Agenda and minutes
Venue: Civic Suite, North Warehouse, The Docks, Gloucester, GL1 2EP
Contact: Democratic and Electoral Services
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To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 23 February 2023. Minutes: |
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Declarations of Interest To receive from Members, declarations of the existence of any disclosable pecuniary, or non-pecuniary, interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any agenda item. Please see Agenda Notes. Minutes: |
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Call Over (a) Call over (items 9-13) will be read out at the meeting and Members invited to reserve the items for discussion.
(b) To approve the recommendations of those reports which have not been reserved for discussion. Minutes: |
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Public Question Time (15 Minutes) The opportunity is given to members of the public to put questions to Cabinet Members or Committee Chairs. Questions mays provided that questions do not contravene the provisions set out Council Procedure Rules 10(2).
To ask a question at this meeting, please submit it to democratic.services@gloucester.gov.uk by 12 noon on Friday 17 March or telephone 01452 396203 for support. Minutes: |
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Petitions and Deputations (15 Minutes) A period not exceeding three minutes is allowed for the presentation of a petition or deputation provided that no such petition or deputation is in relation to:
· Matters relating to individual Council Officers, or · Matters relating to current or pending legal proceedings Minutes: |
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Announcements To receive announcements from:
a) The Mayor b) Leader of the Council c) Members of the Cabinet d) Chairs of Committees e) Head of Paid Service Minutes: |
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Members' Question Time PDF 165 KB a) Leader and Cabinet Members’ Question Time (45 minutes)
Any member of the Council may ask the Leader of the Council or any Cabinet Member any question upon:
· Any matter relating to the Council’s administration · Any matter relating to any report of the Cabinet appearing on the Council’s summons · A matter coming within their portfolio of responsibilities
b) Questions to Chairs of Meetings (15 Minutes)
Questions and responses will be published at least 24 hours before the meeting. Supplementary questions will be put and answered during the meeting, subject to the relevant time limit. Minutes: |
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Treasury Management Strategy 2023-24 PDF 109 KB To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources concerning the Treasury Management Strategy 2023-24, the prudential indicators and note the Treasury activities.
Additional documents: Minutes: |
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Capital Strategy 2023-24 PDF 116 KB To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources seeking approval for the Capital Strategy 2023-24. Additional documents: Minutes: |
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Pay Policy Statement 2023-24 PDF 99 KB To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources seeking approval for the Council’s Pay Policy Statement for 2023/24. Additional documents: Minutes: |
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To consider the report of the Leader of the Council seeking approval to extend the operation of the Gloucestershire Economic Growth Joint Committee (GEGJC) beyond 31 March 2023 for a further temporary period. Minutes: |
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Designation of Interim Chief Finance Officer (S151 Officer) PDF 105 KB To consider the report of the Head of Paid Service concerning the appointment of an interim S151 Officer, in accordance with Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972. Minutes: |
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1. PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR A. CHAMBERS
“Our city needs to be a safe haven for wildlife and ecology. I would like to propose that special ‘swift bricks and bee bricks’ to be incorporated in new developments across Gloucester City Council to help halt the decline of the distinctive birds and bees.
Approved by the RSPB, the bird boxes are designed to look like bricks, but feature a small hole where swifts can enter and build their nests.
Swifts are urban birds which make their nests in rooftops or in old buildings, after flying over 6,000 miles from Africa in the spring. However, modern building methods, along with the demolition of old buildings, have reduced the swifts’ access to rooftops, resulting in a serious decline in numbers. Twenty years ago there were 150,000 pairs in Britain – now there are fewer than 90,000.
Although known as swift bricks, they can be used by a variety of other birds including sparrows, starlings, blue tits and great tits. This new initiative has the potential to halt the decline of swifts in the city, while also provide safe nesting places for many other types of small birds.
Other councils have adopted this around England and RSPB conservation officer Jack Thompson said: “This important planning condition for swifts will help provide more opportunities for nesting swifts and urban birds, supporting important sites, and build on the fantastic work being done to save our swifts.”
Bee bricks should also be installed for new build developments and should be incorporated in the external walls of new developments - one for each property.
This Council agrees to investigate the introduction of a planning condition that:
· Will see swift boxes and bee bricks incorporated in the vast majority of new developments in the city. · Requires swift bricks and bee bricks to be incorporated in all new developments that are five metres high and above in Gloucester City. · Requires a minimum of two swift bricks per dwelling and one bee brick per dwelling. · Requires commercial developments to have a minimum of three boxes, or one per 50sqm of floor spaces. Ideally, swift and bee bricks should be placed under the eaves in groups of at least three. · Should be attached to all planning permissions granted after 1 April 2024 for the City of Gloucester.
Members are asked to approve this motion and help our City to work closely with the RSPB who have come up with a simple scheme that will increase biodiversity, and encourage wildlife to thrive in our city. So please, don’t vote politically, vote for our nature, our birds and our bees to safe guarding our wildlife for generations to come.”
2. PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR A. CHAMBERS
“Many young lives have been lost in our city as a result of KNIFE crime. I ask all members to vote in favour for our city leader and city managing director to write to the MP of Gloucester requesting them to put forward an argument to Parliament to change the ... view the full agenda text for item 73. Minutes: |