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Cabinet
Thursday, 15th October 2026 at 6:00pm

 
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  1. Nickie Mackenzie-Daste, Officer
  2. Councillor Mike Evemy
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  1. Councillor Juliet Layton
  2. Councillor Mike Evemy
  3. 03. To approve the minutes of a Cabinet meeting held on 10 September 2026
    Status: In progress
  4. Councillor Mike Evemy
  5. 03. To approve the minutes of a Cabinet meeting held on 10 September 2026
    Status: Ended
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  1. Councillor Andrea Pellegram
  2. Councillor Mike Evemy
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  1. Councillor Andrea Pellegram
  2. Councillor Mike Evemy
  3. Councillor Juliet Layton
  4. Councillor Mike Evemy
  5. Officer
  6. Councillor Mike Evemy
  7. Councillor Mike McKeown
  8. Councillor Paul Evans
  9. Councillor Mike Evemy
  10. Councillor Andrea Pellegram
  11. Councillor Mike Evemy
  12. 09. Private Sector Housing Strategy and Enforcement Policy, recommendation 1
    Status: In progress
  13. 09. Private Sector Housing Strategy and Enforcement Policy, recommendation 1
    Status: Ended
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  1. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  2. Councillor Mike Evemy
  3. David Stanley, Deputy CEO
  4. Councillor Mike Evemy
  5. Councillor Tony Dale
  6. Councillor Mike Evemy
  7. Councillor Andrea Pellegram
  8. Councillor Mike Evemy
  9. Councillor Paul Evans
  10. Councillor Mike Evemy
  11. Councillor Mike McKeown
  12. Councillor Mike Evemy
  13. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  14. Councillor Mike Evemy
  15. 11. 2027/28 Budget Strategy and MTFS Update, recommendations 1-2
    Status: In progress
  16. 11. 2027/28 Budget Strategy and MTFS Update, recommendations 1-2
    Status: Ended
  17. Councillor Mike Evemy
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  1. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  2. Councillor Mike Evemy
  3. Councillor Paul Evans
  4. Councillor Mike Evemy
  5. 12. Write Off in excess of £5000, recommendation 1
    Status: In progress
  6. Councillor Mike Evemy
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  1. 12. Write Off in excess of £5000, recommendation 1
    Status: Ended
  2. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  3. Councillor Mike Evemy
  4. Officer
  5. Councillor Mike Evemy
  6. Councillor Juliet Layton
  7. Councillor Mike Evemy
  8. David Stanley, Deputy CEO
  9. Councillor Mike Evemy
  10. Officer
  11. Councillor Mike Evemy
  12. Officer
  13. Councillor Mike Evemy
  14. Councillor Juliet Layton
  15. Councillor Paul Evans
  16. Councillor Mike Evemy
  17. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  18. Councillor Mike Evemy
  19. 13. Council Tax Premium on second homes and long term empty properties (restricted 55 yrs), recommendation 1
    Status: In progress
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  1. 13. Council Tax Premium on second homes and long term empty properties (restricted 55 yrs), recommendation 1
    Status: Ended
  2. Webcast Finished

1 Apologies

Good evening everybody and welcome to this meeting of Cotswolds District Council's cabinet.
I'm Mike Evernay, leader of the council.
First agenda item is apologies.
Nicky, I think we have one, don't we?
Nickie Mackenzie-Daste, Officer - 0:00:23
We have an apology from Councillor Tristan Wilkinson.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:00:27
Thank you very much, Nicky, and the rest of us are all here.

2 Declarations of Interest

So the second item is declarations of interest.
Does any member have a declaration
of interest they need to make?
No, or officer for that matter?

3 Minutes

Nope. So we'll then move on to agenda item three,
which is the minutes of the meeting on the 10th of September.
I have one small amendment to those minutes, so minute 280.
And the last line of that minute, the third line,
to add in the words, it's decision
on for local government reorganisation in Gloucestershire.
So the pause has been for the decision, not for the whole
of local government reorganisation.
So it's important that we're clear
about that in our minutes.
Does anyone else have any corrections to the minutes? No? Okay so can I see a
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:01:29
proposer for the minutes as commended? Yeah I'm happy to propose minutes, thank you.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:01:32
Seconder? Councillor Dale is seconding with his hand up. So if we can...
Thank you very much.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:01:50
That's six votes in favour and one abstention.
So we'll now move on to my announcements.
So I've got three things this evening.

