Tewkesbury Borough Council Plan
2025 - 2028 Our areas of focus

Climate and ecological emergency

Why is this an area of focus?

To help achieve our carbon neutral ambitions, we will adopt and deliver a borough-wide Climate and Ecological Emergency Framework. This will set out a clear path to reduce carbon emissions, enhance biodiversity and build climate resilience across the council and wider community. We want to lead by example and create a healthier, greener and more sustainable future for all.

By supporting nature recovery, we will look to restore habitats, protect wildlife and combat climate change. The projects we lead on, and those delivered with our partners, will enrich our landscapes for wildlife, develop resilience to climate change, reduce carbon emissions and help to clean up air and water.

Our built and natural environment will significantly contribute towards people’s quality of life, making our borough a more attractive and sustainable place to live. During the life of this plan, we will work with residents, businesses and other organisations to further protect and enhance our borough.

What are we going to do?

• Adopt a borough-wide Climate and Ecological Emergency Framework.
• Improve our performance on the national Council Climate Action Scorecard position.
• Adopt and deliver a procurement strategy to ensure our climate actions and sustainability principles are embedded within it.
• Evaluate all council land holdings for opportunities to support nature recovery and biodiversity.
• Roll out smaller bins for new housing developments to reduce the amount of waste per household and explore options to further reduce waste.
• Install vehicle charging points in our car parks and work with partners to provide secure cycle storage across our borough.
• Identify grant funding opportunities to deliver schemes across the borough that support climate and ecology.
• Develop an evidence base on climate and ecological sustainability to inform the development of future planning policy.
• Work with Gloucestershire Nature and Climate Fund (GNCF) to explore options for bio-diversity net gain on sites within the borough.

Flood resilience

Why is this an area of focus?

Our borough’s geographical setting makes it prone to flooding. The most widespread floods were those of July 2007 and more recently in January 2024. Communities can face considerable disruption, with damage to homes and businesses having not only a significant financial cost but also impacting the emotional wellbeing of those affected.

To support residents and businesses, we work closely with the flood wardens, the Environment Agency, Gloucestershire County Council, town and parish councils, emergency services and community groups to undertake mitigation work, coordinate efforts, and share data and expertise.

We want to continue to improve our emergency preparedness and response, so we can respond to flood events quickly and efficiently. As well as supporting our communities to recover, we will work with them to build their resilience so they can be more prepared for the future.

What are we going to do?

• Work with partners to improve our shared flooding response and recovery approach.
• Working with external agencies, support the delivery of small scheme flood protection measures and watercourse management.
• Work with Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) to develop community resilience plans for those areas impacted by fluvial flooding.
• Commission a new Strategic Flood Risk Assessment to inform the development of future planning policy.

Place

Why is this an area of focus?

Looking to build upon our current place approach, we will continue to engage and enable communities to understand their issues and develop local solutions , including securing support and resources from partners. We will look to utilise local data and insights where possible and continue to value the distinctiveness of our different communities.

We will look to enhance the role and profile of our community development officers and establish transparent work programmes for each geographical location.

By engaging with local communities on their local infrastructure needs (such as community halls or play areas) we will make sure they are connected to any planned growth. This will continue to feed into the Strategic and Local Plan, which is the supporting policy framework to ensure that any housing growth is accompanied by the appropriate infrastructure.

We will take the lead in developing a proposed place approach for a future unitary authority, collaborating strategically with our partners to ensure success.

What are we going to do?

• Lead on developing a place approach for the future unitary authority.
• Adopt the Tewkesbury Town Centre Masterplan and develop an action list of the priorities for regenerating Tewkesbury town centre.
• Work with local communities and health partners to develop and deliver a programme of activity aimed at preventing the development of long-term illnesses and encourage community wellbeing.
• Support communities to enable them to shape and improve their facilities within their area.
• Facilitate access to funding opportunities for community improvements.

Managing growth

Why is this an area of focus?

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Tewkesbury Borough has seen the most rapid population growth of any area outside London, with a population increase of 15.8% between the 2011 and 2021 census.

We have a vital role to play to ensure that we manage this growth in the best possible way. This includes planning for the building of new homes, through our Strategic and Local Plan, rather than letting development take place in an ad hoc and unplanned way.

Hand-in-hand with development, we need to make sure planning obligations (also known as Section 106 agreements) and the Community Infrastructure Levy, which is a charge that local authorities can set on new developments, are secured to fund additional public benefits. These include infrastructure such as open spaces, sports and play facilities, affordable housing, provision of healthcare, education and other community facilities.

It is paramount that we work with others to achieve this through our Strategic and Local Plan and our Garden Communities Programme, with a focus on ensuring sustainable new development meets the needs of the borough. We will put our communities at the heart of our decisions, ensuring the infrastructure that is required to support the delivery of jobs and housing is provided, whilst maintaining an environmentally sustainable approach to development.

What are we going to do?

• Work with providers to prepare an Infrastructure Delivery Plan, as part of the evidence base that informs the preparation of the Strategic and Local Plan.
• Deliver improvements to maximise planning obligations (Section 106) and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL); providing infrastructure to support new developments.
• Continue to promote the Garden Communities Charter and engage with developers to promote the principles within it.
• Continue to ensure stakeholders are engaged in the Garden Communities Programme.
• Complete a stewardship strategy, with landowners’ agreement, for the Garden Communities and establish a stewardship body to receive and manage all community infrastructure resources.
• Support the development of a southern Garden Communities (phase 2) masterplan, including an employment strategy.

Housing and homelessness

Why is this an area of focus?

Being homeless can have a devastating, long term impact on individuals and their families, especially children. It can affect physical and mental wellbeing, leaving people isolated from their communities and support networks. Reducing homelessness will improve outcomes for households but also reduce the wider impact on society.

