Agenda item

The Cabinet Member Culture, Wellbeing and Business reported that there would soon be a new sports bar at the Prince of Wales Stadium, and thanked the officers involved in doing this. She also thanked those involved in bringing big screen entertainment to Imperial Gardens, which had been hugely enjoyable for everyone who came to watch classic movies, theatre, the Proms, Olympics and Paralympics. The event had been family friendly and saw between 150 and 350 visitors daily.

The Cabinet Member Waste, Recycling and Street Services reported that next week would be Recycle Week, so he was happy to say that the Pod Back scheme for recycling coffee pods was progressing well, with Karen Watson (Head of Environmental Partnerships) leading on this. He added that weedkiller usage was being reduced in favour of weed rippers in order to promote biodiversity, and that Ubico’s progress across the town could be followed by residents on the CBC website.

The Cabinet Member Customer and Regulatory Services reported that he had had a productive meeting with the Gloucestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (GRASAC), prompted by a recent council survey on women’s safety. It was good to see these conversations happening, and he had particularly raised the issue of how women’s safety varied throughout the year, for example during race week. Sexual Entertainment Venues (SEVs) were a relevant topic, as they were still subject to a loophole allowing unlicensed SEVS to remain open. At the meeting, he had agreed to write to government to ask for this loophole to be closed, and would also look at codes of practice regarding attaching conditions to alcohol licensing. It was important to reflect a positive image of the town, and the safety of residents and visitors was integral to this.

The Cabinet Member Finance and Assets noted that the Budget Monitoring report had been delayed to October Cabinet, and acknowledged the economic difficulties still faced by businesses and individuals as the pandemic continued. It was important to keep a close eye on the council’s economic recovery, a key part of which would be the revised capital budget.

The Leader added that she had attended the iESE Awards along with the Chief Executive, Laura Carter and Katie Sandey (Communications), where CBC had received a gold award for its use of communications during the pandemic. The council had also won a Transformation Award for its allocation of relief funding to businesses, for which she thanked the officers involved.

Cabinet Member Decisions

The Cabinet Member Finance and Assets reported that he had made five decisions since the last meeting. These related to tender acceptance for replacement fire doors within CBC’s housing stock, an amendment to the Discretionary Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme, a contract award for electrical works, the provision of specialist services for Fire Risk Assessments and cyclical redecoration works to CBC-owned residential properties.

In the absence of the Cabinet Member Safety and Communities, the Leader reported that she had made a decision regarding the allocation of HAF funding, which would deliver a programme of summer holiday activities and food provision for children who received benefits-related free school meals.

In the absence of the Cabinet Member Climate Emergency, the Leader reported that he had made a decision to support the Honeybourne Line Missing Link project being delivered and fully funded by Great Western Railway (GWR).

In the absence of the Cabinet Member Housing, the Leader reported that he had made a decision to commit to accommodating approximately seven households across the borough from the British Forces Afghan Relocation and Assistance scheme during 2021/22.

The Cabinet Member Culture, Wellbeing and Business reported that she had extended the grant agreement for Welcome Grant Funding agreed on 8^th December 2020 as part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Reopening High Streets Safely Fund. This decision increased the amount of funding to the maximum sum of £207,155.

The Cabinet Member Cyber and Strategic Transport reported that he had made a decision to employ Nick Sturge of Omnigenix on a short-term contract to support the Cyber Central Project of the Golden Valley Programme in leading the Cyber Eco-System work stream and engagement with academia and talent development.

The Leader reported that she had made a decision to allocate a series of executive functions to the Head of Property, Finance and Assets, or in their absence the Executive Director Finance and Assets.