4 Leader's Announcements

First is, so this is the first meeting of the cabinet since the incident at Wellford.
And I really just wanted to take this opportunity on behalf of the cabinets to thank all of
our staff for the exceptional work they did in supporting residents who were
evacuated on that Sunday morning. Exemplary work that they did on our
behalf in the middle of the night and through the following days to support
the residents and obviously we are empathised with the residents who went
through that experience. I know Councillor Wilkinson is not here this
evening as one of their ward councillors certainly felt that obviously the
support that work it was given to the residents on by the staff this council
was exemplary so I want to put that on a record the second thing and I've just
corrected the minutes of the last meeting about local government
reorganisation is that we were expecting there might be an announcement in
Parliament this week about that but there hasn't been one so we're hopeful
that we might get an announcement next week and very aware of the uncertainty
that not having clarity around the future of this council that is having on
our particularly on our staff and obviously we hope that we will get some
certainty when the government makes its announcement next week and the third
thing I wanted to announce is that I will be together with Ros Savage MP I
will be meeting Baroness Sharon Taylor in the House of Lords next week and
that's of to talk with her about the housing targets that we have been
allocated by the government you'll recall I've written three times to
ministers and asked for a meeting fortunately Ros Savage has been able to
at that meeting and she's invited me to attend along with her to make those
points to the the Minister in person and I look forward to that and obviously we
will share the outcome of that meeting and there are obviously issues more
broadly than just the housing targets such as things like the future of water
in terms of water clean water and sewage which are particularly issues in our
district and the opportunity to raise those. I'll take that opportunity
together with Roz to raise those personally with Baroness Taylor. So
that's my announcements. Moving on then, Agenda Item 5 is public questions.

5 Public Questions

Don't see any public here to ask us any questions. So an Agenda Item 6 is member

6 Member Questions

questions. We don't have any of those. Agenda Item 7 is the decisions taken

7 Schedule of Decisions taken by the Leader of the Council and/or Individual Cabinet Members

by the leader or individual cabinet members. So we've got a report on pages
21 to 24. We've got three. One from Patrick Coleman on the 7th of September,
one with Juliet Layton on the 25th of September, and then another one from
Patrick on the 5th of October. Anyone got any questions or any comments on that?
Councillor Andrea Pellegram - 0:05:27
Councillor Pellegram. Thank you, Chair. I just wanted to say how delighted I am
that the Chipping Camden neighbourhood plan has been made.
So thank you very much, Council Layton.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:05:37
Thank you for that.
So we will then move on to Agenda Item 8,
issues arising from overview and scrutiny
under audit and governance.
We don't have any recommendations
that have come forward.

8 Issue(s) Arising from Overview and Scrutiny and/or Audit and Governance

There was an overview and scrutiny committee meeting
on Monday that Councillor Coleman and myself
were present from the cabinet.
and we were there together with officers.
David Stanley to my left was there as well.
So we don't have anyone from the overview
and scrutiny committee here this evening,
but we did our best to answer all the questions
and the points and deal with the points that they raised.
So we'll now go on to agenda item nine,

9 Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy

private sector housing strategy and enforcement policy.
and I'm gonna hand over to Andrea, Counsellor Pellegrino.
Thank you, Chair.
Councillor Andrea Pellegram - 0:06:29
The Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy sets
out how Cotswold District Council will regulate housing standards
and take enforcement action in the private rented sector.
It reflects duties and powers under the Housing Act 2004,
Renters' Rights Act 2025 and related housing legislation.
The policy aims to protect tenants from unsafe
for poorly managed accommodation,
support responsible landlords and provide clear, consistent
and proportionate framework for enforcement.
Housing conditions are assessed through the housing health
and safety rating system.
The policy provides that the council will follow a
proportionate approach.
It is intended to distinguish between landlords who are trying
to comply and those who deliberately
or persistently fail to meet their responsibilities.
There is an extensive enforcement toolkit including notices and prohibition orders,
prosecution for serious cases and various banning orders, et cetera.
The policy incorporates the council's new duties and powers arising
from the Renter's Rights Act 2025 and these include stronger investigatory provisions,
enabling authorised officers subject to statutory requirements to require information
and documents enter relevant premises and obtain or seize evidence when investigating
suspected breaches. The act also places duties on the council concerning enforcement of defined
landlord legislation and reporting on the exercise of those functions. The legislation does
permit us to recover reasonable costs and this policy is going to be reviewed in three years in
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:08:19
August 2029. Thank you. Thank you Andrea for proposing that, that you were proposing the
recommendations. Do we have a second? I think Juliette you're gonna come in.
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:08:32
Yep. Thank you, thank you Andrea. Well yeah I fully support this policy because
it strengthens this council's commitment to every
every resident to make sure every resident lives in safe warm and healthy
homes without mould and dangers. You don't want to be in
danger in your own home. It gives our residents confidence in how the council
regulates its private rented sector and it supports responsible landlords and
and also takes firm action where standards are not suitable or acceptable.
So I do support this.
It's good information in here and thank you for bringing it to us.
Thank you.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:09:20
Yeah, I'm just going to, before I bring you Mike, we've got Bill Messers here.
Phil, is there anything you want to say in addition to what Andrea and Juliette have
said before I bring in Mike?
Officer - 0:09:32
Thank you. No, nothing to add. That was a good summary. Thanks, Councillor McEwen.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:09:39
I also would, of course, from my portfolio's perspective, very delighted to support it.
Councillor Mike McKeown - 0:09:45
In particular, the aspects of it around energy efficiency, as you touched on,
Juliette, they're really important to help our landlords provide homes that meet minimum
requirements on energy efficiency because that does help our residents save money on
their on their bills and that particularly for those who might be struggling at the moment
with the Trump's latest mad war which is pushing up all our energy costs that sort of stuff
really makes a difference as well as cutting carbon footprint and as Juliet rightly said
if it also warmer homes are healthier homes is a great study from our partner warm and
well with the NHS on how much lower hospital emissions are
on homes that are not damp and are warm and people are keeping
healthy and it helps our NHS as well.
So delighted.
There's lots and lots of co -benefits to this,
so it's great.
Mike Paul?
Thank you, yes.
I'd like to put on record my thanks for bringing this
as well.
Councillor Paul Evans - 0:10:47
From my portfolio's perspective, the health aspect is something
to be commended.
anything that helps early interventions in public health and therefore takes the
pressure off the NHS is absolutely to be welcomed. So thank you.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:11:05
Thanks very much. Just before I go back to Andrea, I think it's really... we do spend
quite a bit of time sometimes criticising the government, particularly
in this chamber when they get something wrong like they have over the rules
around how planning committees operate.
But I think this is a positive change and that our residents,
as residents across the country who live in rented,
private rented accommodation,
also some will see benefits from this.
You know, we know that there are many, many millions of people
that live in private rented accommodation
and it's often very insecure.
And the impact that has on how they,
Particularly if they have children and the uncertainty and they might be evicted and
then they might not be able to find accommodation that's suitable for them near their children's
school.
There's whole loads of impacts that those of us that are not in that situation don't
experience but the Renters Rights Act is bringing in things which give the renters more security
in their tenancy, which I think is only really a good thing.
And I think as you said, Andrea, it's good landlords, you know,
this won't be, you know, they will be doing that already.
But it just gives, I guess, potential for when we,
there are some landlords who aren't so good and for our,
our officers to be able to implement or implement this
policy on behalf of residents in their properties.
So I'm just going to go back to you, Andrea,
if you want to say anything to sum up.
Councillor Andrea Pellegram - 0:12:52
Thank you, Chair, and thank you colleagues
on the cabinet for supporting this.
I now would just like to suggest that we agree
the recommendation to approve this private sector housing
enforcement policy.
Thank you very much.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:13:07
We can go to the vote now then, please,
because it's already been seconded by Juliet.
Okay. I think that's unanimous.
Thank you very much, everybody.
And thank you, Phil.
So we're now moving on to the first of a series
of reports about money.
And this one is the budget strategy.
oh actually before we just do that it's just to note that we have we were due to

