.
A little bit ourselves, but probably much more importantly,
is making sure that the next unitary authority
is set up and properly plans and executes on that.
You know, there was a great film I remember watching
a few years ago, which was the six P's,
which was proper planning,
events, somewhat before performance.
So it's all about getting set up and planning for it.
So if the new unitary is setting up has tracks and
activities that gets itself prepared and includes food and
farming as a pretty critical track, it will do, I'm sure, an outstanding job of it.
If it doesn't, and it's left to its forms, we miss an opportunity.
Things won't be as well planned out as they could be.
Likewise, we overall on climate need to keep our foot on the accelerator.
Climate change isn't waiting for local government reorganisation to execute in two years.
It's happening right now.
It's getting worse right now.
So we want to keep that focus up.
So that's why I think this is going to fundamentally important.
So as Angus is rightly said, agriculture is a very big part of our economy and a big part
of our emissions.
We can do a great deal.
it is difficult for farmers.
We've heard the economics are pretty difficult.
And like most other climate action,
it takes a certain amount of support and encouragement
to make those changes.
Some already do and do it,
others need a little bit of help.
We have a power of convening people
and we can take real action.
I'll give you a real Pacific example in my own ward
where we did work together with a developer,
with the landowner and the village
to basically cut, they were being flooded because of climate change and more water off
the farm. We worked together with a landowner to implement measures and the developer that
is solving the problem and that was action we as a council and GCC took. So we really
can do stuff, it's not just a matter of theoretical debate. So I think this is an important thing
we do, hence why we're asking Jane and Mike to make sure that this is firmly in the LGR
track it doesn't get forgotten with all the other good things that have got to
to go on so that that's why I think this is important and we work together on it
on an ongoing basis I think some of my colleagues over there made good points
we need to make sure that farmers are involved and landowners in this this
isn't a debate or a motion to do one specific thing it's to make sure we're
on top of it we're planning it and we're executing it together and we work with
things like climate leadership Gloucestershire as another example to
get this right and the other councils so that's why I support it.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:17:10
Thank you very much Mike. We've got come to you in a second I've got council Joe
Harris I've got it's kind of a little huffing and puffing coming from council
files and I wasn't sure whether you were wanted to speak. No no no no no absolutely not.
Put your hand up if you do. It's a bit difficult to tell. Then we've got Councillor Stowe,
Councillor Hodgkinson, Councillor Dale. I think I've got it all. Yeah. Can I please
remind you in your debate, try not to repeat what somebody else has said. Try and ensure
that you're either moving the debate on or you're turning it round on its head.
What I'd rather not see is people go, oh yeah I think it's a really good
idea and somebody says yeah I think it's a really good idea, somebody else says I
think it's a really good idea. Yeah? So let's either bring new things to the
debate or turn it round on its head and change people's mind but let's not spend
ages just nodding and so on. Councillor Joe Harris. I think this is a really good idea.
Councillor Joe Harris - 2:18:20
I want to respond to some of the comments we had during questions.
And I know the impulse, the reaction when we get issues like this is to say, well, no,
it's not our statutory responsibility or that's, you know, we don't have responsibility for
that.
But what we do have the power to do, as I outlined in the Localism Act, is the general
power of competence and you know in that respect I think we should be looking at
this as a local authority that act and that provision around the general power
of competence gives us ability to raise issues in our district that any
individual could and actually do things so if we wanted to start a bus company
here at Cotswold District Council we could do that there's nothing there's no
statutory reason why we couldn't because we have general power of competence
provided we adhere to legislation.
And I think it's in this case we should look at that.
We have a responsibility as custodians of the Cotswolds,
I would suggest, and interested citizens to champion the issues
that matter to our residents.
Now, this administration and this council in particular has
made a very clear commitment on the climate to reduce carbon
emissions, to respond to the biodiversity crisis
that we face.
And, you know, listen, Angus is an academic.
He's a very intelligent man, and sometimes we have conversations,
and it is slightly over my head.
I think that's fair to say, isn't it, Angus?
And I have to say, over the years,
there has been a certain amount of translation
that I've had to do.
Thank God all I'll say is for chat GPT,
because it makes sometimes our exchanges a bit easier.
But this has been very clear, actually,
and this has been very, actually, very well -worded
and very well put together.
I think what we're talking about here is a governance issue rather than anything.
It's not about the principle of farming or this, that or the other.
