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Brook Lane Development – Planning Approval

Tewkesbury Borough Council Planning Committee considered reserved matters for the St Modwen Homes Ltd’s development at Brook Lane, Down Hatherley, at their Planning Committee meeting yesterday, 15th July.

The Planning Committee voted to grant delegated permission.

The proposals are designed to provide 104 open market houses and 56 affordable homes.

Brook Lane Development Location

The scheme has been strongly opposed by local residents, with the Parish Councils of Down Hatherley, Twigworth and Innsworth all objecting, raising concerns over the right of access across Brook Lane and the continuing risks of serious flooding events due to the poor state of the sewage infrastructure.

There have been countless instances of sewage backing up and spewing into residents toilets, showers and gardens in Ash Lane, the pumping station is antiquated and struggles to cope.

Twigworth Parish Council echoed the concerns over flooding, sewage and that residents of Twigworth Green will experience a significant increase in traffic (construction and residential) due to the single access to/from the site along Ironbridge Road, Apley Road, Sorrell Street and Brook Lane from A38.

TBC Planning Officers informed the meeting that a condition on the planning application would prevent any works on the site starting until they have approval for the works crossing Brook Lane.

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Former Tewkesbury Borough Council employee prosecuted for fraud

Press release 
15 July 2025

On 11 July 2025, Mr Bryn Howells of Ebley, Stroud, was found guilty of committing fraud against Tewkesbury Borough Council, South Gloucestershire Council, and Publica Group Ltd – a Teckal company providing services on behalf of Cotswold District Council, West Oxfordshire District Council, and Forest of Dean District Council. 

The prosecution took place at Cirencester Courthouse, sitting on behalf of Gloucester Crown Court. Between February 2022 and June 2023, Mr Howells was simultaneously employed by the three organisations in the following roles: 

  • Strategic Housing and Enabling Officer at Tewkesbury Borough Council 
  • Senior Development Surveyor at South Gloucestershire Council 
  • Valuer and Estates Surveyor at Publica Group.

Mr Howells failed to disclose his multiple employments to each organisation when taking up new roles. He submitted false timesheets, misrepresenting the hours worked for each employer, and provided inaccurate information on declaration forms regarding secondary employment. Through these actions, he received salaries and other benefits totaling approximately £236,000.In addition, Mr Howells held a fourth role with another council via an agency during this period, earning further income. However, this employment was not included in the prosecution case. The fraud was uncovered through a review of payroll data by the council’s Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit (CFEU), as part of the Cabinet Office’s National Fraud Initiative (NFI). At the time the data match was identified, Mr Howells was still employed by Tewkesbury Borough Council and Publica Group, having recently resigned from South Gloucestershire Council. A disciplinary investigation was launched alongside a criminal investigation by the CFEU. Mr Howells was suspended by both remaining employers and later resigned before disciplinary hearings could take place. These hearings proceeded in his absence and resulted in dismissal on the grounds of gross misconduct. Mr Howells told the court that he did not set out to deceive or act with dishonest intent. He said he was not motivated by greed or money, but a strong desire to work as many hours as possible to support local authorities when skilled staff were in short supply.   Mr Howells continued to say that any failure to declare his employment to each council was an ‘unintentional oversight’, and the hours declared on his timesheets were in his mind hours that he was ‘available’. The councils’ barrister put to Mr Howells that his actions were nothing short of dishonest. Had he declared his employment to each council, or disclosed that he planned to retain full-time employment elsewhere, he would not have been employed by them. The barrister went on to say that he was aware of this fact and so dishonestly obtained employment, salary and other benefits. Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Executive Director of Resources, Simon Dix, said: “We are deeply disappointed by Mr Howells’ actions, which fell far short of the standards expected of public servants. As soon as concerns were raised, we acted swiftly, and the matter was investigated by the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit. “By receiving four publicly funded salaries and benefits, Mr Howells’ conduct was wholly dishonest and represents a serious breach of trust and misuse of public funds. “Although Mr Howells is no longer employed by the council, we recognise the importance of maintaining public trust. We have a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and take matters of integrity extremely seriously. We have reviewed our internal procedures to help prevent similar incidents in the future.” 

Mr Howells is due to be sentenced on 28 August 2025.

The councils are looking to recover salary, pension contributions and national insurance contributions from Mr Howells earned as a result of his dishonesty.