10 The Littering From Vehicles Outside London (Keepers: Civil Penalties) Regulations 2018

have a report on littering from vehicles outside of London 2018 regulations that
item has been deferred to our next meeting that's because essentially in
the final stages of preparation for it to come forward this evening it became
clear that there have been some increases to the fixed penalty charge
notices. Fixed penalty notice charges I should say but so as a consequence of
which that need those need to be incorporated into the report and there
wasn't time to do that and get it onto the agenda for this evening but we will
I'm sure be having that next meeting when we look at over at Claire so we'll
talk about that next time but this time we're going to talk about the budget

11 2027/28 Budget Strategy and Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) Update

strategy and medium -term financial strategy and I'm going to go to
Councillor Coleman, Cabinet Member for Finance. Over to you, Patrick.
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:14:43
Thank you, Chair. Thanks to David Stanley. I do apologise, I thought I'd turned that off.
I'll deal with it.
Back to you Patrick after that interruption.
We enjoyed your ringtone.
Right, back to you now once you've had a.
I've got an arm which I set.
Okay. For a reason that will need to be disclosed.
So agenda item 11, the 2027 -28 budget strategy
and medium -term financial strategy update.
and I was beginning to thank the team that has helped bring this to us,
particularly our Deputy Chief Executive in Section 151, Officer David Stanley.
Also appropriate to thank Chief Executive for her comments, guidance and
input in getting this far with the money. You'll see that there are some annexes
here, one of which gives a context. Annex A listing the amounts and the councils
who've had to apply for exceptional financial support and which indeed have
received it or are receiving it or will receive it from the government. Now once
upon a time that list was so short it was quite clearly a list of oh this must
be the council's fault these must be very badly run councils. I'm certainly in
no position to judge one council against another but the list has got so long and
so varied and the figures have got so large that I'm really pleased to say
that there is almost no chance at all
that this council will ever be on that list.
And I say that because we are, for almost all intents
and purposes, a pretty debt -free council to summarise
and simplify rather too much.
Indeed, this is highlighted in paragraph 211 in bold.
There is no immediate risk of us having to apply for such support.
So Annex B gives us the tables and figures and explanations for our draught updated medium -term
financial strategy for the three years from next year through to 2030 to 31, where I still
think that it's much more likely than not that this Council will no longer be in existence.
Nevertheless, we've said ever since local government reorganisation became a prospective
reality that we will hand over a council to our successors that's in good fettle
with no serious problems and no significant risks beyond those which are
to be experienced in the normal work of local government. The recommendations are
to approve the strategy and also to delegate authority to the head of waste
an environment in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer and
the Cabinet Member for Finance to commence the procurement process for vehicles identified in
the Fleet Replacement Programme for 2027 -28. Now this is the fleet of waste collection vehicles
that we have discussed and are hoping to see delivered in start to be delivered
in the 2027 -28 year. There's been decisions elsewhere at this cabinet to
try and ensure that wherever possible we use a replacement for diesel in the form
of hydrogenated vegetable oil which I think everybody is pleased to see.
And we also do have the funds to pay for this without borrowing thanks to the years of cautious budgeting that the Council has agreed,
particularly under the previous finance lead for six years, our current leader.
And those tough decisions taken in those days have paid off.
Some of the decisions we still have to take will be tough, but they will be, I think, less difficult than they were in our early days.
And apart from that, we have the CPI inflation figures
and forecasts, which are always helpful.
And I think we have something else in here I've got
to deal with, but perhaps not.
Local government organisations coming along.
And we can see that, if I just pick out page 86,
you can see that there's an initial budget shortfall
at the top of 1 .488 million.
but then we make the adjustments from the healthy car park for income, healthy car park
permits is a re -based and indeed even the electric vehicle charter income budget and
cutting our cultural services subsidy through the recent introduction of efficient management
thanks to the leadership from our colleague Tony Dale.
and that brings that initial shortfall down to at the very bottom at the moment
two hundred and sixty nine thousand. I did use a phrase in an informal meeting
recently perhaps I shouldn't have that we haven't run out of sofas to look
under the cushions for more money. More seriously the council does have a
significant number of appropriate reserves of a significant and reasonable
size which can be listed if you wish but not today and we will always maintain
our general fund balance at a memorable risk assessed minimal level of 1 .760
million so you only have to know how many yards there are in a mile and you
know how big that minimum level of the general fund balance is and can I
finally say that if anybody ever gives you the chance to be a cabinet member
for finance I recommend that you adopt it and agree.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:20:53
Thank you, Councillor Coleman.
Yes, it's a great job being cabinet member for finance.
I think just on that point about balances and reserves,
you mentioned the general fund.
So for other cabinet members, anyone watching this online,
they are all listed in the report on page 88.
It's table 4.
It's after 552.
You can see all of them there.
and the closing balance at the 31st of January this year.
In total, all of those was just shy of 13 million pounds.
So, you know, you can see that they're there
and what they're being held aside for.
Before I go to anyone else, I'm just going
to give the opportunity for David
is Deputy Chief Exec 151 Officer to add to anything that Patrick has said to us this evening.
David Stanley, Deputy CEO - 0:21:54
Thank you, Leader. Just a very short piece from me. This builds on the MTFS that was
considered by Council back in February 2026 and as Councillor Coleman has highlighted there was
a significant gap forecast for 27 -28 of just shy of one and a half million
increasing to two and a half million increasing to 7 .2 million thereafter. So
it is imperative and important that council considers how to set a balanced
budget for 27 -28. The gap of 7 .2 million is because we need to assess the council
on a going concern basis so we're approaching the setting of the MTFS as
