Just a heads up regarding Supporting Rural Communities which is the flagship grant programme of the Prince’s Countryside Fund, awarding £500,000 each year to support projects that enhance the viability and sustainability of rural communities.
The PCF will support projects that will create a long-term difference in rural communities across the UK with grants of up to £25,000 over two years. Applicants must be from properly constituted, not for profit organisations with an income of less than £500,000. We particularly welcome applications from groups and organisations with projects in hamlets, villages and small market towns.
The Spring Round of funding opens in March 2023.
BBN may be a useful vehicle for an application should there be a community project that we all wish to get behind. e.g. a sustainable energy project for Bourton!
Following the BBN meeting last month, it is clear that we are all going to be facing many challenges in the months to come, both leisure/hospitality and retail businesses. We highlighted the major concerns shared across our businesses, and as is prevalent throughout the country, those concerns centred on higher running costs, lack of quality/availability of staff, and anticipated lower footfall.
As a group, despite these many challenges, we believe that we are better placed than some business communities because of incoming international and UK day visitors, which it is anticipated will provide some cushion to our businesses through the winter months.
However, it was recognised that there is an opportunity to engage more fully with the local population, some of whom give the village a wide berth in the summer months, and now, with the cost of living issues, may be further delaying their interaction with local businesses.
It was felt that a collective marketing initiative would benefit us all, and it was suggested that a small working group be convened to discuss idea for a village promotion aimed at local residents, possibly utilising the Royal Mail services which could be targeted specifically at 6,000 or so GL54 postcode addresses. It was also suggested that the Bourtoninfo website could be utilised better, and help with improving this would be beneficial.
If you would like to be involved in this working group, could you email me by Monday 12th December, and we’ll convene a discussion group shortly thereafter.
If anyone has any ideas on marketing initiatives, again please email me, even if you don’t wish to be involved in a working group. All suggestions welcome.
Next Meeting
The agenda for our next full meeting is as follows.
BBN Meeting January 10th
09:00-10:00
The Old New Inn
1. A Community Energy Project – Mike McKeown
We all know the challenge with the escalating costs of our energy bills in our businesses and homes, and the knock on effect that has on many of the customer numbers for local businesses where customers can no longer afford to spend in the way they were doing previously.
Come and hear how one enterprising community are doing something about it. Our guest speaker is Mike McKeown from Thames Head Energy, a community energy social enterprise based near the source of the River Thames. (Covering Somerford Keynes, Shorncote, the Lower Mill Estate, Kemble and Ewen.) The two core goals of the initiative are to help the community as a whole and individuals; Reduce energy costs and Reduce CO2 emissions, ultimately achieving NetZero.
2. Bourton-on-the-Water Community Loyalty Card.
3. Marketing Bourton-on-the-Water – Working Group Update.
4. Community Milk Vending – Working Group Update.
5. Coach Parking – Update.
If we don’t see you beforehand, we wish you a happy and healthy festive season and look forward to seeing you in the New Year!
Cotswold District Council (CDC) has launched a consultation to gather views from residents and businesses to help inform a decision on its budget for 2023/24. The consultation will run for six weeks from Tuesday 8 November until midnight on Friday 9 December.Residents and businesses will have the opportunity to speak to Cabinet members directly about the proposed budget at a number of engagement events over the course of the consultation.
Residents and businesses in the Cotswolds are being urged to give their views on the District Council’s spending plans as it prepares its budget for the next financial year. The focus of the budget will be on continuing to deliver services as running costs increase as a result of Putin’s war in Ukraine and the national economic situation.
Cllr Mike Evemy, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “As your local District Council, we are committed to caring for the Cotswolds in all we do. A key part of that is managing our budgets wisely, so we can continue to deliver the services you rely on.
“This year has seen large rises in costs for both residents and businesses as a result of Putin’s war in Ukraine and the national economic turmoil we are facing. We appreciate the impact this is having on you. It has also had a big impact on the Council’s finances. We have seen large increases in costs for fuel to collect bins, energy to run buildings and other inflation-related pressures.
“The impact of increased costs to the Council means we have to work even harder to deliver our services efficiently. We will also ask the Government to provide the funding councils need to support their local communities – especially important for Cotswold District Council following a decade of cuts in the Council’s core government funding.
“We are an ambitious council that wants to invest in our District, but expect that these difficult times will mean we have to slow down the delivery of our ambitions to make sure we manage the Council’s finances very carefully. This may mean borrowing money wisely to invest in improvements and using some of our limited reserves to help us through the next two years.
“We are confident that if we pull together as a community, as we did during the pandemic, we will be able to weather this financial storm. We want to make sure we come through the next two years in a strong position so we can continue the work on our priorities of responding to the climate emergency, strengthening our local economy and providing homes for rent that local people can afford.