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Local groups urged to claim £2,500 to help their communities get moving

Press release 

11 July 2025 

Tewkesbury Borough Council has received £12,500 through Active Gloucestershire’s ‘We Can Move’ programme.

This is to support selected communities in the borough to increase physical activity.

Community organisations across eligible areas of Tewkesbury borough – including town and parish councils, village halls, sports clubs, and faith groups – are being encouraged to apply for grants of up to £2,500.

 The funding has been awarded to support increased physical activity in local communities identified by Gloucestershire’s Integrated Locality Partnership (ILP).

Using insights from a broad range of local organisations, the ILP have highlighted areas where residents are likely to benefit most from moving more – helping to improve overall health and wellbeing.Cllr Alex Hegenbarth, Lead Member for Communities and Housing said: “Whether it’s walking clubs, fitness sessions, or inclusive sports days, this is a chance to turn fresh ideas into action – and help people live healthier, more active lives.

We encourage community organisations to step forward with their ideas.”This programme will prioritise the following areas:

  • Wellbeing in Northway
  • Wellbeing of older adults East of Borough (focusing on Winchcombe and the surrounding area)
  • Wellbeing in Priors Park
  • Mental wellbeing of children and young people in Brockworth.

Potential applicants are invited to view the additional information on Tewkesbury Borough Council website tewkesbury.gov.uk and contact the Community Funding team communityfunding@tewkesbury.gov.uk for further information. 

ENDS

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Neighbourhood Watch – July Newsletter

The latest edition of our monthly newsletter is here.

July is a busy month for crime prevention and community news. 

Kicking off with antisocial behaviour awareness week, there’s an update on the summer safety crackdown on ASB which was launched last week by the Home Secretary, and details on the ninja knife amnesty happening this month. 

As always, this issue also has a host local news and special offers too. 

Enjoy reading! 

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Twigworth Anti-Social Behaviour

The Parish Council has agreed its policy to support/ resolve such issues (minuted).

The Parish Council will

a) encourage those affected by ASB to contact the Parish Council via the Clerk so a central specific database can be established

b) with the permission of the residents, forward ASB issues to the relevant agencies

c) will keep statistical data to support future actions

d) engage with safer communities teams including Police liaison

e) review and agree further actions at its council meetings

It may be that different agencies are already involved in which case it would be useful if the Parish Council was aware so we can work together and not duplicate efforts

Parish Council (draft) minutes 3rd July 2025

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Have your say on the future of Gloucestershire councils!

Public engagement invited on local services

National government has announced its intention to reform the structure of local councils in Gloucestershire.

Currently the county is served by one county council and six district councils.

The proposed changes aim to replace these with unitary councils, which would streamline services under fewer, larger authorities.

Three options are being developed for the new council structure:

• One council covering the whole county.

• Two councils with an east (Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, and Cotswold) and west(Gloucester, Forest of Dean, and Stroud) split.

• Two councils, with one being an enlarged Gloucester city (referred to as ‘GreaterGloucester’) and the other covering the remainder of the county.

Public opinions on these specific options is not being sought at this time. Instead, all seven councils are working together focused on gathering feedback on how local services can best meet the needs of residents both now and in the future.

This information is crucial for planning, regardless of the eventual council structure.

Residents are invited to share their views from 1 July until to 9 August 2025.

Resident and stakeholder opinions will play a vital role in shaping the final proposals before they are submitted to the government in the autumn.

County-wide local government reorganisation survey | Have Your Say Gloucestershire

Future Gloucestershire: https://futuregloucestershire.org.uk/ 

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Council launches ‘Town safe’ campaign to enhance community safety

Improving safety, high street cleanliness, and tackling antisocial behaviour, is at the heart of a new campaign launching in Tewkesbury Borough this summer.    

Beginning this month, led by the Tewkesbury Borough Community Safety Partnership (TBCSP), the council’s community teams will be working with the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner and Gloucestershire Constabulary, to tackle safety issues and raise awareness of the help and support that is available to everyone that needs it.    

Councillor Alex Hegenbarth, Lead Member for Communities and Housing for Tewkesbury Borough Council, said: “We know that feeling safe really matters to our communities—especially during the summer, when antisocial behaviour tends to rise. That’s why we’re taking action to help everyone feel secure and supported.   

“As well as working with Tewkesbury Safe in the town centre, our officers—and the police—will be out in the busiest areas, using their powers to deal with littering, dog-fouling and other anti-social behaviour.   

