Cotswold District Council Planning meetings will start half an hour later from now on to make it easier for people to get to the meetings on time.

The change comes just a month after the council's cabinet were slammed for cancelling meetings due to childcare issues.

A council press release stated: "A wide range of people from all over the Cotswold district need to get to the meetings, putting pressure on those in the north of the area, those with children to take to school and many others who find it difficult to get to the Council Chamber in time for a 9.30am start.

"That is why councillors have decided future meetings should begin at 10am."

Cllr Juliet Layton, councillor for the South Cerney Village Ward said: “We wanted to review the times of all our meetings to make sure we are being as inclusive as possible. It is important that as many people who need or wish to attend any of our meetings to be able to do so and we are happy to alter the existing meeting times if it makes it easier for people to come along.

“The Planning and Licensing Committee involves a lot of people from a range of organisations and from a wide area. Everyone from councillors, officers, applicants and their agents through to members of the public and representatives from heritage, conservation and highways organisations may need to attend.

"We also have a policy of each case officer presenting their own application so there are a lot of people to take into consideration.

“Half an hour might not seem much but by starting at 10am people will avoid rush hour traffic, have time to get their children to school or child minder and get into Cirencester from some of the more remote parts of our district.”