The Gloucester City Council meeting on Thursday, 24 September 2026, was dominated by a no-confidence vote in the council leader, Councillor Jeremy Hilton, which ultimately led to his removal. The meeting also addressed the sale of Gloucestershire Airport and the adoption of a new national scheme for determining planning applications.

No-Confidence Vote Leads to Leader's Removal

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a motion of no confidence in the Leader of the Council, Councillor Jeremy Hilton. The motion, brought forward by Councillor Alistair Chambers on behalf of the Community Independent Group and seconded by Councillor Sajid Patel, cited concerns over financial management, governance, transparency, and a perceived lack of collaborative leadership.

Councillor Stephanie Chambers, Leader of the Conservative Group, supported the motion, stating that trust had broken down and that Councillor Hilton had become more focused on defending his own position than defending Gloucester. Councillor Terry Pullen, Leader of the Labour Group, also declared his group's support, stating that the people of Gloucester had lost faith in Councillor Hilton's leadership.

Several councillors from the Liberal Democrat group, including Councillor Declan Wilson, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources, defended Councillor Hilton, highlighting the difficult financial situation inherited by the administration and the positive steps taken to address it, referencing the SIPFA external assurance review. However, the motion was carried by 21 votes to 18.

Following the vote, the council proceeded to nominate a new leader. Councillor Wilson nominated Councillor Jeremy Hilton to continue as leader, stating he had done a good job and taken a lot of flack. However, this nomination was met with strong opposition from other groups, with Councillor Patel describing the situation as absurd and unbelievable. Ultimately, Councillor Hilton was not re-elected as leader, with the vote resulting in 18 votes for him and 21 against.

The council was left without a leader, leading to a series of resignations from cabinet positions, including Councillor Sebastian Field (Cabinet Member for Environment), Councillor Caroline Courtney (Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure), Councillor Luke Shervey (Cabinet Member for Housing), Councillor Trimnell (Cabinet Member for Community Engagement), Councillor Hilton himself (Cabinet Member for Regeneration), and Councillor Angela Conder (Chair of Planning Committee). The meeting was adjourned to allow for further discussions on the next steps.

Sale of Gloucestershire Airport

The council considered the disposal of its freehold interest in Gloucestershire Airport and the entire share capital of Gloucestershire Airport Limited (GAL). Councillor Jeremy Hilton moved the recommendation to delegate authority to the Leader to complete the sale to the preferred bidder, citing the airport's ongoing financial losses and the imperative to sell to protect its future and contribute to the council's financial recovery plan.

Councillor Stephanie Chambers expressed disappointment that alternative options, such as developing the land for housing and employment, had not been fully considered, although she acknowledged the critical need to sell the airport to alleviate the council's financial burden. Councillor Andrew Lewis also spoke in favour of selling the airport, stating that the numbers for operating it just don't stack up and that it was time to bite the bullet.

Councillor Alistair Chambers, Leader of the Community Independent Group, advocated for selling the airport for housing, highlighting the significant housing waiting lists and homelessness figures in the city. He suggested that a housing development could generate substantially more revenue than selling it as an operational airport.

Despite some debate regarding the specifics of the sale process and the potential for alternative uses of the land, the motion to proceed with the sale was carried.

National Scheme of Delegation for Planning Applications

The council approved amendments to its Constitution, including the Planning and Development Code of Practice and Scheme of Delegation, to comply with the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026. These regulations introduce a national scheme for determining planning applications, with a presumption towards officer delegation for routine applications (Schedule 1) and a more rigorous triage process for Schedule 2 applications.

Councillor Angela Conder, Chair of the Planning Committee, expressed concerns that the new regulations would remove the local flavour that councillors could add to planning decisions. Councillor Terry Pullen, Leader of the Labour Group, supported the proposal, noting that the changes had been preceded by thorough training and that 95% of applications were already decided by officers. Councillor Stephanie Chambers also supported the proposal, referencing the need for efficiency in planning decisions, particularly in light of the Podsmead regeneration project.

The changes aim to ensure legal compliance, streamline decision-making, and focus Planning Committee resources on applications of genuine local significance.

Other Business

The council also considered the Treasury Management Year End Annual Report for 2025/26, which was noted. A motion to change the order of business to bring forward a notice of motion was carried. The council also debated and approved changes to the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, specifically the removal of the Party Whip declaration. Finally, the Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for 2025-26 was noted.