Cabinet - Thursday 9 January 2025, 6:00pm - Vote_events Tab - Cotswold District Council Webcasting

Cabinet
Thursday, 9th January 2025 at 6:00pm 

Agenda

Slides

Transcript

Map

Resources

Forums

Speakers

Votes

 
Share this agenda point
Share this agenda point
  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Joe Harris
Share this agenda point
  1. Test vote
    Status: In progress
  2. 03. Approve Minutes of the previous meeting
    Status: Ended
Share this agenda point
Share this agenda point
Share this agenda point
Share this agenda point
  1. Councillor Juliet Layton
  2. Councillor Joe Harris
  3. Councillor Claire Bloomer
  4. Councillor Joe Harris
  5. Councillor Mike Evemy
  6. Councillor Joe Harris
  7. Councillor Juliet Layton
  8. Councillor Joe Harris
  9. 11. Disabled Facilities Grants Policy Update - Approve Recs 1-3
    Status: In progress
  10. 11. Disabled Facilities Grants Policy Update - Approve Recs 1-3
    Status: Ended
Share this agenda point
  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Joe Harris
  3. Councillor Claire Bloomer
  4. Councillor Joe Harris
  5. Officer
  6. Councillor Joe Harris
  7. Councillor Tristan Wilkinson
  8. Councillor Mike Evemy
  9. Officer
  10. Councillor Joe Harris
  11. Councillor Juliet Layton
  12. Officer
  13. Councillor Joe Harris
  14. Councillor Joe Harris
  15. Councillor Joe Harris
  16. David Stanley, Deputy CEO
  17. Councillor Tristan Wilkinson
  18. Councillor Joe Harris
  19. Councillor Claire Bloomer
  20. Councillor Mike Evemy
  21. Councillor Joe Harris
  22. 08. Business Rates Relief 25/26 - Approve Rec 1 & 2
    Status: In progress
  23. 08. Business Rates Relief 25/26 - Approve Rec 1 & 2
    Status: Ended
Share this agenda point
  1. Councillor Mike Evemy
  2. Councillor Joe Harris
  3. 09. Counter Fraud Enforcement Unit Agreement - Approve Rec 1
    Status: In progress
  4. Councillor Joe Harris
  5. 09. Counter Fraud Enforcement Unit Agreement - Approve Rec 1
    Status: Ended
Share this agenda point
  1. Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
  2. Councillor Joe Harris
  3. Councillor Juliet Layton
  4. Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
  5. Councillor Joe Harris
  6. Councillor Joe Harris
  7. Councillor Juliet Layton
  8. Councillor Joe Harris
  9. Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
  10. Councillor Joe Harris
  11. 10. Corinium Museum Policies - Approve Rec 1 & 2
    Status: In progress
  12. 10. Corinium Museum Policies - Approve Rec 1 & 2
    Status: Ended
  13. Councillor Mike Evemy
  14. Councillor Joe Harris
Share this agenda point
  1. Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
  2. Officer
  3. Councillor Joe Harris
  4. Councillor Joe Harris
  5. 14. Contract Award for the Parking ICT System - Approve Rec 1
    Status: In progress
  6. 14. Contract Award for the Parking ICT System - Approve Rec 1
    Status: Ended
  7. Webcast Finished

1 Apologies

Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:00:03
Good evening, sorry for the slightly late start.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:00:05
Welcome to January's cabinet.
Happy new year.
It's good to be back.
I hope you all had restful Christmas and New Year's.
We've got a lot to fit in over the next few months
in particular, but over the course of the year.
So hopefully it'll be an exciting year
and we'll build on lots of achievements from last year.
We start the agenda then with apologies.
We don't think we've got any.
It looks like a full house, which is a good way to start
the year.
Declarations of interest.
Has anybody got anything pertaining to the agenda?
No?
Okay.
Thank you very much.
Right, then we move to the minutes of the previous cabinet
meeting on the 5th of December.
Colleagues, do any of you have any comments as to the accuracy
of those?
Look to my deputy, who is usually pretty diligent.

3 Minutes

No, that's a very good sign.
Anybody else?
In that case, I will propose those.
Can I have a seconder to approve those minutes?
And also you can only vote if you were here.
So if you weren't here, please don't vote.
Can we go to the vote then?
And just a reminder, if you weren't here, abstain.
Thank you.
Which is the yellow one.
Thank you.
There we go.
That's somebody not voted.
Everybody, everyone check they voted?
No, I haven't voted.
There we go.
Oh, I thought I had.
There we go.
Five in favor, two abstentions.
There we go.
We're just sort of getting warmed up after Christmas.
Clearly we're out of practice of electronic voting.
Excellent.
That is carried then.
We move now to leaders announcements.
The government's proposals for English devolution and local government reorganisation are obviously