It's making sure that as a result of local government reorganisation, farming is considered,
that the impact of farming on our climate obligations is considered.
And hopefully that when we get a new local authority, whichever replaces this local authority,
they are doing everything they can to support our farmers, but also to make sure that the
mitigation around carbon emissions and climate change
is taken into account in any policies we have,
particularly pertaining to farming.
And I know that farmers in this district
really appreciate some of the outreach work
that we've done in the last few years
and that you've done, Angus.
I remember when I was the leader, a farmer saying to me,
actually, it's great that the council are engaging,
I think he met you, Angus, and he said
that it was great to have that outreach from the council,
because they've never had that before.
And part of our role here is to show leadership,
is to facilitate.
And if we can do that on an area like farming,
then that is absolutely right.
Just like we do on some community issues, which again,
might not be a statutory responsibility for us,
but they are important.
So we do something about them.
We are proactive and we engage with our communities on crime
or other issues.
So I think this is quite clear.
I can't see any reason that we wouldn't support it.
And I think Laura sort of alluded to it, but absolutely,
we must make sure we engage with farmers on this.
It's all very well for us to be in this chamber
talking about it and all very worthy and more worlds.
But we've got to make sure that farmers
form part of this discussion as well.
And I'd like to understand through LGR
what the ask is from farmers,
what their hopes and aspirations are for a new authority.
And Lisa, I'm sure that's something you can take away
as we have these consultations and what have you but no thank you Angus a good
and worthwhile motion and pleased to support it not much translation required
so that's good thank you Joe I think the County Council owns farms itself isn't
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:22:17
it yeah and gets people on going in farming
Councillor Ebony thank you chair I want to start by thanking Councillor
Councillor Mike Evemy - 2:22:28
Jenkinson for bringing this motion and Councillor Mckeown for working with him
on it and for sharing it with me and so that essentially I'm standing up and
saying I am happy to do what you're asking me. So I'm very happy to be
supporting this motion myself and obviously I want to particularly focus
on that bit towards the end in terms of what is the ask, what are you asking of
of Jane and myself when we were in those discussions,
when the other officers are in those discussions.
What are you actually asking?
And what we, in the wording of this motion is clear,
is you're asking us to make this, put this forward.
We can't guarantee that the new authority will do this or that.
You know, obviously it will be a new sovereign body.
If it all goes to plan, it will be elected in May of next year
to a shadow authority or authorities.
and it will make its own decisions and determinations. But there's recognising the place we are
now, there's a lot of work that is going on largely by officers and then they bring things
to us as members, as leaders, as I mentioned we are meeting on a monthly basis. But the
vast bulk of work, as ever as you would expect, is being done by officers in those meetings.
And the key thing I think that is in the latter part of this motion, and this is what I discussed
with Angus and Jane and I have discussed is really about the future operating
model of the new council or councils. How do we want the new councils to operate?
And what we're saying here and I have been saying this in meetings and making
sure that the climate change, the work on climate change that we do as a council,
our other councils across Gloucestershire are doing is reflected in
what in how we set up the new authority because it's a one it's a one -off
opportunity to set up a council.
And what we need to make sure is that we set up that council
in cognizance of our commitments as councils currently exist
that we've made big commitments about how we want
our future to be sustainable in Gloucestershire,
all of us, I think.
And that involves doing what we can to reduce carbon
reduce carbon emissions, mitigate the impacts of climate change and you know
that's where food and farming I think as Angus and Mike have said really is an
important factor that we want to make sure is on the table. So essentially just
looking at that the wording that we've got there and the motion is asking Jane
and I really to push that forward at the county level and we're very happy to do
I know that there has always already been some work started on food and
farming but this gives us an impetus to push that forward and
secondly you know to remind members in the last bit of the motion is that
the motion asks us to come back and say what we've been able to achieve. So we
Jane and I will be back here at our July meeting giving you an update on how
things have gone and what in this specifically what we've been able to do
in terms of climate leadership, the food and farming,
the issues that we're talking about this afternoon.
And that last bit about is, well,
how is that gonna be taken forward?
Who's leading on that?
What may identified early priorities are
and the other partners that could be involved?
Because, you know, preparing for a new council,
as I'm sure members will appreciate,
some of us have been through it before in earlier,
earlier other places is a mammoth operation and getting that how that
council is going to work the thinking is going on now we haven't got an awful lot
of time it doesn't very long that it's only just over two years and that new
council will be starting and you think of the numbers of people employed by
this council the range of services for this council and then you think about
that six five other times over across the county in different councils and
And then obviously you've got the County Council as well providing the services, some very,
very important services for our residents.
