Agenda item

The Leader invited Members to share briefings.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets said that the budget consultation would be starting very soon, and she would welcome suggestions from colleagues.

 The Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling and Public Realm confirmed that staff are working hard to clear the weeds which have become problematic in some areas, following the wet and mild weather.  This is being done area by area, using weed spray and manual clearance, and also the clearance of debris which will help protect against future flooding.  He said the recent heavy rain had also necessitated additional street cleaning and tidying. 

The Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities shared three items:

-       she was happy to report on the new approach to graffiti in the town centre, with a grant for £15k from the Police and Crime Commissioner to work with BID and local businesses.  The 3-month pilot will involve mapping incidents, removing graffiti, and patrol sites including G1 and G2 listed buildings and public open space.  She confirmed that there was more to come, targeting other areas outside the town centre;

-       the Healthy Start Scheme has recently launched at the Springbank Community Food Pantry, providing a Healthy Start card for expectant mothers and those with children under four, to help them to buy healthy food, including fruit and vegetables, milk and baby formula.  People can find more information and if they are eligible via the NHS Healthy Start website;

-       she wished a happy retirement to Mark Nelson in Private Sector Housing, and thanked him for his support over the years in her various Cabinet roles.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change reported that the Net Zero team is continuing to explore heat networks, which provide a central source of heat from a variety of sources to customers in an urban area through a network of underground pipes.  They have responded to an invitation from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) for funding to develop a business case for a town centre heating network.  This will examine the benefits, including financial returns and savings, and he is reasonably confident that a positive business case can be made.   

The Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Well-being and Culture shared two items:

-       was happy to reflect on a spectacular summer of sport and culture in Cheltenham, from the success of Flora Peel and particularly Laura Collett in the Olympics, to the Music Festival, Paint Festival, and the recently ended Radev exhibition at the Wilson.  He also welcomed Cheltenham Town’s successful start to the season at Whaddon Road;

-       following the recent very heavy rain, he thanked staff teams for their quick action in response to leaks in various council buildings, including the Town Hall and Leisure@, which are both fully functional again;

-       unfortunately, the Holst celebration, scheduled for Saturday 21 September, had to be postponed at short notice; thanks to the team who managed that situation.

The Cabinet Member for Major Developments and Housing Delivery said the soft launch for the marketing of the Municipal Offices would commence soon, and there has already been significant interest.  He welcomed this exciting milestone in the building’s history, after a 100-year association with the council, and thanked the team project board for their work to date, promising progress updates as they occur.

The Leader shared three items:

-       congratulations to Max Wilkinson, MP, on being appointed Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport.  She wished him luck and enjoyment in the role;

-       congratulations and thanks to Annette Wight on her retirement, for many years of service to the town as twinning officer;

-       following the recent rain, massive thanks to all officers across the organisation in the emergency planning team who, within an hour or two, had everything in place and had communicated with residents, to ensure everyone was safe or had some somewhere safe to go.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services had no briefings on this occasion.