if the council continues to exist, even if LGR happens to take that existence away. That
increase from 2 .5 million to 7 .2 is because within the current three year funding settlement
that applies in 26, 27, 28, 29, there is around about 4 .5 million of income protection afforded
to this council. The assumption in the absence of any information from government, because
this would be in a new spending review period,
a new settlement period, is that drops away in full
in one financial year.
Hence the increase from 2 .5 to 7 .2.
Just a word from me in terms of the key changes.
We've made good progress, the administration's
made good progress in addressing that budget gap.
That doesn't mean that the council should be complacent.
There is more to do.
I think what the table that Councillor Coleman referred to,
which showed a balance of 269,
is after taking into account one off in year pressures
for 27 -28, which includes the cost of the local elections
in May 2027 and any additional funding
that's required to support the local plan.
There are pressures being exerted on the budget inflation,
as mentioned around CPI, cost of fuel is significant.
This report says we purchased 508 ,000 litres of fuel.
Actually, we got an update from UBCO yesterday.
It is around 52 ,000 litres less than that,
following the rezoning.
But we are exposed to that particular cost pressure.
So we do need a balanced and proportionate savings programme
that looks at both how to generate additional income,
but how to reduce costs and as I mentioned an overview and scrutiny
committee is balancing those out because one has more certainty than the other
which is more certain to take cost out than it is to generate additional income
and essentially in terms of where we are with the capital programme that's
presented in this report and it tends to get overlooked because it's section 6
the report a little bit later but it's really important aspect the council has
been able to finance that capital programme from its own internal resources
without the need to undertake prudential borrowing. The capital financing position
at the end of the previous financial year was we had unapplied capital
receipts available to support the capital programme of 6 .3 million but we
are applying those quite significantly over the next two years. Thank you David.
I'm going to open it up to members now.
Tony?
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:25:24
Councillor Tony Dale - 0:25:27
Thank you, Leader.
Cabinet colleagues will know I've sat through I think eight
of these budgets now in seven or eight years of being on the
Cabinet, and I will say thank you, David.
It is one of the longest and most comprehensive reports I've
ever read for an MTFS, and there is a reason for that.
The word that pops up most markedly in my mind and in terms of the attributes of this particular report this year, this time around, are uncertainty.
And uncertainties are not those things which are in the control of the Section 151 Officer or indeed in the control of this Council and this Cabinet.
Those uncertainties, as many of us will know, you know,
sort of struggling with the cost of living crisis,
are very real on costs of fuel and the results of the wars
in the Middle East.
They are the result of rising inflation because of fuel rises
in the Middle East.
They are the result of significant changes,
I will say, in government bond markets,
which are unsettling financial markets,
which will in the sort of medium term affect any prudential borrowing and prudential borrowing rates,
which, thank goodness, we don't have very much of, which is great, but it doesn't insulate us from those uncertainties.
The world is an uncertain place. The good news is that as these things are, that gives us a little bit of upside
in that we get treasury returns from our balances, which are perhaps better than we'd forecast.
Our car parks continue to be well used and liked and I have to say I'm very pleased with
the way the car parks run.
It'll be great news when we have the new machines in place which will be much more simple to
use and our car parking revenues have held up well this year.
The leisure centres remarkably continue to perform, so much so that I'm told by the operators
we're their favourite number one council.
I'm sure that's just sucking up.
But there we go.
There we go.
So it's nice to feel that we can get something right in cabinet after seven or eight years.
So residents enjoy your leisure centres.
They are now feeding a small surplus back to the budget, which is even better.
And that's because of long term thoughtful decisions made by this administration about getting green and
renewable energy to heat the pools and to run the leisure centres sustainably.
I could go on and on, but the key point is we don't control those uncertainties, but
are we not lucky, cabinet colleagues, to have a budget that we can pull together with the
help of our officers, which makes us one of the very few remaining councils across this
country that can balance it and be left with, to all intents and purposes, largely a break -even
budget.
So I am thrilled to support the recommendation of this report.
Thank you very much, Tony.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:28:36
And just a point of clarity, the only borrowing we have is the
climate bonds that we did.
And we borrowed that at 2 .2 percent.
So I think we got a pretty good deal when we borrowed that money.
And other than that, we are debt free.
Andrea.
Councillor Andrea Pellegram - 0:28:51
Yes, Tony, we're lucky.
But you make your own luck, don't you?
don't you? You make your own luck. So thank you David for your excellent balancing powers.
I just want to say something from my side. The waste side is the biggest cost. It's also
our biggest environmental carbon contributor. So it's really good to see that this budget
has actually taken a very prudent approach to the cost of fuel which seems to be going
up. Yes, we are looking at the hydro treated vegetable oil and we will be carefully monitoring
that as we go forward to make sure that we always get the best deal for our residents, which means
money on one side and reduced carbon impact on the other side. There's a balancing act there. I
do want to say that I'm delighted with the recommendation that we continue to purchase the
vehicles with no borrowing, which is quite an achievement. And more reliable new vehicles will
actually reduce our costs because we have additional costs because of the vehicles breaking
down all the time. So that's actually going to be beneficial. And at the same time, you know,
we're moving to the less polluting fuel and at least one for now electric vehicles. So I'm
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:30:19
delighted. Thank you. Thank you very much Andrea. I'll take Paul first and then Mike.
Councillor Paul Evans - 0:30:27
Thank you. When I joined this council not so very long ago I was looking forward to seeing how the finances were and to see that we have both healthy reserves, a balanced budget and are largely debt free,