“Tewkesbury, Bishop’s Cleeve, and Winchcombe will all see the benefits of the partnership work which will help keep our towns and villages welcoming, tidy and safe for all.”     

Police and Crime Commissioner, Chris Nelson, said: “Preventing crime and anti-social behaviour is never a job just for the police. This summer, alongside frequent high visibility patrols to deter crime and anti-social behaviour and make people feel safer, we’re working with a whole host of organisations that we’re lucky to have here in Gloucestershire, that can help provide alternative activities and support.”  

Throughout the summer, the TBCSP will work with local businesses and residents to tackle fly-tipping, support housing providers in organising community clean-ups and skip days, identify Safe Spaces, and raise awareness of the support available to vulnerable people.   

Steve Lindsay, Gloucestershire Safe Manager, continued: “I’m pleased to see this great response to the Tewkesbury Safe scheme, and I’d urge businesses who are interested in joining to get in touch.”    

Inspector Grant White, from the Tewkesbury Neighbourhood Policing team, said: “Everyone has the right to feel safe where they live. My team will be conducting more patrols in busier shopping areas around the borough to help reduce thefts and assaults on shop workers. Joint council and police patrols will also continue to help reduce anti-social behaviour and ensure safer public spaces.”     

Full details of Tewkesbury Safe can be found on the website: tewkesbury.gov.uk/tewkesbury-safe.  

Notes:   

Gloucestershire Safe is a not-for-profit Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) formed by members of the Business Community with the sole intention of facilitating the reduction of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour around Gloucestershire.   
Find out more: Home – Gloucestershire Safe.   

Tewkesbury Borough Council is using £20,000 from its UK Shared Prosperity Fund to develop community safety projects over the summer months, including expanding Tewkesbury Safe.  

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Council Plan refreshed to deliver on ambition through to 2028

A revitalised version of Tewkesbury Borough Council’s strategic roadmap has been published, reaffirming the council’s commitment to supporting people and strengthening communities – while adapting to a changing local government landscape.

Originally approved on 15 May 2024, the Council Plan (2024–2030) set out a clear vision underpinned by three priorities: caring for people, caring for the environment, and caring for place. These remain unchanged, alongside the council’s values of being open and honest, respectful, and inclusive.

The plan has undergone its first annual refresh, ensuring it continues to be relevant and focused on delivery. This year’s refresh reflects national Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), which will see the creation of new unitary authorities by 1 April 2028.

In light of this, the Council Plan has been refocused as a three-year delivery plan (2025–2028). While the overarching vision and priority themes stay the same, several supporting actions have been updated. Using a ‘continue, change, cease’ approach, the council reviewed each action to focus on what can realistically be achieved by the end of 2028. Many actions are progressing well and will continue unchanged, while others have been adjusted to reflect delivery realities before the 2028 transition.

Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Leader, Councillor Richard Stanley, said: “This refresh strikes the right balance – staying true to our ambitions while ensuring we deliver results our residents can see and feel. With the changes ahead, we want this plan to guide real impact, not just good intentions.” 

Some highlights from actions during the last 12 months include the council’s national Climate Action Scorecard being at 44% – significantly above the national average of 35%.

The Development Management team won Local Authority Planning Team of the Year at the prestigious Planning Awards 2025, recognising their three-year business improvement which saw significant transformation for speed of planning application decisions. The council continues to support local communities and is working towards securing more affordable high-quality housing as part of the Strategic and Local Plan.

The council has also supported people’s health and wellbeing by supporting 12 new and existing warm spaces across borough, which offer free warm and safe places during winter with 12,000 visits to those spaces.

As well as a clear performance management tracker document supported with a suite of key performance indicators that accompany the plan, a number of strategies and programmes will inform and support its delivery. These include:

  • Climate Change and Ecological Framework
  • Housing and Homelessness Strategy
  • Waste and Recycling Strategy
  • Economic Development and Tourism Strategy
  • Strategic and Local Plan
  • Flood Response and Resilience Action Plan
  • Communications Strategy
  • Community Safety Strategy
  • Tree Strategy

The plan will be revisited in 2026 to reflect not only the progress and impact of Local Government Reorganisation but also the challenging financial landscape which the council will continue to face.

Tewkesbury Borough Council Plan can be viewed online at tewkesbury.gov.uk/council-plan