Agenda item

Gloucestershire 2050 Vision Consultation

To receive the report of the Managing Director concerning the Gloucestershire Vision 2050 consultation.

Minutes:

19.1    The Leader of the Council, Councillor James, outlined the proposal to submit a contribution to the Gloucestershire Vision 2050 consultation and welcomed that a consultation was underway. He stated he was ambitious for the City and the Council should be similarly be ambitious for the County.

 

19.2    Councillor James expressed the need for cross-party support and noted that the project had, at its centre, the need to improve the quality of people’s lives. He stated that the ambition to be the City of Culture in 2025 would feed into Gloucester’s contribution to the project.

 

19.3    Councillor Hilton thanked the Managing Director for his work with the political groups and achieving political consensus. He shared his view that the idea of a ‘super city’ was not a good one and that an evolutionary process would be preferable. Councillor Hilton further stated that an airport in the Cotswold could damage Staverton and that there was a need to do more with regards to Gloucestershire’s cultural offer.

 

19.4    Councillor Pullen thanked the Managing Director for meeting with the political Groups. He stated that much of the document captured what the Labour Group had in mind and expressed doubt with regard to how the proposed projects related to the ambitions. He further stated that it would be positive to improve economic links between Cheltenham and Gloucester and that a ‘super city’ may hinder this endeavour.

 

19.5    Councillor Stephens commented that good local government was needed to deliver a vision for 2050. He further stated that the future of the County was in its youth and that, as part of the process, there should be a standing panel of young people.

 

19.6    Councillor Coole noted that one of the drivers of the project was the need to appeal to Gloucestershire’s young people and further noted that there were no young people on the consultation panel. Councillor Coole also commented that any proposed projects needed to benefit people in all areas of the County.

 

19.7    Councillor Melvin stated that should support a tram service between Gloucester and Cheltenham and shared her view that a new airport in Gloucestershire would be detrimental to the environment.

 

19.8    Councillor Gravells stated that health inequalities were stark and that a submission could be more robust on health matters.

 

19.9    Councillor James stated that he was grateful for the broad consensus. He shared the view that having a panel of young people would be a positive step. Given there would be authority to amend the submission, Councillor James advised that matters on health inequality could form part of the submission.

 

19.20  RESOLVED that:-

 

(1)          The Vision 2050 consultation be welcomed;

 

(2)          Council resolves to submit a response to the consultation on behalf of the Council. A draft response submission is attached at appendix B;

 

(3)          Authority be delegated to the Leader, in consultation with the other political Group leaders, to agree the final wording of any response submission and to submit any response by the end of July.

 

Supporting documents: