Issue - meetings

The opportunity is given to members of the public to put questions to Cabinet Members. A question may be rejected if it:

(i)       is not about a matter for which the local authority has responsibility or influence; or

(ii)       is illegal, improper, defamatory, frivolous or offensive; or

(iii)      is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of the Council, Cabinet or Committee in the past 6 months; or

(iv)      requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information; or

(v)      is related to confidential staffing matters; or

(vi)      is relating to the personal affairs or conduct of individual Members or Officers.

To ask a question at this meeting, please submit it to democratic.services@gloucester.gov.uk by 12 noon on Friday 2^nd December 2022 or telephone 01452 396203 for support.

A member of the public referred to a motion passed by a local branch of Unite the Union stating `that everyone was entitled to live in a safe and warm environment and without fear.’  He further informed Members that he believed the Member of Parliament for Gloucester saw this as an aspiration.  The member of the public asked if the Leader of the Council would propose the same motion at Council in what he perceived to be a time of environmental and financial crisis.

The Leader of the Council responded that to live in a safe and warm environment without fear was a natural aspiration for most communities.  He noted some of the obstacles to safety such as climate change, national conflict, violence against women and girls, and human rights abuses in what is a troubled world.  The Leader of the Council further commented that the breadth of threats was beyond the scope of any local authority alone.  He emphasised the need for collaboration between all tiers of government, other organisations including unions, and individual people.  The Leader of the Council gave examples where Gloucester City Council had worked to address particular issues in partnership with a range of agencies such as the Local Resilience Forum, Police and housing associations.  He stated that aspiration was indeed the right word and that together with initiatives from central government, such as the energy support programme and uplifts to benefits, the Council will play its part to collectively make a significant difference to residents’ lives.

The Democratic and Electoral Services Officer read a question on behalf of a member of the public concerning agenda item 18.  It enquired by whose authority Members would have the right to give tax-payers land free of charge without at least consulting the residents of Podsmead and Gloucester who they believed to have been kept in the dark about the proposed deal.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy pointed out that her report sought to delegate terms for negotiations rather than give authority to transfer the land.  She affirmed that it was her understanding that at least nine consultation sessions had already taken place and that Gloucester City Homes would conduct more as plans developed.  The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy confirmed that the ultimate intention was to regenerate the estate as outlined in the Council Plan 2022-24 but that any action would be subject to the outcome of negotiations.