Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Atherstone, Clucas and Pineger.

There were none.

The minutes of the meetings held on 24 February and 17 March were approved as true records and signed accordingly.

Questions must be received no later than 12 noon on the seventh working day before the date of the meeting

Five public questions had been received, with written responses published on the website:

1.  Question from Jamal Rahman to Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Culture, Wellbeing and Public Realm, Councillor Izaac Tailford

The Pittville Pump Room is one of the most, if not the most important and recognisable building within Cheltenham and it is essential to the culture of Cheltenham Spa. With that being said, it is closed regularly due to constant repairs with no large restoration programme in sight. Will the Council and the Councillors for Pittville recognise the cultural and economically benefits of the full restoration of the Pittville Pump Room, and can we see it fully restored in the near future?

Cabinet Member response

Thank you for the question. The council recognises the importance of the Pittville Pump Rooms and the wider historical property portfolio.  A property of this unique prestige, age, and size commands a good maintenance regime as well as investment to ensure it is well maintained and accessible to residents and visitors alike.  The council’s team of professional experienced building surveyors lead on ensuring this has happened and assist in planning ahead to ensure the building is preserved for future generations though reactive, planned maintenance and capital programmes of work.

We are very fortunate that within the team of building surveyors one of our surveyors holds an IHBC (Institute of Historic Building Conservation) qualification, a widely acknowledged and difficult to attain qualification that gives us an excellent insight into building conservation techniques and best practices, providing a robust foundation to decision making processes in relation to our historic stock.

The council is currently investing £250,000 in a widely reported floor strengthening programme which is due to complete before the end of Spring. Decision on Cheltenham's Pittville Pump Room upgrade - Gloucestershire Live.  This will allow the use of a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) instead of scaffolding, to inspect the high-level ornate plasterwork and undertake works needed to preserve intricate features as well as enhancing visitor experience with the installation of a new ballroom floor to replace the previous floor which was worn and approaching end of life.  In agreement with the building operator, The Cheltenham Trust, the building has been closed since January 2026 as this is one of their quieter times and we were keen to minimise business interruption for weddings, functions and other events.

In recent years, the council has invested thousands of pounds of both planned and reactive budgets into maintaining the various roof structures which sit above this unique asset. This includes flat roof replacement works, works to the dome and replacement slates to the pitched roofs.  Furthermore, we have undertaken external stonework repairs, procuring craftspeople who have worked alongside National Trust and the Historic Palaces, in recognition of the importance of this work.

In 2018, the council invested £40,000 into an external fabric redecoration programme, this included timber repairs to the external windows, doors and joinery, repair and redecoration of rainwater goods and metal railings around the site.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Report of Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services

The Leader read out an introduction on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services, stating that the policy sets out actions to be taken in relation to damp and mould and what tenants need to know and how they can get help.  She said we want to make sure that all our tenants are safe and warm in their homes, and know how to minimise the potential for damp in their homes too, with systems in place to deal with any issues and accessible to tenants without fear or concern.

A Member commented that although this policy is driven by legislation, we know that damp and mould is a significant problem, and with responsibility for 4-5k homes in the town, we need to set the bar high when looking after our tenants, setting a good and clear example for private landlords in Cheltenham and elsewhere. The policy educates all our tenants to help them understand how to tackle the problem and exercise their rights, and is an impressive piece of work.    

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    the Damp and Mould Policy is approved

Report of Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services

In the absence of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services, the Leader presented her introduction, which began by stating that the Liberal Democrat council believes all council tenants should live in homes that are safe, warm, dry and well-maintained – that is the objective of this policy.  She said that Awaab’s Law, which followed the death of a young boy in home with black mould and damp not treated by the landlord, highlights the need for the HHSRS policy, and will allow tenants to   know and understand what is covered by the safety rating system.  All hazards will be clearly identified, together with advice on what tenants should do if things go wrong. We want tenants to feel they can raise issues, that these will be addressed, and the process that will be followed to address them. 

She ended by saying that the policy had been approved by Cabinet Housing Committee, and is supported by tenants. 

