Council - Wednesday 20 May 2026, 6:00pm - Cotswold District Council Webcasting

Council
Wednesday, 20th May 2026 at 6:00pm 

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  1. Councillor Mark Harris
  2. Councillor Ray Brassington
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  1. Councillor Juliet Layton
  2. Councillor Ray Brassington
  3. Councillor Ray Brassington
  4. Councillor Mark Harris
  5. Councillor Mike Evemy
  6. Councillor Mark Harris
  7. Councillor Mike Evemy
  8. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Status: In progress
  2. 01. To elect Vice-Chair of Council
    Status: Ended
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  1. Nickie Mackenzie-Daste, Officer
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Councillor David Fowles
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor Joe Harris
  4. Councillor Mark Harris
  5. Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
  6. Councillor Mark Harris
  7. Councillor Juliet Layton
  8. Councillor Mark Harris
  9. Councillor Juliet Layton
  10. Councillor Ray Brassington
  11. Councillor Mark Harris
  12. Councillor David Fowles
  13. Councillor Mark Harris
  14. Councillor Mike McKeown
  15. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor David Fowles
  4. Councillor Mike Evemy
  5. Councillor Mark Harris
  6. Councillor Mike Evemy
  7. Councillor Mark Harris
  8. Councillor Tony Dale
  9. Councillor Mark Harris
  10. Councillor Mark Harris
  11. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. 07. Appointments to Committees - Recommendations 1-4
    Status: In progress
  4. 07. Appointments to Committees - Recommendations 1-4
    Status: Ended
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  1. Councillor David Fowles
  2. Councillor David Fowles
  3. Councillor David Fowles
  4. Councillor Mark Harris
  5. Councillor David Fowles
  6. Angela Claridge
  7. Councillor David Fowles
  8. Councillor Mark Harris
  9. Councillor David Cunningham
  10. Councillor Mark Harris
  11. Councillor David Fowles
  12. Councillor Mark Harris
  13. Councillor Mark Harris
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  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor Juliet Layton
  4. Councillor Mark Harris
  5. Councillor Tom Stowe
  6. Councillor Mark Harris
  7. Councillor Gina Blomefield
  8. Councillor Mark Harris
  9. 09. Appointments to Outside Bodies - Recommendations 1-2
    Status: In progress
  10. 09. Appointments to Outside Bodies - Recommendations 1-2
    Status: Ended
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  1. Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
  2. Councillor Mark Harris
  3. Councillor Dilys Neill
  4. Councillor Mark Harris
  5. Councillor Dilys Neill
  6. Councillor Nikki Ind
  7. Councillor Mark Harris
  8. Councillor David Fowles
  9. Councillor Mark Harris
  10. Councillor Joe Harris
  11. Councillor Mark Harris
  12. Councillor Tom Stowe
  13. Councillor Mark Harris
  14. Councillor Tom Stowe
  15. Councillor Mark Harris
  16. Councillor Angus Jenkinson
  17. Councillor Mark Harris
  18. Councillor Gina Blomefield
  19. Councillor Mark Harris
  20. Councillor Tristan Wilkinson
  21. Councillor Mark Harris
  22. Councillor Claire Bloomer
  23. Councillor Mark Harris
  24. Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
  25. Councillor Mark Harris
  26. 10. Motion 2026/003, Protecting Our Cotswolds Hospitals - Recommendations 1-2
    Status: In progress
  27. 10. Motion 2026/003, Protecting Our Cotswolds Hospitals - Recommendations 1-2
    Status: Ended
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  1. Webcast Finished

Councillor Mark Harris - 0:00:13
Good evening, my name is Councillor Harris. I will stand down as chair for the first item
of this evening's agenda and Vice Chair, Councillor Ray Brasington will introduce that item.
Councillor Ray Brassington - 0:00:25
Thank you, Mark. Good evening and welcome to the speaking of Cotswold District Council's
full council meeting. My name is Councillor Ray Brasonton and I am currently the Vice
Chair of the Council. A warm welcome to all members of the Council, the public in attendance
and those watching online. We are live streaming the meeting but members of the public present
are entitled to record the meeting themselves, provided it isn't disruptive to our proceedings.

1 Election of a Chair

Our first item of business today is the election of Chair of the Council.
I now call for nominations for the Chair of the Council for the civic year to May 27.
Julia.
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:01:09
I'd be delighted to nominate Mark.
He wears his chain with aplomb and he's done a really good job over the year.
I think you've been very well received everywhere and I can't think of anybody better to carry
on this row. Thank you.
Councillor Ray Brassington - 0:01:26
Councillor Ray Brassington - 0:01:37
Thank you. Can I have a seconder, please? Tony Deo, thank you very much. Are there any
We will now go for a vote.
Ready?
Good point.
No need to vote?
No.
Thank you very much.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:02:21
Sorry, there's a bit of confusion.
I wonder if we could go to the monitor officer, whether we are going to take a vote or not
on this.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:02:27
We should have a vote.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:02:29
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:02:30
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:02:35
I mean, if it would be quicker, we could probably do it by show of hands.
Should we do that?
Thank you very much.
I appreciate your support and I do enjoy the role.
Maybe sometimes too much.
But I think now I have got to sign the declaration of acceptance of office.
Thank you very much.

2 Appointment of a Vice-Chair

The second item now is the appointment of a vice chair and I'm pleased to nominate Ray
Brasington, my wingman.
Do I have a seconder?
We have three here.
Paul Evans.
Are there any other nominations for vice chair?
No?
I think if we how quick can we be on the yeah, we're good. Okay. Let's go. We'll go go for a vote on the
machines and
the machine
There we go that looks to me to be unanimous
There you go.
And Ray will now sign the paperwork.
That's the point at which he put the shirt up with his name on the back.
Thank you very much.
Next item is apologies.

3 Apologies

Nickie Mackenzie-Daste, Officer - 0:05:10
We have apologies today from Councillor Helen Mansilla, Councillor John Waring, Councillor
Daryl Court and Councillor Laura Hall -Wilson.
Thank you very much.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:05:19
We have a number of announcements.

