Cllr Gareth Kitchen

Community News | SDC | Council Meetings | Wotton | Stroud Green Party District Councillor for Wotton-under-Edge, North Nibley & Stinchcombe, Gloucestershire, UK. Elected 2nd May 2024. Serving on the SDC Audit & Standards Committee and Gloucestershire Police & Crime Panel. 📧 cllr.gareth.kitchen@stroud.gov.uk ☎️ +44 7396 840710 Secure Web Contact Form: https://cryptpad.fr/form/#/2/form/view/9q0gPl18J1obc9U++FOSQwaL2euErvZTXekMKQVGScw/ For urgent and secure messaging use Signal: eco_g_20.24 or less securely, e-mail. (Voicemail & SMS messages are responded to most evenings after work.) ℅ Cookability, 35 Long Street, Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 7BX Privacy Policy - https://www.stroud.gov.uk/privacynotice Promoted by Rob Brookes on behalf of Stroud District Green Party, at 17 Great George St, Bristol BS1 5QT. Find me on the Fediverse (social media without adverts, algorithms or outrage) here:-

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North Nibley Parish Council Meeting - 4th March 2026

March 5, 2026•440 words

North Nibley Parish Council Meeting 4th March 2026 My informal notes from Wednesday's Parish Council meeting that I attended along with SDC Cllr. Braun and GCC/SDC Cllr. Cohen. Lots of updates on actions from the previous meeting. Bins update, planning at SDC seems understaffed, fix Annual parish meeting date. No questions on the SDC Councillors' Report but there has been a bit of movement on the Local Plan. The Inspectors will conduct a limited consultation on the latest highways assess...

SDC Councillors' Report - March 2026

March 2, 2026•1,287 words

Wotton-under-Edge, North Nibley & Stinchcombe Along with residents' casework and in addition to council meetings at Ebley Mill and elsewhere, Cllrs Kitchen, Braun & Cohen attended the regular council meetings at North Nibley, Stinchcombe & Wotton-under-Edge. Council meetings Link to meeting agenda and documents in the committee title. Full Council - 19th February 2026 Annual budget meeting, to agree the final SDC budget and also the council tax for 2026/27. Council tax com...

SDC Report - Police & Crime Panel - February 2026

February 24, 2026•642 words

Proposed Gloucestershire Police Precept 2026/2027 The PCC’s recommendations for the 2026‑27 revenue budget and the MTFP (2026‑27 to 2029‑30). He asked support for a Council‑tax precept increase of £18.50, giving a Band D Council‑tax rate of £340.58 for 2026‑27, a 5.74% rise. There is a budget gap of £2.3 m for 2026‑27 which will be funded by the higher precept, additional reserves use, and modest grant growth. The numbers; overall grant increase 2.8%, pay award assumption 3% plus increme...

Stroud District Council passes Green budget

February 21, 2026•915 words

Stroud District Council passes Green budget that ‘invests fairly in the whole District’ Summary The Green-led administration at Stroud District Council has passed an “investment budget” for Stroud District, balancing the challenge of cuts in government funding with an ambitious programme that puts over £4.6million in council priorities and new measures across the district. Detail The Green-led administration at Stroud District Council last night (Thursday February 19) passed an “investment...

Wotton Town Council - February 2026

February 17, 2026•1,711 words

Wotton Town Council Meeting 16th February 2026 [Snowdrops, the first breath after a long dark spell, the quiet return of life where everything once seemed lost] My informal notes and personal comment from the Town Council meeting on Monday that I attended along with SDC Cllr Braun and SDC/GCC Cllr Linda Cohen. The first job of the Council was to appoint a new Chair. There was a bit of confusion about the role of Mayor. Cllr Lesley Hewish was prepared to become the Chair but didn't want to ...

Police & Crime Panel - 2nd February 2026

February 14, 2026•725 words

Summary - Shire Hall 2nd February 2026 A meeting summary, personal notes and comment. Authored by Cllr. Gareth Kitchen, SDC. This article will form the basis of my brief report feeding into the Community Services and Licensing Committee at SDC. Webcast of meeting. Agenda packs etc. Minutes (when published). Proposed Gloucestershire Police Precept 2026/2027 These are the PCC’s recommendations for the 2026‑27 revenue budget and the MTFP (2026‑27 to 2029‑30) and he wants support for a...

