The Cabinet of Cheltenham Council met on Tuesday 10 June 2025, approving a Housing Delivery Test Action Plan to address under-delivery of new homes and authorising the disposal of land for the Petersfield Community and Sports Hub. The meeting also included extensive briefings from Cabinet members on a range of local initiatives and ongoing work.

Housing Delivery Test Action Plan Approved

The Cabinet approved the prepared Housing Delivery Test Action Plan, June 2025, for publication. This plan addresses the council's recent Housing Delivery Test result of 65%, which falls below the government's 95% benchmark. The action plan outlines the causes of under-delivery and identifies measures to boost housing delivery. Authority was delegated to the Director of Community and Economic Development, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Building Control, to make minor corrections to the plan and to handle future updates.

Petersfield Community and Sports Hub to Proceed

Approval was given for the disposal of land for the Petersfield Community and Sports Hub, located at the site of Saracens FC football ground in the St Peters and the Moors area. This decision includes the disposal by way of two separate leases, subject to a set of conditions being met. The council committed to allocating £131,108 towards the hub building from various funds, including Big Local funds, administration fees, the Housing Revenue Account, and contributions from the Police and Crime Commissioner. Grant and management agreements will be entered into with the Petersfield Partnership CIO to facilitate the transfer of funds and ensure the hub is managed for the benefit of the local community. Authority was delegated to the Director for Finance and Assets, and the Director of Governance, Housing and Communities, to agree the final terms of these agreements.

Cabinet Member Briefings

Cabinet members provided updates on a wide range of activities and ongoing projects:

• Councillor Mike Collins, Cabinet Member for Planning and Building Control, reported on signing off the Cheltenham Non-residential Monitoring Report and the commencement of work on the draft Housing Delivery Test Action Plan.
• Councillor Paul Baker, Cabinet Member for Planning & Building Control, shared his positive experience visiting Colford in the Forest of Dean and attending a meeting of the Gloucestershire Resources and Waste partnership, noting Cheltenham's leadership in recycling initiatives. He also highlighted ongoing investment in the town, including the Long Gardens planting scheme, new play equipment at Montpellier, and the new public toilets.
• Councillor Flo Clucas, Cabinet Member for Housing & Customer Services, spoke about representing the Local Government Association in Europe, sharing Cheltenham's work on supporting women and girls. She also detailed a walk through the town with the homelessness team, noting a recent increase in the number of homeless individuals and ongoing investigations into the causes. She highlighted the vital work of local organisations such as P3, CCP, and Citizens Advice in supporting the homeless population.
• Councillor Peter Jeffries, Cabinet Member Finance and Assets, expressed his pleasure at returning to his portfolio and noted the ongoing work with council properties, welcoming the upcoming report on the Petersfield Partnership.
• Councillor Alisha Lewis, Cabinet Member Major Developments & Housing Delivery, spoke about her engagement with the team working on ambitious ideas for Golden Valley, as well as high street regeneration and housing delivery, including the Monkscroft development which will feature 100% affordable housing.
• Councillor Izaac Tailford, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Culture, Wellbeing and Public Realm, provided an extensive update on his new portfolio, detailing meetings with cultural and wellbeing organisations, including The Wilson, Cheltenham Festivals, Playhouse, The Everyman, and Cheltenham Lido. He also highlighted the Cheltenham Science Festival and the University of Gloucestershire's Creative Arts degree show.
• Councillor Richard Pineger, Cabinet Member Climate Emergency, expressed his gratitude for his appointment and outlined the busy month of May for the climate team, including workshops on climate risks and local area energy planning. He also reported on the progress of the retrofit programme and public engagement work.
• Councillor Victoria Atherstone mentioned updates to licensing policies and productive meetings with the chaplain of YMCA Cheltenham and the Violence Against Women and Girls Forum.
• Councillor Rowena Hay, Leader of the Council, provided an update on proposals for local government reorganisation in Gloucestershire and the importance of working across all seven authorities.
• Councillor Peter Jeffries also announced the award of a contract for the purchase of three food waste vehicles, all running on biofuel.
• Councillor Izaac Tailford also highlighted the urgent financial crisis faced by the Cheltenham Playhouse and announced a grant of £25,000 to help address these pressures, encouraging residents to support the theatre's fundraiser.