So I'm very much supportive of the motion.
Thanks very much to Angus and Mike for bringing it to us.
I'm very happy to do what it says if you vote for it this afternoon.
Thanks.
Thank you, Mike.
I've got Tom Stone next.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:27:05
And I wasn't sure if, Dave, if you wanted to speak.
No, okay.
That would be no then.
Thank you Councillor Jenkinson for bringing this motion today.
It is a very worthy topic.
Local biodiversity, ecological decline and food security are all crucial things that
need addressing to ensure a sustainable future.
The role of agriculture in addressing these challenges is equally clear, particularly
in the unique position of our district, with its extensive farmland, its farming community
and its natural landscapes.
It's a topic that Councillor Jenkinson regularly highlights at this council through various
Councillor Tom Stowe - 2:27:43
channels. The term passion is overused and I don't think that term does justice to
Councillor Jenkinson's enthusiasm for a regenerative and sustainable future for agriculture. It
would be better described as a devotion to the cause which I very much applaud him for.
Regarding the specifics of this motion it seems to me that this enthusiasm has led to
this topic being shoehorned into these rather vague proposals before us.
Supporting an idea does not mean that we could ignore the practical reality of
delivering this motion and its outcome. This council is in the midst of
significant structural change with local government reorganisation and the local
plan updates already placing considerable demands on leadership
officers and resources. Unfortunately I don't think this can be a priority at
this time given the other work streams and pressures they face. I would also
question whether we have the in -house expertise on this topic to deliver what
this motion intends. We currently do not know what form of future unitary will
take and whatever new unitary is ultimately formed will not be beholden
to whatever was agreed by this Authority prior to the new Authority's existence.
So to sum up I support the ambition but have concerns that this that this is not
the time, place or mechanism to deliver the outcomes it is looking to achieve.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:29:00
Thank you. Thank you Councillor Stowe. Councillor Neill. Yes thank you very much.
Councillor Dilys Neill - 2:29:06
I was very pleased to the Angus had brought this motion. I think all of us
are very much aware that there have been changes in farming practise recently.
I'm just looking out of my window I can see that the things have changed. We used
to be surrounded by acres of oilseed rape which no longer happens and as a
because it was from mille fleur rather than all oil suit rape.
And also from speaking to some of my local residents
who are farmers, who farm sustainably,
I can see that many farmers are deeply engaged
with improving agricultural practises
in terms of improving the environment
and dealing with having a deep understanding
of how farming practise can help with climate change.
However, I come from a medical background, as you know,
where it's very important that we make decisions
based on the evidence and not just on anecdotal experience.
And so I just wanted to remind everybody that we have a huge wealth
of academic farming excellence in the Royal Agricultural University.
They will have the evidence necessary to present to
people who are making decisions.
And if they could be consulted in
finding out how the local government reorganisation, how they can input into
local government reorganisation so that these suggestions that we're
making for engaging with the agricultural community to improve
climate change I think that would be particularly useful because they
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:30:52
have the experience and the evidence as well. Thank you. Thank you Councillor Neill. I'm
by no means exhaustive in terms of who we could speak with and wider Gloucestershire
we can of course and Harchbury as well and many other sources.
Councillor Hodgkinson. Thank you very much yeah no I do actually support this
Councillor Paul Hodgkinson - 2:31:10
and I'm sort of it's a shame that the Conservative leader has chosen not to I
think because and I wanted to really just to explain I think in terms of what
the County Council is offering from a public health perspective with regard to
because there's this wider picture which when we get to one unitary council will
be key to connect all those things together as the motion is suggesting. So
you know farmers are under the course there's no doubt about it and we do need
to support them because I think farming you know is a vital part of Gloucestershire
it's a vital part of the economy it's a vital part of tourism but and this is
the key thing, it's a vital part of food and health as well. So in terms of public
health, in my role on the cabinet at GCC where I'm responsible for public health,
officers there have done a lot of work actually on food health connected with
farming and that's the point I wanted to make because that's all about
eating local, eating locally, i .e. sourcing products locally and then eating those
products rather than coming from thousands of miles away. There's this
initiative called Farm to Fork. Got that right. Be careful I say that. Farm to Fork.