4 Announcements from the Chair, Leader or Chief Executive

First of all, I would like to call Councillor Fowles who has a little announcement he would like to make.
Councillor David Fowles - 0:05:36
This carries on a theme.
It is the Liberal Democrats that clapped for me and not my own group.
I just wanted to publicly thank you all, both officers and members, for your best wishes.
Some of you wrote some really heartfelt messages to me, thinking of Andrea and Gina and one
or two other colleagues, and even some of the new colleagues, like Paul.
And I'm very, very appreciative of it, and it really sustained me during my three days
in the acute assessment unit at Great Western.
I have got the staples out.
my attempts to look like Gregory Porter or Thomas Shelby or to audition for the next
series of Peaky Blinders are totally unfounded but various people have said it's become something
of a brand for me so I might keep it going.
This was at Lechelade yesterday so I just want to thank you all.
I'm 100 % better but I have got a nasty scar that's gradually healing but I really appreciate
And I just wanted to say you were my family while I was there, and I'm very grateful.
Thank you.
Yeah, well done, David.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:06:51
I was going to say, for bouncing back, but that's probably not the right word, given
what happened.
But, yeah, it's good to see you back.
I did a scientific guided walk the first week, and I'm not sure whether they actually absorbed
anything, because I was talking to people who didn't.
Oh, that makes a change.
We have another announcement now from Councillor Joe Harris.
Joe.
Thank you, Chair.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:07:18
Can I first start by David wishing you all the best.
I think if you're going for the Peaky Blinders look, we're going to need a skin fade.
I know a couple of barbers that might be able to help in Cirencester, if that's a look you're
going for.
First of all, I just want to thank colleagues for their support.
As you know, I was recently subject to a code of conduct investigation following the counter
fraud report last September.
I referred myself to the monitoring officer as did the Conservatives, thank you for that.
And we've established that there was no wrongdoing on my part whatsoever.
I welcome the apology that I've had from the chief executive with regard to that matter,
and it's something I'm very glad to put to bed.
But I just want to thank colleagues who were very supportive throughout all that.
Anybody that knows me knows that I always try as much as I can to adhere to the highest
standards in public life from when there are allegations made against you.
It can be damaging.
And of course, the social media speculation that took hold was very damaging and had a
tremendous impact not only on me, but also my family.
And I know my colleagues, so I want to thank everybody for the support that they've shown
me.
And what I'd ask, and I've fed this back to the chair of the audit committee, is a review
around how we support councillors in particular when high -profile accusations are made against
a member.
Because at the very least, we need to make sure that the organisation is offering pastoral
care to a level that is adequate for the weight of the accusation. But looking to
the future, that's what I want to talk about. This is going to be my last
meeting of Cotswold District Council. I think it's probably the worst kept secret
in the world now, isn't it? But yes, as some of you know, I've recently got a new
job. I've decided it's time for a change of, certainly a change of career and a
change of emphasis in my life. It works me both professionally and personally. But I
I just wanted to say a few words of reflection as I do so.
The first is to pay tribute to the staff at this council.
They work so hard throughout very, very difficult challenges.
If you think in the last few years alone,
we've had a cost of living crisis,
we've had an energy crisis, we've had a pandemic,
we had Brexit, those are generational issues.
And I think the thing is they've all come together at once.
And that had put immense strain on this organisation.
And our staff were on the front line.
They worked bloody hard to make sure that COVID payments were made,
that residents had the access to the help, the financial help and support that they needed.
They made sure that the bins got collected, which trust me,
it's actually quite hard to run a waste collection service.
So a huge tribute to all of the officers
who have not only supported me and my role as a Councillor,
but support everybody every day.
They are a credit to this Council
and we should be rightly proud of them.
I want to pay tribute to my Councillor colleagues
from across the political spectrum.
I have to say, I like a bit of Punch and Judy politics.
you might have noticed.
And I'm very lucky.
I've always had oppositions that have indulged me
in that somewhat.
I have to say, I learned from the best.
I remember the first meeting of Cotswold District Council
that I attended.
It was more Tyson Fury against Anthony Joshua,
Linden against Paul.
It was the heavyweights.
It was quite something to behold.
But yeah, that was sort of my education in this chamber.
And I tried to temper that quite a lot,
but I've enjoyed the debate that we've had.
Tom, Richard before you, Tony,
how many other leaders were there?
So no, I really appreciate the opposition.
You've been fair, you've been challenging,
and that is absolutely right.
So thank you for that.
And to my own side, it's been an honour.
It was an honour to lead you for, I think, 10 years.
I mean, it was a long old time,
and six of those as council leader.
Yeah, you know, I've loved being part of your team,
getting some of you involved, bringing you in,
getting you elected.
Yeah, it was fantastic.
And you're doing a wonderful job for your communities.
And, you know, it actually makes me very, very proud.
And if, I don't really like talking about legacy,
but if there is a legacy,
I hope that I've brought some really good people
into public life to deliver for their areas.
And I just wrap up by saying, I love this council,
I really do.
It has felt like home for me over a very long time.
And, you know, leaving it is a wrench,
but it is sometimes the hardest thing
is deciding to move on at the right time.
So I want to thank all of you so much
for everything that you've done for me,
both personally and in my political career.
It has been an absolute honour.
And with that, I say goodbye.
Thank you very much.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:13:07
Thank you.
Well, thank you. Thank you, Joe.
As a bit in North Korea, the first person to stop clapping normally ends up in a bad place.
But I know a couple of people wanted to throw something in there.
Paul, I know you wanted to say something.
Yeah. Thank you.
Councillor Paul Hodgkinson - 0:13:30
Yeah, well, I kind of feel, as I said at the GCC chamber last week,
I do feel personally responsible for Joe being here.
Obviously, Mark, you are ultimately irresponsible.
But it was back in 2010 during the Nick Clegg,
I agree with Nick, general election,
that Joe, as a 17 -year -old from Cirencester College,
came out of the woodwork when the election campaign was
going on.
Our parliamentary candidate found Joe working in a shop
in the centre of Cirencester.
Joe got involved.
And the rest is history, really.
And I mentioned this at GCC.
Perhaps it's slightly controversial.
But my abiding memory of Joe was at the hustings meeting.
In fact, David may actually remember this,
at the Royal Agricultural College
where Jeffrey Clifton Brown was speaking
and Joe was bowing at him in his usual style.
And I thought this guy, Joe that is,
is going to go far and he did.
So, you know, Joe, you've been fantastic.
You know, always barnstorming performances,
fantastic political campaigning, such great campaigning.
We will really miss you great sense of humour a great guy and you know all this experience by the age of 33
It's quite incredible isn't it when you think about it?
And I just wanted to end on a little bit of music because as you know
You know I have to say it again. You know you know what you know that I do my radio show in fact Mike
Mike McKeown's on tomorrow
But I looked at the famous songs that had Joe in the title, and if you can think about it there aren't that many
Joe the taxi
Yeah, I wouldn't say it was a classic but you know.
Oh you think it is.
Joe the Taxi, Cotton Eye Joe.
Yeah, that wasn't her.
Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes Up Where We Belong.
Maybe a new next job.
And finally Joe Dolce Shut Up Of Your Face.
And I think on on that note Joe, thank you.
Thank you Paul.
I think Juliet wants to say something.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:15:29
So, it's gotta be Joe.
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:15:38
Some of you are not going to get all of these references, but it's gotta be Joe, the politician
we all know.
I met him in 2011, he was just 18, full of fire, already brimming over with vision and
ambition and football inspired.
Our first big moment, that election run with Paul's drive, we more than doubled and had
some fun.
I was brand new just trying to cope while Joe ran ahead with a plan and some hope.
By 2019 we rose once more and Joe as leader opening every door with big ideas,
a cabinet quick on its feet and even an eye for how buildings should be.
Affordable housing, cleaner streets on floods and climate he never missed a beat.
Always pushing, always in the flow.
That's the kind of politics you get with Joe.
Then COVID came, but Joe said no.
And with the Barn Theatre brought CDC live to show,
filming, informing, keeping all near,
a steady voice people trusted to hear.
Post COVID, the council looked sharper and bright
with sound and with vision.
Lost my place.
With sound and with vision, all wired up right.
Reception refreshed, and just to ensure
that flash of blue furniture, bold, not demure. From LGA halls to county -wide
halls, from telly to radio across all the walls, Joe was everywhere, visible, keen.
If something was happening, Joe would be seen. Can I stay for a month? An innocent
plea. A year later he stayed. That was Joe, you see, with furniture moved and pried on
show that framed football shirt a favour of Joe's. He cooks a fine chicken though, mind
the odd bone, and yes he's house trained, Mark's work clearly shown. A mimic, a raccoon
to a lively and bright with a storey or impression to land it just right. At times outspoken
and we all know the show.
This is a, well, that's classic Joe.
Honest and real in all he pursued.
And this place is better because of you.
So good luck Joe, wherever you go.
And with the ghost of elections, it's gotta be Joe.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:18:11
Going to allow a couple more minutes.
I know Ray wants to speak.
Thank you, Chair.
I just wanted to thank you, Joe, personally.
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:18:20
For all you did for me when I was starting off as a new Councillor in 2015, I think it was.
So that's very much appreciated.
You've done a tremendous job for the town.
You've done a tremendous job for the district.
You've done a tremendous job for the county.
Councillor Ray Brassington - 0:18:35
And dare I say with your LGA hat on, you've done some work for the country.
So, we'll miss you and we wish you all the best for the future.
Thank you, Joe.
Thank you, Ray.
David.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:18:51
Councillor David Fowles - 0:18:57
I'm going to stop short of some of the eulogies because both when Joe was in opposition and
when he was leader, let's just say it wasn't as enjoyable for us as it was for you.
But what I genuinely want to say on my behalf and I hope on behalf of my group, but it's
not my group, it's Tom's, is I've known you longer than anybody here apart from your father.
I remember you when you were 13, which only seems like yesterday.
And I do genuinely wish you every success with your new career.
And to say whether we'll miss you or not, we'll just wait and see, I think.
Thank you very much.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:19:32
Thank you.
Mike Metune, it's kind of good.
A bit off the cuff, Joe, because I know AI writing this one.
Councillor Mike McKeown - 0:19:45
Which I'm ashamed.
I'm ashamed.
So I think it was about four years ago I was sat over in that seat as a member of the public,
and I came in boring people with questions about electric vehicle charging and the council.
and then after that meeting Joe and Lisa both came and pounced on me. I'm not
quite sure what happened. They were obviously very persuasive and I found
myself standing for election as people have said, he was fantastically good at
this for a complete novice who never run for anything but a bus before. He talked
me about you know how the mechanisms, how to get out there and engage with the
public. I've been doing a bit with my community energy stuff. He was just a
fantastic mentor for that and then like join the council. You were brilliant Joe,
you're just you know you're really inspiration and I think you will do
fantastically well in business. I've been in business for many many years, I live in Old Shat now.
I think you'll do really really well, your skills, your communication, your passion,
your drive, you go a long way and you can help a lot more people. So stay in touch but I look forward to hearing a lot of great things.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:20:52
Thank you, Mike. Right. I'll go on to the Chair's announcements. I suppose I should say, Joe, I'm very proud of you.
That's for me.
I was thinking about what your legacy might be and I think, for me at any rate, you've made a huge impression on the Cotswolds
because along the pool you've changed the face of politics in the Cotswolds.
There was a time 15 years ago when they said you could put a pig in a blue rosette and people would vote for it
And that's just not the case now. We we had four members on this council
Was it four members in 2007 10 in 2015 and we've been running it for two terms
So I think that's your legacy. It's the impression on changing the face in the Cotswolds, so
You've been a serial winner as well. You've won everything you've gone for and I think this is really cool
you're going out in style.
You're not going out because you've been disgraced
or because you've lost and so on.
Very few politicians do that.
They have to be dragged out kicking and screaming
like some football managers.
Arsen Wenger.
But so all the very best for the next chapter.
Right, next item.