North Nibley Parish Council Meeting - February 2026

February 7, 2026•410 words

North Nibley Parish Council Meeting 4th February 2026 A very full council meeting. Great to see so many people taking an interest in the local community. A local GP spoke powerfully at the public forum about the use and misuse of Westridge Woods. He has noticed an increasing amount of litter in recent years. He was suggesting that trail head signs should be considered at bottom of wood lane. Reminding people of bridleways, sites of interest and good behaviour examples – e.g. yield to ...

Consultation: Local Government Reorganisation

February 6, 2026•509 words

The government has opened its consultation on proposals for LGR in Gloucestershire, yesterday, Thursday 5 February. This will be open for seven weeks. As you know, it follows the submission of three proposals to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) last November. What will the consultation cover? The consultation will ask for views on all three proposals submitted: One single county-wide unitary council Two unitary councils (east/west split) Two unitary cou...

Personal press release: Police & Crime Panel - Budget 2026/2027

February 4, 2026•596 words

Gloucestershire Police pledge more community engagement to restore trust A Green councillor has won changes to the Gloucestershire Police budget so that engagement with the most deprived sections of the community is properly funded. Cllr Gareth Kitchen, who represents Stroud District Council on the Gloucestershire Police & Crime Panel, successfully put forward a request to the panel’s budget meeting on Monday (February 2) for more focus on genuine community engagement to improve trust in p...

SDC Councillors' Report - February 2026

February 3, 2026•1,351 words

Wotton-under-Edge, North Nibley & Stinchcombe Along with residents' casework and in addition to council and training meetings at Ebley Mill, Cllrs Kitchen, Braun & Cohen attended the regular council meetings at North Nibley, Stinchcombe & Wotton-under-Edge. Council meetings Link to meeting agenda and documents in the committee title. Strategy & Resources Committee - 15th Jan 2026 Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) - this is a planning charge, introduced in 2017 for St...

Video clips - Police & Crime Panel - February 2026

February 2, 2026•511 words

I represent Stroud District Council on the Gloucestershire Police & Crime Panel. Today the Panel supported my Green recommendation which will now accompany the Constabulary's budget:- To request more information be brought to the panel that preventative work is undertaken in Gloucestershire by the OPCC and the Constabulary to tackle inequity which includes stop & search, arrests, charging decision & use of force through genuine community engagement to improve trust in policing, bu...

Wotton Town Council - January 2026

January 20, 2026•3,150 words

Wotton Town Council Meeting 19th January 2026 My informal notes and personal comment from the Town Council meeting on Monday that I attended along with SDC Cllr Braun. Hannah was introduced as the new Locum. Apologies for absence from a few Cllrs. and GCC Cllr Cohen. A few declarations of interest and the minutes approved. Item 10 brought forward. Tina, the chair of the Beaumont–Le–Roger Twinning Society gave an update and the society wants to restart civic exchange visits. They are as...

SDC Councillors' Report - January 2026

January 5, 2026•2,326 words

Wotton-under-Edge, North Nibley & Stinchcombe Along with residents' casework and in addition to council and training meetings at Ebley Mill, Cllrs Kitchen, Braun & Cohen attended the regular council meetings at North Nibley, Stinchcombe & Wotton-under-Edge. Council meetings Link to meeting agenda and documents in the committee title. Development Control Committee - 2nd December Solar photovoltaic farm at Epney, Framilode (S.25/1011/FUL) - REFUSED Committee followed the ...

Wotton Town Council - December 2025

December 16, 2025•1,861 words

Wotton Town Council Meeting 15th December 2025 My informal notes and personal comment from the Town Council meeting on Monday that I attended along with GCC/SDC Cllr Cohen. I arrived early, took my place in the public area. There were only two other people present. I guess it was forgotten that I attend as a member of the public so had to listen to, what I assume is, the normal misogynistic banter that occurs when the Clerk (or other female Cllrs for that matter) aren't around. :( Soon th...