“I would urge everyone to complete our short survey once it is live on 8 November or join us at one of our forthcoming engagement events to have your say on how we manage your local council.”
The Council is keen to gather residents’ views on key areas in the proposed council budget including council tax levels and charges in Cotswold District car parks to help fund local services and to hear your suggestions about how it could raise additional revenue or lower its costs.
As part of the consultation, the Council will hold a series of engagement events at supermarkets across the district so residents can speak with Council members and officers and ask any questions they may have about the Council or its finances.
The budget consultation survey started on Tuesday 8 November and will be live on the Cotswold District Council website at www.cotswold.gov.uk/budget until Friday 9 December.
Cotswold District Council receives only 7 pence in every £1 of Council Tax paid by its residents to provide the services it is responsible for, including waste collection and recycling, street cleaning, parks and open spaces, planning and building control, promoting economic growth and regeneration, leisure services, environmental health and licensing services, housing and council tax support, election administration and support for the homeless.
Engagement Events:
Residents and businesses will have the opportunity to speak to Cabinet members directly about the proposed budget at a range of engagement events over the course of the consultation.
Members of the Council’s Cabinet will also be visiting areas in the District from Tuesday 15 November to allow residents to speak to them face to face and discuss the Council’s financial position and the forward plans.
Tuesday 15 November | Budget Consultation Engagement visit, Tesco Superstore Stow | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Wednesday 23 Nov | Budget Consultation Engagement visit, Tesco Extra Cirencester | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Thursday 24 November – Budget Consultation Engagement visit, Aldi Moreton-in-Marsh | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Tuesday 29 November | Budget Consultation Engagement visit, Tesco Superstore, Tetbury | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Monday 28 November | Town and Parish Council Forum | Cotswold District Council Moreton area centre | 18:00 – 19:30pm.
Wednesday 30 November | Town and Parish Council Forum | Cotswold District Council in the Council Chamber | 18:00 – 19:30pm.
All local businesses might be interested in accessing the Rural England Prosperity Fund. BBN received the information 13th October! You have just over a week to get your thinking caps on!
Cotswold District Council has been allocated £764,292 from the Government’s Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) to be spent over two financial years, with £191,073 available in 2023/24 and £573,219 in 2024/25. The REPF provides capitalfunding to:
Support new and existing rural businesses to develop new products and facilities that will be of wider benefit to the local economy. This includes farm businesses looking to diversify income streams
Support new and improved community infrastructure, providing essential community services and assets for local people and businesses to benefit the local economy
In order to confirm the funding, the council needs to submit an ‘Investment Plan’ to the Government by the end of November setting out how we will use the funds. To help us develop the most effective investment plan possible, we are asking businesses and organisations to submit any project ideas they have. This will help us to understand the types of projects currently being worked on and their scale. Projects must be deliverable by the end of March 2025 and must comply with the REPF guidelines and can be anywhere within the Cotswold District.
Please note that by submitting your ideas you are not committing to undertake the project and neither is the Council committed to funding it. There will be a full application process for local projects once the Council’s Investment Plan has been approved.
Cotswold District Council is once again asking residents of Bourton-on-the-Water for their views on how to spend the money raised through a new tourism charge at Rissington Road car park following the success of the previous year
Cllr Mike Evemy, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, said;
“The tourism charge has raised significant additional funds to spend on projects and activities in the village that help to manage the impact of visitors who come to enjoy what Bourton-on-the-Water has to offer.
“Last year we were able to fund some great initiatives including a new village warden, new larger waste bins, bollards to stop illegal parking and a study into how we can improve the village for disabled visitors and residents.
“I would like Bourton residents to let us know about our ideas for the funding this year and help us to decide how the tourism charge will be best spent.”
For every stay at the Rissington Road car park, 50p of the parking charge goes into the fund to be spent on local projects with the Council expecting it to raise over £40,000 this year. £22,000 was raised and not spent last year and will therefore be available to be spent this year.
The Council is consulting on a range of options including measures to improve traffic, cycle parking, improvements to public spaces, repairs to footpaths and ways to make the town more accessible to disabled residents and visitors.
The consultation opens on 22 August and will run for four weeks with residents asked to give their opinions on the proposals as well as being able to suggest their own ideas.
The consultation is available through the Council’s website and closes on 18 September 2022.
Anyone not able to fill out the online survey can write to the council at Communications Team, Cotswold District Council, Trinity Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1PX.
Bourton Business Network is conducting its first ever Annual Business Survey to help better understand the economic life of Bourton-on-the-Water.
We aim to gauge the issues that matter to local businesses and provide a means of generating representative views that can be used to positively influence the interests of business.
Your input as a local business is really important so we do hope that you will consider taking a few moments to complete the survey.
To take part in the survey please click on this link
All individual data is treated as strictly confidential and will not be passed on to a third party.
Survey completion date is September 1st, 2022.