4 Leader's Announcements

going to profoundly shape the future of local government in our area.
Let me start by saying that this Council's Lib Dem administration strongly supports the
principle of devolution.
We believe that decisions affecting our communities are best made by those who understand them
and those who are accountable to them.
Devolving power to local areas is essential to strengthening our democracy and delivering
better outcomes for our residents.
However, while we recognise the Labour Government's mandate for the creation of mayors and the
strategic authorities that come with them, this was clearly set out before the general
election in their manifesto, it's important to recognise that there is no such mandate
for local government reorganisation.
Reorganisation wasn't mentioned in their manifesto.
We believe that any changes must be handled with the greatest care and full public consultation.
The government's current proposals risk undermining local democracy.
They propose consolidating powers in the hands of one elected mayor and a strategic authority,
covering vast regional footprint.
It feels like it's taking the local out of local government.
Now they say that bigger isn't always better, unless you will to council, in which case
bigger just means you need Google Maps to find your local councillor.
It is vast.
Large local authorities can become disconnected and remote from the people in which they serve.
District councils like ours on the other hand deliver excellent work every day.
From housing and planning to waste collection and tackling climate change, district councils
Councils are vital to providing the services our residents rely on and championing the
needs of our communities.
Here in Gloucestershire we are far from ready for the kind of sweeping changes that the
Government is proposing. Gloucestershire County Council's recent request to delay May's
local election is in our view an outrage and it has been done purely for political reasons.
It is the last desperate move from an administration who have lost their majority, left our roads
in ruin and run services into the ground.
And they don't want to face the electorate.
I have joined other district council leaders across the county in writing to the government
to oppose this delay to local elections.
It feels as if the Conservatives are prioritising their own political advantage over the interests
of residents.
And I for one as a leader of this council will not stand for it.
The truth is that at present there is no consensus here in Gloucestershire about what reorganisation
should look like or indeed how a mayoral authority would work.
It therefore doesn't make sense to delay our elections when there aren't any oven -ready
plans in place.
The Government will invite plans in May, and those are going to be in the areas where elections
this year will be delayed, and also in the autumn, where elections to a new authority
would likely be held in 2027 for what reorganisations in localities should look like.
If the Government does delay elections here this May, and we are required to submit a
proposal in May, we will support the creation of a single unitary authority for Gloucestershire.
That said, my strong preference, if given time to do this properly, is for an alternative
approach.
We should revisit the proposal to create two new councils in Gloucestershire, one for the
This option, which we began exploring in 2021, has significant merit and enjoys support from some of our county's Labour MPs, Lib Dem MPs.
We haven't till the autumn to pull a proposal together if elections aren't delayed here in May.
On mayors, if we were able to join a mayor in a strategic authority area, our preference would be to look south,
towards Swindon or perhaps Wiltshire, notwithstanding their interest of creating a strategic area with Dorset and Somerset,
or even with the West of England Combined Authority area as a more natural fit.
Many people in this county do not look to Hereford and Worcestershire as local bases.
No decisions will be made like me. I'll bring any proposals back to full council for debate and agreement.
Our priority will always be to ensure that any changes
work for the people we represent, that they
strengthen democracy and protect the high quality
services that councils provide.
I want us to shape a future local government that is
rooted in our communities, responsive to their needs,
and fit for the challenges ahead.
Thank you.
We'll move now to public questions.
We've got one member of the public.
Would you like to ask a question or a question?

5 Public Questions

Thank you for coming.
I hope you find it, I won't say fun, but informative.
It is warm, isn't it?
Lovely.
So we have had notice of a member question.

6 Member Questions

So what I'm going to do is I'm going to read it out and I'll provide an answer.
There are two and they're both from Councillor Chris Twelves.
The first pertains to local government reform.
It's directed at me.
What communication, if any, has the cabinet received from the government regarding the latest proposals to reform local government in Gloucestershire?
Will the County Council elections proceed as scheduled on Thursday 1st May?
If not, when will the decision to postpone the elections be communicated to residents?
Additionally, does the leader or cabinet colleagues have any ambitions to become the Combined Authority Mayor of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Swindon?
If so, could the advocate for the new Mayoral Offices to be located in Tepary, which is conveniently situated at the beating heart of these three local authorities?
Thank Christ of the 12th for his question.
I'm sure he's watching.
So we've received a number of formal letters from the,
from MHCLG, the department.
Most of those were received in the sort of week
or two before Christmas.
I can try and find copies of those if they haven't been
filed away or deleted, which I'm happy to share
with members more generally.
Obviously, that statement I've just given,
give my view on the county council elections.
I don't know whether they will proceed.
I would suggest Gloucestershire probably isn't as advanced
as many other areas in local government reorganisation plans
or devolution, so I would probably assume we're likely
to not have our elections here delayed.
Having said that, it's up to the Minister
and who knows what they will say.
And as soon as we know, which will hopefully be
in the next few weeks, we will of course communicate
that to our residents, but I'm sure there will be national
coverage of that.
I'm not sure, I don't think any of my cabinet colleagues have a desire to be the mayor of a combined authority for this area.
I certainly don't, that's for sure.
Colleagues? No? Oh Tristan, Tristan, I think you were being sarcastic.
So no, I don't think there's any ambition to be a mayor from anybody in this room.
And of course if we get any if we do get a command authority and offices to boot then I'd be more than happy to look at situating those in TETBRI.
But I'm sure there'll be lots of other candidates as well.
But I'd be more than happy to look at that.
So I thank Councillor Charles for his question.
Our second question then if I just find it is from Councillor Charles as well.
There we go. So I'll read it out and then Mike I think you're going to respond.
Does the council hold a copy of the lease for the old station car park in
Tetbury? If possible please provide a copy of this document for inspection.
Thank You leader in answer. Thank You councillor Twelves for your question.
There is a lease agreement for the public car park at the former railway in
goods yard, Tetbury, between Cotswold District Council as tenant and the landlord, Tetbury
Town Council. The lease can be shared with Councillor Twelves who has, as a Councillor,
has a right to information, but any wider disclosure would need to be agreed by the
Town Council as the leases are not public documents.
Thank you, Mike, and thank you, Councillor Twelves, for your questions. Okay, then, I've
I've got a request to bring item 11 forward as I think one of our officers has to
shoot off so I'm more than happy to make that request so we're going to go