Stinchcombe Parish Council Meeting - December 2025

December 15, 2025•249 words

Stinchcombe Parish Council Meeting 10th December 2025 My informal notes from last Wednesdays Parish Council meeting that I attended along with Cllr. Braun. Prior to the main council meeting there was a packed community consultation about the proposed redevelopment at 1-4 The Avenue, Stinchcombe. It was a really good opportunity to speak with the SDC project team. Overall there seems to be agreement that, despite the lack of facilities in the village, the design is OK but the density of d...

North Nibley Parish Council Meeting - December 2025

December 5, 2025•559 words

North Nibley Parish Council Meeting 3rd December 2025 My informal notes from Wednesday's Parish Council meeting that I attended along with SDC Cllr. Braun and GCC/SDC Cllr. Cohen. Apologies from the Clerk so Cllr J Smith offered to take notes. Although some members of the public were present earlier they seem to had a change of heart so no one to ask questions in the public forum. The Chair rattled through the outstanding actions from the previous meetings, to fast for me to take notes. :...

Symn Lane Car Park - DCC 2nd December 2025

December 3, 2025•230 words

Development Control Committee - S.23/2101/VAR So, finally, the variation, effectively to complete the Symn Lane Car Park, was granted unanimously last night at SDC. SDC will ensure that the development will complete as soon as practically possible using a legal agreement called a section 106. The planning officer indicated this will likely mean June, July 2026. I felt I had to draw attention to the fact that this project has been dragging on for nine years. There remains great annoyance in...

SDC Councillors' Report - December 2025

December 2, 2025•1,643 words

Wotton-under-Edge, North Nibley & Stinchcombe Along with residents' casework and in addition to council and training meetings at Ebley Mill, Cllrs Kitchen, Braun & Cohen attended the regular council meetings at North Nibley, Stinchcombe & Wotton-under-Edge. Council meetings Link to meeting agenda and documents in the committee title. Housing Committee - 4th Nov Swedish Timber Houses Site, Stinchcombe. An update to the Committee on highway safety and other key infrastructu...

SDC Report - Police & Crime Panel - November 2025

November 29, 2025•668 words

Joint Independent Audit Committee Annual Report The Joint Independent Audit Committee (JIAC) Annual Report. Effective supervision of external audit transition to Bishop Fleming, resulting in an unmodified audit opinion and a few recommendations. Completion of eight internal‑audit engagements by SWAP, with overall “reasonable” assurance and 30+ corrective actions logged. Challenges included persistent delays in receiving detailed financial‑savings data, limiting the committee’s ability to veri...

OPCC Meeting - 26 Nov 2025

November 27, 2025•364 words

Along with Cllr Richard Dean (Dursley) and Cllr Steve Robinson (Nailsworth) I attended an OPCC briefing at the constabulary yesterday. Stroud District well represented! Here are some of my informal notes and comment. The agenda was roughly:- Role of OPCC Performance Serious Violence Police and Crime Prevention Plan tbh, it became a bit free format with the sheer number of questions from the councillors. There was a hard hitting video by Josh Hall's parents and the devastating aftermath of...

LGR, Police & Crime Panel update and other news

November 22, 2025•999 words

November Update 23rd November 2025 You may have received a copy of the Wotton Ward News through your letterbox recently. If not, there's a copy here. If you could lend a hand delivering leaflets to your neighbours we'd appreciate the help. Local membership of the Green Party is now just shy of 1000 members. We are holding a local meeting in Wotton on Thursday 4th December at the Baptist Church. All Green Party members are welcome to attend. Contact me or Catherine for more details or wh...

Video Clips: Gloucestershire Police & Crime Panel - Nov 2025

November 21, 2025•294 words

Internal audits are evaluations conducted to assess internal controls, risk management, and operational efficiency and should be aimed at improving processes. I was more than a little concerned about a comment in backing papers. An unhappy auditor makes for a concerned councillor. :( I've been working for many years around the Scrutiny Panels at the constabulary. I've been perpetually frustrated with my enquiries but continue to work doggedly to seek improvement. And a decade later change...

