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.

Local Government Reorganisation

A decision was announced on 17 July by the Government that a single unitary council will be created to replace existing county, city, district and borough councils on 1 April 2028.
For more information see: https://futuregloucestershire.org.uk/

Council meetings

Link to meeting agenda and documents in the committee title.

Audit and Standards Committee - 7th July 2026

New policy to manage unacceptable customer behaviour

This policy sets out a new corporate framework for reporting instances of verbal aggression which has been increasing towards staff (and more widely across the public sector) to ensure fair, evidence-based, and proportionate responses.

Internal Audit

Reports reviewing 2025-26 performance and compliance with global standards, reaffirming the ethical and strategic framework. The quality assurance programme and 2026-27 risk-based audit plan were approved. Together, these reports ensure robust governance, and oversight of the Council’s control environment.

Counter Fraud, Anti-Corruption and Enforcement

The council's policy has been updated to reference new legal duties, including the 2023 Act on Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency on the 'failing to prevent fraud duty', plus new sections on cyber-crime, tax evasion, money laundering, and modern slavery. The work of the Council's Counter Fraud & Enforcement Unit has recovered £52,456 in revenue, applied £2,640 in penalties, and achieved £88,283 in loss avoidance (including £84,000 from recovering two properties subject to tenancy fraud).

Annual Treasury Management Report for 2025/26 

The annual report was approved, confirming the Council is operating within the prudential limits. Committee noted that that total managed balances were almost £39m. Losses of £1.2m from terminated property funds have been covered by an earmarked reserve, so will not impact on on council services. The capital financing requirement is over £136m. and repayment to the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) at just over £100m. Investment decisions must prioritise security, liquidity and yield, but as a further factor will also consider the Council's Ethical Investment Policy which sets out Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) priorities.

Annual Governance Statement

Confirmed the council’s governance arrangements were fit for purpose. Key areas discussed include continued strong financial management, clear leadership, and transparency with resident engagement. The council will also work to enhance performance management consistency, embed risk management across services. Local Government Reorganisation will be a priority and the governance framework will need to be flexible to support the transition to the new Gloucestershire Council, with support for programme governance and ensuring service continuity.

Unaudited Statement of Accounts

The Council's chief finance officer signed off the annual accounts in June 2026. The accounts are available for inspection and await the final opinion from the auditors. The accounts set out the level of usable reserves, net worth, investments and cash.

• Video recording (65 views)

Full Council - 16 July 2026

In addition to the reports noted above the following reports were agreed:

Appointment of two new tenant representatives to the Council's Housing Committee

Council agreed that two non-voting Tenant Representatives (and deputies) will be appointed to the Housing Committee, from the new Tenant Oversight Panel to ensure council tenants are represented at the Committee.

Commencement of a Community Governance Review for seven parishes

Council approved commencing of a Community Governance Review for seven parishes: Brimscombe and Thrupp, Chalford, Frampton on Severn, Great Oldbury, Minchinhampton, Standish, and Upton St Leonards. The review will address requests to adjust councillor numbers and parish boundaries to reflect new housing developments. A consultation is now underway until November, and will report by the end of the year. Any changes will need to be enacted to take effect for the May 2027 parish elections.

Requests to review parish boundaries which fall outside Stroud district cross-boundary areas (such as the community of Coopers Edge which is covered by three parish councils and two districts (Stroud and Tewkesbury) fall outside the Community Governance Review process and require a separate review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

Appointment of Independent Person

Council appointed Michael Turner as an 'Independent Person' for a 2-year term to fulfil statutory duties under the Localism Act 2011, in particular to provide advice and support on matters of conduct and standards by councillors or in relation to the dismissal of statutory officers.

Local Government Reorganisation - Structural Changes Order for Gloucestershire, suggested warding arrangements
A Structural Changes Order (SCO) is a statutory instrument made by the Secretary of State and is the legal mechanism used to implement local government reorganisation. The SCO will establish the legal framework for the new Gloucestershire Council, including its governance arrangements, electoral structures, transition planning, and transfer of functions from the current district councils and county council. This SCO is expected to be laid before Parliament by the end of the year.

Each Council has been asked to confirm its preferred 'warding arrangements' - which is the wards that future unitary councillors will be elected to represent. It is proposed that the existing GCC division boundaries will be used with two councillors elected for each division. The Chief Executive will submit the council's preference to to the Government, before they draft the SCO, the legal document that will implement the changes.

Video recording (58 views)

Development Control Committee - 28 July 2026

S.21/1913/OUT Land West of A4135, Draycott, Cam - Permitted

Residential development up to 235 dwellings, vehicular, pedestrian and cycle links, strategic landscaping and green infrastructure including areas of informal and public open space and other associated site infrastructure and community uses. This application is in additional to the permission for 795 dwellings on a neighbouring site which has been granted permission at appeal.

S.23/1030/FUL Land Near Renishaws Roundabout, Charfield Road, Kingswood - Refused

Development of research and development centre (Class E(g)(ii)), landscaping, access, parking provision, ancillary showroom and associated development. Refused in line with the recommendations in the officer report, which included the lack of a masterplan to detail the way in which the land uses and infrastructure would be developed in an integrated and coordinated manner, as had been envisaged within the emerging Draft Local Plan where the site was identified as draft employment allocation PS47.

S.26/0460/FUL Bay Tree Cottage, Arlingham - Permitted

Conversion of an outbuilding to a dwelling (C3). (Retrospective) This application follows an application refused in May 2025 for the conversion of an outbuilding to a dwelling and then dismissed at appeal in November 2025.

S.26/0127/HHOLD 18 Bisley Old Road, Stroud - Refused

Several revised schemes have been submitted for consideration during the application, which have evolved from the originally proposed annexe. The proposal has been amended and is now for an outbuilding.

Video recording (184 views)

Other news 

Please vote for the award-nominated canal bridge

A newly completed canal bridge near Stonehouse has been shortlisted for a prestigious engineering award, and local people are being asked to help it win.

Bonds Mill Lift Bridge is a finalist in the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) South West People's Choice Award, with the winner decided entirely by public vote and is one of 12 projects from across the South West.
It only takes a minute to vote for Bonds Mill Lift Bridge, visit: https://www.ice.org.uk/about-us/ice-near-you/uk/ice-south-west/awards/peoples-choice-voting

• August festivals and events in the Stroud district
• Could your garden make room for nature?
• Name of Gloucestershire’s new council confirmed as reorganisation shifts into next phase
• Vision for traffic-free greenway showcased as Charfield station nears completion
• New cigarette butt ballot bin installed in Stroud town centre

Prepared by Cllr Gareth Kitchen (Green) based on councillor activity in July with updates from Cllr Linda Cohen (Lib Dem) & Cllr Catherine Braun (Green).