Wotton Town Council Meeting

16th June 2025

My informal notes from last nights Town Council meeting that I attended along with SDC Cllr Braun and SDC/GCC Cllr Cohen.

Normal formalities. No apologies. The mayor and deputy declared interests in item 8b. A dispensation had also been sought for the same item (in case the council was inquorate, I think) but was not invoked. Maybe it was sufficient for councillors to leave meeting? The mayor mentioned a circulated e-mail and items 9,10,11,17 were to be deferred to the next meeting. The minutes of the meeting of 19th May 2025 were approved.

Only one member of the public present, Dominic Driver, who was due to speak on later on behalf of the Wotton and District Recreational Trust.

The mayor brings item 8b forward. Cllr Smith and Claydon leave the room so that the grant application from the Recreational Trust can be considered. Dominic offers background. They are seeking £1,200 to keep the trust viable for the long term otherwise it would probably have to disband. They need to complete the transition from a trust model to a more modern CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation). He views that Recreational Trust as important to the town in making it a social vibrant community, on a par with the Sports Foundation, Wotton Pool, the walking club etc.

The Recreational Trust is responsible for the land at Dryleaze where the Bowls Club is located and the land at Streamsfield. It was formed in 80's. Change is needed, new foundation from which to build and attract new trustees. Unlimited liability really doesn't really work for new trustees. They are down to a minimum with the secretary & treasurer standing down. Need new trustees to energise and raise income. Transition to CIO has used up reserves. Didn't expect legal fees to be as high. Negotiated them down. But to complete transition will take another year or not a not a going concern, so in a bind. The CIO does exist, cost + legal to move obligations over. £1k required to complete transition, £200 to run for another year. They don't want to come back every year. Wants to stand alone. Next meeting will plan exit strategy with or without grant. So a problem for the Bowls club and Streamsfield is threatened without the funding.

Question from cllr. No income from bowls club? Nominal sum, Dryleaze community hall possibly could be a revenue stream. The clerk confirms that there is £10k in contingency or general reserves. Motion passes.

The mayor announces that Cllr Jane Tyler has resigned as a Town Councillor. He has thanked her for the time spent on council. The mayor notes that he took part in Pride parade on the weekend.

GCC Cllr Cohen spoke on her report. Most importantly an update on the sinkhole on Coombe Road. Wessex water thinks it's down to them. Due to attend Tuesday morning. Leaving GCC barriers in place. If it is Wessex the barriers will be replaced. They appear confident can sort within 2 weeks. She will put out something out on Facebook

[Update: Wessex Water were indeed replacing the barriers this morning (17th), see photo. Speaking with the site manager he confirmed that it will be sorted within two weeks. He has a holiday booked to Fuerteventura on the 5th July and he's no intention of changing the booking! So shouldn't interfere with the re-opening of Rushmire.]

The mayor spoke of his dissatisfaction about the traffic chaos in the town each time the motorway closes. He has asked that GCC Highways have a meeting with police, National Highways and SDC to devise a strategic plan for the area to action should this happen again. He has experience of a plan like this working in Birmingham. Cllr Cohen will raise the matter.

Cllr Braun notes recent correspondence from National Highways about capacity at Junction 14 that's due to be announced shortly. Cllr Cohen says once motorway closes the A38 clogs up instantly then people use sat-nav in an attempt to circumvent.

Cllr Cohen expresses some frustration and feels a bit overwhelmed with the sheer amount of casework.... Like myself much of it is about Town Hall, Symn Lane car park, Old Town toilets, Rushmire Hill etc. etc. She wants to reach out to the Lions to help with weeding. She points out that there are just three of us (1xGCC and 2xSDC Cllrs) just six of you (town councillors). We need more energy. Why can't we attract more capacity? Need to think about why the council is losing cllrs and how to attract new ones.

The clerk thinks councillors need to be out there in the community, showing advancement on projects to complement what is put in the Wotton Directory. Mayor thinks everything that can be done is being done and maybe county and district councillors should also serve on the town council. Cllr. says people should self help keeping town tidy rather than sitting back and expecting other people or the authorities to do it.

A cllr. says this is a problem for many organisations, they all have difficulty. People just do their own thing and so not want to get involved in wider issues. Mayor thinks it's all down to Covid and the retirement age increasing. Cllr Cohen says all this is nonsense, we need to buck trend by being proactive the other parishes are doing really well. The councils at North Nibley, Stinchcombe and Hillesley are well populated and well run. Indeed, North Nibley is at capacity! Snappy agendas loads of projects happening, people want to be part of that. A cllr. asks about the age of their cllrs. Mostly younger.

The clerk interjects, with the weeding why don't cllrs put a call out, tidy up morning, focus on town council. Make an agreement with a local cafe for bacon baps afterwards, TC has hi-vis jackets and litter pickers. Great way of getting out there. Need to man stalls at street party and have cllrs out there. Questionnaire going out in Wotton Directory to form a strategic plan.

Mayor says lots of large projects taking capacity, then demands to know why Linda, Catherine and myself aren't serving on the town council? I was surprised that Cllr Cohen even dignified the demand with a response, but she complied to explain why she couldn't. I could sense my blood pressure rising. Cllr Braun obviously felt awkward but answered. I felt it a wholly inappropriate question for an elected official to ask of anyone at a public meeting. I chose not to answer and left the meeting. I took some time out, to calm myself, and thankfully no medication was required. I unreservedly apologise if this came across as unprofessional, I just wasn't able to continue.

I understand Cllr Braun and Cohen left soon after.

Edit: Changed Horsley to Hillesley.