The Strategy and Resources Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday, 2 October 2025, to discuss a range of topics including the council's consultation and engagement framework, social value measures, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allocation, budget monitoring, and the medium-term financial plan. The committee will also receive updates on Leadership Gloucestershire, the Regeneration and Investment Board, the Gloucestershire City Region Board, the Canal Project, performance management, Brimscombe Port Redevelopment, Woodchester Mansion, and One Legal.

Budget Strategy and Draft Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP)

The committee will consider and recommend to the council the Budget Strategy and Draft Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2025/26 to 2029/30. The MTFP sets out the strategy for setting the budget for the 2026/27 year and includes estimated government funding, revised inflation levels, and other known changes.

The report pack notes that a reduction in government funding is expected from 2026/27, but that transitional protection will be in place to prevent massive reductions in funding in one year. It also notes that the long awaited reset of Business Rates growth will be in place from April 2026, and that the Gloucestershire Business Rates Pool, may not continue after 2025/26.

The report pack says that the MTFP includes an assumption that the council tax base will continue to grow by 1.5% each year and that the council will continue to provide a generous Local Council Tax Support scheme.

The report pack also notes that the MTFP includes a Modernisation savings target which for 2025/26 stands at £488k, and that a new earmarked reserve has been added for costs associated with Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

The report pack says that the draft MTFP shows a budget gap of £2.009m in 2026/27, increasing to £4.951m by the end of the MTFP, and that the council's equalisation reserve is not enough to support the budget gap across the full MTFP.

Consultation and Engagement Framework 2025-29

The committee will be asked to approve the Consultation & Engagement Framework 2025-29 and the procurement of an online engagement tool. The framework has been developed following officer workshops and a public consultation.

The report pack says that the framework sets out how the council will ensure that engagement is effective, inclusive and transparent, and that it builds on good practice across public and private sectors. It includes three aims:

• To increase opportunities for residents and communities to engage with the council.
• To proactively identify opportunities to engage more collaboratively with residents and communities.
• To build skills and capacity in consultation and engagement at the council.

The report pack also includes a summary analysis of the public consultation responses, the full consultation results, and a sample of tools in the Consultation & Engagement Toolkit.

The report pack notes that the public consultation, which ran from 10 May to 30 June 2025, found that most respondents favour online methods of engagement, but emphasised the need for retaining face-to-face methods to ensure those who are digitally excluded or underrepresented groups are still able to engage. It also found that respondents want to see how their feedback has been used in decision-making, and that the four main themes respondents said they wanted to engage with the council about were: housing, planning and building; highways, roads and parking; transport; and climate change and the environment.

The report pack includes an Equality Impact Assessment which states that the framework will have a positive impact and will benefit and support the council to meet the general equality duty¹.

Social Value Measures and Measurement Tool

The committee will consider approving the new Social Value Measures. The report pack includes a draft of the Social Value Measures, a draft of the Social Value Measurement Tool, and a draft of the Social Value Supplier Toolkit.

The report pack notes that the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 requires contracting authorities to consider the economic, social and environmental well-being of the relevant area when procuring contracts. It also notes that the Procurement Act 2023 emphasises the importance of social impact in tender evaluations, encouraging suppliers to contribute positively to society.

The report pack says that the new Social Value Measures have been created based on the Council Plan 2025-2029 objectives that align to the Social Value outcomes: Social, Economic and Environmental outcomes.

The report pack includes an Equality Impact Assessment which highlights only positive benefits for communities, residents and business in the Stroud district are aligned with the Social Value Measures included in this report.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Allocation to Berkeley Books

The committee will consider an emergency funding request for an additional £22,000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to Berkeley Books, for the Berkeley Community Hub project. The project was awarded £170,000 CIL funding in 2023.

The report pack notes that CIL funding helps to provide for any additional demand placed on local infrastructure by new housing growth, in accordance with adopted planning policy.

The report pack includes a request letter from the Berkeley Books Committee, which explains that numerous unforeseen additional works have resulted in higher than budgeted building costs. It also includes a position statement from Stroud District Council Finance Officers, which confirms that the council has the information to prove the current financial position for Berkeley Books and the GL13 Community Hub Project, and that £22,000 will be needed to pay the remaining contractor invoices.

Budget Monitoring Report Quarter 1 2025/26

The committee will receive the Budget Monitoring Report Quarter 1 2025/26, which presents a forecast of the outturn position against the General Fund revenue budget, Housing Revenue Account and capital programme for 2025/26.

The report pack notes that the monitoring position for the General Fund at 30 June 2025 shows a projected net overspend of £30k against the latest budget, and that the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) shows a forecasted underspend of (£145k). The capital programme shows a forecast spend of £53.507m against a total budget of £58.390m.

The report pack includes summaries of the budget positions for other service committees, a detailed breakdown of the Strategy and Resources revenue budget, a breakdown of the Housing Revenue Account, and a breakdown of the capital programme.

Member / Officer Reports

The committee will note the following member/officer reports:

• Leadership Gloucestershire Update
  • This report summarises discussions on establishing a Housing Commission for Gloucestershire and developing a vision for the County's skills.
• Regeneration and Investment Board
  • This report summarises discussions on the Local Growth Plan 2025-2035, the Market Towns Vitality Fund, the Severn Edge Update, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), and the Stroud District Business Count at July 2025.
• Gloucestershire City Region Board Update Report - 9 July 2025 and Gloucestershire City Region Board Update - 2 September 2025
  • These reports summarise discussions on the Local Growth Plan, Countywide Strategic Development Plans, the Local Area Energy Plan, the Strategic Economic Development Fund (SEDF), the Strategic Economic Development Fund (SEDF) Process and Business Rates Pool, and the Economic Dashboard.
• Canal Project Update
  • This report provides an update on the Cotswold Canals Connected (CCC) project, including engineering, environment, and community engagement.
• Performance Management
  • This report provides an update on the performance of the council against its key objectives.
• Brimscombe Port Redevelopment
  • This report provides an update on the Brimscombe Port Redevelopment project.
• Woodchester Mansion Heritage Lottery Fund Application Update
  • This report provides an update on the Woodchester Mansion Heritage Lottery Fund application.
• One Legal Director Annual update
  • This report provides an annual update from the One Legal Director.

Work Programme

The committee will consider its work programme.