We seek to support our local communities, whether they are new or existing, to thrive and to be as resilient as possible. We recognise the importance of affordable, high-quality housing and understand that this is fundamental to the wellbeing of our residents. We will identify housing needs across the borough through the Strategic and Local Plan, and work with communities to meet these needs. A community-led approach will help identify potential sites and ensure local people and groups are at the heart of our work.

By supporting new affordable housing delivery, we will seek to increase numbers of properties, improve accessibility and energy efficiency standards, and provide options in areas less likely to see wider development. Not only is housing important, but it is linked strongly with a number of our focus areas such as health and wellbeing, economy and growth. It is an important part of building and maintaining strong communities and supporting the economic prosperity of the borough.

What are we going to do?

• Ensure instances of rough sleeping are rare, brief and non-recurrent by reacting quickly to individuals in need.
• Maximise the supply of appropriate affordable housing, giving priority to social rented homes and other tenures that meet our community’s needs.
• Find alternative options to reduce the use of bed and breakfasts and hotels for temporary accommodation.
• Complete individual action plans for every property that has been empty for over two years, identifying the options available to the council to bring each property back into use.
• Ensure appropriate interventions are carried out to ensure that properties are safe and free from significant health risks, for example damp and mould.
• Explore possible development sites, working with communities and registered providers to develop a community-led approach to delivering affordable housing in rural areas.
• Deliver affordable housing on the former Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (MAFF) site in Tewkesbury.

Economy

Why is this an area of focus?

We are committed to supporting businesses in the borough to grow and encouraging investment in the local economy. Our borough boasts a wide range of economic activity, from world-leading multinationals to micro-businesses. It is an established centre for high-quality manufacturing, home to some world-class, high-tech aero engineering firms and small independent businesses.

Supporting key sectors will be fundamental to business growth and innovation. These include advanced engineering and manufacturing, agricultural technology, aerospace, the visitor economy, green businesses, and creative industries.

The vibrancy of the retail centres in our borough, including two market towns, plays an important role in supporting the economic success of the area and it is crucial we help them plan for the future. We also recognise that recruiting and developing local talent are vital to our business community, and that it’s important we work with partners and businesses to develop initiatives that increase skills and reduce barriers to employment.

We are also committed to ensuring that together with employment land and housing, we have the right infrastructure and skills to attract new investment and retain and strengthen existing businesses. The Strategic Local Plan, will help to facilitate this and ensure the needs of local businesses are met, aiding economic growth and sustainability.

What are we going to do?

• Extend the support provided to businesses through the Growth Hub by creating a proactive business voice network.
• Provide support to ensure that businesses and communities benefit from national funding schemes, including net zero and start up business support.
• Work with partners to promote the growth of key sectors, including advanced engineering and manufacturing, agricultural technology and aerospace.
• Commission an employment land use study to inform the development of future planning policy.

Young people

Why is this an area of focus?

Young people are essential to local communities and the future of our borough – they help shape the culture and have extensive social connections. Allowing young people to have a voice can provide valuable insights, perspectives and recommendations on issues that affect them. Enabling them to make contributions to their local area can have many benefits for generations to come and help foster a sense of belonging within the community.

While we are not responsible for children’s services, such as education or care, we recognise the importance of engaging with young people. We will also continue to work with our partners, including the Integrated Locality Partnership, to address health inequalities and support young people to live healthier lifestyles.

We are committed to amplifying young people’s voices by identifying the most effective approach to do so and aligning this with the LGR to ensure opportunities are fully recognised and embedded into future plans.

It is important that we support young people who are new to the work environment. We recognise that this can be daunting, so we will continue to offer work experience and apprenticeship programmes to help them gain experience or a qualification.

What are we going to do?

• Explore the options to develop and deliver a model of youth voice within 12 months.
• Work with partners including the Integrated Locality Partnership (ILP) and Young Gloucestershire to support young people with their mental health.
• Review and enhance our Care Leavers’ Covenant throughout our services.
• Work with others, e.g. local youth organisations, to develop a panel for young people as part of the Garden Communities Programme.
• Collate, map and link in with existing provisions of action groups and networks within the borough.

Health and wellbeing

Why is this an area of focus?

Health and wellbeing are essential parts of everyday life. We play a huge role in ensuring our communities are robust, healthy and thriving places to live, by working with partners to reduce health inequalities. We want to support people to live in good physical and mental health for as long as possible, particularly those who have poorer health outcomes and face challenging times.

We have a direct impact on the physical wellbeing of our communities, through the Tewkesbury Leisure Centre and other facilities such as playing pitches, parks and play areas. We also outline community and sporting infrastructure needs through S106 obligations, for new housing developments.

By working with partners such as the Integrated Locality Partnership and promoting physical and mental health, communities can help to enhance social connections, foster a sense of belonging and reduce the pressure on healthcare services. Additionally, this can create a more vibrant and engaged borough and support economic growth by attracting businesses and residents to the area, leading to more prosperous and inclusive communities.

For the last few years, we have been supporting refugees that have moved to our borough, including those who have joined us through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and from Syria and Afghanistan. We will continue to work closely with our residents and partners across the county and wider area to support these people – many of whom are fleeing wars and have experienced very difficult circumstances.

What are we going to do?

• Work with the Integrated Locality Partnership, and funding permitting, agree and deliver an action list of priorities to address key health inequalities in the borough.
• Work with partners to refresh our support measures for those impacted by the increase in the cost of living.
• Work with the Integrated Care Board, Integrated Locality Partnership and local communities to ensure that health and wellbeing strategies inform the development of future planning policies.
• Review and enhance our offer to our armed forces community through the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Work with the Gloucestershire Strategic Migration Partnership to continue to support asylum seekers and refugees, helping them to live a safe and settled life with their living and welfare needs met.