The Gloucestershire County Council Cabinet met on Wednesday 18 March 2026 to discuss a range of significant issues, including the county's response to government invitations on local government reorganisation and the establishment of a joint programme for this purpose. The Cabinet also approved a new strategy for public transport, a plan for safer roads and community 20mph zones, and a comprehensive climate change report.

Response to Government's Invitation to Submit an Expression of Interest in Forming a Foundation Strategic Authority

The Cabinet approved the strategic case for aligning Gloucestershire with the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) as its preferred long-term direction. This involves submitting a single-county Gloucestershire Foundation Strategic Authority (FSA) Expression of Interest (EOI) as a precursor to potential WECA membership. The decision was made to safeguard the county's interests during a period of significant national reform, addressing a perceived devolution deficit that could weaken Gloucestershire's funding position and ability to shape strategic decisions. The rationale highlighted Gloucestershire's strongest economic and labour market connections being southward with the WECA area, and that submitting an EOI now would strengthen institutional maturity and credibility.

Establishing a Joint Programme for Local Government Reorganisation Implementation

Cabinet approved the establishment of a joint programme with Gloucestershire's District Councils to deliver Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) across the county. This programme will be supported by a pooled budget, with Gloucestershire County Council acting as the Accountable Body. A contribution of £10.186 million was approved for this pooled budget, with further contributions to be required once funding is agreed. The decision delegates authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to agree and enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the six District Councils, outlining the governance and oversight of the Joint Programme. Authority was also delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive/Executive Director of Corporate Resources and the LGR Portfolio Director to authorise expenditure from the pooled budget, with a limit of £500,000 per item, beyond which further Cabinet or Leader approval will be required.

Community 20s and Safer Roads Programme

Cabinet approved the approach to prioritisation, engagement, and decision-making for the Safer Roads and Community 20s programme, and sought approval for its implementation. This programme aims to improve road safety and public health by introducing lower speed limits on urban and rural roads, including 20mph limits in residential areas. The decision endorses the prioritisation approach, communications, engagement, and decision-making processes outlined in the report. It also agrees the outline delivery programme for 2026/27 and a provisional programme for 2027/28. Authority was delegated to the Director of Traffic and Highways and the Director of Public Health, in consultation with relevant Cabinet Members, to finalise the programme, implement delivery, review and update it, streamline the Traffic Regulation Order process, and update safety audit protocols. The programme is funded through existing road safety capital budgets, legacy Highways Local funds, and developer contributions, with additional funding secured from the Department for Transport and the Public Health reserve.

Public Transport Network Strategy

Delegated authority was sought to allocate Local Authority Bus Grant funding awarded by the Department for Transport (DfT) for the period 2026-2030, and to re-procure existing bus and home-to-school transport services. The Cabinet approved the acceptance of £28,466,041 in capital and revenue funding from the DfT, which will form the basis of Gloucestershire County Council's Local Transport Delivery Plan. Authority was delegated to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment & Infrastructure, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport and Road Safety, to finalise and approve the capital and revenue spend programme, and to procure and award contracts for public bus services and home-to-school transport. The report also detailed plans to withdraw a small number of low-use, high-subsidy rural bus services that are now duplicated by the expanded 'Robin' demand-responsive service, with direct engagement planned for affected passengers.

Council Strategy Action Plan

Cabinet approved the draft action plan for delivering the priorities set out in the Council Strategy: A Stronger Future, Built Together 2025-29. This plan, along with a strategic performance dataset, will form the basis for quarterly reporting to Cabinet and the Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Committee. The Leader highlighted the importance of the link between the Strategy, the Budget, the action plan, and Scrutiny, emphasizing that the plan represented a high-level overview with more detailed information available.

Gloucestershire County Council's Commercial Strategy 2026 - 2028

Cabinet approved the adoption and implementation of the Council's Commercial Strategy for 2026 to 2028. This strategy outlines the council's approach to managing its income generation, procurement, contract management, and embedding commercial skills and culture across the organisation. The strategy is built on three pillars: income generation, procurement and contract management, and embedding commercial skills and culture. A new Commercial Board will be established to oversee trading activities, fees and charges, and investment in commercial opportunities.