noting the leader's observation that we borrowed at a particularly good rate.
It's very encouraging to see and I can only imagine the amount of work from
the leader in his previous role and from our section 151 officer and
colleagues around this table that how we have managed to do that.
As Councillor Dale said yes, we live in a particularly uncertain time.
The world is full of risks. There are lots of them out there and of course that uncertainty will will carry on.
We have talked about local government reorganisation coming at some point, most likely.
And of course being resilient for that and being in a with healthy reserves, balanced budget and largely debt free means that we are resilient.
And that's the word I'd like to call out, particularly that this council is resilient, I believe, to the changes that face us.
I would also like to point out from my portfolio hat that I think good
financial stewardship enables us to operate the council tax reduction scheme
that we do operate and we do have that I believe is one of the more generous and
we can only do that because the good financial stewardship from our
leadership that we have had and of course that means that we can help fund
and help support those of our residents and our communities who are most in
need through this cost of living crisis.
So thank you, colleagues, for your work.
Dr. David Cameron Thank you.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:32:11
Thank you, Paul.
And yeah, just before I bring in Mike, I mean, that point around
resilience is so important.
I mean, I think looking at the figures that we've got in the
table showing where we might be in a few years' time,
unfortunately because of the way that government funding works,
we always seem to have figures that look like that.
When I've been presenting those reports in the past,
we've often seen, you know, financial cliff edges
and now we've got an absolutely massive financial cliff edge.
And it may be after we're gone and as David said, you know,
we're talking about, you know, 5 million pounds or so
that might be basically not there anymore
that the government is using to underpin our budgets
at the moment because they've taken away money elsewhere and then they give it to you back here.
So yeah, that financial uncertainty is always tricky. But yeah, obviously some really good
Councillor Mike McKeown - 0:33:16
work has been done already. Mike. So firstly, I'd just like to add my thanks as well to David
and the finance team and of course to Mike and Patrick that's a rarity in this world of local
government. While we have our, you know, like wool, we are stressed on our finances,
but we're in a good financial situation compared to many that are in deep
trouble. So that's very reassuring to see and thank you. Two comments from related
to my portfolios. One on the digital side of things and AI, you know, clearly that's
called out and I think we've got lots of opportunity there to, in many cases, win -win.
cut costs and improve services together.
Clearly we need to scrutinise that and make sure we, you know,
we really are getting both of those things.
They're real savings.
You know, but a good example I think we've had recently for
what's just come to the AI overview committee that I chair
with the trial and the planning team is actually a really good
example of both of that.
You know, the planners are still making the decisions about if
you're a resident, you're extension or a new development,
but the AI was about 40 % reduction.
It allowed them to achieve in how long it takes
to take a decision.
It helps them find stuff that they might have
otherwise not seen.
And it was saving about a day a week per officer of time.
So it's kind of, maybe that's the perfect example,
but I think it shows the potential for us transformation
in local government and achieving both of those things.
So let's continue that.
On the second, on my climate hat, I agree with you on that.
You know, it's important that we get all the procurement done
and right for the new waste fleet, the HVO used,
because it is by far our biggest carbon footprint.
Interestingly, obviously we've got one of the fleet
procurements is an EV, and I hope we get that
as quickly as possible.
A benefit of that financially, I was chatting
to a colleague of mine, another climate lead at a different rural council who also have
electric vehicles in their waste fleet. So they're saving compared to diesel, £18 ,000
per truck per year in savings of running costs. They're finding lower operating costs as well.
They're easy to service, more reliable. And the residents really like that their streets
are much quieter rather than these noisy old combustion engines. So there's, you know,
clean tech has many financial and social benefits as well so let's motor on
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:36:00
quickly into into that. Thank you very much. Thank you Mike and before I go back
to Patrick just one other comment on this obviously one of the things that
the pause in the government's decision has put in is his extra cost on to us as
authorities in terms of preparing for local government reorganisation. I know
that's something that David and his fellow CFOs across Gloucestershire are
totting up and you know we will be going to the government and Councillor Spivey
as leader of the County Council will be leading on that for us no doubt but
essentially yeah just to also make the point that aside from the government has
said essentially that they're allocating £900 ,000 for each area, while the cost of local government
reorganisation is, depending on which outcome the government ends up choosing for Gloucestershire
is I think getting on for 30 million potentially a bit more. So, you know, and they're not
giving us that money. That money is assumed to come from us from the savings that we make
once it actually happens.
So we are spending and we have to spend our money,
our reserves to abolish ourselves
to create a new council
which will then potentially save the money for our residents.
So that's the economics of it.
It's going to be funded by us as the preview assessor councils,
whatever outcome we get.
And we will be pushing very hard, as hard as we can,
to get the government to recognise
that under the leadership of Councillor Spivey. I'll just go back to Councillor
Coleman for any sort of final summing up or comments. I don't see anyone else.
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:37:49
Thank you chair. Thank you colleagues for some very well informed and very
helpful contributions. I think and indeed particularly to our Chief Finance Officer
for filling in some of the gaps I left perhaps deliberately. I think we can
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:38:09
leave it there for today. Thank you. Very much so. I've got that moved by the
recommendations being moved by Councillor Coleman and seconded by
Councillor Dale on page 51. If we can go to the vote then please. Thank you very
much. Seven votes in favour. So we'll now move on to agenda item 12. Another one
for you Patrick right off in excess of five thousand pounds press your button

