Councillor Patrick Coleman, Cabinet Member for Finance, approved recommendations regarding discretionary rate relief for local organisations and the allocation of funds raised from the Bourton-on-the-Water Tourism Parking Levy. The meeting addressed the allocation of funds for community projects in Bourton-on-the-Water and the provision of discretionary rate relief to various organisations.

Bourton-on-the-Water Tourism Levy

Councillor Patrick Coleman approved the funding of several projects and recurring expenditures in Bourton-on-the-Water, using funds collected from the Rissington Road Car Parking Tourism Levy¹ for 2025/26.

The recommendations were made following a public consultation. The Business Manager for Environment, Revenues and Welfare explained that after the 2025 public consultation, nine high-ranking projects were chosen to receive funding from the levy.

The approved projects include:

• Commissioning a visitor traffic management strategy, estimated to cost £35,000
• Installing rubber matting for the Melville and Naight play areas, estimated to cost £860
• Providing additional parking enforcement between Christmas and New Year, estimated to cost £530
• Setting up and removing village green railings for protection of the green from November to March, estimated to cost £900
• Engineering works on the footpath adjacent to Jubilee Orchard, to improve drainage, estimated to cost £8,000
• Repainting the benches in the village centre, estimated to cost £4,000
• Repairing the paths around the village green, estimated to cost £5,000
• Resurfacing the bonded area underneath circular benches on the village green, estimated to cost £7,500
• Purchasing materials for volunteers to use to make gravel footpath improvements, particularly the Conigers and Manor Field footpaths, estimated to cost £3,000

The Cabinet Member also approved the funding of recurring annual expenditure:

• The cost of employing the village warden (£20,444)
• The cost of providing the village warden with a small projects budget (£500)
• Joint (50%) funding of the annual refresh of the village green (£9,957)
• Joint (50%) funding of the provision of additional parking enforcement (£8,832)

The officer's report noted that there was a funding carry-over from 2024/25 of £6,720, a project underspend of £40,000, and the 2025/26 receipts are projected to be £70,000, giving a total 2025/26 budget of £116,720. The total expenditure for 2025/26 would be £104,523, leaving an excess of £12,197, the use of which would be subject to an additional decision-making meeting.

Discretionary Rate Relief Applications

Councillor Patrick Coleman approved discretionary rate relief for several organisations, determining ten new applications and thirteen renewal applications submitted under Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988² for the financial years 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026.

The Business Manager for Environment, Revenues and Welfare explained that the council can consider granting Discretionary Rate Relief to non-profit making organisations and organisations suffering financial hardship.

The Cabinet Member approved the applications for:

• Big Yellow Bus Company
• North Cotswold Food Bank
• Heart Safe
• Clinic Academy (six accounts)
• Palmer Hall Management
• Churn Project Ltd
• Headspace Cirencester
• Opportunity Group
• SLM Community Leisure Charity Trust (three accounts)
• New Brewery Arts (two accounts)
• Brimpsfield Village Hall
• Cirencester Citizens Advice
• Bourton-on-the-Hill Old School Village Hall
• Lechlade Library Ltd

The Cabinet Member refused applications for:

• The Cotswolds Canals Trust
• Didmarton Village Hall & Community Committee

The Cabinet Member for Finance stated that the discretionary rate relief was agreed to support those charitable organisations where the entities were carrying out activities which either support the council’s priorities or have provided evidence of financial circumstances which met the criteria. Refusals were given where reserves were sufficient to meet the financial performance.

The report noted that awarding the rate relief would result in a loss on non-domestic rates income of £24,783.50 for the financial year 2025/2026.