Agenda item

The Cabinet Member Safety and Communities reported that on the 18^th June, she would be chairing a session at a European conference about the Covid recovery and contributing insight on what Cheltenham had done. Heads Up Cheltenham had been recently launched, which was a project looking at helping people with mental health issues. On the 17^th June she would be visiting IT Schools Africa, a Cheltenham-based organisation which collects IT technology and distributes it to those in need across the world. She thanked the former Mayor, Roger Whyborn, for his hard work in raising a significant amount of money over the last year through the Mayor’s Fund. Finally, she noted that Cheltenham A&E had been reopened, and although it was likely to be temporary she thanked the Restore Emergency At Cheltenham General Hospital (REACH) campaign for their work.

The Cabinet Member Culture, Wellbeing and Business thanked Marketing Cheltenham for launching the Cheltenham: Find Your Happy Place campaign, and noted that the response so far from residents and businesses had been very positive. The Parks team was working on community payback schemes, including travelling round Cheltenham and repainting railings. The Cheltenham Economic Recovery Task Force was bringing in businesses and community support groups to tackle the topics of hospitality and the visitor economy, to figure out how to most effectively support these sectors.

The Cabinet Member Finance and Assets noted the extension of coronavirus restrictions until the 19^th July and the lack of additional support measures from the government thus far, which he hoped would change soon.

The Cabinet Member Climate Emergency reminded members of the motion brought to Council in March by Cllrs. Horwood and Boyes on the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill. He had recently written to Alex Chalk MP and Laurence Robertson MP about it, and both had sent detailed replies without yet committing to support the bill. He added that a county-wide climate enforcement officer was now in post, and would be an important role based on partnership working. Finally, he added that Thursday 18^th June would be Clean Air Day, and urged everyone to do their bit.

The Cabinet Member Housing thanked his predecessor (Cllr. Jeffries) for his work on the housing portfolio. He added that he had met with lead officers and key partners, and stressed the importance of housing as a key part of the carbon neutrality by 2030 pledge.

Decisions of Cabinet Members

The Leader moved onto the Cabinet Member Decisions taken since the last meeting on 27^th April. The former Cabinet Members for Finance and Assets and Clean and Green Environment (Cllrs. Jordan and Coleman) had taken decisions relating to the Additional Restrictions - Discretionary Business Grant Scheme and the disposal of commercial waste. The Cabinet Member Safety and Communities had taken a decision to allocate the Winter Grant Scheme funding, while the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets had amended the Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme. The Leader reported that she had taken three decisions regarding the remuneration of Ubico’s non-executive directors, the surrender of a lease of a telecommunications site in West Cheltenham and Ubico’s five year vision. The Cabinet Member Climate Emergency added that he had awarded a contract under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund to a company which would provide integrated metering networks across 8 council premises, targeting a reduction in energy consumption of up to 25%. This complied with the council’s carbon neutral objectives, and he thanked Alex Wells, the Climate Emergency Project Support Officer, for making it possible.