5 Declarations of Interest

I've got a declaration of interest to make.
Don't worry, it's not too weird.
Over the coming weeks and months I'm going to be involved with the operator
of a leisure based activity in the Cotswold Waterpark. I've worked with them
for the past decade. I've helped them with marketing and some planning things
outside this district. It will involve planning applications with this
authority that will regularise what is already there along with
proposed additional structures. It's not smelly or noisy, it's not residential,
it's not industrial. I do have a peculiar interest but I'm not a director
shareholder or anything so it's in no way life -changing. I'm letting you know
because of historic scandals involving former members of this council in
previous administrations that were investigated by the police and although
they couldn't find anything illegal, any illegal activities, it certainly brought
this council into disrepute for quite a while. I've spoken with a monitoring
Officer and Director of Planning to agree a protocol for engagement with planning that does not give me an advantage because of my position.
No pre -app has gone in, no applications have gone in, and I know it's not unusual for members to have planning applications
but I want to be completely transparent in this matter. And if you've got any questions on it, please do not hesitate to email me.
Okay, so that's that. The next item...
Oh, sorry, Mike. Yeah, sorry Mike, go for it.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:23:41
Thank you, Chair. You jumped on, didn't you? Because I was going to make some of my announcements.
And you didn't call me to say that. You went on to declarations of interest.
No.
No?
Sorry.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:23:52
That was one of my announcements.
Oh, apologies.
Yeah, that's one of my announcements. It's not a declaration of interest for this meeting.

4 Announcements from the Chair, Leader or Chief Executive

So the next item in my announcements. No, David, it's not the time for...
We have a reference to former members of this council.
I am not aware that any former members of this council have investigated this.
No, thank you David.
We have got an administrative item here.
I would like to remind all councillors that from the 11th of May 2026, which is past but you will know about it,
the local government pension scheme will be available to eligible elected members in England who are under the age of 75.
Details have been circulated and are available on the portal.
I've also been asked to make you aware that there's a planning training session
for all members on Wednesday the 3rd of June at 2 p .m. in the Chamber or on Teams.
Please could everyone make an effort to attend whether or not you've already
attended. It includes members on the Planning Committee and those not on the
Planning Committee. It's really important as many as members of possible are
trained so they can substitute if required.
This is from Dyliss.
I'd also add as well that given that planning is probably the
most important thing that happens in your wards,
it's really important that you have a grasp on this and you
understand how it works.
So I really, really would encourage people to attend
planning training there.
I think that's me on my announcements.
administrative one here. So to help us make the best use of time available I'd
like to kindly ask everyone to keep the comments focused, avoid repeating points
already made and be as concise as possible. We will run for a maximum four
hours, actually the Aspen Villa fans are really worried about that. If we reach the
three hour mark we'll pause to vote on whether we continue for the final hour.
After four hours we'll conclude the current item in the usual way and any
remaining business will be carried over. We'll be using electronic voting which
we've already used and we know how that works and that's it from me on
announcements. So we'll now go to announcements from the leader.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:26:07
My apologies for earlier chair. So I just wanted to start by advising members of a
consultation which the government has just told us about last week.
So, Councillor Wilkinson attended a meeting of Gloucestershire leaders on my behalf,
with Councillor Spivey was there as well, as the leader of Gloucestershire County Council,
with civil servants from the MHCLG. Another meeting they told us that they were asking us
to give us their views on the draught structural changes order.
That's the legal document that will abolish this council
and set up the new councils or councils.
That will go forward later in the year.
And they've told us last week that they want our views
on that by the 16th of June.
So that was a little surprise.
And I know that certainly Lisa and fellow leaders
did express a degree of dissatisfaction
about the amount of notice that we had been given.
And indeed you will be aware,
given where we are in the timeline,
that that is actually before we expect the government
to have decided which of the alternatives
that they wish to go forward with for Gloucestershire.
So what they have asked us to do is answer 10 questions.
So each of the seven councils is being asked their view
of ten questions for each of the three alternative options.
So the single unitary, the East -West split,
and the greater Gloucester model.
So what, in discussion with the chief executive,
and as you can probably imagine, the chief executives
of the seven councils are all busy talking
to one another about this.
And we have a leaders meeting next week
where obviously I will be attending
as well on your behalf.
But what I've agreed with this leader is that we will put an agenda item onto the cabinet on the 4th of June,
so that the views, I can express the views in public of the Council.
It's an executive matter, it's a consultation, we're not taking the decision, it's the government's decision.
But I will very happily take representations from any member of the Council,
but specifically obviously from members opposite if they wish to write to me or
speak to me about their views. We are obviously going to discuss this as
leaders across Gloucestershire as I said and see if we can come to consensus
opinions on these things some of which things like what the names of the new
council should be is one of the one of the things that we're being asked about
and who the returning officers should be and so that there are so there's this
ten of those and I'm happy to there'll be a document that comes out but happy
to share the document with all members of Council and then obviously that will
be referred to in the report that the leader, sorry the chief executive is
pulling together. So yes they've given us very little time to say what we think
about this and the timeline we're still expecting a decision by the 17th of July
when Parliament goes into recess for the summer although what we were told last
week is that we may not get a structural changes order through Parliament and
made into law, potentially not until March of next year.
So that will be pretty tight for the elections,
but that's a matter for the government.
That's not something that we can control,
but just wanted all members to be aware of that
and that process and feel free to share your views.
And obviously the other thing,
I was just talking to the chief executive earlier,
and there she'll be talking to Councillor Blumfeld
if she hasn't already,
if she's reappointed as the chair of ONS shortly,
about potentially having that on the agenda
for the ONS committee prior to the cabinet as well.
So that's the only sort of substantive item I want
to announce.
I just want to take this opportunity just
to say something about Joe.
And I first met Joe in 2010, in fact,
when he was just 17 years old.
And, yeah, campaigned with him in 2011, that election
that Juliette refers to the one that I lost by 12 votes, which I'll never forget because
that's the tough, it's always toughest when you lose by a really narrow margin.
Joe, and it hasn't been mentioned, I think he obviously became mayor of Syrinsester and
he was the youngest mayor in the country at the time, aged just 20, and obviously it's
been referred to by Paul and others that he became leader of the group and led us through
the people who were here at the time through the 2015 elections, which were really, really
difficult.
As those who were around at the time, standing as Liberal Democrats in 2015 was tough after
the coalition.
But what Joe did was he then looked for the future and he's always thinking ahead.
One of his great strengths, I think, as a leader that he's thinking ahead and planning
ahead and he was looking at the 2019 elections and the opportunity to form an administration.
and it's been referred to by one or two people,
but I think there are quite a significant number of us
sat on this side of the chamber
who wouldn't be sat there if it wasn't for Joe.
I'm sort of one of them,
because he came back to me in 2018 and said,
will you come back Mike?
The rest is a memory.
The rest is a memory.
And you know, actually the legacy is very much,
I think the people who are sat here in this chamber
who almost certainly wouldn't have been
if it wasn't for Joe's leadership
and how he's led us.
I think others have said, and Paul has said,
he's an incredible campaigner.
He's very great, incredible political acumen.
And then we came into administration,
and I remember the first thing that almost happened
after we became leader and deputy
was we were taken off into a room
by one of David's predecessors
and one of Jane's predecessors,
and asked if we could agree to take somebody to court.
That was the very first thing we had to do as a leader and deputy leader of the council.
And yeah, I'm incredible six years as Joe's deputy leader.
He came in and had a really clear vision for what he wanted, I think, the council to be.
And we've heard a bit about that.
But they're really clear what he wanted in the corporate plan, you know, green to the core and all of those things that he really focused us on.
It's been touched on.
He's, you know, not only has been leader of this council,
cabinet member at GCC, but he's five years leading
the Lib Dems at the LGA, which is quite a big job
because he sits on the board of the local government
association, and he's just done an amazing,
amazing job for us.
It won't be the same without you, Joe.
It's been great to have you as my leader
and for your support in the last year
since I've taken on this role.
And I just want to add my thanks for everything
that you've done for this council, for me personally, and for our political views in
the Cotswolds. And as the chair, I think, has said, we were a long way behind in 2011.
Paul had brought us to a place. You have taken it on and taken us to a second term administration.
I just want to say thank you for everything that you've done.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:33:32
Thank you, Mike. Have we got any announcements from the Chief Executive? No.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:33:44
Okay. Do we have any declarations of interest on the items that are in the agenda? No? Good.
Thank you. If they come up, please do raise them.