12 Write off in excess of £5,000

Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:38:45
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:38:51
is it yes thank you chair this comes before cabinet it's a write -off in
excess of five thousand pounds the as I recall the actual figure isn't a huge
amount more than that. £5 ,760 the amount falling to us that we lose by writing
this off, so lose technically because we've never had it, is £394 .81
approximately and members can see and indeed the public can it's a public
document that this is a debt that goes back over six years and a bandy property
with what looks like to have been a single resident, always had trouble
paying their money and eventually fell significantly into debt and in the end
couldn't be traced. The last address known was a charity in Sheffield
providing support services to vulnerable people. I believe that one of the reasons
it's wise to write this off now is the amount of time that has passed but we
need to seek confirmation from an officer.
All available recovery and enforcement options
have therefore been exhausted.
And with reluctance, but recognising reality,
it's my view that we should approve
the writing off of this debt.
And in doing so, I can't actually remember
the last time we had one of these.
I think it may have been before I came on the cabinet.
And perhaps that indicates not just how efficient
our council tax collection team and debt recovery teams are, but also how public
spirited people are in our district, because they do actually pay the tax that is due
whenever they possibly can. That's my impression anyway. So I move to
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:40:43
recommendation to approve the write -off. Thank you, Councillor Coleman. I think in
my role, in your role before, I think I might have brought one or two, so in six
years so it isn't very common. Do we have a seconder? Yeah, Paul. I think just
to echo Patrick and your comments about the low numbers of these that
Councillor Paul Evans - 0:41:05
have had is indeed testament to the honesty and community mindedness of
our residents that they do pay and the actions of our officers in recovering
debts where they exist. So yeah I'm happy to second. I wish we didn't have to do this but
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:41:28
unfortunately these things happen. Thank you very much Paul. Anyone else got
anything to say on that? No okay so we've been moved and seconded to approve the
write -off of £5 ,760 .12 detailed in the report on the basis of the debt is now
considered too old to recover and obviously we've made every effort to do
that. Thank You officers who are here for this item. So we'll go to the vote please.
Thank you very much.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:41:56
Seven votes in favour.

