Decision details

Acceptance of tender submission and entering into a contract with The Cheltenham Trust via the council’s standard terms and conditions for the value of £10,000.

The Council is contracting, via an agreed waiver, with the Cheltenham Trust. This contract utilises UKSPF funding allocated to deliver the Heritage Action Plan which contributes to the delivery of the Cheltenham Corporate Plan (key priority 4 - Reducing inequalities, supporting better outcomes). The cost of the services will be £10,000 and The Cheltenham Trust will be providing further support costed at £778.00.
The Cheltenham Trust will deliver a web-project that will enable easy signposting to the wide range of information currently held in multiple formats and locations relating to Cheltenham’s heritage. It will create 10 distinct and engaging stories that will bring to life local history and create entry points for wider study. Its outputs will be curriculum linked to support and facilitate engagement and access to local schools and those more widely across Gloucestershire. This will include
• Webpages hosted as part of the Wilson website, including an interactive map element
• Printable version and mobile access to site make the resources portable; can be used to trace histories physically through the town on foot, bringing the stories to life in their original setting
• Launch event
This contract will facilitate the outcomes for the first phase of the Cheltenham Story. Any future phases will be required to seek wider funding for example, Cheltenham Pride grant, Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy, Arts Council funding etc.

Full procurement, however further to engagement with the Procurement Team a waiver was considered appropriate as The Cheltenham Trust, via the Wilson is:
• Cheltenham’s Museum and steward of its important collection, the Wilson has a substantial research resource telling the story of Cheltenham from its early settlers to the present day that can be shared through the project.
• The Wilson staff have the expertise in local history, learning and engagement, and curation and design, to create a rich and engaging learning resource which will be socially relevant informative and fun to use.
• At the centre of the community in Cheltenham, the Wilson has a network of community partners and heritage sector partners who will be key to the development of and participation in the project, including heritage interest groups, Education Partnership, No Child Left Behind etc.
• As part of the Big Museum Project, a major National Lottery Heritage Fund supported consultation, the Wilson is able to incorporate the feedback and data it has collected to ensure that the Cheltenham Story project is relevant and meaningful to our broad and richly varied communities.
• With an established schools network, the Wilson can ensure that the project is curriculum linked leading to high take up within over all schools in Gloucestershire and produce key stage specific learning resources to support the use of the online site.
• The Wilson has a highly developed and widely used online experience which is the starting point for many hoping to discover more about the history of Cheltenham. The project will be embedded on the Wilson Website ensuring a high standard of user experience, and exposure to its many thousands of online visitors.
• By linking this project with an existing commissioned partner of Cheltenham Borough Council this enables effective longer-term management of the information post the contract.
The Waiver was signed off by Onelegal 17/11/2025. Full funding is in place to deliver the project.

A Heritage Project Team is in place chaired by the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Culture, Wellbeing and Public Realm. This team have reviewed the outputs and values as presented by The Cheltenham Trust and agreed these.

In addition, engagement with Procurement Team, Deputy S151 Officer, OneLegal and Planning Policy Team.