5 Declarations of Interest

Item 6, announcement of the leader on cabinet appointments. So Mike is going to...

6 Announcement of the Leader on Cabinet Appointments

Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:34:06
Yep. Thank you, Chair. Yeah, I am. So I think everybody hopefully should have the cabinet portfolios in front of them.
It was published earlier on in the week as an agenda item, as an annex to Agenda Item 6.
So the most significant thing is you will notice that there is another person sat at the front here,
Councillor Paul Evans, who is joining the cabinet as the cabinet member for Health and Communities
and he will take on the public health safeguarding and community safety
partnership which has been overseen by Tony Dale for the last few months. He's
also going to be looking and doing the liaison with a third sector which was
sitting under me after Paul Hodgkinson stepped out of the cabinet.
And most significantly I think you'll see in the last bullet point there he's
He's going to be leading for us as a council on young people and how we engage in what
we do with young people, but also older people.
We obviously had a debate at our council in January about dementia and with taking on
this portfolio Paul will be leading from the cabinet in our response to that.
Those of you who attended either the Town and Parish forums either last night in Wharton
or last week in Syrinsester will know that we were doing an engagement with our Town
parish councils on that and we'll be coming back to the next council meeting
in July reporting back on on how we can make our district dementia friendly. So
congratulations Paul thank you for coming and joining on the cabinet with
us. There are some small changes which are off the back of that within the
responsibilities but I won't necessarily go go through them all. The
only other significant one is that Tony's title has changed, Councillor Dale's now leisure
culture and visitor experience rather than the health culture and visitor
experience but he retains responsibility for all of those things the parking
leisure centres, culture museums, toilets and tourism. So I'm happy to present that
that's my new cabinet chair and if anybody has any questions happy to
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:36:21
answer them. No question I did notice what's on the desk there and one that thought
might be the cabinet member for biscuits. Councillor Fowles has a...
Is that you, Councillor Coleman? Finance and biscuits. Councillor Fowles, yes.
Councillor David Fowles - 0:36:38
Yeah, I've had the privilege of substituting for Councillor Dillis -Neil
at the Gloucestershire County Council Health, Overview and Scrutiny Committee
and in no way do I wish to make any comments about Councillor Neil's skills in
I'm just curious if you've got a portfolio holder that's responsible for health and why
you decided to not put him on the health, overview and scrutiny panel.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:37:09
If I can answer that, I'm pretty sure it's because it's scrutiny and sitting in the executive
you don't get involved in scrutiny of that's generally there's a separation between the
two.
To do with procedures.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:37:19
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:37:20
Yeah, I mean obviously Tony didn't do that and Paul didn't do it before him so
Dylas has been doing it for a number of years and she hasn't sat on the
executive so I think it's an executive scrutiny split. I think the idea is we
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:37:31
don't mark our own homework basically. Councillor Dale. If it helps
Councillor Tony Dale - 0:37:40
Councillor Fowles, the member in this case now Paul Evans in that role will
sit on the health and wellbeing board which is the effectively the executive
decision -making board for the integrated care board for the whole of Gloucestershire
going forwards that's literally billions of budget and thousands of people and
quite rightly the health and over you scooty committee is separated from that
separated from that.
Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:38:06
Councillor Turner, did you have... Oh, no, sorry.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:38:10
Are there any other questions? No. Okay, well, duly noted. Thank you for that.
And congratulations on your elevation to the Cabinet.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:38:22
Next item, Item 7, we have appointment of committees and working groups.