11 Disabled Facilities Grants Policy Update

straight to item 11 and then we'll go back to the agenda as it's printed so
this is the disabled facilities grant policy update and Councillor Layton
you're going to introduce this item.
Thank you.
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:10:49
This is an update to a policy which is on page 83 for anybody looking at the bundle.
The Cotswold District Council has a statutory duty to provide mandatory disabled facilities
grants, DFGs, and can also approve discretionary disabled facilities grants, which are DDFGs.
These grants, funded annually by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and the local government
through the Better Care Fund, help cover the cost of home adaptations for eligible disabled
individuals, enabling them to live safely and independently. The current policy approved
in 2019 has been updated to reflect the current economic climate and working practices.
2 .6 on the bundle shows the range of help that grants can provide.
The delivery of DFGs involves collaboration amongst various organisations, including the
six district councils, the occupational therapy service, the integrated commissioning team
and the integrated care board. This policy developed through consultation with these
stakeholders aims to ensure equity of provision across the county while allowing for local
variances. The policy follows guidance from Foundations, the National Body for Disabled
Facilities grants in England and includes a Gloucestershire County Statement of Intent.
The consultation across the six districts will provide policy stability if there is
in local government in the future.
Key updates to the policy include the introduction
of local land charge for up to £10 ,000
for properties receiving grants over £5 ,000,
which is applicable for 10 years.
Discretionary grants may also be subject to local land charge,
depending on the nature and value of the grant.
These land charges are seen on page 107.
The policy also outlines the delegation of authority for approving DDFGs with different
approval levels based on the grant amount and that is shown on item 2 in the recommendations
on page 83 or 84.
To ensure the continued relevance of the pooled DFG funding agreement, an item will be added
to the leadership Gloucestershire agenda for review and assessment, the DFG Council forum
will continue to meet quarterly to discuss and address any issues related to the policy.
In summary, the updated policy aims to improve the delivery and management of DFGs, ensuring
that disabled individuals in the Cotswold district receive the support they need to
live independently and safely in their homes.
There are, there's an Annex A of the, is the policy on page 89.
The guidance and legislation is the appendix of A, page 98.
And appendix B is shown on page 110.
And then there's C and D which are the forms.
And really those numbers we have in front of us, but that's basically the numbers I'm
giving for the public who are watching.
I can read the recommendations.
It is to approve the updated disabled
facilities grant policy subject to availability
of disabled facilities grant funding from Better Care Fund.
Two, to continue to delegate authority
in the approved discretionary disabled
facilities grant fund as per the Council's constitution.
Approve the key updates to the policy.
The A, mandatory grants where the applicant is an owner
occupy and the grant value is over £5 ,000, a local land charge up to £10 ,000 may apply
for 10 years. B, discretionary grants and local land charge may apply dependent on the
nature and value of the DDFG as outlined in Appendix B, types of assistance. Thank you.
Thank you, Juliette. Claire, I think you're going to second. Do you
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:15:00
want to speak now?
I'll say a few words. Let's be clear this fund has a transformational impact on the lives of local residents living with disabilities.
The policy that we're adopting tonight ensures equity across all districts in Gloucestershire, aligning resources and support to meet diverse needs of many residents living in our communities while also building in local flexibility for our district.
The updated policy supports one of our core objectives at this council and our administration
of supporting our communities and community wellbeing.
And I think it demonstrates a proactive commitment to empowering residents with disabilities.
I think that's so, so, so important that people are able to live independently, safely and
with dignity most importantly.
I think it's really good news and then you know if I may you know we all know
people in our communities that benefit from from this grant in fact I think my
grandfather did and boy he passed away last year and you know it did it's just
sometimes those small adaptations that perhaps are beyond the means of some
people are able to happen and they're able to enjoy actually a new lease of
and you know it's so important we know that we've got a an elderly demographic
in in this district and you know let's continue to grow so you know we are
getting more more and more requests for this and more and more problems so it's
really important that we respond so you know I want to say a big thank you to
our officers here at this council to pull up for pulling this this report
together for the good work that yourself and your team do in supporting many of
our most vulnerable residents.
It doesn't go unnoticed, and we really, really appreciate it.
So thank you very much.
Are there any more comments on this for Claire?
Is there anything you want to add?
Or are we all good?
I'm happy to add a couple of things.
Councillor Claire Bloomer - 0:17:02
I pretty think you and Juliet have covered it very well.
But obviously, there is a growing demographic
as well of young people that have got disabilities.
And over the past couple of years,
I've actually assisted one of our local residents
here in the Cotswolds with disabilities.
and this is where these grants come in so useful,
and I think it's so independent, not only for the individual,
but also for the families to ensure that their young people
and elderly people have got the independence
to be able to live independently and feel good about themselves.
So yes, I thoroughly support this.
Brilliant.
Thank you, Claire.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:17:37
Mike, you want to make a point?
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:17:41
Yeah, I just really thank you, Juliet,
for introducing and for the comments from Joe and Claire.
I just wanted to look at the finances,
and I was struck by what it says in Para 3 .4,
where essentially the amount provided to local authorities
for these grants has trebled nationally since 2012.
And I think that clearly demonstrates
actually how much need there is for people,
obviously encouraging people to stay in their own homes
rather than have to move elsewhere but yeah and we are seeing though increasing
demand coming through in terms of this year's budget in terms of against that
the budget the money the funding that comes down from the government for them
and and I lied to that just obviously making the point around making sure that
where where appropriate essentially that some of that money comes back if people
move on quickly from the property so that's what a bit about the land charge
comes in and there's discretion for officers about how they use that but I
think to reassure anybody anybody watching is thinking about you know do
people get grants to improve their house and then move quite quickly afterwards
yeah there is a recompense that the cap money can come back into the council to
use obviously on other grants for other people should people obviously not not
stay in the property for that long after they've had the adaptations but now very
much support the policy and the points made by colleagues
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:19:08
Brilliant, thank you Mike. We're in danger of violently agreeing with each other.
Julia, anything you want to add or are you happy for us to go to the vote?
I'm happy for you to go to the vote, yes, thank you.
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:19:15
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:19:17
Marvellous, so that's proposed by Councillor Layton, seconded by Councillor Bloomer.
If we can go to the vote please.
Thank you.
Smashing, I think, that is unanimous. Thank you very much. Brilliant.
Paula, thank you for coming and see you soon.
Right then, we move back to the agenda.

