Newent-Coleford- Lydney-Cinderford
Forest of Dean Progressive Independents

DECEMBER 2025

Progressive Independents take the lead

Welcome to the Festive edition of the Forest of Dean Progressive Independent newsletter. This month has seen Progressive Independent Councillors take the lead on several key issues that affect residents. The topics range from serious financial issues to standards complaints and from Local Government reform to a motion to help those most in need.

We hope you enjoy reading what's happening at your Council. Our contact details will be at the end of the newsletter.

Bernie back sorting finance (someone's got to ) 

Bernie O Neill ( Ruspidge Prog IND) is working with several Forest of Dean Residents about compensation payments for planning applications that had been turned down by the Planning Committee but had gained approval on appeal. Bernie learnt that a bailiff turned up at the council offices seeking money owed to a resident, and raised the matter at a full council meeting on 11 December when he highlighted the "shocking situation".He asked the council leader to confirm that bailiffs had arrived at its offices and urged the case - involving one of the 93 planning and enforcement appeals the authority has lost over the last seven years - to be rectified. Green leader Adrian Birch confirmed in a written answer that a bailiff had come to the council offices and left after speaking with officers in the legal services department. Since the meeting, even more residents have contacted Bernie, and at the time of writing, the issue was becoming even bigger and is ongoing. As Bernie says, "We can't have our Council not paying what it owes; this needs a thorough investigation"

Editor Note. It's no surprise that people still contact Bernie in regard to financial matters. As the Cabinet member for finance during Covid, Bernie earned a reputation for diligence and helping people that is still felt throughout the Forest. A far cry from the present post holder

The Progressive Independents Stand Up to Bullying!

A councillor who "bullied" and caused "dread" in planning officers at the FODDC council has been banned from all committees for three years after Progressive Independents ensured that officers of the Council were able to go to work without fear of intimidation. The recent Council meeting heard how there were 496 pages of evidence from 11 witnesses to the three serious complaints against the Councillor. Planning officers faced criticism over a sustained period of time, according to the standards panel report. Councillor Julia Gooch ( Prog IND Newent) suggested the Councillor be banned from all committees, outside bodies, working groups and task groups for three years.

Julia and Cllr Tim Gwilliam (Prog IND Berry Hill) both spoke at the meeting "I'm concerned the recommended measures alone may not sufficiently protect staff from further inappropriate conduct," Julia said. " Officers of this council are entitled to perform their duties in a professional, safe, and impartial environment. When a member's behaviour is shown—over many years—to undermine thatenvironment, we have a responsibility not only to acknowledge the findings but to put in place meaningful safeguards. While I support the panel's recommendations, I believe we would fall short of our obligations—to the public, to officers, and to the Nolan Principles—if we did not consider additional safeguards to prevent a recurrence of this long-standing pattern of behaviour " Her amendment to the Standards Panels' recommendations found near-unanimous support in the Council. This was seconded by Tim Gwilliam, who added: "I led this Council for seven years and am proud of the way I did it and what we achieved. I do, however, have one regret from my time as Leader—one actual regret—and that is that I did not speak up sooner about the behaviour that our officers were having to endure. Despite what it meant for my leadership and my administration, I am glad that we eventually did speak up and say that we did not think that what was happening before our eyes was acceptable. The direction of this Council, like every other council, has for years been based not just on the regular elections and change in Councillor membership, but also on those little conversations and the group deals that will see a policy or even position appointment being supported by one group to help another. It's politics that happens everywhere. It only becomes a problem when those politics draw a veil over behaviour that otherwise would have been called out. Perhaps the current administration, who have benefitted from the support of this Councillors political group when gaining power at FODDC, should consider that"

The council voted to approve the sanctions by 33 votes in favour, with two abstentions and one against. Rather worryingly, the vote against the sanctions was made by a senior Cabinet member. The Councillor will be issued with a formal censure and be excluded from participating in all committees, working groups and task groups for three years. He will also be excluded from appointments to outside bodies where he represents the district council for the same duration.

More importantly, Officers working for the Council will no longer be subject to such attacks.

Jamie Elsmore ( Prog IND Berry Hill) has studied the case in depth and says, " In my opinion, this Councillor has, for several years, put his own self-interests and his own position in the Council before anything else. This type of vile, cowardly and despicable abuse of good people, just trying to go about their job, needed serious addressing, and Julia's amendments to the sanctions are fitting. Due to the seriousness and gravity of events, presented with such a damning report, which indicated terrible behaviour from the member over several years, any decent Councillor in such a position would now do the decent thing and resign. However, it is clearly evident that this individual demonstrates a complete lack of empathy to all involved; he expresses no remorse or regret and has yet to offer any apology to the individuals who had the courage and strength to come forward to make the complaint"

EDITORS NOTE. The Cabinet Member, Cllr Moore, who felt it appropriate to vote against the sanctions in the face of such damning evidence, demonstrated either a complete ignorance of the facts or, worse, that they consider such behaviour acceptable. Either way, the Cabinet member should consider his position or be removed by the leader of the Council, as he is not fit to be in such a senior position.

Julia ensures FODDC are in the fight against MND and other such illnesses

On a busy night for the Progressive Independents, Julia got unanimous support for the following motion:

Motion to Strengthen Fast-Track Home Adaptations for People Living with Motor Neurone

Disease (MND) and other rapidly progressing and highly debilitating conditions.

Julia explained that while recognising the particular urgency of Motor Neurone Disease, this strengthened policy should apply equitably to all residents with rapidly progressing and highly debilitating conditions to ensure consistency, transparency, and reassurance for residents and their families.