7 Appointment to Committees 2026-27

Leader will introduce this item as well.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:38:32
Thank you, Chair. We've got Annex B with the committee nominations and the working
groups. Obviously the report that we've got probably should refer members back to
that, so obviously we have to go through this process once a year to set out. And
there is within Annex A looks at how we do the political balance so that the
number of councillors sitting on committees is balanced with the overall
number of members of the council and members will recall that we made that
change at our last meeting in March so that the
when the political balance changed obviously it hasn't changed so
essentially we are carrying forward the same numbers on committees into this
municipal year and I'm happy to move all of the nominations so that we've got names under
the committees and the working groups. I'm happy to move all of them on block if you're
happy to accept that, Chair.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:39:38
I'm absolutely happy. Do we have any questions or queries about these appointments? No, we're
all happy with that. Okay, well, I'll read the resolution, we'll move to vote. So the
full council resolves to determine that in accordance with section 15 of the Local Government
and Housing Act 1989, the Council shall continue to apply the political balance provisions
under the Act committees as shown in Annex A. To appoint councillors to serve on the
Council's committees and work in groups as set out in Annex B for a term of office
expiring at the next annual meeting of the Council, appoint chairs and vice -chairs for
the Council's committees and work groups as shown in Annex B and note the arrangements
for the substitution set out in part four of the report.
Let's open the voting.
We need a seconder.
I am sorry, Councillor Stowe.
Did you want to say anything?
I am happy to second it.
I am happy to get the vote.
Fantastic. I think we are already there.
Sorry about that, Tom.
I was galloping ahead.
I'm not an Aston Villa supporter. Okay well that looks to me to be unanimous.
Thank you very much everybody for that. Okay item eight is record of attendance

8 Record of Attendance 2025/26

and this is really for noting unless there there are any comments.
I can't see the files.
Councillor David Fowles - 0:41:12
It's not, I can't.
It's still.
Councillor David Fowles - 0:41:19
Councillor David Fowles - 0:41:26
It's only a very small but quick item. I know it's come up before.
We don't record as part of the attendance as a member those members who actually attend
as a substitute for other members on committees. Instead what we do is refer to them as in
attendance as observers. Well, they're not in attendance as observers, they're in attendance
as substitute members. And I personally think that there are lots of colleagues who may
attend as a member and they may have their details recorded as being a member, but you
that speaking about a number of colleagues,
you can see down that list,
they've substituted for other colleagues
on planning, on overview and scrutiny,
and I think it doesn't really reflect their contribution.
So I think it should say attendance
as a substitute member, not an observer.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:42:15
Is there a reason why it shouldn't say that?
Thank you, Dave, for that question.
Angela.
Councillor David Fowles - 0:42:20
Angela Claridge - 0:42:38
Thank you, members. If I could just use Councillor Boom for an example, you'll notice that she
at the top of the top line is in attendance in observer three. That's when she attends
cabinet as an observer, but is also quite often asked to comment and provide ONS feedback.
Happy to look at any individual ones, but I think you and I have a slight difference
of opinion here. Those in attendance as observers and also another example perhaps on the other
side of the chamber, Councillor Coleman in attendance as an observer at seven he will
often attend an Order in Governance Committee because of his portfolio. Happy to look at
individual cases if you would like me to but they are there in the observer capacity.
Councillor David Fowles - 0:43:21
Personally I attended overview and scrutiny several times as a member. It took quite a
work and I'm not decrying that the roles that other colleagues have as members
I've known that a number of colleagues like Juliet Leighton have attended planning
which takes a lot of work as a substitute member not as an observer.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:43:36
I'll come to you David in a second so can we just be clear so if I substitute
and I'm not me because I'm the chap but if somebody substitutes for somebody
are they logged as an observer or? That counts as their attendance.
Okay, so that's fine. Okay, so I think you're reading the table wrong that where it says in attendance of the observer
That's where it happened observer if they've been attending a meeting
That's where there as a substitute. They will be shown as having attended that meeting
Okay, well if you have if you all have a difficulty with it, yeah, no absolutely
I had difficulty with the math as well and I dealt with it out
Councillor Cunningham.
Councillor David Cunningham - 0:44:21
I was just going to say the easiest difference is...
Sorry.
The main difference is that one can vote and one can't.
So that's the main difference in someone being in the meeting.
And they make a difference. It would be in the minutes, so it is fairly easy to cheque.
But if you could put they voted or not voted.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:44:40
No, if number of meetings attended as a member would include the substitutions you did.
And if you've got a problem with the maths, take it to the launching office.
Don't worry about it now.
No, I've got something else.
Okay, sorry.
Councillor David Fowles - 0:44:58
Just wanted to, we have a number of colleagues who are dual -hatted and they have to make
a decision about whether they attend here or attend elsewhere.
I think in particular of Councillor Daryl Corr who wrote to me and said he couldn't
be here but could I mention the fact that when he hasn't attended he's actually been
at another council meeting and that may apply to colleagues across the chamber.
Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:45:25
I don't think that, I take your point but I don't think it's relevant to the attendance
here personally.
Right, that's duly noted.
Thank you.

9 Appointments to Outside Bodies 2026-27

Councillor Mark Harris - 0:45:33
Right, item 9, appointments to outside bodies.
No, it's just a note.
Chair to invite, I'll invite the leader of the council to introduce the appointments
to outside bodies.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, chair.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:45:50
So we've got two sections.
So the first lot are to be appointed, there's two here to be appointed by council and they're
the scrutiny committees.
and we just touched on the one, the health overview
of the Scrutiny Committee.
So, I'm proposing on behalf of the administration
that Angus Jenkinson continue to sit
on the economic strategy Scrutiny Committee
and Delis Neal on the health overview
and Scrutiny Committee.
Happy for if members of the city wish to add a substitute name
from their representation and we can add that in when we get
to get to the vote. The executive body outside appointments, I note that the
just probably most of them are linked to the portfolio holders sitting either
side of me. There are a few which are not which have names that maybe have been
carried forward. There is a new one that's been put in here but obviously
there's only one name so halfway down the page 14 we have the Gloucester
local government reorganisation joint scrutiny panel so this is a panel which
is going to comprise 14 members two from each council who are going to meet and
scrutinise the work that the seven administrations and the officers are
doing on local government reorganisation.
And the way in which that was agreed
was that there would be a representative coming forward
from each council from the two largest parties on that council.
So my group's representative is listed here
as Angus Jenkinson.
Happy to add a name from the other side
to be added to that so that we can send two people
to that panel.
But happy other than that just to obviously to move the recommendations
subject to any addition of any substitutes from the members opposite
and note the appointments to outside bodies plus potentially with the addition of a
Conservative representative for the scrutiny panel on local government reorganisation. Thank you, sir
Thank you before I come to Councillor Stone, Councillor Bloomfield
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:48:15
I just go to the seconder and ask which is Juliet and ask if you have anything other than
Seconding it to say
I haven't got anything else to add so yeah I'm happy to second
Thank you, Juliet. Okay Tom
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:48:30
Thank you chair
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:48:31
so
Councillor Tom Stowe - 0:48:33
as put forward for the substitutes on the
Economic strategy scrutiny and the health overview and scrutiny committee
I would like to put forward David Fowles on behalf of the Conservative group.
For the Gloucestershire local government reorganisation joint scrutiny panel, I would
like to put forward Gina Bloomfield as the representative.
Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:48:54
I assume we have got that and that is logged.
Councillor Bloomfield.
Thank you, Chair.
Councillor Gina Blomefield - 0:49:01
Well, thank you.
I was just going to reiterate the same.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:49:08
I know you'll do a brilliant job and it's needed. Okay right I'll read the
resolution so full council resolves to confirm the appointments to the Gloucestershire
County Council Economic Strategic Scrutiny Committee and Gloucestershire
County Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee as set out in annex A
table 1 and notes the appointments to outside bodies.
And it's appointments to outside bodies by the leader of the council in respect to executive
functions as set out in annex A, table 2.
Let's open the voting.
One more, I think.
Are we missing somebody?
We're all there.
Oh, we're all there.
OK.
It's all in and it's unanimous.
Thank you colleagues for that and enjoy your roles.
Okay, we're gonna move to motions now.

