Council leader survives no-confidence vote

A council leader has narrowly survived a no-confidence vote amid anger over where to build 13,000 homes.

The motion against Adrian Birch, Green Party leader of the Forest of Dean District Council, was defeated by just one vote, after a fellow Green member returned from a family holiday to participate.

Independent councillor John Francis, who called for the vote, claimed in a full council meeting that residents had "no forum" in which to express their views on the houses.

Citing government pressure to build homes, Birch replied: "If we fail to agree a local plan for 1,200 dwellings by the end of this year, the Planning Inspectorate will take over, we will lose control."

Francis' motion also criticised Birch for failing to listen to councillors.

"Members have been ignored and completely sidelined by the leader in the development of the draft local plan," the motion read.

To applause in the council chamber, Francis said: "We're making decisions without evidence, it comes down to transparency."

The government has set the council a target of 13,000 homes by 2045.

This has been met by stiff opposition from councillors and hundreds of residents who live near the sites proposed so far.

The council is considering building a 3,500-home town at Glynchbrook in Redmarley as well as 2,000 homes off the A40 in Churcham.

Residents from the affected areas packed the public gallery and held placards outside ahead of the meeting.

In the chamber, Birch was jeered as he said: "We cannot allocate housing where we like.

"We do not have the resources for compulsory purchase orders of sites.

"If residents have concerns regarding Glynchbrook and Churcham, they should address them to the neighbours who have offered their land for development, not the council who is acting lawfully to implement the local plan."

He said the council had remained true to the engagement process of the local plan and pointed to a public consultation that is open until 18 March.

Birch said there had been seven councillor events related to the local plan which were poorly attended.

He said further members' information meetings are planned in March, April and May.

And he argued that Francis' proposal "for the dispersal of 12,000 houses among all other settlements is simply not practical".

The council voted to reject the no-confidence motion by 19 to 18 with one abstention.

The meeting went on to agree the council's budget, which includes a 3% council tax rise from April 2026.

Additional reporting by Carmelo Garcia, Local Democracy Reporter

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