And there's also this issue of what I call food security. Now there's a really
good organisation called Feeding Gloucestershire. I don't know if anyone's
heard of that. I'm sure Claire has. It's run by this lovely woman called
Lizzie Dyer who, and here's a plug, is on my radio show tomorrow afternoon.
I had to get it in somewhere. But turning to Feeding Gloucestershire, what they really try to do is to make sure that particularly for those people who are in more deprived parts of our district and county, is that they have access to food.
and food is easy to access. So you've got things like large community growing
spaces, you mentioned the allotments, locally produced food, eating
seasonally appropriate food, i .e. not eating avocados, Mark, in December, not
or anyone in this chamber, yeah exactly. But also you know obviously
what I'm saying is so much work is going on which is informing public health
which will then be part of the new unitary council so all these things are
interlinked so thinking about farming and making sure it's part of all the
preparations we're doing and local government or organisation is absolutely
key thank you Thank You councillor Hodgkinson yeah I do like an avocado
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:33:51
Councillor Dale
Thank you, Chair, for the opportunity to speak.
Councillor Tony Dale - 2:34:05
It would appear Councillor Jenkinson took my advice to heart when he started all those
years ago, that actually even if you were just looking after the economy and you didn't
really have an economic section in CDC, you could have an impact.
And it is quite nice when I look back from nearly seven years ago now to realise that
what Cotswold District Council has achieved over those seven years includes things like
the Homes and Interiors Fair happening this weekend.
It started off as a small idea from within our auspices,
but it will have over 100 of our Cotswold businesses
exhibiting and engaging with the general population.
And that employs quite literally thousands of people.
Well, we did that.
Great.
And we did it by partnering effectively
with our local commerce organisations.
We may be only a small or modest council, but when we multiply up our ability of competence,
Joe, then we can create huge things.
What other things did we do?
Well, actually, when you look at it, we've now got farms filling the hole, identified
in the original strategic local plan for a lack, a dearth of small business units.
Our farmers are now in their quest for more economical and commercially viable farms,
opening up small business units.
In Upper Slaughter I saw them this morning, in Calmsden I saw them yesterday.
These are small business units.
I hasten to add the ones that Mark Tufnell has opened in Calmsden,
there were 14 new units opened in January of last year,
and he filled them by March within just three months.
This is the way our farms can diversify in which we, through simple things like our planning process, can encourage them to do it.
It's a great multiplier. We've got the RAU, it's probably one of the smallest universities in the UK, and yet it's a global leader in agriculture.
When I spoke to them about three years ago about what they could do with the economy and to grow their university,
We talked about a very unused and unloved plot of land they had, and we talked about what could be done with it.
Now, we have the whole of Gloucestershire County Council and Cotswold District Council working effectively together with the RAU to create a £100 million investment in the local innovation village.
That's five times the turnover of this council.
It wouldn't have happened if we hadn't got involved, if we hadn't created a green strategic
local economic plan.
So we can make a huge and highly valuable difference by engaging.
You're right Angus, we punch well above our weight.
And Councillor McEwen, should you need it for your next speech, you will find that proper
preparation and planning prevents pathetically poor...
Performance.
Performance.
Very good.
Thank you.
Thank you, thank you, Angus, for the motion and thank you, Mike, for supporting it.
Agriculture will clearly be part of climate, land use and food resilience discussions going
forward, particularly in a rural district like ours.
My question is who is shaping that work?
Who shapes the work?
If farmers are not involved earlier, there is a risk that decisions are shaped elsewhere
and then applied locally without reflecting the realities of our district.
Councillor Helene Mansilla - 2:38:04
That will not serve our community or our environment.
So, I support the direction of this motion, particularly its focus on embedding food and
farming within the LGR work and ensuring that there is clarity on leadership, priorities
and partners.
Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Mansello.
Okay, we've got top table now.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:38:31
Councillor Bressington.
Thank you, Chair.
Councillor Ray Brassington - 2:38:37
Council Stone mentioned priorities. There's no greater priority, face it as all, on the
need to mitigate the effects of climate change. I fully support the motion.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:38:50
Thank you, Councillor Bratton, and brief and to the point as always. It's hugely appreciated.
Have we got anybody else who'd like to speak in debate who's going to suddenly spin it
around? Councillor Turner.
I feel it would be wrong not to say something as the only Green Party representative here.
