Cotswold District Council is facing criticism for a lack of communication after repeatedly cancelling meetings of a working group intended to guide plans for over 6,000 new homes in the scenic market town of Moreton-in-Marsh.
The council had established the group in January last year to serve as an advisory body, providing updates and feedback on future housing developments. However, the group’s meetings have been abruptly cancelled three times in a row, with no advance notice to councillors, residents, or local parish councils.
Moreton’s County and District Councillor Daryl Corps, a Conservative representative, voiced his frustration over the latest cancellation. He revealed that the council seemed to have forgotten about the first scheduled meeting on June 10.
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“I called the day before to check if the meeting was still happening at 11am on June 10,” Corps said. “Only then was I informed it was cancelled. No one was given prior notice. Now it’s postponed until autumn, yet no members have been officially informed.”
Corps criticized the current Liberal Democrat-led council for poor communication. “This is the third consecutive cancellation without a single update or explanation. I hope no one traveled to the venue unnecessarily. They’re planning thousands of new houses here but won’t engage with local leaders. With the Lib Dems also in control of the County Council, will they continue to disregard infrastructure concerns?”
A spokesperson for Cotswold District Council acknowledged that while a meeting had been tentatively scheduled for June, it was never officially confirmed. They apologized if this lack of clarity caused confusion.
“When establishing the Moreton Working Group, it was agreed that up to four meetings would be held annually, depending on significant updates to discuss,” the spokesperson said. “While a June meeting was penciled in, it was not finalized. We regret if that was not communicated clearly.”
The repeated cancellations raise concerns among community members about transparency and engagement at a critical time for Moreton-in-Marsh’s future development.