The Strategy and Resources Committee met on Wednesday 3 June 2026 to discuss the reopening of Stratford Park Lido and the council's communications strategy. The committee approved additional funding for the Lido project and adopted a new communications strategy for 2026-2028.

2026 Lido Opening Project Update

The committee approved a total project cost of £476,000 for the reopening of Stratford Park Lido¹ for the 2026-2027 season. This includes an additional £276,000 allocation to the short-term revenue budget, funded from the 2025/26 budget underspend. While the works are expected to support operation during the summer of 2026 and the 2027 season, this is not guaranteed and is contingent on no additional works being required and no significant deterioration of the lido over winter. The decision was made to provide time to develop longer-term options for the Lido's operation.

The report highlighted that the total estimated cost of the works needed to enable the reopening was £476,000. This figure included £64,000 for preliminaries, £89,000 for surveys and fees, £282,000 for works, and £41,000 for contingency. The works are classified as short-term repairs and operational readiness, and therefore must be funded through the revenue budget. A significant element of the cost plan is £75,000 allocated for comprehensive surveys and investigations, which are essential to understand the asset's condition and inform future decision-making, including potential community-led models.

The committee noted that the current programme does not include improvements to the wider pool compound or changing facilities, meaning visitors should expect a more basic offering. Health and safety risks within the wider site will be managed through mitigation measures. The projected completion date for the works is mid-August, with an optimistic early finish of 29 July 2026, making the original ambition of a 22 July opening unlikely. Consideration will be given to extending the season into September.

The report also detailed several risks associated with the project, including potential unforeseen issues arising from the ageing asset, legal and compliance requirements, contractor performance, and the viability of a community-led model. Recruitment of sufficient lifeguards was also identified as a risk. The additional works will also impact the council's wider programme, potentially causing delays to other planned activities.

The financial implications confirmed that the additional funding of £276,000 would be met from the 2025/26 revenue underspend. The use of previous underspends and reallocation of existing budgets means there is no direct impact on the Council's Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP). However, the report noted that the MTFP is not currently fully funded, and savings targets must still be met.

The Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) indicated an overall positive impact, particularly for age groups, with mixed impacts for rural communities due to potential travel limitations. The Climate and Nature Impact Assessment identified minor negative impacts from CO2 emissions associated with works, water abstraction, and resource use, but also positive impacts on adaptation and green skills.

Stroud District Council Communications Strategy 2026 - 2028

The committee approved the Stroud District Council Communications Strategy 2026-2028. The strategy aims to strengthen trust, transparency, and improve engagement with residents, businesses, staff, and members, particularly during the period of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). Key features include a greater emphasis on quarterly communications planning for coordinated, campaign-led activity aligned to corporate priorities, and responsiveness to feedback from public surveys and stakeholder engagement.

The strategy will address engagement with hard-to-reach audiences through various methods, including printed communications and leveraging information from the LIFT Programme to identify groups with limited digital access. The council will also monitor the gender breakdown of its social media audience to ensure effective reach to all demographics. The strategy promotes the use of plain English through staff training and will measure success in increasing trust and confidence through annual residents and businesses surveys and public sentiment monitoring.

Corporate Contract Management Framework Update

The committee approved the updated Corporate Contract Management Framework. This update incorporates changes from the Procurement Act 2023, including new requirements for managing high-value contracts, reporting supplier performance, and monitoring compliance with prompt payment and contract termination. The framework also includes a council-wide exercise to identify key contracts and suppliers, and preparations for LGR, including a shared contracts register.

New provisions address equalities, climate and nature impacts, safeguarding, and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Officers will be required to assess AI use in contract delivery and consult ICT colleagues to ensure compliance with security requirements. The framework also includes strengthened provisions for equalities, safeguarding, and climate and nature impacts. The threshold for certain contract management requirements has increased to £90,000 to include VAT. The Climate Impact Decision Tool will be used to assess potential climate and nature impacts of proposed procurements, with mitigation measures incorporated into contracts where significant impacts are identified. While the framework does not explicitly reference socio-economic duties, existing equalities and social value requirements incorporate social, economic, and environmental measures. Work is underway through the LGR programme to align approaches with other Gloucestershire authorities.