10 Notice of Motions

And can I just, colleagues, David?
In the room please.
So we have a motion that's been brought
by Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
and seconded by Councillor Claire Bloom.
just before I come to you, my sense is that we'll broadly agree on this.
I'd like to probably give it about a good 20 minutes, 25 minutes.
But if I find, you know, if I find we're in complete agreement rather than going around the room to every single person to
share their agreement, we'll take it, we'll cut it off at a certain point and go to the vote if that's all right.
Well, that's it. That's what I'm going to do.
So, Councillor Hodgkinson, would you like to propose?
Yes, thank you very much.
Councillor Paul Hodgkinson - 0:51:07
So I'm proposing this motion today because in my view our community hospitals are not
just buildings on a map, they are absolute gems at the heart of our communities and they're
valued very deeply by residents in Serencestre, in Moreton, Fairford, Tethbury and across
the Cotswolds and very much valued deeply by me personally. Now for so many
people these hospitals are where a loved one is recovering or has recovered after
illness, where rehabilitation has taken place close to home, where families can
visit without travelling for hours and where older residents could receive care
with dignity in the communities that they know and love. And in a rural
district like ours in the Cotswolds, local health care really matters
enormously because these hospitals aren't just optional experts, they are
essential and they reduce pressure on larger acute hospitals in Gloucestershire
like Cheltenham and in Gloucester. They provide step -down care, rehabilitation,
outpatient services and local treatment that's close to home and what they do is
they spare vulnerable residents from exhausting journeys that can take a long
time and that many simply cannot manage easily and that's why this motion really matters.
Now I do have to kind of say this plainly, many residents are deeply cynical when they
hear NHS bosses describe service withdrawals as temporary. And why are they cynical? It's
because we have heard it before. We heard it at Cheltenham General Hospital when services
were moved on a supposedly temporary basis and then never properly returned.
We heard it with changes affecting Syrinsestor Hospital more recently and
we heard it at Moreton in Marsh Hospital. So time and time again local people have
been told changes are temporary responses to staffing issues or
operational challenges only to see those temporary measures quietly
become permanent reality and that experience has damaged trust. Now I don't
think residents are unreasonable. They understand the pressures that the NHS
faces. They are huge pressures and they understand staffing shortages exist. They
also understand the budgets are tight but what they object to rightly is the
sense that decisions are made incrementally step -by -step with temporary
reductions slowly normalised until services disappear altogether. And that's
why accountability matters. And that's why this council needs to speak clearly
with one voice today. So what we're saying to NHS bosses is this, if a change
is genuinely temporary then it must remain temporary. If services are
withdrawn there must be a clear pathway for restoration. And if
If decisions are being considered that could permanently diminish our local hospitals,
then those local communities deserve honesty, transparency and a really meaningful consultation.
Because once rural healthcare disappears, it's incredibly difficult to restore.
And the timing couldn't be worse because the Cotswolds has an ageing population.
We have significant housing growth planned as we know across the district and demand
for accessible health care close to home is only going to increase. Instead what
we should be doing is maximising their use. We should be investing in
rehabilitation beds, diagnostics, outpatient care, integrated community
services that allow people to receive treatment locally wherever possible. And
that isn't just better for patients, it's better for the wider NHS too. And
residents overwhelmingly agree there's already a petition on the Cotswold
Lib Dem website locally which is calling for protection of our local hospitals
and already it's attracted over two and a half thousand signatures and that
level of support really demonstrates something very important. This is not
just a niche issue, this is people across the Cotswolds saying they care
passionately about the future of their hospitals because they know their value.
They know these hospitals are part of the social fabric of our towns and
They know that when healthcare moves further away, rural communities suffer disproportionately.
And they know that losing services, bit by bit, is still losing services.
So this motion is measured, it's reasonable, it's necessary.
It does not ask for the impossible.
It asks for reassurances, it asks for transparency, it asks for our local hospitals to be used
as much as possible.
and it asks that this council stands up for the residents we represent.
And I believe we all have a duty to do exactly that.
So let's today send a united message
that the community hospitals in Syr ancestor, Morton, Fairford and Tepary
matter enormously to the people of the Cotswolds.
They are gems worth protecting.
And that this council will not simply stand by
while temporary reductions become permanent losses by stealth.
please protect our local hospitals. Thank you. Thank you Paul.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:56:29
Councillor Bloomer would you like to second that now or speak now or do you
wait okay do we have any amendments arising at this point that no we'll go
we'll go to the we'll go to the debate on the motion if there are no amendments
at this stage. We'll go to debate on the motion. Just to note each member can
only speak for five minutes in council on on this matter so each don't feel you
have to. Councillor Neill. Yes I've got personal experience of working as a GP
Councillor Dilys Neill - 0:57:13
in the North Cotswolds and we used to have beds at Borton Hospital and
Moreton Hospital, it's now been confined in the North Cotswold Hospital, which is a wonderful
facility, but much less is going on there than used to when I was a GP.
So, but how they really do come into their own.
It was a crucial, the North Cotswold Hospital I can speak for, was a crucial centre for
Covid vaccination. They were able to organise great streams of people to have their
vaccination safely.
They're also, as Paul said, very crucial for our elderly and frail patients.
Often their partners are also elderly and frail, so having somebody say,
going from my wood and stow to an acute hospital in Cheltenham or Gloucester,
it is very difficult both for the patient, particularly if they've got mental health
issues, if they've got dementia for example. It's much nicer for them to be
closer to home, both because it may be a familiar environment
for them, less busy and noisy than an acute general hospital,
and also their relatives can visit them more easily.
So they're the ideal place for people.
I mean, it's always a difficult thing
if a person with dementia has to be
admitted to an acute hospital.
But if they can be admitted to the local community hospital,
it's just much better.
I also wanted to say how important the minor injuries
units are. They're just truly wonderful. I've had occasion to go and use the
Morton unit and they reckon to see you in 15 minutes. Whereas if you're going
into Charnham or Gloucester you're going to wait maybe up to four hours. I mean
they're wonderful facilities. The nursing staff, I speak for Morton again,
whose staff are really wonderful experienced people who know their
population. So the most fantastic facilities are community hospitals and I
Paul and I both sit on the host and we regularly raise this as something that's
going to be should be included in the work plan where we can actually you know
talk to the people who make the decisions and I'm just really would say
this is an excellent motion thank you very much.
Councillor Mark Harris - 0:59:30
Thank you Dr Neil I should say.
Councillor Dilys Neill - 0:59:38
Councillor Inge next. Thank you chair I absolutely wholeheartedly support this
motion. The Tethbury Hospital, I declare a bit of an interest in as much as I was an
employee there many years ago and I was chair of the Friends of Tethbury Hospital. What
many people don't know is that Tethbury Hospital is owned by the town. So our hospital was
threatened with closure back in the early 90s. We had two years to raise a million pounds.
We did that and the town is run by a volunteer trust board who are
Councillor Nikki Ind - 1:00:11
Have trust members of which as an ex -chair of the friends. I sit as a trust member
We go to an AGM every year and hear what the trust board are doing and
Tepi Hospital whilst it's an independent trust. The majority of its work is NHS work and
Hs work which is vital in our
Southern end of the Cotswolds here. Chalkham and Gloucester is a long way away
We are lucky to have an x -ray a new x -ray machine was there
Last year we have a minor injuries unit and illness centre. We have outpatients and day surgery
So we're probably we're actually providing
Vital support to the NHS in Gloucestershire
Whilst being an independent trust and it's really important that we can keep as much local as we can currently
We are raising money for a new roof
Because we're an independent trust, whilst we offer services
and provide services to the NHS as a hospital in our town,
we are not an NHS hospital.
So I would absolutely, I understand wholeheartedly
that the need for a community hospital,
we did have beds years ago, they've long gone.
But travelling to Cheltenham and Gloucester,
