Gloucestershire County Council met on Wednesday 10 September 2025, and addressed a number of issues including a motion to support adopted children, a discussion regarding the use of hotels for migrant accommodation, and a proposal to support the Forest of Dean District Council's bid to become a UNESCO Biosphere area. Councillors also debated and voted on motions related to council finances, highways services, and support for farmers.

Supporting Gloucestershire's Farmers

Gloucestershire County Council will be writing to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Gloucestershire's six MPs to express opposition to tax changes that the council believes will negatively impact local farmers. This follows a debate on Motion 970, proposed by Councillor Darryl Corps and seconded by Councillor Stephen Davies, regarding the impact of inheritance tax relief measures, such as Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), on family farms.

The motion stated that changes to APR and BPR would introduce a 20% tax on agricultural assets valued over £1 million, which the council believes will make it harder for Gloucestershire farmers to pass their land and businesses onto the next generation.

The council also resolved to ask the Leader of Gloucestershire County Council, Councillor Lisa Spivey, to meet with local farmers and agricultural representatives to explore ways in which the council can provide practical support to the farming community and oppose the tax implications.

UNESCO Biosphere Status for the Forest of Dean

Gloucestershire County Council will be writing a letter of support to the Forest of Dean District Council supporting their application for UNESCO Biosphere status, and will provide £16,000 to support the application. This follows a debate on Motion 968, proposed by Councillor Chris McFarling and seconded by Councillor Martin Horwood, which sought support for the Forest of Dean District Council's application to have its area designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The motion highlighted the potential economic and environmental benefits of the designation, stating that it would add greater pride of place district and county wide, and achieve significant eco-tourism potential. The motion also stated that the designation would underpin local prosperity, bringing money back into local circular economies, creating jobs and reducing waste.

Support for Adopted Children

Gloucestershire County Council will be writing to the Secretary of State for Education and the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing to ask that they review the merits of making the Adoption & Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) permanent and reverse cuts to the fund. The council will also invite a representative from the charity Kinship Carers UK to speak to members regarding the challenges facing adopted children and those with special guardianship orders and their carers. This follows a debate on Motion 969, proposed by Councillor Richard Stanley, regarding the importance of the ASGSF.

The motion noted that the ASGSF provides funding to local authorities to pay for vital therapeutic services for adopted children and those with Special Guardianship Orders (SGO) and Child Arrangement Orders, and that 82% of adopters surveyed by Adoption UK last year said the fund has had a significant positive impact on their family. The motion expressed concern that cuts to the fund would cause widespread anxiety among adoptive parents, special guardians and kinship carers, and threaten to undermine the core purpose of the fund, which is to meet the additional needs that many children in alternative guardianship arrangements have.

Planning Enforcement on Unlawful Use of Hotels for Migrant Accommodation

Gloucestershire County Council will be requesting all district and borough councils within Gloucestershire to urgently review the planning status of any hotels currently housing asylum seekers and assess whether this constitutes a material change of use requiring planning permission. The council will also encourage those councils to seek legal advice on the viability of pursuing injunctions under Section 187B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 where breaches are identified, write to the Home Office requesting full transparency and consultation with local authorities prior to placing asylum seekers in commercial hotels within Gloucestershire, request a coordinated report from the Gloucestershire Strategic Planning Group outlining the number, location, and legal status of hotels used for migrant accommodation across the county, and support district councils in any enforcement action they deem necessary to uphold local planning laws and protect community interests. This follows a debate on Motion 971, proposed by Councillor Mark Howard and seconded by Councillor Tom Bradley, regarding the use of hotels within Gloucestershire for the accommodation of asylum seekers under Home Office contracts.

The motion noted with concern that the use of hotels as long-term accommodation for asylum seekers may not align with their permitted planning use as short-term commercial hospitality venues, and that such use can result in significant impacts on local communities, including disruption to local services, public concern, and strain on resources. The motion also noted that Epping Forest District Council successfully obtained an interim injunction under Section 187B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, requiring the cessation of such use at the Bell Hotel due to unlawful change of use.