Monitoring fees for S106 agreements - Guidance Note

The committee approved the adoption and publication of a new Section 106 Monitoring Fee Guidance Note. This guidance note establishes a clear and transparent fee policy for monitoring compliance and delivery of obligations secured through Section 106 agreements². The methodology calculates fees based on the number of monitoring triggers within an agreement, average officer time, and approved hourly rates, a trigger-based approach widely used nationally. The fees cover the normal costs associated with monitoring compliance, with enforcement action handled separately by the Enforcement Team. The estimated annual income from these fees could range from £5,000 to £75,000, depending on development activity. Additional charges may apply if further assessment work is required for obligations that are not satisfactorily completed.

Revised and Updated Economic Development Delivery Framework

The committee approved the revised and updated Economic Development Delivery Framework, which will guide the council's economic development activity between 2026 and 2028. The framework identifies five priority themes: a green and inclusive economy; people and skills; investment and enterprise; sustainable tourism and market towns; and planning and infrastructure. The framework acknowledges the importance of public transport and digital connectivity, particularly in rural areas, and will work with partners to improve sustainable access to visitor destinations. The people and skills theme will focus on initiatives such as careers events and job fairs, with potential funding of £100,000 from the 2025/26 underspend. Key delivery partners will include town and parish councils, Gloucestershire County Council, business organisations, tourism bodies, cultural organisations, the voluntary sector, and economic support agencies.

General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Outturn Report 2025/26

The committee noted the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) outturn positions for 2025/26. The General Fund recorded an underspend of £1.583 million, with a Business Rates Pool Gain of £1.313 million, resulting in a total favourable position of £2.716 million. Proposed allocations of underspends include funding for Stratford Park Lido, Brimscombe Port meanwhile uses, economic development work, and additions to reserves. The HRA recorded an underspend of £1.295 million, with the majority proposed for transfer to HRA general reserves to address future financial pressures, particularly within the housing capital programme, relating to void property works, damp and mould programmes, and disabled adaptations. The committee also approved the slippage of the Capital Programme budget and the revised Capital Programme budget for 2026/27.

Budget and Council Plan Review 2026/27

The committee approved the proposed process for reviewing the Council Plan and budget for 2026/27. This process will involve committee workshops in autumn 2026 to review Council Plan commitments, consider service priorities, and assess potential savings options, taking into account the council's medium-term financial challenges and forthcoming LGR. The process will focus on both affordability and the council's capacity to deliver priorities before March 2028, given the demands LGR will place on officer resources. The financial position facing Stroud District Council is expected to remain largely unchanged regardless of the LGR model selected, although a two-unitary model could generate higher implementation costs. The council's responsibility is to maintain services appropriately until vesting day and ensure successor authorities are provided with robust evidence to support future decision-making.

Member / Officer Reports (To Note)

Performance Monitoring Q4 2025/26: The committee noted the performance monitoring report. Concerns were raised regarding the performance indicator for community assets, with the Strategic Director of Resources explaining that future management of community assets would be influenced by LGR and that the council was reviewing its performance reporting arrangements to update outdated measures.

Regeneration and Investment Board: The report was circulated and noted without comment.

Canal Update: The report was circulated and noted without comment.

Work Programme

The work programme was updated following a workshop that took place prior to the committee meeting.

Private Residential Property, Dursley

The committee resolved to note the actions taken by officers regarding a private residential property in Dursley that had experienced significant structural failure. The council's costs now exceed the property's market value. The committee approved, in principle, the potential write-off of costs exceeding the property's market value to facilitate a future sale and return the property to use. The final costs will be reported back to the committee and are not expected to exceed £75,000. The public was excluded from the meeting during consideration of Appendix A and B of Agenda Item 15 due to the likely disclosure of exempt information.