Minutes/Agenda
Gloucester City Centre Commission
Note of Meeting held on 26 July 2023
At Gloucester City Council, Council Chamber, North Warehouse Gloucester GL1 2FB
Chair: The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni, Dean of Gloucester
Attendees: Dr Matthew Andrews, Reverend Nikki Arthy, Emily Bolland, Meyrick Brentnall, Leonie Burton, Rosie Byford, Dev Chakraborty, Cllr Tree Chambers-Dubus, David Evans, Emily Gibbon, Cllr Jeremy Hilton, Neil Hopwood, Dr Daniel Keech, Jon McGinty, Oliver Mitchell, Mark Owen, Dr Polly Pick, Tom Saunders, David Sharman, Guy Stenson, Vikki Walters, Martyn White
Apologies: Dawn Adams, Andy Bates, Colin Chick, Tracey Clarke, Cllr Richard Cook, Miranda Eeles, Stuart Emmerson, Jacqui Grange, Robin Hall, Sam Holliday, Ian Mean, Deborah Potts, Peter Rowland, Rupert Walters, Jennie Watkins, Jonathan White
1. Welcome and introduction by Dean Andrew
2. The Terms of Reference of the City Centre Commission
David Evans went through the draft Terms of Reference. This included its ambition to communicate meaningfulness and relevance, and that a renaming exercise may be appropriate. Suggestions included partnership or forum, advisory board, and growth group. It was observed that ‘commission’ fails to engage young people and businesses, and it was noted that University of Gloucestershire research in 2022 raised criticism of the lack of diversity underlined by use of such terms. One member saw no need to change the name.
Guy Stenson questioned whether City Centre residents are represented by the CCC and noted that residency in the area should be a legitimate interest in the work of the group. Rosie Byford noted that meeting during normal business hours means people in employment are unable to attend, so we might consider holding occasional meetings during the evening.
Jon McGinty raised the possibility of youth participation through the G15 schools group. Matthew Andrews offered to invite representatives of the University’s student union. Mark Owen offered to invite the Imam and Derek Francis as a representative of the Afro-Caribbean community in Gloucester. Andrew Zihni observed that a greater diversity and more accurate representation will be crucial to any successes of the CCC.
David Evans invited partners other than the City Council to host future meetings.
Actions:
Ø Dean Andrew and David Evans to review the Terms of Reference, including the name of the CCC, in the light of the discussion.
Ø Mark Owen to extend an invitation to the Imam and to Derek Francis.
Ø David Evans to liaise with Matthew Andrews to host the next meeting.
3. Gloucester Growth Strategy
David Evans introduced the Gloucester Growth Strategy which would set out how the city will grow over the next 5 years. The Strategy will be prepared over the next 6 months, will be subject to consultation, and will be adopted by the City Council in early 2024. Commission members made the following points;
· there is also a county-wide economic strategy currently being prepared by the six councils and the LEP.
· The Growth Strategy will have no statutory weight, but will be advisory for the Council and, hopefully, Commission partners.
· Any projects in the City Centre will depend on the use of outer ward communities.
· Effective engagement with communities across the city is essential
Actions:
Ø David Evans to commence preparation of the Growth Strategy, taking on board the Commission’s comments, and to report back to the next meeting.
4. The value of culture in creating pride of place
Dan Keech summarised his research into the value of culture in creating pride of place, which had been commissioned by Arts Council England and Gloucester City Council with the support of Reef and Kier. The work focussed on identifying a methodology to measure pride of place, and involved engaging with cultural organisations about the issues of measuring impact. It found that policy makers tend to draw on short-term impacts of investments, and economic outcomes, neither of which take account of longer-term social outcomes. The proposal shifts the focus from funder-led evaluations of culture to local stakeholder-led metrics.
The Chair observed that this report could be transformative for the way the CCC operates, and encouraged all members to read it when it becomes available.
Actions:
Ø Dan Keech to circulate the report to members when it becomes available.
5. Overview of the City Council’s Communities Service
Emily Bolland presented an overview of the work of her team in Gloucester City Council including future aspirations. This included the preventative tackling crime and public disorder by addressing their public health causes and engaging the strengths of existing communities to address their own problems (asset-based community development).
Leonie Burton noted that the University of Gloucestershire’s research for the CCC may be of interest to Emily and her team. The research is available on the Future of Gloucester website (www.futureofgloucester.co.uk).
6. Gloucester Nature Park
Meyrick Brentnall presented the work of the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust on the Gloucester Nature Park project, introducing the aims and objectives of the plans and the various institutional landowners involved. Meyrick outlined the potential for proposed interventions to
benefit people, wildlife, and the climate. He noted that some of the opportunities would take 30-40 years to materialise, and that his post was currently funded for two years.
7. Conclusions and Action Points
David Evans summarised the key points of the meeting and invited attendees to submit to him items for the agenda of the next meeting, which might take place outside of normal working hours to encourage engagement amongst some partners.
8. Date of Next Meeting
Late afternoon of Thursday 23 November