Wotton Town Council - November 2025

November 19, 2025•827 words

Wotton Town Council Meeting 17th November 2025 My informal notes and personal comment from the Town Council meeting on Monday that I attended along with SDC Cllr Braun. GCC/SDC Cllr Cohen had sent apologies along with a few other town councillors. A few members of the public were present but none wanted to speak at the public forum. The Chairman said that he had visited the new Charfield station site and checked out the parking consultation. There will be a £2.80 charge for the day which ...

Update: Westridge Woods - Upcoming works

November 17, 2025•672 words

Westridge Woods - Upcoming works 16th November 2025 I spent Sunday afternoon up in Westridge Woods with a group of local residents and other councillors. We are all wanting to see sensible forest management at Westridge Woods unlike the last time the company, F&W Forestry, undertook work up there. As one of the ward's three district councillors I raised my concerns in a well researched open letter to F&W Forestry. Unexpectedly, they responded, not by acknowledging the shortcomi...

Stinchcombe Parish Council - November 2025

November 13, 2025•264 words

Stinchcombe Parish Council Meeting 12th November 2025 My informal notes from last Wednesdays Parish Council meeting that I attended along with Cllr. Braun. Apologies from a couple of Cllrs and Cllr. Linda Cohen. Quick discussion on previous action points. Playground signs ordered by Highways. One near to bench by Church. One coming up Wick lane mounted on an existing sign. Parish Council would like to see the trustees' village hall minutes for better collaboration. Various cleaned up pa...

Celebrate Remembrance Sunday

November 8, 2025•205 words

I've been reflecting on this official call to ‘celebrate’ Remembrance Sunday (on another social media platform). My grandfather fought in mainland Europe twice during WWII and was present at the liberation of Bergen‑Belsen. He rarely spoke about the horrors he saw, but I know they left a deep imprint on him. He chose not to take part in public commemorations and was critical of both the politicians and the monarchy who did. As an elected councillor, I will spend Remembrance Day with my famil...

North Nibley Parish Council - November 2025

November 6, 2025•694 words

North Nibley Parish Council Meeting 5th November 2025 My informal notes from Wednesday's Parish Council meeting that I attended along with SDC Cllr. Braun. GCC/SDC Cllr. Cohen sent apologies. A couple of Cllrs had sent their apologies. Four people in the public forum. Two spoke regarding planning item 7a. It was explained that they are residents and are looking to use their field for a horse stables and paddock purely for personal use. They need the stables to care for their horses which ar...

Wotton Town Council - Extraordinary Meeting - 3rd November 2025

November 4, 2025•1,409 words

Wotton Town Council Extraordinary Meeting 3rd November 2025 My informal notes and personal comment from the town council meeting on Monday. SDC Cllr Braun and GCC/SDC Cllr Cohen had sent apologies. Extraordinary Town Council Meeting Correction Prior to the meeting the mayor told me that my back of a beer mat calculation for the Old Town Toilet utility bill as per my previous report was hopelessly incorrect. Apparently, the costs attributed to the October payment schedule included two six...

SDC Councillors' Report - November 2025

November 3, 2025•1,277 words

Wotton-under-Edge, North Nibley & Stinchcombe Along with residents' casework and in addition to council and training meetings at Ebley Mill, Cllrs Kitchen, Braun & Cohen attended the regular council meetings at North Nibley, Stinchcombe & Wotton-under-Edge. Council meetings Link to meeting agenda and documents in the committee title. Strategy and Resources Committee - 2nd October Approved a new framework to improve the way that the council undertakes consultation & eng...

Wotton Town Council - Extraordinary Council & Planning - October 2025

October 29, 2025•1,624 words

Wotton Town Council Extraordinary Meeting & Planning Meeting 27th October 2025 My informal notes and personal comment from the town council meeting on Monday that I attended along with SDC Cllr Braun. GCC/SDC Cllr Cohen had sent apologies. Extraordinary Town Council Meeting The primary purpose of this short meeting, prior to planning, was to approve the candidates who had put themselves forward for co-option on to the Town Council and in short order Paula, Fred, Lesley, Becky and Ros w...