The Gloucestershire County Council cabinet met on 18 June 2025, and among other things, they discussed the underspend from the 2024/25 budget, and how it should be allocated. They also discussed the procurement of new vehicles for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS), and approved a joint commissioning strategy for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Finance, Performance and Risk Monitoring

The cabinet considered the council's outturn expenditure for 2024/25, with Councillor Colin Hay, Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Finance, Assets & Transformation, reporting an underspend of £13.8 million. Cabinet agreed to transfer this balance to reserves, noting it was based on staff vacancies and one-off funding, and that there was a projected funding gap of around £16m over the next four years.

Of the £32.453 million savings target for 2024/25, £26.445 million (81.49%) was achieved. The remaining undelivered savings were either carried forward or addressed through alternative resolutions.

The cabinet also discussed the cumulative Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit, which stood at £78.5 million as of 31 March 2025. A five-year forecast predicted the deficit could increase beyond £110 million by 31 March 2026. Councillor Colin Hay called for a solution from central government.

Cabinet approved the following:

• Noting the £13.836 million revenue budget underspend for 2024/2025, and approving its transfer to reserves.
• Approving other technical reserve movements for 2024/25.
• Noting the delivery of £26.445 million of savings against a target of £32.453 million in 2024/25, and the revised 2025/26 savings target.
• Approving changes to the capital programme of transfers and funding increases.
• Noting the capital outturn position for 2024/25 of £131.912 million against a revised budget of £147.385 million.
• Noting the council's performance against the Prudential Indicators for 2024/25.
• Noting the report on the council's performance and risks.

Fire Scrutiny - Impact of the changes to wholetime firefighter shift patterns

Cabinet noted a report from the Fire Scrutiny Committee, which outlined recommendations regarding changes to wholetime firefighter shift patterns. Councillor Jeremy Hilton, Chair of Fire Scrutiny Committee, presented the report, describing concerns raised by firefighters. The scrutiny committee recommended abandoning the change in shift patterns. Councillor Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities & Fire, said he would consider the report's findings and provide a full response to the committee.

Procurement of Fire Pumping Appliances

Cabinet approved the procurement of up to 15 new Fire Engine Pumping Appliances, including restricted access sized vehicles, for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service over the four-year period commencing 1 July 2025. Councillor Paul Hodgkinson said that the Corporate Fleet Unit (CFU) were buying greener vehicles and introducing technology to reduce emissions, helping achieve climate change strategy targets. The vehicles would meet Euro 6 emissions standards¹. Two of the vehicles were for restricted access, which was welcomed as an essential investment to reduce risk to the service.

Cabinet delegated authority to the Executive Director of Community Safety, in consultation with the Executive Director of Economy, Environment & Infrastructure, and the Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities and Fire, to:

1. Conduct a competitive procurement process during the two-year period commencing 1 July 2025, under the National Fire Chiefs Council Emergency Response Vehicle Framework Agreement DS339-20 (managed by Devon and Somerset FRS), using Lot 1 and Lot 2 of the framework, for the supply of 10 Fire Engine Pumping Appliances, including two restricted access sized vehicles and associated equipment.
2. Conduct a separate competitive procurement process during the two-year period commencing 1 April 2028, under the replacement National Fire Chiefs Council Emergency Response Vehicle Framework Agreement DS229-20 (managed by Devon and Somerset FRS) when it expires in March 2026, for the supply of five Fire Engine Pumping Appliances and associated equipment.
3. Award the call-off contracts to the preferred tenderer(s).

Procurement of Officer Response Vehicles

Cabinet approved the procurement of 20 new Fire Officer Response Vehicles for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service over the four-year period commencing July 2025. Ten vehicles will be purchased in 2025/26, and the remaining ten in 2028/29. The current officer response vehicles are reaching the end of their useful asset lives.