A summary report will be produced and shared with all respondents.
Cotswold District Council has been advised by Bourton Vale Parking Limited that the privately owned coach car park in Bourton-on-the-Water is due to close to coaches from December 2022 .
Robert Weaver, Chief Executive of Cotswold District Council, said; “The Council and local Ward Councillors have been informed that the private owner of the coach and car park on Station Road intends to close the site to coaches in December 2022.
While it is wholly the decision of a private business to change their operations, as the district Council we are keen to understand the potential impacts this decision might have on the local area, both in the short and longer term.
In order to understand the implications of this decision more clearly, the Council will be looking to convene a meeting with Bourton Vale Parking Limited, local businesses, the Parish Council, County Council highways colleagues and other key partners over the coming months.
At this point in time, and in advance of the proposed meeting, we would advise any local businesses seeking further information to contact Bourton Vale Parking Limited as the car park operators.”
The Coach and Car Park on Station Road in Bourton-on-the-Water has been operated privately since 1979 and is currently operated by Bourton Vale Parking Limited.
So the dust has settled and Summer already feels like a distant memory. How lucky were we with the weather on 25th September?
It was fantastic to see so many local people out and about to enjoy Music, Art & Food on the Water and it has been heart-warming to see and hear so many positive comments about the event. The majority have commented on a great atmosphere and how good it was to see the community so well represented.
Sadly, we were not able to satisfy those who had perhaps grander expectations than those we set out with! We were definitely not seeking to lay on a “Festival” in the heart of the village.
The intention was to have a number of dispersed, coordinated and themed activities around the village so there might be something for almost everyone to enjoy. But sufficiently low-key so as not to be too obviously attractive to visitors. This one was for us!
Youngsters from Bourton Primary School captivating an audience of proud families and locals
The scene-stealing moment had to be the performance of the youngsters from the Primary School and a big shout out to Tori Teague and her colleagues for organising this and the fabulous display of children’s artwork.
The support and encouragement of both School Heads, John Jones and Will Morgan, and the Parish Council from the outset was instrumental in making this event the success that it was.
So too was the participation of the many community and volunteer groups and we recognise that sadly some were not able to make it because they were unable to staff their stands and others would have loved to participate. (Next time hopefully we’ll get everyone together!)
Of course, none of it what have been possible without financial support to cover hire of the Victoria Hall, road closure, First Aid provision, public liability insurance, leaflet printing and distribution to local residents by Royal Mail and various other logistical bits and bobs that was generously contributed.
So, thank you to:
Bourton-on-the-Water Parish Council
Cotswold District Council
Gloucestershire County Council
Bourton-on-the-Water Primary School
Bourton-on-the-Water Visitor Information Centre
Bourton Browser (for a full page to promote the event to residents)
Super Lemon Ltd (Tony and Ian for super reasonable rates in printing of our flyers)
Cotswolds Radio (for covering the event and broadcasting to the community including interviewing by County Councillor Paul Hodgkinson)
Everyone who made Bourton’s Got Talent possible especially those that got on stage and performed! (Especially the Panto Group for making the stage so lovely.
The Street Food vendors, especially Smiths of Bourton and Aroma who participated whilst their businesses were also open. Given the staffing challenges the hospitality sector is experiencing, it was wonderful that you were able to make it. Sadly, others who had hoped to be there had to drop out.
All the musical acts that participated outside the Victoria Hall and in local venues and those venues too!
Kathleen Cronin for looking after the Art displays
Leanne and Justin Launchbury, Martin and Helen Macklin for their support in marshalling the road closure
Pulhams Coaches, Hacklings Storage and Distribution, The Old New Inn, Cotswolds Ice Cream and The Lansdowne B&B for their financial support.
I’d like to acknowledge the super efforts of a core organising team of Carol Groom, Lynda Hicks, Allan Hymers, Jill Hymers, Andrew Lund-Yates and Diana Ray, with inputs from Jessica Smith, Martin Macklin, Clare and Graham Keyte, without whom it would not have been possible to pull this together in a two month time-frame. You were awesome!
Finally, many thanks to all of you who came out to enjoy your village on a sunny late September evening!
This is the first in a series of planned interviews with local business-people to understand how they see the challenges for businesses in our community now and in the future, as well as how they’ve experienced the pandemic. (If you are interested in contributing as an interviewee, please get in touch!)
JWWhat are your reflections on running a business in Bourton over these last 18 months?
SG Just a bit of context. I moved to Bourton around 6 years ago and became manager of Rowlands Pharmacy in October 2019. So, what happened a few months later, with the start of the pandemic, was a huge shock.
I’d thrown myself into lots of activities in village-life, organising music stuff and performing, joining the Panto group amongst other things and that all came to a stop.
It has been a most challenging time! The business took a real hit losing both local customers who were being advised to only shop for essentials and others who just went into their bubbles full stop and were perhaps afraid to go into the Village.