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

So, item seven is issues arising from overview and scrutiny
and audit and governance.
So, we have one recommendation from the overview
and scrutiny committee.
The recommendation is that the council ensures that it has
processes in place for testing and developing the value of the
work it is undertaking on the climate and ecological
or emergency with a view to providing positive ongoing
investment in this field.
So it's a recommendation that we accept.
The council has adopted governance and decision -making
processes that give a significant priority
to climate change.
All reports prepared for decision -making purposes now
include a mandatory section on the implications for the
climate and ecological emergencies.
Additionally, the council is trialing a sustainability
impact assessment tool designed to ensure that sustainability considerations are reviewed
at key stages of projects, including the design stage, when beneficial changes can be made.
The tool ensures, for example, the carbon implications of building or operating new
buildings as assessed, opportunities to mitigate negative impacts by designers identified,
facilities and access to support sustainable transport is provided, and ecological enhancement
in site landscaping is maximised.
So, yes, we agree to the recommendation.
The comment is that we're doing a lot of that already.
So, I want to thank Overview and Scrutiny for all
their hard work.
I know they go into some fabulous detail on
particular policy areas, which is really helpful
for us to the administration.
And I know we're really keen to engage where we can
with Scrutiny.
And we like being held to account, don't we?
It's nice to be kept on our toes.
So, thank you to ONS.
We're going to plow on with the agenda.