Councillor Paul Hodgkinson said that the Corporate Fleet Unit were buying greener vehicles, reducing the council's greenhouse gas emissions and helping achieve climate change strategy targets. The Corporate Fleet Unit were installing Electric Vehicle ChargePoint's (EVCPs) across the council and fire estates to enable a transition to fully electric and plugin hybrid vehicles.

Cabinet delegated authority to the Executive Director of Community Safety, in consultation with the Executive Director of Economy, Environment & Infrastructure, and the Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities and Fire, to:

1. Conduct, no later than August 2025, a series of mini competitions for the supply of 20 GFRS Officer Response Vehicles and associated equipment under Lot 4 of the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) RM6244 Framework Agreement (Standard and Specialist Vehicles) until it expires or, following its expiry, under the CCS framework agreement that replaces it.
2. Award the call-off contracts to the preferred suppliers.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Joint Commissioning Strategy 2025 to 2028

Cabinet approved the adoption and implementation of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Joint Commissioning Strategy, agreed with the Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (GICB). Councillor Linda Cohen, Cabinet Member for Education & Skills, said there had been a legacy of underinvestment and under delivery, and that work was underway to be proactive with a joined-up approach to make the best of limited resources.

The strategy has five priority areas:

• Ensuring outcomes for children and young people with SEND are ambitious and achievable, with the right support and information accessible when needed.
• Embedding a graduated approach to meeting children's needs across the SEND Local Area Partnership, providing help and support at the earliest opportunity.
• Understanding the interconnections between rising needs in respect of moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, social emotional and mental health needs, and neurodiversity; and improving access to education through multi agency working for these groups.
• Providing tailored support for and in mainstream settings through a multi-agency Inclusion Toolkit, and through a Workforce Development Strategy across the partnership.
• Ensuring the SEND Local Area Partnership can respond to the rising complexity in the needs of children and young people.

Cabinet delegated authority to the Executive Director of Children's Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to implement the SEND Joint Commissioning Strategy between July 2025 and July 2030.

Community and Adult Skills Programme for 2025/26

Cabinet delegated authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Infrastructure, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to enter into a funding agreement with the Department of Education (DfE) for the purpose of funding the delivery of Community Learning and the Adult Skills Programme during the 2025-2026 academic year, and then to procure and award a number of contracts for the provision of adult learning services.

The costs of the Adult Education contracts would be met from the DfE grant, totalling £2,735,311 for the academic year, supporting thousands of adults across Gloucestershire, building confidence, wellbeing, connections and skills.

Councillor Linda Cohen said that this was a good example of investing in potential, providing support, creating opportunities and investing in communities, breaking the cycle of deprivation.

Cabinet delegated authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Infrastructure, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to:

1. Enter into a funding agreement with the Department of Education (DfE) under which the council shall receive £2,735,311 DfE funding for the purpose of funding the delivery of Community Learning and Adult Skills Programmes during the 2025 – 2026 academic year.
2. Conduct a competitive procurement process under each of the following Lots of the council's existing Framework Agreement for Adult Education: Community and skills programme 2024-2026 in respect of a series of call-off contracts for the supply of adult learning programmes:

*   First Steps
*   Employability
*   Adults with Learning Disabilities and/or Difficulties ([ALDD](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/learning-disabilities/))
*   Local Flex (Responding to identified/emerging local need)

Each of the above call-off contracts shall continue for a period of one academic year.

1. Award, subject to the financial restrictions set out in the Resource Implications section of this report below, each of the above call-off contracts to the relevant preferred tenderer.

Public Questions

Two public questions were submitted for consideration. David Redgwell asked what assurances were being received that there would be an electricity supply in place at the depot in time for the delivery of electric buses. Councillor Roger Whyborn, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport & Strategic Highways, replied that it was not for GCC to take on that responsibility, but for the operators.

David Redgewell also asked if a Passenger Forum could be set up to ensure passenger input into bus changes. Councillor Roger Whyborn replied that the council would be talking to operators regarding recent changes and to set up a Passenger Forum.