particularly for our older residents,
where you're in somewhere with very limited rural public transport and very
limited ways to get around to any of these hospitals it's it's vital that we
can keep these services in our localities thank you thank you council
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:01:45
Councillor David Fowles - 1:01:49
and I've got councillor fouls next then council Joe Harris I just was gonna make
a couple of comments.
There are other people in this room who've had use of the NHS
recently, and I certainly did.
But what I noted was that we work very closely
in Gloucestershire with hospitals outside Gloucestershire.
I had a helicopter on standby to take me to the John Radcliffe.
And I ended up in the Great Western
because that was the hospital that had availability
and had the necessary care.
And that's the point I want to make.
We're working closely with neighbouring health care trusts
and it's all about the need.
But the two points I wanted to make,
one was in relation to specifically Fairford.
Fairford provides a service not just with the beds in the
hospital, but their whole network of volunteers who
collect prescriptions and take them to people's homes
and actually drive people to appointments.
And I wondered whether we could insert in there something that they have a broader role
to play than just the role of looking after elderly people and so on, which I totally
agree, totally support it.
And frankly, I wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for the support that the NHS gave me
personally.
But it's this broader role that certainly occurs in Fairford.
And I assume, Paul, that from the line provide essential accessible healthcare close to home,
That includes the minor injury unit which is fantastic in in Sire and sister
Because and that's very much targeted at young people and and old people and again. I'm very grateful to them for what they did
Thank you
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:03:32
Thank you David I've got Joe Harris Nick not so Joe Harris next and then counts Tom stove and then counts
Yeah
Councillor Joe Harris - 1:03:44
Yeah, scrolling through my phone the other day, and you know in the photo section it
will pop up with memories, won't it?
A highlight of your life.
And one that came up for me was 10 years ago, anger as plans to shut minor injuries units
were being put forward.
So 10 years on, and it's still exactly the same storey at Syrinsester Hospital and indeed
at North Cotswolds Hospital.
And what we're seeing is a gradual erosion of services, as Paul has said, dressed up
as temporary changes.
So we had the initial closure to the minor injuries unit overnight 10 years ago.
Then we had the withdrawal of phlebotomy services at Syrinsester Hospital.
We've seen x -ray provision at North Cotswold Hospital reduced, and so on and so forth.
And we've had the most recent proposals by the NHS.
And we're right to hold NHS bosses to account.
But I think we can't let successive governments off the hook here.
The previous Conservative government and indeed this current Labour government
are as much to blame as anybody else.
Because what we have seen over the last decade is a centralisation of services
into our larger sites like Swindon and Gloucester.
And that's all very well.
It may add up on a spreadsheet, but what that affects is the quality of care quite often.
And it means that smaller sites are less viable,
particularly if you start to erode them and centralise them in larger hospitals.
So what we need is a step change approach from government. We need to totally rethink the way we
do hospitals in this country. And of course, we haven't even mentioned social care, which puts an
untold strain on local hospitals. So from my point of view, the message to government is absolutely
clear. Our community hospitals should be the gem in the crown. We saw that in the pandemic,
didn't we?
These sites where everybody was concentrated at one site and
infection spread through the wards, totally unacceptable,
and it meant that the NHS was on its knees.
It might not solve the problem, but if we had properly utilised
community hospital and nursing, and actually community nursing
is so important in the home, which we've seen a huge
reduction in, it would take the pressure off of these
larger sites.
Sire and Cestor Hospital, if I can just talk specifically about
our ancestor for a moment is a fantastic facility.
We pay tribute to all of the staff that work there.
Shout out Auntie Jo, my aunt.
She's an everyday friendly face as you go into reception.
But you only have to talk to staff there
to know that they work in incredibly difficult
circumstances.
And I think more often than they're not,
they feel really up against it.
Do you remember we were all going out in the pandemic
clapping for the NHS?
Do you remember that? Well what the hell has happened to all of that because we seem to have
totally forgotten about it now. We're now kicking off when junior doctors
are going on strike, when our nurses are going on strike. Well actually I remember
five years ago we were all stood on our doorstep clapping for them. Well now is
the time we need to support them. Now is the time we need to support them. It's
all very well when there's a huge pandemic to get out there and support
them, but now is the time we need to, we should be out clapping for them every
day anyway, should we? But now is the time we absolutely have to support them. So my
message to the new Secretary of State, I don't know who it is, who is it now? Do we know?
It was Wes, he's preoccupied with leadership ambitions, but you know a
very clear message is that the strategy within the NHS has to change and yes
that will require tough decisions, it will require looking at how we fund the NHS
quite fundamentally.
But the point I want to make here,
and I think is the most important,
we have to deal with social care.
If we don't deal with social care,
we will never solve the challenges in our hospitals.
Because the amount of people that
need good social care in a home that end up in hospitals
is absolutely causing the NHS to be on its knees.
So same old storey, 10 years on.
It's good that we can send a message this evening to NHS
bosses, but my challenge is to our members of parliament,
to our prospective members of parliament in the room,
that we need action on this.
And ultimately, it is the government who are responsible
for our NHS and how it is run.
I've seen nothing in the scrapping of NHS England,
which was supposed to make it more accountable.
It hasn't even happened yet.
We don't know what's happening yet.
It was meant to make hospitals in particular more accountable
and give the Department of Health and Ministers more control.
that doesn't seem to come to fruition so we don't know what the status of that is.
So it's a complicated issue. I want to conclude by saying San Francisco
Hospital is a wonderful jewel in the crown and my message is we should be
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:08:41
investing in it not cutting it. Thank you Joe. Tom. Yes thank you chair and
Councillor Tom Stowe - 1:08:46
I'm actually going to agree with a lot of what Councillor Joe Harris has said
which is a nice way to...
Oh no!
It's a thing of hope I suppose.
You've seen the light.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:08:54
I have seen the light.
Councillor Tom Stowe - 1:08:56
You have seen the light.
I mean, ultimately, I mean, we are limited at this council what we can do and I think
probably asking the leader to write a letter to express our concerns and the concerns of
residents is absolutely the right thing to do.
I think everybody, Councillor Dillis -Neill and Paul and Joe have all touched on utilisation.
We have these hospitals there, so let's make sure that we can try and encourage the local
NHS Trust to make sure they're properly utilised because only by doing that do
they actually become more viable and suddenly it's a bit of a chicken and egg
situation. If they're not viable they're not utilised, they're not invested in. So I
think if we can focus on that in the letter that goes over that would be great.
Now I'm not an expert on the NHS but it seems to me that these local rural
hospitals actually deal with it with to some degree with a lot of the frontline
issues. I .E. GDP waiting times having to wait three or four weeks for an
appointment. Day trip, I would call them procedures, endoscopies and that sort of thing.
And also obviously queues of ambulances built up outside the major hospitals because there
aren't any beds to move the people into. So I think those are the sort of things we can
do by utilising those hospitals better. And as you can say, I mean all the things that
Paul's touched on, being close to the home, particularly with an elderly population, there's
going to be more housing there's gonna be more you know more people to look
after and we're gonna be doing more healthy populations careful so having it
near as a home is better for them and it's better for the families and
ultimately better for everybody much more in my opinion efficient way of
doing things now I suppose once they receive the letter I mean all we can
suppose we can do then is that we receive a meaningful and clear response
which obviously reassures us and residents that they are aware of the
concerns actually they can look at this in a pragmatic way hopefully and look
and see how they can properly utilise these facilities that we've got for the better good
of the wider residents of the Cotswolds. Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:10:54
Thank you very much Tom. Okay, Councillor Jenkinson.
Thank you very much Chair. I'm rising in support of the North Cotswold local hospital, but
as an indication of the broader principle.
Many others have already spoken, and I'm