8 Business Rates Relief 2025/2026, retail, hospitality and leisure scheme

We're going to go now to item number eight, business rates relief 2526, retail hospitality
and leisure scheme.
We're going to go to Councillor Mike Gavirme, the deputy leader, to introduce this one.
Mike.
Thank you, Joe.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:21:41
So we have one of these for the last few years.
Since the pandemic, the government started to offer special one -off discounts against
business rates to retail, hospitality and leisure businesses but we have to make
an annual decision about how we're going to to implement them. Essentially a
government decision has been made and been announced I think it was back in
in the budget that the discount, sorry the relief that would be offered this
year would be a relief of
Last year and I from memory it was 100 % during the past at least the first of the pandemic
years.
So what we have is obviously we have to have a resolution from us as the cabinet to approve
this so that Mandy who is here today.
The lead officer Mandy fathers and her team can implement this decision and apply the
discounts to the bills that will get sent out to the relevant business.
The report is, in addition to what I've just said, is the qualifying businesses and that
lovely word, hereditiments, that we look at this time of year.
Essentially that's qualifying, I can't define it well enough, it's properties that are liable
for business rates and individual bits of properties that are reliable for business
rates.
And essentially those later on you can see the ones that definitely don't qualify.
And what will happen if we pass this resolution is that Mandy and her team will get on and
adjust those bills and get them sent out.
So I'll stop there and invite Mandy to say anything that she
thinks I've forgotten in presenting this.
Actually shaking her head, she doesn't think I've forgotten
anything.
Open it up to colleagues for comment and question.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:23:52
Tristan, we have just asked Chat GPT and it says the term is
somewhat archaic in everyday use but still relevant in legal
context.
So there we are.
Right.
Colleagues, any questions?
I've got two.
I'm going to go to Claire first and then go to Tristan.
Yeah, thank you.
Councillor Claire Bloomer - 0:24:09
Yeah, we understand these things are happening with budgets changing, but I just wondered,
I know across the Cotswolds some local pharmacists are really struggling chemists, and I just
wondered if they were at all allowed to get any sort of support in any way.
Do you want to try your best at answering that?
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:24:27
If not, we might have to come back with a follow up response for Councillor Bloomer
after the meeting.
Officer - 0:24:33
The ones like Lloyd's Chemists and places like that, yes, because they will be seen as retail,
because people are going in and purchasing something.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:24:45
Thank you, Mandy. You always know I shouldn't have doubted you, should I?
Tristan, you're up next.
Councillor Tristan Wilkinson - 0:24:52
Thanks. I'm just kind of interested in the impact or the perceived impact to local businesses. So
kind of how well aware are they of this change?
Are we seeing much kind of pushback?
Is the usual kind of lobbying from certain quarters
in terms of this is going to destroy our viability, et cetera?
So I'm just kind of interested in, you know,
do we perceive this as being thought of as having a material impact
to some of the sort of smaller businesses that might be on the brink?
I'll give an answer.
I don't know if Mandy's got any experience from that.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:25:30
Obviously, it hasn't happened yet.
But essentially, what we're seeing is these businesses
that have had to pay 25 percent of their assessed
business rates, they're now going to have to pay 60
percent.
So, it's a big increase in terms of what they've been
used to paying in recent times.
You know, you go back a few years and maybe they were
paying more.
So, to your point, Tristan, to those businesses that are just
about managing, just about getting by,
it's an increased cost.
But at the end of the day, this was a government decision.
The Chancellor made the decision about how much business rates
really she was prepared to grant,
and she said it was 40 percent.
And it was 75 percent the last year, so in the current year.
So, no doubt it will put pressure on businesses in the
districts and extra costs they've got to pay,
alongside the National Insurance rise for their employees that they're going
to have to pay from April. Maybe just go to Mandy to add anything about how we do
help, what advice and any help we can give to businesses who are struggling to
pay with their business rates. This might be an opportunity for you to
Officer - 0:26:37
explain that Mandy. Okay so if businesses are struggling you know they can come to
us we can talk through that income and their expenditure. The council also has a
hardship scheme. If they can show that they are financially in difficulties but they have
a plan to improve that going forward, then we would bring reports forward to cabinet
to consider hardship. Paul as well, the business, I am not quite sure what his title is, he
has already been briefed on this as well, so there will be things that he should be
to do to assist businesses struggling?
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:27:19
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:27:21
Well basically that was my question Tristan, but the other bit of my question
which maybe Mandy's sort of covered is do we monitor how you know what the
businesses are feeling so
But there might be some that would do that and would we be monitoring that?
And if so, I don't know whether we can do anything else about that or we go further
forward with it.
But it is I guess encouraging people to come forward for help.
Officer - 0:27:58
Yes, we would encourage those businesses to come.
Instead of the 10, that way they're spreading their costs over the whole year and not just the 10 month.
If I can just speak on that. We're having a bit of problems with the microphone if you want to turn off, Mandy.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:28:22
Yeah, I think the other thing to add to what Mandy has said, we can't get it logged,
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:28:29
that obviously what we are, particularly David and I, looking at is businesses and whether
they're paying the business rates. So obviously an indication is, you know, are they struggling
to pay, are they not paying and what those rates. And obviously Mandy looks at that as
a service lead as well. And that is an indication clearly and obviously that's something we're
monitoring regularly all the time.
And so if we see, obviously, particularly with this change, we might see more businesses
struggle to pay.
And obviously we'll need to keep a close eye on that, looking at Mandy and David.
And David wanted to say something on it as well.
David?
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:29:05
Thank you, Chair.
Just in terms of the business rates relief and the business rates
David Stanley, Deputy CEO - 0:29:09
position for the Council,
it's in our interest to ensure that that support is provided to businesses so that we can ensure
they're in a position to be able to pay the 60 % of the liability that will be on their
bills, because ultimately this council, through the business rates retention scheme, is reliant
to an extent on that business rates income to support the services it provides.
So we want that type of engagement at the earliest available opportunity so we can help
those businesses where possible.
There are a number of routes through either Mandy's team or with Paul Jones, the economic
development lead, and there are other organisations out there that can help support businesses
through the growth hub and other means like that.
Interesting.
Councillor Tristan Wilkinson - 0:29:50
So one last thing as I tune into this, I think as a council we should be conscious of the
cumulative effect on businesses of lots of changes that I completely understand are kind
of all the governments doing.
We have a cost of living crisis which means that spending in lots of smaller towns, I'm
thinking of kind of my representation of places like Fairford and Lechlade where
a lot of those you know the football is down you know spending is down there's a
chain of coffee shops that many of you will know which I won't name in this
chamber they've done some analysis the National Insurance hike is going to cost
them two hundred and sixty thousand pounds a year that's off their bottom
line and this is now an additional cost I think we should as a council be very
conscious and wary and keep an eye on the impact of businesses particularly
outside of the big places like Syrinsester and Wharton. I think that in
some of the smaller places like Fairford and Lechlade you know I think a lot of
them are getting towards tipping point type scenarios where that just you know
those places become decimated for the smaller businesses, family -run businesses
a lot of them that are the lifeblood of our local rural community and I think
I think it's something we should be very aware of.
I totally agree.
And I think, you know, the frustration with this policy,
and whenever you get anything to do with business rates,
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:31:18
is that obviously we collect it, but it's the government who set
business rates.
It's incredibly frustrating, because obviously they get the
bill from us and think, you know, we're the buggers,
you know, charging them.
It's really frustrating.
And, you know, the government's decision to reduce the relief
from 75 to 40 percent.
It's just a slap in the face when you, you know,
when you consider the announcement in the budget,
which is placing extra strain on businesses with the extra
NI contributions.
And you're right, we've been out speaking to businesses recently
and they're really worried.
And, you know, we talk about, we hear the government saying,
we don't want to talk the economy down.
Well, things are really bleak out there.
I mean, they really are for a lot of small and medium
businesses and let's not split hairs, the small and medium businesses, they're the
lifeblood of our economy in this country, they really really are and particularly
at a time when the high street is waning, we've got big, the big chains are
pulling out in a lot of places, it's not viable for them anymore, we should be
supporting local businesses, we should be giving them a tax cut, you know, not
adding more on. I totally get tough decisions, the Conservatives left this
country in a total mess and with a huge hole in the finances.
And what I'd say to the government is tough decisions
are fine, but make those tough decisions on the backs of the
people that can shoulder it the most.
Not the local pub landlord, not the chap who's got his local
business, you know, the bakeries, not the florist,
not the working people of this country.
It should be the people that can shoulder the burden most paying
for this.
So it is an incredibly unsatisfactory situation.
But anyway, we are diverging slightly.
I know it's something that we're all very passionate
and, you know, annoyed about.
So I get that.
So, Mike, I want to return, if I may, to you to sum up
and then we'll move to the vote if that's all right,
unless there are any other comments.
Claire, one more point and then we really do need to make room.
I think just an action from this is we've all agreed
Councillor Claire Bloomer - 0:33:19
is I think just to ensure that as a council
we are putting out that support on socials
and to the businesses across the Cotswolds.
Yeah, and I thank you Claire.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:33:32
I think just add to the Paul James has been mentioned,
his name has been mentioned a couple of times
in this discussion.
He is our economic development lead.
He's talking to businesses all the time.
So if you're a business out there wanting to engage more
or find out more about the council,
then get in touch with Paul.
I'll just really summarize.
I think we've had a good discussion bringing us back
to what we actually have to agree.
on page 15 the recommendations are that we resolve to approve the retail
hospitality and leisure scheme as set out in Annex A for 2025 -26 and two to
delegate authority to the interim executive director for resident services
to award such reliefs and I so move. I will second that in that case
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:34:14
if we
could please move to the vote.
Excellent. That is unanimous. Thank you very much. We move then to our next item, which