Council Finances and Fairer Funding Review

Gloucestershire County Council will be writing to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, raising concerns about potential funding cuts. The council will also call on Gloucestershire's Members of Parliament to stand up for their constituents and push for a fair share of government funding, based on the real needs of the county, and work with their respective Local Government Association (LGA) groups to ensure the voices of Gloucestershire's councils are heard loud and clear, and to make the strongest possible case for increased funding to protect essential services. This follows a debate on Motion 975, proposed by Councillor Lisa Spivey, regarding the financial challenges facing councils across England.

The motion noted that since 2010, government funding has fallen by almost 30% in real terms, while the demand for services and the cost of providing them has risen sharply, and that early analysis of the proposed funding model suggests that councils in Gloucestershire could lose up to 30% of their funding. The motion expressed concern that Gloucestershire has 12 of the most deprived areas in the country, and faces growing pressure from an ageing population, increasing demand for social care and special educational needs services, and the higher costs of delivering services in rural areas.

Improving Transparency, Responsiveness, and Equity in Highways Services

Gloucestershire County Council will be publishing a quarterly Highways Performance Report, detailing road repair schedules and completion rates, budget allocation and spending by division, resident satisfaction metrics, and contractor performance and project timelines, and ensuring the report is made publicly available and circulated to all elected members, with opportunities for scrutiny and feedback through appropriate council channels. The council will also publish a full breakdown of staffing and resourcing within the Highways Department, including the roles and responsibilities of all officers working in highways, the number of qualified engineers employed directly by the Council, the number of officers based at Shire Hall working on highways-related functions, the number and roles of contractors and agency staff engaged in highways work, and the annual total cost of hiring contractors and agency staff, including all associated agency fees. Finally, the council will establish a cross-party working group, reporting to Cabinet, to undertake a comprehensive review of the working practices of the Highways Department. This follows a debate on Motion 972, proposed by Councillor Michael Rees and seconded by Councillor Mark Howard, regarding concerns raised by residents and councillors regarding the condition of local roads, the timeliness of repairs, and the clarity of communication from the Highways Department.

The motion noted the frequency of roadworks being initiated but left incomplete or unattended for extended periods, causing disruption and safety concerns, the need for improved oversight of external contractors to ensure cost-efficiency and accountability, and the importance of transparent reporting and scrutiny to restore public confidence in highways services.

Supporting the Mental Health and Financial Resilience of Gloucestershire's Farmers

Gloucestershire County Council will be considering how to establish a dedicated support programme for farmers in Gloucestershire, providing access to free and confidential mental health services, including counselling and crisis support, and confidential financial advice clinics to help private and council farmers navigate inheritance tax, succession planning, tenant issues, and business sustainability, and how to work in partnership with organisations such as the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), The Farming Community Network (FCN), The Tenant Farmers Association, local NHS and voluntary sector providers. The Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities and Fire and the Cabinet Member for Business, Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure, will bring forward a joint strategy to deliver this support, with a progress update to the Council within six months. This follows a debate on Motion 973, proposed by Councillor Stuart Graham and seconded by Councillor Leigh Challis, regarding the growing mental health crisis among farmers, exacerbated by financial pressures, policy uncertainty, and changes to inheritance tax and land value.

The motion recognised the vital contribution of Gloucestershire's farming community to the local economy, environment, and food security, and acknowledged the significant pressures on tenant farmers.

Other Business

• The council received a Corporate Parenting report from Councillor Ben Evans, Cabinet Member for Children's Safeguarding.
• The council received petitions regarding vehicle speed in Slad and the wider B4070, opening three exit routes from Kingsway during peak hours during A38 slip roadworks, and improving drainage systems to prevent flooding on Baneberry Road.
• The council discussed the timeline for developing the Council Strategy 2025-29, and received a scrutiny report from Councillor Ian Watson.
• The council approved appointments to outside bodies and the calendar of meetings for 2026.
• The council received an update on the recent Constitution Committee meeting from Councillor Colin Hay, and approved the recommendations as outlined in the report.
• The council confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 21 May 2025 and the minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2025.
• The council received announcements regarding Kings Awards, an extraordinary council meeting, a scrutiny review survey, members' post, Members Matter, voting, and the death of former Councillor Brian Oosthuysen.
• The council paid condolences to the Gloucester family who lost their lives in the Air India crash last month.
• The council answered questions from the public and from members.