A Member welcomed the policy, which provides fundamental clarity and information for all tenants around critical safety issues, commenting that the input of Cabinet Housing Committee, which includes tenant representatives, should be highlighted – they have been involved in steering this policy and are very supportive.

Another Member asked whether the council is doing any comms on this and the other new housing-related policy, to send out a strong message to tenants and to raise the bar for private landlords who will be able to see what the council is doing.  The Leader said she would follow up on this. 

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) Policy is approved

Report of Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities

The Leader read an introduction prepared by the Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities, who was unable to be present.  She began by thanking the NCLB officers, partner network, and NCLB strategic board and sub-groups who continue to push forward our collective efforts with fantastic results, positively impacting the lives of children, young people and their families year on year.

She also thanked CBC’s Golden Valley partner HBD who kindly facilitated an outstanding and inspiring knowledge-sharing session with Sheffield City Council last month, but said it is sad to note that although the challenge areas have shifted slightly, our support initiatives are needed just as much as they were when NCLB was launched in 2018.   Last year’s Year of Youth Voice Action activities and partnership working culminated in rich intelligence helping us to address the challenges that are most important to young people, leading to the first ever Changemaker Awards to celebrate the achievements of our young people, the opening of the very successful Youth Café at Smokey Joes in Cheltenham town centre, and the launch of a new Youth Activity Pass, which will be accessible to young people later this year, thanks to our partners Gloucestershire College and Cynam who have brought this web app development forward.

She said last summer’s Party in the Park and the recent NCLB Awards Ceremony are excellent examples of outstanding community impact - thanks to our partners who make these events so special and thoroughly enjoyable.

Finally, she said the next challenge is to help address the growing issues of school attendance, engagement and mental health, working with schools, the county council and specialist community partners to provide additional support for children and their families through community-based solutions; with Members’ approval today, we will collectively launch our Year of Education for All in September 2026.

Members welcomed the report and the important work done by NCLB to close the gaps for young people living in poverty in our town.  They thanked officers across the whole council, past and present, for supporting this initiative and providing services beyond statutory requirements. They made the following comments:

-       NCLB was launched in 2016, when the council started to go above and beyond to support children, young people and families who were falling behind as a result of failing services.  Ten years on, there are still great gaps in education attainment, health and social welfare and more which the government should be addressing but doesn’t appear to be.  The council will continue to do all it can to support them but the government should start making inroads into the terrible statistics;

-       it is impressive to see how The LibDem authority works closely with its outside partners to make things happen for the people of Cheltenham.  The work of NCLB is clearly needed, and its great initiatives and partner working go a long way to filling the gaps;

-       one of the strengths of CBC is its partnership working, not just looking to ourselves to get things  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of Cabinet Member for Planning and Building Control

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Building Control began by thanking the officer team who have produced this excellent piece of work, which contains a whole host of useful and relevant information.  It provides clear guidance to ensure development in the borough protects and enhances biodiversity, in line with the Environment Act 2021, and is a material consideration for all proposals affecting biodiversity, trees, or green infrastructure, in support of the council’s Key Priority 3. It establishes that early ecological assessment and nature-led design are essential and biodiversity net gain should be delivered on-site wherever feasible, with off-site provision only where clearly justified.  It identifies long-term habitat management as critical to securing durable ecological outcomes, and concludes that integrating green and blue infrastructure offers a practical and achievable way for all scales of development to contribute to nature recovery. Finally, the SPD highlights that strengthened monitoring, reporting and enforcement are necessary to ensure that commitments made through the planning process are delivered in practice.

Members made the following comments:

-       encouraging biodiversity net gain on site is very reassuring, as trees and planting in places where people live is one of things that makes Cheltenham such a good place to reside, as well as helping with well-balanced nature recovery;

-       the recently-approved tree strategy has identified areas of Cheltenham without many trees and proposed an action plan to remedy this;

-       although the SPD is only guidance, it will, like the Climate Change SPD, raise awareness amongst developers and applicants,  giving them ideas about what to include in their applications to make them more climate and nature friendly and diverse.  It is a good way to raise the bar and encourage people to do more than the minimum they have to do.  Congratulations to all those involved on a really comprehensive piece of work.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Building Control welcomed these positive and supportive comments, and agreed that the SPD will reinforce that  developers, like the council, have a role to play in enhancing biodiversity.