wanting to be very brief and to the point on this.
Councillor Angus Jenkinson - 1:11:20
Recently, my wife had to be tested for her heart.
She needed a special scan, and she
was able to have that at the North Cosfield Hospital.
That's one of a range of different small things
that happen.
We have two hospitals, sorry, two medical practises in the town.
They are stretched beyond breaking point, although somehow or other they keep managing to unbreak themselves.
What I mean is that, for example, they will have a clinical session in a cupboard.
Effectively, it's a larger cupboard, it's a walk -in cupboard, but it's a large walk -in cupboard that have a clinical session
Because they are so stretched for resources and that really is the kind of thing that blocks the our area plan development
The hospital is a fantastic fantastic resource as a support for that kind of activity
but none of this as as critical as the following point that I want to make and I'm
Referring back to what Councillor Hodgkinson already mentioned, but it needs reinforcement
We had a pandemic not so long ago.
And in the North Cotswold, the people came to the North Cotswold Hospital in order to get their jabs.
We will have another pandemic. We already have a risk at the moment, which I do not think is going to turn into a pandemic.
But we live in a complicated world where the risk of another pandemic is really, really high.
If it comes along, and I hope it doesn't, but the chances are that it can,
if it comes along and we do not have these local facilities, we will regret it.
Because it was just beautiful the way it was organised.
People turned up, there was queues organised, they went through quickly,
They got their injections. It was safe. Everything was managed and they were able to get out again
And there was a great flow
I want you to imagine all of the people in all the areas trying to go to Cheltenham Hospital
From the north to have the same thing done and figure out how all of that would happen in the facilities that they have
It would have been an absolute
pandemonium, chaos, probably worse than the one they already had. We really need
to defend our futures. Thank you. Thank you Councillor Jenkinson. I've got
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:13:59
Councillor Gina Blomefield - 1:14:03
Councillor Bloomfield next. Yes, thank you chair. I really wanted to explore my
personal experience of both Moreton or North Cotswold Hospital and Sire and
Cessna recently and also referring to Councillor Jenkinson, Councillor Neill, I was one of
volunteers who was wiping chairs. I wasn't giving the jabs, but during the COVID thing
and timing people when they had to have, you know, how long, between, before they were allowed to
leave and things. So I became an expert on all of that and actually saw many friends while in the
process. So that was quite a thing. I had to take my mother to, in fact, on two occasions,
subsequent days, she's living in a care home in Shipston. She has just turned 100, but she was 99
at the time. And you know there was no way that she could be considered to take
neither to Warwick or to Banbury. It would have been too much of an effort
for her. So it was fantastic. You can park easily, you get them in easily
and a scene quickly and that's absolutely critical. They thought she had
a break because of her fall. Luckily it turns out she didn't. The other one I
touch on endoscopy just now with Counsellor Stowe. He had had an endoscopy and they said,
oh right, we've got to go down to Gloucester Royal. We live in Chippenhampton, as I think
most people know. And my husband said, oh no, where is it and do I have to go there?
And they said, oh, would you be prepared to go to Sire and Sester? I said, Sire and Sester?
Yes, please. They could get it seen more quickly and a much easier trip and the whole experience
was a lot easier. It's not a particularly pleasant experience having an endoscopy, I'm
told. So, you know, it is for that local convenience for everybody. That's just my family. But
my mother is in Warwickshire, so it was a cross -bound county thing as well. But it really
helps and it is so reassuring and takes a lot of the stress out of going to hospitals.
So I fully support this motion. I think it's absolutely vital we have community hospitals.
Thank you.
Thank you Gina, I think we're pretty much all in it.
Oh, we've got, yeah.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:16:11
Justin, we'll go to you and then I'll go to the seconder,
unless anybody's got an argument that wants to turn this round on its head
and utterly sink it, which I hope you don't.
I'll be brief, everything that's been said is very powerful and absolutely right.
Councillor Tristan Wilkinson - 1:16:24
I did go to Sire and Sester having pulled my finger off several years ago in an accident
and they were actually closed for lunch in the unit and they took one look at me
and they said, we think you should be admitted.
I'd like to focus on the term temporary.
And I think in the letter we should make clear and put down
a mark of what we mean by temporary.
Temporary could mean anything.
It could mean anything from six months to six years.
And I think we'd all be very disappointed
if we're having this conversation in four years'
time and the excuse was, yes, it's still only temporary
and we're making plans for it to come back.
and I think that's how a lot of these things get stuck.
And some of the things that Joe said, I think some of the reductions
in services were maybe intended to be temporary and ended
up being permanent for all sorts of reasons.
So I think we should be really clear that, you know, there's a deadline
and anything beyond a certain period, we're going to start campaigning again
and we're not going to let them off the hook.
So that was my point.
Absolutely fair point.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:17:27
Right, Councillor Bloom, would you like to second the motion, please?
Councillor Claire Bloomer - 1:17:31
Yeah, I did write a speech, but I've cut it down quite a bit now, but thank you, Chair.
And just referring back to Councillor Inge's point, I did visit Tepary Hospital,
and I'm absolutely thrilled to say they've got a menopause support group there as well,
which is brilliant. Not that I'd go on about menopause at all. Anyway, I'm really pleased
to second this motion. Like many local families, I've relied on this hospital many times with
difficulties with my children.
This motion is about protecting community health care in rural
areas and also local jobs.
Over time we've seen lots of services reduced, theatres,
maternity services, paediatrics, mental health care,
acute medicine, routine dental surgery, 24 -hour radiology,
and most recently blood tests and now the removal
of 24 -hour doctors.
Residents are understandably concerned about the long -term direction of travel, particularly
when reducing, particularly when services are being reduced, not often described as
temporary, but don't always return.
Community hospitals matter because they provide care close to home, support locally, reduce
pressure on larger hospitals, and are far easier for families to access.
We also have to recognise the realities of rural life.
Travelling further for healthcare is not simple for many people.
Public transport in this area is extremely limited.
Journeys are longer and for older vulnerable residents it can be incredibly difficult.
We have some wonderful volunteer services here in the Cotswolds
that do help our residents get to hospitals but even they are stretched sometimes
and I've heard from residents where appointments have been missed because the volunteers are
unable to take people to these hospitals.
At a time when our area is growing and demand on services is increasing, we should be strengthening
local health care provision, not seeing a gradual reduction.
This motion is about standing up for our communities and recognising the importance of local health
care services.
I urge all members to support this motion. Thank you.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:19:44
Thank you very much, Councillor Bloomer.
Councillor Hodgson, would you like to sum up and then we'll go to the vote?
Thank you, and thanks for all the support.
Councillor Paul Hodgkinson - 1:19:53
I mean, it's great to hear the individual storeys and certainly I've used Sir and Sister Hospital a small number of times, fortunately all minor ailments.
But every time I've used it, it's been quick.
The staff have been incredibly friendly and warm and the whole thing has been incredibly efficient.
So that's why we want to protect our rural hospitals, isn't it? I think it's a really interesting point that was made about
Tepary, you know and the history there and the backdrop, you know, and obviously there's some great stuff that's going on there
I wasn't sure Casa Fells whether you were actually suggesting a formal amendment when you were talking or maybe which just something
Well, I wasn't sure
Okay, great. And I think the point finally that was made by Tristan about that we need
to define temporary. You're right, temporary could go on forever, couldn't it? So I think
we do need to actually sort of say something around that. Perhaps Mike can build that into
the letter that he writes. But thank you. Let's protect our rural hospitals and let's
vote unanimously to send a big message to the NHS. Thank you.
Let's go to the vote.
Councillor Mark Harris - 1:21:03
Thank you very much everybody.
The next meeting is on the 15th of July at 6pm, minus Councillor Joe Harris.
It was pointed out the other day that if he takes 15 years off from politics and then
comes back to it.
He'll still be younger than most of us are now.
So look forward to seeing you down the line, Joe.
And thank you all, and see you in July.

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