9 Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit Collaboration Agreement

is the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit Collaboration Agreement. That sounds very
Netflix drama, doesn't it? Mike, you're going to introduce this one.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:34:45
I am. Thank you, Joe. Interesting stuff you watch on Netflix. I haven't found that yet.
So, yeah, the report in front of you, and we have Emma Cathcart as the head of the Counter -Fraud
and Enforcement Service here this evening with us to answer any tricky questions that
members may have.
So, essentially, the report has come before us in order to us to agree a new collaboration
agreement for the Counter -Fraud and Enforcement Unit.
and that is starting on page 29.
For us, together with West Oxfordshire,
Forest of Dean, Cheltenham,
Tewkesbury, soon to be known as North Gloucestershire,
and Stroud, because we work with those partners
in this counter -prod unit.
The staff are employed by us, and we're the host service,
and it provides an excellent service
at a very reasonable cost to those authorities,
plus a couple of others who get charged a little bit more
for us providing the service to them.
And obviously, you can read in the report that we've had
this partnership's been working since 2017,
and it's really obviously, it's about mitigating fraud risk
and reducing criminal activity and financial loss
for the partner councils, and I said for a couple
of other organisations as well.
It's run very well over the last seven years,
and there is a partnership board on which David
at the Chief Executive sits to oversee the work
of the Counter Fraud Enforcement Unit.
And essentially what we're being asked today
is to agree a revised agreement for 10 years,
to run for 10 years with the option to extend
for up to three years at a time.
Obviously if circumstances change and the council cease to exist as we were discussing earlier, then I'm sure there'll be an adaptation at that time
obviously noting that actually quite a few of the Gloucestershire authorities are already partners of
the counter fraud and enforcement unit
And just importantly I guess as us as the host to note that there is an option for us to stop being the host
once a year
If we give the other councils 18 months notice
that we want to stop being the host, but I think we're very happy to continue in that
role. I think it's valuable for us, you know, that Emma is, and that the staff are our staff,
although obviously they work across all the partner councils. And I think at that point,
I think I will stop talking about it. Maybe just one last thing to note, obviously,
In the financial implications, what the overall cost fee to us is,
it's just over £100 ,000, just under £102 ,000 a year
for all the excellent work that Emma and her team do,
finding fraud, stopping fraud, assisting our teams also in helping,
particularly I remember a lot of work that the team did
when I was involved through the business grants through the COVID era
and helping us design systems to minimize fraud.
And if, you know, the government had as good a team as Emma,
they wouldn't have spent out billions,
send out billions to fraudsters as they did.
So, yeah, they do have an incredible amount of value,
I think, to us as a team.
I'll stop there.
Mr. Smith.
Brilliant.
Thank you, Mike.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:38:18
Colleagues, any questions or comments on this?
No.
It is fairly straightforward, and I know an
awful lot of work has gone into it.
And yeah, Emma, a big thank you.
Please pass it on to your team for all the work that
you guys do.
You know, crims are quaking in their boots here in the
Cotswolds.
They're not going to defraud us because we've got a
really proactive team.
And I think, you know, for anybody watching or any
colleagues here that, you know, want to know a bit
more about what our counter -fraud team do, then
please get in touch because it's really wide and varied.
And it's fascinating, everything from enforcing planning
breaches, serious planning breaches where
criminality occurs, to flight tipping and everything else.
And they do an absolutely fantastic job.
You're like our own Miss Marple, Emma, but about 50 years
younger.
So we're very grateful to have you.
So, if there aren't any comments or questions in that case, Mike, you're proposing that.
Can I have a seconder, please?
Paul, there we are.
Okay.
We'll go to the vote then.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you all.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:39:44
That is carried unanimously.
We move now then to the Carinium Museum Collections Development and Human Remains Policy.

