Here's a briefing on the upcoming Cotswold District Council meeting. Councillors will be asked to consider a refreshed Corporate Plan, review the Treasury Management Outturn report, and address a range of questions from councillors on topics including empty properties, social housing, affordable housing, defibrillators, car park usage, tourism, sewage systems and funding.

Corporate Plan 2025-2028

The council is being asked to adopt a refreshed Corporate Plan for 2025-2028. According to the Corporate Plan 2025-28 Council report, the current plan was agreed last year, but there have been significant changes both nationally and locally that need to be reflected in an updated plan. These changes include:

• The General Election in July 2024
• A revised National Planning Policy Framework¹
• A significantly increased and mandated housing target
• The English Devolution White Paper, which proposes the end of two-tier local government and the establishment of new unitary councils.

The Corporate Plan 2025-28 Council report states that the priorities have been supplemented with a further priority:

'Preparing for the future' which will encompass the council's transformation programme, to realise savings and service improvements, and work to prepare for Local Government Reorganisation.

The refreshed priorities listed in the Corporate Plan 2025-28 Council report are:

• Preparing for the Future
• Delivering Good Services
• Responding to the Climate Emergency
• Delivering Housing
• Supporting Communities
• Supporting the Economy

Treasury Management Outturn Report 2024/25

The council will be asked to note the Treasury Management performance for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, and to approve the Treasury Management Outturn Report 2024/25. According to the CDC Treasury Outtturn 20242025COUNCIL FINAL_15.9.25 report, during the year, the council operated within the treasury limits and prudential indicators set out in the Treasury Management Strategy approved by the council on 21 February 2024. The report also notes that investment interest for 2024/25 has produced a net surplus of £0.389m against the original budget, largely due to sustained higher interest rates and higher levels of surplus cash balances. The council's strategy has been to diversify investments into Pooled Funds² in order to reduce risk and increase returns.

The CDC Treasury Outtturn 20242025COUNCIL FINAL_15.9.25 report states that the capital values of the Pooled Funds and REIT³ decreased by £75,251 during 2024/25.

The council holds a £0.500m loan administered by Abundance Investments Limited for the purpose of Community Municipal Investments⁴.

The council's first Community Municipal Investment (CMI), named 'Cotswold Climate Investment' (CCI) which targeted a £0.500m fundraise closed on the 16 August 2022, fully funded by over 450 investors.

In July 2022, Cotswold District Council entered into an agreement with Cottsway Housing Association, to provide an unsecured development loan of up to £3.753m in increments upon drawdown requests.

Member Questions

Councillors have submitted several questions to be answered at the meeting.

Councillor Dilys Neill is scheduled to ask Councillor Juliet Layton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, about two properties in Stow-on-the-Wold: the Old Funeral Directors in Well Lane and the adjacent Shepherd's Cottage which are in the same ownership. Councillor Dilys Neill is expected to raise concerns about the properties being empty for over ten years and in a state of disrepair, attracting complaints from residents.

Councillor Tom Stowe is scheduled to ask Councillor Juliet Layton whether the council monitors and records the number of social houses sold on the open market by housing associations in the district.

Councillor David Fowles is scheduled to ask Councillor Juliet Layton how many sites have been identified for affordable housing, how many houses these sites could deliver and if any of these sites have progressed to planning applications.

Councillor Tom Stowe is scheduled to ask Councillor Juliet Layton to confirm that the council remains committed to retaining policies relating to the provision of defibrillators on new developments in the new Local Plan.

Councillor David Fowles is scheduled to ask Councillor Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet Member for Health, Culture and Visitor Experience, to confirm the occupancy levels and income that CDC derives from the Cirencester Rugby Club car park.

Councillor Len Wilkins is scheduled to ask Councillor Paul Hodgkinson whether there is any information he can give to Bourton-on-the-Water Parish Council regarding their request that public toilets stay open later and that car parking fees are charged beyond the current 6pm deadline.

Councillor Gina Blomefield is scheduled to ask Councillor Juliet Layton to confirm that the concerns of local communities raised during the planning application process will be given due consideration and robust conditions will be applied to ensure local sewage networks are able to cope with the increased demand on their systems.

Councillor Laura Hall-Wilson is scheduled to ask Councillor Tristan Wilkinson, Cabinet Member for Economy and Council Transformation, for an update on the progress of the Tetbury Town Centre initiative and any detail as to what the money allocated is likely to be spent on.

Councillor Jon Wareing is scheduled to ask Councillor Mike Evemy, Leader of the Council, to agree that the council faces another crisis in the district whereby Bourton-on-the-Water, and other iconic locations within the District, are suffering the burden of overtourism. Councillor Jon Wareing is also scheduled to ask Councillor Mike Evemy to commit that the council ensures that, going forward, the work of the council acknowledges this crisis and demonstrates its support, through sustainable tourism approaches, to reverse the degradation of the social, economic and natural environments of these special localities that define the unique character of the District.