RESOLVED THAT: 

1.    the Nature Recovery Supplementary Planning Document (Appendix 4) is approved for adoption;

2.    authority is delegated to the Director of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Building Control, to make any necessary minor amendments or corrections to the document prior to adoption.        

Report of Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services

In her introduction, read out by the Leader, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services, welcomed the long-awaited Renters’ Rights Act, after many years of campaigning, which creates a mechanism whereby private sector tenants will have the right to complain to the local authority if their landlord does not act properly and responsibly and expect action to sort out problems.  The policy sets out how enforcement policies are aligned to the new legal framework, and how this will build new opportunities to change how things are done, meeting our statutory obligations as a council from 01 May, when the new duties come into force.

A Member welcomed the report and change in legislation, which will make a real difference to people living in below-standard private sector rented housing, with landlords who do not follow due process, who currently do not know where to go to report their concerns.  It will help make sure all tenants have everything they need to be safe and secure.

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    the new Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy at Appendix iii is approved, to take effect from 1^st May 2026 with transitional arrangements of 6 months to allow the current corporate policy to operate to conclude legacy cases. 

2.    the Head of Public Protection is authorised to take such actions and decisions as are necessary to facilitate the effective implementation and operation of the Authority’s powers referred to in this report.

3.    the Head of Public Protection is authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services, to approve minor variations to the policy in line with any revised statutory guidance.

The Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Wellbeing, Culture and Public Realm shared the following:

-       he was delighted that the lease for Cheltenham’s iconic Lido has been renewed for almost 100 years, and where other lidos are being closed or needing heavy investment to continue, ours is now protected for many generations to come.  He thanked Julie and the fantastic team for all the work they do;

-       he and Councillor Atherstone recently undertook an after-dark walk around the town centre with members of the Accessibility Forum, to experience for themselves the risks and hazards involved.  The insight helps inform decisions by licensing, the safety team and town centre planning on what can be done to help residents and visitors, as well as work with BID and the county council to make things as safe and manageable as possible.  A town centre approach survey will be carried out soon after the election;

-       the current Paula Rego exhibition at The Wilson is highly recommended – interesting art by an internationally renowned artist – and continues until 10 May;

-       as this is the last Cabinet meeting before the election, thanks to all the fantastic offices, people and partner organisations – from Cheltenham Trust and Festivals to the volunteers in our parks and gardens – who help to make Cheltenham such an amazing place to live.

The Cabinet Member for Major Development and Housing Delivery said she recently had the privilege of visiting the Cherrington’s site in Leckhampton, where beautiful bungalows and family homes are being built in a sought-after area.  She said the focus is very much on investing in and creating homes which people will love and cherish for years to come, not only beautiful to look at but exceeding expectation and providing adaptable accommodation, including downstairs wet-rooms and wide, wheelchair-friendly doorframes, to support people through all phases of their lives.  She thanked CBC’s partners and the major development team, who are doing a great job in building houses across Cheltenham both big and small.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Building Control said that with elections in a few weeks’ time, it was good to take a moment to think about all the Liberal Democrats have achieved in the last few years – policies and reports, both updates and brand new – which will collectively leave Cheltenham an even better place than it was when they started.

The Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling, Parks, Gardens and Green Open Space was happy to share several items which demonstrate what the council is doing to positively improve the ambience of the town:

-       he is part of the panel for a public art project on the Honeybourne Line, with a £60k grant available for the winning applicant.  Over 50 artists have applied, now shortlisted to ten; the standard is very high and the final decision will be extremely difficult, but we can definitely look forward to some really exciting public art on the Honeybourne Line very soon, following some good  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

There was just one decision to share on this occasion: 

18 March:  Decision of Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities

To approve the revised proposals for the allocation of Household Support Fund 2025