Tewkesbury Borough Council has voted to change its name to North Gloucestershire Borough Council, following consultation with residents, businesses, town and parish councils, and other partners.

The decision, made during an extraordinary council meeting last night (September 3), required a two-thirds majority of those voting for it to pass.

Twenty-six councillors voted in favour and eight against, reflecting their constituents' views, and marking a significant step in enhancing the borough's identity and ensuring greater representation for all communities in the area.

The name change is set to be brought in from December.

The new name will help create a stronger geographical identity, which better reflects the borough as a whole. The borough covers 160 square miles and has many towns and villages, including Bishop's Cleeve, Churchdown, Highnam and Brockworth.

Tewkesbury itself accounts for less than 3% of the geographical area and around 10% of its population.

The council decided to consider a name change following discussions on the new Council Plan, where concerns were raised about the council's outdated logo and the confusion between Tewkesbury town and the wider borough.

The name North Gloucestershire Borough Council was chosen, as it more accurately represents the borough's geographical location and its many communities, and avoids prioritising Tewkesbury over other areas.

Cllr Richard Stanley, leader of Tewkesbury Borough Council, said: "This name change is about ensuring that all communities within our borough feel represented and included, something that many felt was not the case with the name Tewkesbury Borough Council.

"The name North Gloucestershire Borough Council will help us to raise our profile both regionally and nationally, promoting economic development and attracting investment, while maintaining our unique identity as a borough. It will demonstrate our support for the entire borough, and show every resident that we are their council.

"In case there is any doubt, Tewkesbury town will retain its name and its position as a historically rich and culturally significant location.

"I'm proud to say that we will be keeping costs to an absolute minimum and making the introduction of our new name as smooth as possible for our residents and businesses."

At a council meeting in May, councillors were 'minded to' change the council's name, subject to a public consultation.

The 10-week consultation, from May 17 to July 31, received 1,608 responses. The results showed that more than 86.26% of respondents understood the rationale behind the proposed name change, and 58.64% expressed their support for the change.

Next steps

With the name change approved, the council will begin a phased rollout from December 2024. Initial steps include:

• Informing the Secretary of State and other relevant authorities of the name change

• Updating digital assets, including the council's website and email addresses

• Informing residents and businesses about the change and its benefits

• Gradually updating physical assets, such as signage and bins, during their normal maintenance schedules

A new logo, chosen during the public consultation, will also be introduced as part of the rebranding.