This Council therefore resolves to:

A - The Council will include data on its DFG performance, which is captured in the Delta Balanced

scorecard published annually by MHCLG in its existing Performance Reports.

B – Referrals may be made by Occupational Therapy at the point of diagnosis, where appropriate,

so that adaptations can be progressed swiftly.

C - The Council will review the current £15,000 discretionary cap to ensure sufficiency for urgent

larger adaptations and will explore options to exclude professional fees from this limit where

feasible.

D - Provide clear, accessible information to residents and families about the fast-track process,

eligibility, and expected timeframes. Establish a named officer contact for urgent cases to support

families through the process.

E - The Council will ensure its Disabled Facilities Grant Policy has regard to the needs of those

suffering from conditions such as MND to enable the right adaptations to be delivered as swiftly as

Possible.

Julia added, "In bringing this motion, I was acutely aware that there are other rapidly progressive illnesses, and I would not wish to take away from the needs of those who are diagnosed with them. Our strengthened policy must apply equitably, so that all residents facing urgent and debilitatingconditions receive the same consistency and reassurance. However, the story of Kyle Sieniawski, the 14‑year‑old boy from Pontypridd who became the youngest person in the UK to be diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, brings home the devastating speed and unpredictability of this illness. Kyle was unable to go home because his family's housing situation could not be adapted quickly enough to meet his urgent needs, and he passed away in the hospital just ten months after his diagnosis. His experience reminds us that families often have only a short window to make vital adaptations, and that time lost cannot be regained. That is why this motion is so important. It ensures that when residents face conditions like MND or other rapidly progressing illnesses, their Council will act swiftly, compassionately, and decisively to support them.

Bernie supported Julia in the motion, offering an emotional tribute to the late Gloucestershire cricketer David "Syd" Lawrence, whom Bernie taught at school and who sadly passed away from MND earlier this year.

The MP's memory, Our Roads and that meeting.

Matt Bishop MP recently held a "public meeting " about the state of the Forest of Dean's transport infrastructure. Cllr Julia Gooch attended on behalf of the Progressive Independents and left the MP in no doubt about what needs to be done. "I attended the Highways & Transport meeting with Matt Bishop MP, Officers from Highways, and the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport & Strategic Highways. Although billed as a public meeting, it was in fact by invitation/ticket, and I was the only District Councillor representing the North of the District present. I raised three major concerns on behalf of residents: Headlight glare & road markings – Drivers are advised to "look down and follow the white lines" when dazzled, but across our district, those lines are faded or hidden by vegetation. This is a serious safety issue that must be addressed. Flooding at Malswick – When the River Leadon floods, Newent is cut off. The lack of dredging is a major factor, and I urged the Environment Agency to work with Highways officers to deliver solutions. Newent and the Forest of Dean deserve better. Broken pavements – Our pavements are shocking and unsafe for many residents. While £48m+ has been spent on the greenway, that money could have repaired dangerous pavements. Walking is also active travel, and safe pavements are essential. I will continue pressing for practical improvements that make our roads and paths safer, and ensure the North of the District is not overlooked, although I am acutely aware of the problems in the central and southern Forest areas, in particular the Sedbury and Chepstow horror show",

EDITORs NOTE. While welcoming the current MP's interest in all things transport and his wish to gain funding for many projects, it should be pointed out that in 2023, as a Councillor, Mr Bishop voted AGAINST a motion put by a Sedbury Councillor aimed at finding a solution to the Sedbury traffic flow problem and potential Bypass, etc. Just how the security of an MP's salary can change a person's views is something we should never underestimate!

Also, while accepting the unfortunate need for heightened security for our Political leaders, instructing security "heavies" to search the handbag of a long-standing Councillor and ex-Chair of the Forest of Dean District Council, is extremely troubling.

The Local Government Reform CON.

The push towards a Unitary authority is nothing more than a money-saving exercise aimed at reducing local representation and local control while at the same time protecting the positions of the major parties. It will become almost impossible for any Independent or non-funded Cllr to win a seat whenever the elections for a Unitary Authotity takes place. The ward areas will simply be too big. Also, there is a clear steer for a Unitary Gloucestershire to join with Bristol or the WECA in Bath.

It is not needed; there is another way that can save money and also sustain local representation.

That's why the Progressive Independents have, for some weeks, been trying to launch the following petition on the Government's website,

We, the Forest of Dean Progressive Independent Group, do not believe that Local Government Reorganisation is required or wanted by the people of not only the Forest of Dean but also Gloucestershire. As such, the undersigned demand the retention of our District, Borough and City Councils in Gloucestershire and that rather than a UNITARY Authority or Authorities, the people of Gloucestershire request The Creation of a Combined Authority made up of and with equal status

The Forest of Dean District Council,

Tewkesbury Borough Council

Stroud District Council

Cotswold District Council

Cheltenham Borough Council

Gloucester City Council.

These councils will form an equal Executive to deliver county-wide services while retaining local sovereignty

This will not only be an example of true devolution, but also retain local accountability and expertise that is so important to Rural Counties

We hope you will consider signing the petition when "eventually" the Government website allows it. One might think the delay of a perfectly reasonable petition is a little odd.

It's been very busy, as you can tell. All that is left is to thank you for reading, thank you for your support, and to wish you a very Happy Christmas. We hope politics will become a little nicer in 2026, and we hope above all that people are once again put before party ideology. 2025 is an unwelcome example of what happens when they are not.