10 Corinium Museum Collections Development and Human Remains policies

Paul, you're going to take us through this one.
Thank you.
Councillor Paul Hodgkinson - 0:39:58
Yes, thank you very much.
So what this relates to is our wonderful museum in Sarnastir Corinne Museum, an award -winning
museum.
And what we're talking about today are us approving a set of policies regarding the
collections and human remains policies for the museum, and also the process for what's
called De -accessioning and Accessioning.
And I'll talk about that in a minute.
But I just wanted to take a moment actually
just to remind everybody just how highly acclaimed
our museum is.
I mean it has won multiple awards
and it obviously showcases in an amazing way
the local history of Romano British life
stretching back over 2000 years,
which no one in this room remembers.
But to say the old,
Well, perhaps some do.
But to quote the old phrase, question,
what have the Romans ever done for us?
Well, they did a lot, and they created this museum in a way.
So humor aside, basically, you have a very long and detailed
policy document in front of you.
Clearly, I'm not going to go through that today.
But for the museum to retain its accreditation,
it does need to obviously update its policies
on an ongoing basis.
It needs to review those every so often.
And we are the governing body of the museum,
so we have to sign those policies off.
That's the process.
And there are two revised policies.
One relates to best practice in the sector regarding the
collection, accepting new artefacts and disposing of them.
And that's this point about deaccessioning and accessioning
and how that's done.
But secondly, how human remains are dealt with.
And this might sound very strange really talking about it,
but obviously they are human remains, it doesn't matter how old they are,
and therefore there has to be some sensitivity in how those are dealt with.
In fact, interesting fact, there are 1400 sets of human remains in the museum collection.
Yes, and if you go to the resource centre in North Leach, you can actually see,
I know Jo's been, you can see some of those human remains.
So there you are, Claire, there's your next challenge.
So what we are asking for, I'll cut to the chase,
what we're asking you to consider today. First of all is to approve the
collections and human remains policies of the museum. But secondly, and this is
sort of key really, is to delegate authority to the cabinet member for
health culture and visitor experience, AEME, when accession and deaccession
requests come in. They don't come in very much but they will come in occasionally
and rather than bringing them to this forum we felt that it's going to be
easier and more streamlined to bring those specific requests
to me in a portfolio holder meeting.
So that's what we're asking.
Obviously Joseph is here somewhere.
Behind me, behind me.
If you have any other questions or you may want to add to what
I've just said.
Joseph, do you want to add anything?
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:43:01
Excellent.
There we go.
Well done, Paul.
Very comprehensive.
Right, OK then.
Any comments or questions?
Julia, you're going to second.
Yes, I am going to second, but I've got a question first.
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:43:15
Because I was just looking at 6 .3,
and yes, 6 .3, about 250 ,000 pounds.
So if anything goes over that value, it would come to cabinet.
But under that value, it's your delegated decision.
Yes.
I mean, that's correct.
Councillor Paul Hodgkinson - 0:43:38
I mean, if you look at what we're saying,
I was saying is it's really difficult sometimes to put a pound note figure on some of these
artifacts.
It's more about historical significance rather than value.
But clearly, you know, if it did go over a notional fee of a quarter million pounds,
then it would revert to here for us to make that decision.
Claire?
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:44:03
No.
Anybody else?
Okay.
I'm just a couple of points.
I'd make a very practical things just on the collections development policy
We just need to update the council's logo on there. We haven't used that one for five years now
It's a little bit surprised to see it on that
so Joseph you take that away and then on the other one on the
Human remains policy there's actually no reference to the fact that this is a coastal district council policy
We are the accountable body. It is our policy which we are adopting which is carried out by the museum
So again it would be nice to see our corporate logo on there and obviously
reference to the fact that this is a cost for district council policy and
obviously Paul is the accountable member doesn't need to reference that but it
does need to reference it so cost of district council policy so yeah just
tightening up on that subject of that I think we're good so proposed by Paul
seconded by Juliet Paul anything you want to add?
Yeah, I was just going to add on to the second though.
You certainly can yeah.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:45:04
Councillor Juliet Layton - 0:45:04
Yes, because my other one was just a question.
I'm very pleased to second this, and it's good to have a policy,
and it's good to have the idea that there is a healthy view
of bringing things in and sharing,
and it is a fantastic facility.
The irony of me really wanting to say that two months ago,
I think I was in cabinet with public burials,
and now I'm doing just human remains.
So I'm very pleased to second this.
Thank you, Paul.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:45:35
Councillor Paul Hodgkinson - 0:45:37
I just wanted to put on record my thanks, actually,
to Emma Stewart.
Emma heads up the museum.
And to all the museum staff.
They do an amazing job.
And sometimes we don't recognize that properly.
So here we are doing it today.
Thank you.
Thanks, Paul.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:45:49
Right, let's go to the vote then.
Right, that is unanimous.
Thank you very much.
We move then to our next item, which isn't item 11,
because we've done that already.
It's item 12, which is the financial performance report for Q2 of this financial year.
And obviously this pertains to planning services because we didn't have it at the last meeting.
It wasn't ready.
So who's going to take us through this?
Mike?
Thank you.
Councillor Mike Evemy - 0:46:21
So you started with what I was going to say.
So at the December meeting we had the Q2 update, but the planning information obviously because
staff had only transferred on the 1st of November given the timelines we weren't
able to provide the figures for the Q2 update for planning. So some more work
needed to be done by David and the team. So that work is really contained in this
report and the obviously also itemises the roles and talks about the
recruitment to the vacant roles which is good and yeah you can see there so we're
people on the permanent payroll which we have struggled to do within the
planning function as it was under publica for many years and so it's great
to see that and we advertise as Cotswold District Council and we're able to bring
on officers to permanent staff rather than the interim excellent job that they
have done over recent years so that's
positive news I think but you know obviously what it this report does tell
us is that the planning services costing us more than we have in the budget and
the table in planning table 3 page 140 just paragraph about paragraph 3 .5
really highlights the position and it's largely the sort of overspend forecast
is sitting within the development control area I think that's where most
of the interim posts are sitting.
So overall we're now forecasting that the planning service
will come over budget by 128 ,000 pounds this year.
And therefore that's then shown in the revised figure,
in the revised table, which on page 141 table four
shows the revised out turn figure.
So we were looking, if you remember,
when we set the budget back in February to be able this year to put five hundred
and sixteen thousand pounds back into our reserves with the current situation
it looks like that figure will be two hundred and nineteen thousand so that's
the implication of both the Q2 out turn that we had forecast that we had in
December and combined with this report today have to stop there and take any
Any questions or comments?
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:48:53
No?
Well, that's good news.
Well done.