Councillor Clare Turner - 2:39:04
A lot of what I would say has already been covered, but I did want to reinforce what
Ray touched on there.
There was a comment about is this the right time for this?
The time is definitely now.
There's not a better time apart from the fact that we need to consider climate in everything
we're doing.
There's an opportunity here, a unique opportunity in the creation of the new local government
structure.
So I absolutely endorse the idea that we bring this in at this point in time and try and
have these discussions early on about how we can
balance farming and climate and and what we could do as a council.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:39:46
Thank you very much, Councillor Turner. Yes, I think I think there was a motion about
a legacy, the CDC legacy, and what a wonderful legacy this could be if if we can shape the future that way. Is there anybody?
Councillor Jenkins, would you like to sum up before we go to the vote?
Councillor Angus Jenkinson - 2:40:06
Thank you very much, Chair, and thank you very much for all of these expressions of
support for this motion, which I do indeed think is very important. A number of you have
thanked me. I'd really like to thank all of the farmers and people who've informed me
about why this is so important, and indeed the wider area. This is something that's much
larger than just me, it belongs to all of us.
As an indication of that, one of the matters that came up in a conversation in a catchment
area partnership meeting of farmers just a couple of weeks ago was that in the area of
Syrinsester there's £860 million worth of properties that are at risk of flooding and
farmers can make a difference in terms of dealing with that. They are the prime body
that can solve that problem with natural landscape, airing and water management services. I'm
very grateful to Councillor Harris for the general power of competence, which was not
a term that I was competent to use before. So thank you very much. The point that Councillor
never been made is that this is basically asking us to use the
competencies that we have.
And there was a suggestion that we, that our leader and our
chief executive lacked the competence to be able to bring
this issue to the LGR process.
I'm really surprised that anyone could suggest that these two
eminent individuals that we so much respect would not be able
to manage to do that.
So I don't take that very seriously.
And I'm not sure if you're familiar with the term
four per thousand.
Four per thousand is what this country signed up to at the Paris Agreement.
And four per thousand means that if we can capture four parts per thousand of carbon,
we sort out the climate issue.
Agriculture has a massive potential.
I'm not sure if you're aware of the work that's been done on how food outcomes and health
outcomes are influenced by the nature of the soil in which the plants are grown.
I'm not sure if you're aware that the level of change that's taking place as a result
of climate change today is threatening the resilience of this country's food supply and
internationally.
We are dealing with something which is not just about my passion, but something that
we as a collective group of the country,
but more particularly of this county,
that we can make a difference in starting,
can make some difference.
And if we do not make as much difference as we can,
then we have failed.
I'm absolutely with Councillor Turner in saying,
this is the right time to make this intervention,
and to see that we embed this into the future of our area,
as best we can.
We've suggested in this how.
We've indicated multiple different partners
that we could be working with.
And as you rightly said, 2C indicates
that there are many different bodies that we can work with.
And when I say we, I don't just mean us.
I mean the unitary authority that
will develop in the process.
So I'd really like to commend this to you all
and to indicate that to hold back in proposing this would be to fail to recognise the very
many small but significant changes.
A mention was made about an abattoir.
Thank you, Juliet.
In January 2004, I spoke to John T. Bruni.
Some of you will know he's a very influential farmer in this area.
They were tearing their hair out because the only abattoir that was available was closing down.
Why is a local abattoir important? Because if you're producing premium food, you have to be able to track it.
And when you put it into a large abattoir a long way away, it gets completely lost and it becomes a commodity.
It's like anything else. But the moment you can protect it.
I spoke to him about that and as a result he's been working on it.
We have not helped that as much as we could.
We could help it more.
It would help many, many farmers and the same thing could be repeated elsewhere.
I have 16 seconds left to ask you to vote for this because it can make a difference
to many people living in this area and to the many farmers who need our support.
Thank you.
Okay, let's go to the vote.
Councillor Mark Harris - 2:45:14
I'm not going to read the whole recommendation because you probably want to get home, but
you've got it in front of you.
It's not been amended as it stands.
So the votes are in.
there's 19 to approve the motion and six abstentions by the looks of it so that passes. Thank you
council changes and for bringing that and I'm sure we'll get some feedback from the CEO and the
leader going forward. Right our next item is the next meeting which is the 20th of May 2026

14 Next meeting

at 6 p .m and we'll see you all then if not before have a great weekend.

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