13 Council Tax Premium on second homes and long-term empties for properties restricted to those aged 55 years and over

So we'll now move on to our final item this evening.
Major item.
Council, very long title.
Council tax premium on second homes and long -term empties
for properties restricted to those aged 55 years and over.
Can I go back to Councillor Coleman to explain this one to us?
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:42:20
Thank you very much, Chair.
I'm very glad that this report has come today because this problem hasn't had a huge amount
of publicity, but I know has concerned many members of the Council.
And it does deal with more than one type of problem.
So I've got to try and be clear about this.
I think the one that I want to start with is that we have 184 long -term empty retirement
flats or homes.
On those, there are 158 owned by corporate organisations who, as far as I know, are paying
council tax and getting no income, and 26 are owned privately, typically by the relatives
of a deceased former owner and alongside that and the other category we are looking at today,
there are 1 ,295 properties where we are charging a second home premium. Now that as I recall
means paying two council taxes if you've got a second home. Our 63 of those are homes which
are empty because the liable person for the council tax is a relative or
representative following the death of the owner. So there are 89 properties
where occupation is restricted to those over 55 where the previous owner
occupier has died. So we've had a small number of requests from owners and
beneficiaries requesting that the premium be removed because they've been struggling
to sell the property. And so our officers have come up with a proposal to on the one
hand amend the council tax premium policy with regard to dwellings restricted by occupation
to a person of 55 years and over, to say where that person,
where their dwelling is restricted in that way
and the previous owner or occupier is deceased, the executor
or administrator responsible for managing the deceased estate may apply
for a further exemption of not more than 12 months,
provided they have unsuccessfully secured a sale
within the previous 12 months and have during that period,
marketed the property at a price that is considered reasonable to secure a sale.
That will clearly require the exercise of judgement by our staff. I think this
would be welcome and also reasonable because it's hard enough dealing with
the estate of a DSE relative without also having it drag on because you're
able to sell the property. With regard to the retirement homes that have been built
for which there was no market, that arguably is a sign of a failure of the
planning system which doesn't today come under the agenda of this meeting. I
think there's probably more I should say about this but I've spoken for long
enough. Thank You Councillor Coleman. I'm gonna go to Chris Kent sitting behind
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:45:50
you see if there was anything else that you should have said that you didn't say
that he thinks that we ought to know, Chris.
Thank you.
Officer - 0:45:57
No, everything has been covered.
Nothing more to say.
Thank you.
Okay. Thank you.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:46:03
Going to open it up now.
So I think, Juliette, you were going to second this.
So would you want to speak now?
Yeah.
Thank you.
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:46:11
Yeah, I would like to second it.
But before I second it, I would actually like to ask a question
because I saw a very brief item today saying
that Angela Rayne had said that instead of the 12, no sorry,
the year, two years we were expecting, we're reducing it
down to a year now, she is going to do new changes of six months.
So I'm thinking, I don't know when that's going to come in
and what that impact will be on this, but I suspect we'll have
to be changing or renewing this policy when that happens
in order to be in line with that.
but and also about the council's management of empty dwelling management orders in which we could go in with, you know, if there was a property empty after six months and put some of our homeless people in.
We haven't got homeless people, that's not the word I want, but some of our people that maybe we've got in temporary accommodation, that could be used for that.
And I was just wondering when we are likely
to hear anything definite on that,
because that would be a really good move.
It would be an excellent move.
I mean, we do have people, we've got 1 ,000 people sitting
on our, over 1 ,000 people sitting on our housing list.
And we've got a few in temporary accommodation.
And in the country itself, we've got 180 ,000 children
in temporary accommodation, which is appalling.
And that number keeps rising.
Every time I say it, it goes up, which is terrible.
But I was just wondering, with those words from the government now,
when do you think we are likely to see that implemented,
and will we as a council be able to act on that?
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:48:05
I'm going to go to David first, if he knows or heard about the announcement.
And then I could, Eben, if any other officer wants to say anything.
But yeah, we'll start with David anyway.
Thank you, Lida.
David Stanley, Deputy CEO - 0:48:16
So this refers to the empty dwelling management orders
announcement made on the 27th of September.
This won't necessarily have a direct impact on the policy
that we've got initially.
What the EDMO is looking to do is reduce the qualifying period
from two years to six months.
This is from AI where I've asked it some questions and it's
given me some answers.
What it may do, if effective, is actually may reduce the amount of income the council
generates from the financial incentive that we put in place to bring those empty homes
back into use.
So over a period of time from when this is introduced, this may have a potential implication
for the district council because it will increase the number of properties eligible for intervention
sooner.
allow us to take more action sooner, which then may reduce
the number of empty homes and therefore reduce the premium.
So I'm not anticipating at this stage that we would need
to review this policy, but the wider policy in terms of how
successful it is in its financial incentive may need