12 Financial Performance Report - Q2 2024/25 (Update)

Mike, anything you want to add before we wrap up?
Brilliant.
So that's just for noting that item, so we don't need to vote on it.
So Mike, thank you for going through that.
I really appreciate it.
Right then, we move to our next item, which is the Parking, let me get the wording right,
It's the contract award for the parking ICT system.
Right.

14 Contract Award for the Parking ICT system

So there is confidential information on pink papers,
which obviously we can't refer to publicly.
And I'd like to avoid going into confidential session
if we possibly can.
I think it's important we do these things in public.
So provided nobody wants to ask any detailed questions
on the finances or anything on the pink papers,
I think we can make the decision in public.
So Paul I'm going to pass over to you as our cabinet member who deals with parking
Councillor Paul Hodgkinson - 0:49:53
Okay, thank you very much. Yeah, so what we're looking at today is looking for the cabinet's approval to award the contract for the
parking ICT system
So just to give you a bit of background
We share a common IT system with Forest of Dean and West Oxfordshire councils and the system we're talking about
enables enforcement. This is what this system does. It enables enforcement of parking and
it controls, the system controls the penalty charge notices which are issued from issue
to cancellation. It also deals with the virtual permits. So when people have virtual permits,
for instance, I'm a member of the leisure centre and those of us who are members of
the leisure centre have the opportunity to park for free in inverted commas as part of
our leisure fee and we have to therefore have a virtual permit which you get online. So
the preferred contract, the current contractor is Chippside Limited and officers, and I will
refer to Maria Wheatley in a second, officers have gone through the contract process, recontracting
process and obviously they have decided via objective criteria that the award should go
to the current provider which is Chippside Limited.
And what we're talking about here is the recommendation is
for a four -year plus one contract.
In other words, for a four -year period and could be extended
for a further year at the end of that.
You have more detail as has been said in the Pink Papers
which I won't refer to.
So we are asking for your approval today
for that recommendation.
Maria, do you want to add anything at all, please?
Officer - 0:51:39
The only thing I would add is that we will be including in the contract a three month no fault termination so that we have flexibility going forward should there be any changes.
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:51:50
Would that sort of pertain to if we don't exist in let's say we're a unitary and we need to cancel that would give us a chance.
Okay, any questions or comments?
Councillor Joe Harris - 0:52:00
Happy to second.
Yeah, happy to second.
You don't want to say anything?
No.
No?
Cool.
Well, listen, nobody likes getting parking fine, do they?
God knows I've had my fair share of them indeed from this council.
I've always tried to pay on time as well and I've been through the system a few times,
so I know it works and I know it works well, despite me being a bit frustrated.
But you know, this is part of life, isn't it?
It's one of those things that we have to do.
We have car parks.
We've got to make sure that we enforce them when there are
contraventions.
Never popular, but it's important that we do that.
Again, Maria, thank you for all the hard work you've
put into this.
I know, you know, you guys are cut out dealing with us,
the Forest of Dean and West Oxfordshire.
And so we really appreciate all of your years of work.
You've been here a long time, haven't you?
So, Maria, we really appreciate it.
And thank you for everything that you're doing.
Parking is such a, it's usually a political hot potato
and it's just quite difficult anyway
in terms of practicality.
So no, well done, we really appreciate it.
Cool, okay then, well listen,
if there aren't any more comments,
Paul, anything you want to add before we, no?
In that case, we'll move to the vote proposed by Paul,
seconded by Mike.
Shouldn't be able to vote now.
Okay, that is unanimous, thank you very much.
Excellent. Okay then, that brings us to the end of our cabinet agenda. We've managed to do that in well under an hour, so well done everybody.
Have a nice rest of the month, be careful on the ice, and we will see you in a few weeks for full council. Thank you.

There are currently no votes to display