Agenda item

The Cabinet Member Cyber and Strategic Transport reported that Cheltenham was currently being represented at the Slush 2021 tech startup convention in Helsinki. This was a key part of promoting the town as the cyber centre of the UK, and the Golden Valley project.

The Cabinet Member Safety and Communities reported on the status of defibrillators around the town. Five were now available in the Town Centre and would be operative just before Christmas, with five more possible locations being explored. She thanked colleagues in the Chamber of Commerce, the BID and Spirax-Sarco for their help. She added that following on from her Safety of Women and Girls at Night update at the 9^th November meeting, she would soon meet with the university and students’ union to find out their views on how things could be improved. Finally, she reported that the No Child Left Behind awards had received over 30 nominations, and the shortlist was being put together. The young people active in NCLB would decide who won.

The Cabinet Member Customer and Regulatory Services updated members on the status of the proposal for a ride-hailing app that could connect disabled users with the 70 wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) in the town. The development of the app was going well, and it was expected to launch in January. He added that consultation had opened on the licensing policy revision making it compulsory to use technology aimed at increasing accessibility.

The Cabinet Member Waste, Recycling and Street Services reported on the success of the Pod Back scheme aimed at recycling aluminium and plastic coffee pods. More than half a million pods had been recycled in the town, which was an amazing feat. The pods were being recycled in this country and not going into the waste system. The money generated from this would be allocated towards ecological projects which he hoped to announce soon. He thanked the people of Cheltenham for making the scheme so successful.

The Cabinet Member Culture, Wellbeing and Business congratulated the Cheltenham Trust for putting on an excellent event with Father Christmas in the Pittville Pump Rooms. It was great to see families and children having fun and a packed Christmas market.

The Cabinet Member Finance and Assets updated members on two urgent waivers, one relating to the reception of the Municipal Offices and the other to the courtyard roof of the Wilson Art Gallery.

The Cabinet Member Climate Emergency thanked those who ran the COP26 climate vigil on the Promenade, noting that they had produced a tapestry with all the people who visited them during it which would be presented to the council in due course. He added that the first meeting of the Gloucestershire Climate Leadership Group had taken place, bringing together the county council, private enterprise, the police and the health service. There was lots to build on in the future, and it was important to all work together towards carbon neutrality.

The Cabinet Member Housing added that the CBC-CBH partnership had moved into the private rented sector, with this going live on Friday 26^th November. There had already been 200 enquiries for 13 units in the first two weeks, and officers were looking at further opportunities. He added that he and the Cabinet Member Safety and Communities had been to see the official handover of seven affordable homes on Brockhampton Lane. Two of these were shared ownership properties while five were affordable rent.

Cabinet Member Decisions

The Cabinet Member Housing reported that he had taken a decision on 29^th November to update the British Forces Afghan Relocation and Assistance scheme. The scheme originally accounted for seven families in Cheltenham, but he was pleased to announce that up to fifteen families could now be accommodated. This was partly due to the positive response from private landlords in the town, but also because other authorities in the county had not been able to fulfil their obligations. Four families had already moved into CBH properties and were settling into life in Cheltenham.