On-line options obviously became more popular. We also lost a lot of custom because, initially, visitor numbers were down.
JWThat’s really interesting! There is a recurring theme that I’ve heard a number of times in conversation with local business owners that their ability to exist and provide a service for residents is dependent in part on the sales generated by sales to visitors to Bourton. So that is true for the Pharmacy too.
SG Definitely! And the real shame is that I think some of our residents who were customers haven’t yet returned. We have had to work really hard to get through it and it feels a bit sad at times that maybe people don’t see this.
JWI guess, as a generalisation, people tend to underestimate the impact of the pandemic on others and, despite things like clapping for the NHS, perhaps don’t stop to consider the additional stresses and strains on those keeping essential services going with huge uncertainty over what the future holds.
SG I think you’re right. As I say, it’s been really tough.
JWIn my own work, I frequently referred to the pandemic as a “Portal to the Future”. What if anything had to change about the way you carried out business?
SG Probably not much as I’d like. As manager, in a large group of pharmacies, decision’s to do things like home delivery are not my call, but I think this will happen in the future.
JWHow do you see the biggest challenges for businesses as we move into the post-COVID recovery period?
SG Getting people out there using services and shops, having faith in things again and being connected. Obviously supplies and deliveries are an issue as a result of both BREXIT and the pandemic. And then hiring is a challenge, a recent job ad only had one response. But getting people seems to be an issue across the village.
JW Absolutely. Only the other day there was publicity that the UK has hit the highest number of job vacancies since records began in 2001. Hotels, pubs and restaurants are the businesses with the biggest challenges getting staff. And that is really being felt in Bourton right now!
JWWhat have you learned about yourself as a professional because of the pandemic?
SG That I’m still a human being! I realised that I was struggling with a lot of stuff outside my control and my mindset was focussed on business, hitting targets etc. It wasn’t particularly joyful! But I had this awakening, it made me realise why I was working in a pharmacy. Because I love community!
JW Focus on control the controllables is very topical right now given some of the interviews given last week by Emma Raducanu! She is quoted as saying “I was 0-30 in my last couple of service games. To hold was pretty big, literally one point at a time. Just trying to focus on what I can control, my serve, landing first serves.” I know that this is a really important concept to support mental toughness that I coach around in my own professional life.
This leads me to my next question. Lots of people are talking about a second epidemic of mental health issues. How do you see this from a professional and from a performer’s point of view?
SG Lockdown was tough on everyone. A lot of people got into some bad habits, like eating poorly, putting on weight. And there were heart-breaking challenges in the community, like elderly people unable to see their relatives so feeling very isolated. And younger people not able to socialise, and education being really disrupted. On the other hand there were some great responses from the local community to support people.
As a performer, it may surprise people but I’ve always struggled with anxiety before performing. But once I start, I’m OK. I love it in the moment. Re-starting performing brings some of that anxiety, but I’m working on it, getting prepared!
I think this will be the case for a lot of people who got out of the habit of performing live. But yes, I think a lot of us need to be working on our resilience and supporting those who are struggling.
JWSo, as you know, BBN is organising Music, Art & Food on the Water for residents of Bourton to create an opportunity to bring people together. What excites you about this event?
SG Exactly that. Bringing the community back together. Its really important that we all start seeing the sense of community again.
JWHow do you see the role of music and performance in stimulating and improving people’s well-being?
SG Hugely. It’s so important. A lot of people I think don’t appreciate the impact. But listening to live music, everything that upsets or angers you, you just let go. It’s amazing.
JW I completely agree with you Silvi. So just one final question. How do you see the relevance of local businesses doing something positive for our local community?
SG Very important. I think for some businesses who only focus on visitors it’s a tough battle, a bit of an internal challenge. But a lot of businesses who employ people locally are not focussed on visitors and some are catering to both. So, I think we’ve just got to stick together. We need to stop pointing the finger, not be so judgemental. Just stick together as a community.
Post Script
Thank you Silvi for graciously giving your time to be interviewed. Sadly due to personal considerations, Silvi has had to withdraw from performing on Saturday 25th. We wish her well and hope to see her on stage again soon. And in the Pharmacy too as we show our support for a vital community service!
This Thursday 23/9 on Cotswolds Radio between 4 and 6pm, ‘Afternoon Live with Paul Hodgkinson’ will feature Lisa Spivey, Cabinet Member for Housing at CDC and Jon Wareing from the Bourton Business Network. Music, conversation and dedications.
On Thursday 23rd at 17:00 you can hear more about Music, Art & Food on the Water and Bourton Business Network when yours truly will be interviewed by Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Gloucestershire County Council) on his 16:00 Cotswolds Radio show.
Do tune in if you can via the Cotswolds Radio website or the Cotswolds Radio app.