to be reviewed as part of the budget -setting process.
But I would defer to Chris Kent and other officers who are much
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:49:38
closer to some of the impacts this may have. Chris can you shed any more light on this?
Officer - 0:49:41
I haven't heard about it until just now. I would imagine that we would hear about it in either the
autumn statement or the spring budget. At that point it's for when they then want us to introduce
it which would I would imagine the earliest would then be from the first of April next year
but I would imagine it might be a little later than that.
But I would imagine that they would announce that
at either autumn statement or spring budget.
If it was after that, we would grant,
we would charge the levy after the amount of time
that they do.
And then there are a number of exceptions
of which the one we're talking about here is one of them.
and by approving this to two years it would obviously extend how long for
Homes over 55 before they got the higher amount
Added to their council tax
Thank you. Thank you Chris
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:50:46
Yeah, clearly there's government announcement did Frank. Did you want to say something did you?
Yeah, I mean clearly
Officer - 0:50:57
legislation changes all the time in terms of council tax and so we'll pick
up those issues but I think the empty management order I think it's
probably a bit of red herring in terms of this piece of lead and this thing
because clearly we talked about homes for the over 55s and that will create a
very difficult restriction on putting people into those sorts of dwellings so
you know I think we can go ahead with this if there are any adjustments we
need to make down the line will come back to you to make those adjustments.
We recognise that yeah I think Julie is using the opportunity to see whether
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:51:33
what impact that might have more broadly but yeah clearly we're aware that you
know there is an issue with a number of cases that have come through to us as
relatively small number which is obviously why we're looking at this and
obviously any change to council tax has to go through the full council and it
to be implemented from the 1st of April so what we're talking about and I'll
come back to Juliet to say a bit more will be this is a recommendation for
Council and then for implementation from the 1st of April next year. Back to you
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:52:09
Juliet. Thank you thank you for taking that little question on it just seemed
fitting that as I read it today that I had an opportunity to ask because you
know we have people who need homes. But I'm really pleased this has come forward
and I know I've talked about this before because it came to me as a
resident in my ward mentioned that was there anything we could do about it and
I didn't know I didn't realise that actually when you're dealing with your
you know your deceased parent usually you've got all that probate to do and
all those things that you have to do and financial stuff and grieve and at the
same time we have you know you're we're asking for extra council tax and they're
also having to pay and for these retirement homes they're also having to
pay management fees now I would like to see those management fees to go I think
that's really unreasonable or even maybe reduced a lot because I guess a bit of
heating a modicum of heating would have to be in an empty those empty properties
to make sure that everything around them is not being affected by having an empty property.
But I'm very very pleased that this has come forward and yeah I've totally just totally supported
Councillor Paul Evans - 0:53:33
thank you. Thanks Julia anyone else? Yeah Paul. I think just just very briefly an observation that
yes absolutely we should be doing what we can to support residents who are by definition in a time
of difficulty with deceased relatives but I think it's testament to our
healthy financial position that we're able to to look to do this so to join
those two up yeah absolutely support it thank you yeah thanks very much yeah
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:54:02
Paul and I think in para 4 .2 it outlines the the lost revenue we expect as a
and it's just over 8 ,000 for this council.
But as we said, there are a few cases that we are aware of.
I think to Juliet's point just now, there are some providers
of homes for older people that don't carry
on charging people indefinitely.
I know certainly one in my ward, they charge for three months
and they don't after that.
So that is, but you're right, to change that and stop them doing that might require legislation,
which obviously is not in our gift.
But is there anyone else on this?
Or are we happy to, Patrick, is there anything else you wanted to say before we go to the vote?
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:54:54
Only just, sir, this is a recommendation to full Council, so this is not the last you'll see of it.
The additional paragraph I read out will be inserted as para 3 .5
of the existing policy which appears at Annex A
and is the document that was approved some time ago.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:55:16
Thank you very much.
Can I just before we go to the vote, looking at that wording,
I do think there may be, I want to leave this
with the officers just to cheque out but whether we should say marketed we should
add the dwelling in that last line because I looked at what we were
marketing and the only thing we've mentioned it is in the first line which
is six lines away so I think it might be better to say marketed the dwelling at a
price that is considered reasonable to secure a sale two officers feel happy
with that yeah okay they do right so with that tiny amendment then we can we
to the vote then please.
Still waiting for one person to vote.
Mike, have you done it?
You have. Right, you've all now voted.
That's seven votes in favour.
Thank you very much.
And the last item on the agenda is the next meeting
of the cabinet which is on the 19th of November. Thank you very much to members

14 Next meeting

and officers for your attendance and engagement this evening. Wish you all a
safe journey home. Thank you.

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