Decision details

To approve a shortened version of the template partnership agreement with green space volunteer groups, which was approved at Cabinet on 18 February 2025 as part of the updated volunteering policy. 

The template partnership agreement was introduced in February 2025 for use with the constituted green space volunteer groups that volunteer regularly on council land under their own insurance. 

The aim of the agreement is to set out clearly the responsibilities on both sides to enable constituted groups to volunteer more autonomously and flexibly through a clear, safe and supportive process.  It will also reduce the capacity demands on the Green Space Development team from the growing number of groups operating and enable a fair distribution of support and time to support potential new groups.  

Following feedback from the groups, the template agreement has been shortened and simplified to make it more workable for the groups, while still retaining the key points.  The document has also been renamed ‘partnership pledge’ rather than ‘partnership agreement’ following feedback and in recognition that groups are volunteering from good will and that the document is not intended to be a legally binding contract.

The council could continue with the previously approved template partnership agreement but the risk is that many of the green space volunteer groups would not be willing to sign up to it as it is too long and daunting. 

The council could also revert to not having an agreement in place with the green space volunteer groups, but that leaves the responsibilities on both sides less clearly demarcated, which increases capacity demands on the green space development team and leaves groups in confusion about what their commitments are. 

The draft revised partnership pledge was discussed with the green space volunteer groups in August 2025 and they also submitted further written feedback on it in the following weeks. 

The groups recognised the positives of the partnership pledge in ensuring equality between groups and giving them flexibility to volunteer outside council working hours, as often as they like and to achieve more and benefit from funding opportunities to improve the green spaces. 

However, some of the groups had concerns about responsibilities including GDPR, holding personal data for their volunteers, safeguarding and the level of administrative time needed.  There was also clarity needed about insurance requirements.

Gloucestershire Rural Community Council has been involved in supporting the groups and a number of them are willing to sign the partnership pledge.  Some of the groups are not ready to do this and their volunteers will remain as council volunteers, under council supervision and insurance.  They will be reliant on the capacity of the green space development team to run sessions, and the number of sessions per group will be reviewed to ensure fairness in line with capacity.