2024-2025 Gloucestershire's Sixth Annual Climate Change Report

The Cabinet received the annual update on Gloucestershire County Council's progress towards its climate change targets. The report highlighted an 11% reduction in Scope 1 emissions and confirmed the continuation of purchasing 100% renewable electricity for Scope 2 emissions. A commitment was made to achieve net zero for supplier and contractor emissions (Scope 3) by 2050, with support offered to SMEs through The Growth Hub. The report also noted the Gloucestershire Pension Fund's net zero target of 2045 and requested a reconsideration of complete disinvestment from fossil fuels. Authority was delegated to develop plans to incentivise modal shift and travel reduction among GCC employees and contractors. The publication of the sixth Annual Climate Change report was also noted.

Performance and Risk Monitoring Report

Councillor Colin Hay presented the Council's performance and risk report for Quarter 3 2025/26. The report provided an overview of performance against Council Strategy objectives, highlighting areas of success and those requiring attention. It included a Corporate Performance Scorecard and a Strategic Risk Scorecard. Key achievements included positive performance in road maintenance, with Gloucestershire receiving a green score in the Department for Transport's highways performance map, and improvements in the timeliness of Adult Social Care assessments. Challenges were noted in areas such as the Dedicated Schools Grant High Needs Block deficit, sufficiency of children's placements, and the timeliness of children's social care assessments.

Approval to Establish a Procurement Route for Community Equipment

Cabinet delegated authority to the Executive Director of Adult Social Care, Wellbeing and Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adults' Support and Independence, to conduct a procurement exercise for community equipment. This will involve a mini-competition or direct award via the NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) Framework Agreement. The proposed contracts will have an initial term of three years with an option to extend for a further year, with an estimated total value of up to £18 million over seven years. This procurement aims to ensure the Gloucestershire Equipment Loan Service (GELS) meets operational demand effectively and supports the council's statutory duties.

Best Start Family Hubs Grant Funding Proposal

Cabinet approved the acceptance of £3,649,600 in Best Start in Life (BSiL) Delivery Grant funding from the Department for Education (DfE) for the period April 2026 to March 2029. This funding will support the delivery of an integrated programme across Gloucestershire to improve early years outcomes and family support, with the aim of achieving a 77.2% Good Level of Development (GLD) for children overall and 60% for children eligible for Free School Meals by 2028. Authority was delegated to the Executive Director of Children's Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to develop and publish a BSiL local plan, allocate grant funding, and determine service delivery models. The first Best Start Family Hub will be located at Bartongate Children's Centre in Gloucester.

Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) 2026–2029

Cabinet approved the acceptance of the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) grant of £5,700,000 per year from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for the period 2026–2029. This funding will replace the Household Support Fund (HSF) and integrate Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs). Authority was delegated to the Executive Director of Children's Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children's Safeguarding and Care, to allocate the grant funding to crisis support, resilience services, and community coordination initiatives. A call-off contract will be awarded through the G-Cloud 14 Framework for the central funding application and assessment service. An additional recommendation was approved to delegate authority for the allocation of newly announced Government heating oil support grant through the CRF.

Re-tender of Contracts for Gloucestershire Adult and Young Carers Support

Cabinet delegated authority to the Executive Director of Children's Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children's Safeguarding and Care, to recommission and procure a contract for Children's and Young Adult Carers Support Services. The proposed contract will have an initial term of five years, commencing 1st October 2026, with an option to extend for a further two years, with a total value of up to approximately £3.2 million over seven years. This recommissioning is necessary to ensure continuity of support for young carers and young adult carers across the county.

Schedule of Proposed Disposals

Cabinet approved the proposed Schedule of Disposals to meet capital receipt targets. This included approving sites previously declared surplus in September 2025 as continuing to be surplus, and approving new sites listed in Appendix B as surplus to the Council's land and property requirements. Authority was delegated to the Assistant Director – Asset Management and Property Services to dispose of these sites, in consultation with the Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Finance, Assets & Transformation and the Deputy Chief Executive & Executive Director for Corporate Resources (S151 Officer). The disposal of these sites is expected to generate capital receipts to finance the council's capital programme.