Who Are We?

Meet the team

The Trustees (also known as Conservators) are representatives of local Parishes and Boroughs and the Landowner. They are responsible for the overall management and conservation of Cleeve Common. The Trust is a Registered Charity and Trustees are volunteers. The current Chairman of the Board is Phil Robson. The overall task of the Trustees is to fulfil our vision to ensure that,

In 100 years’ time, visitors to Cleeve Common will enjoy the same sense of space and tranquility, with the diversity of plant and animal life, as they do today

by balancing long-term conservation of the landscape, the natural environment and the geological and archaeological features with today’s recreational and agricultural interests.

Michael is the Clerk to the Trustees. He is, in effect, the Trust’s chief executive officer. He represents the Trust in dealing with all official matters relating to the management of the Common, handles the finances and administration and is the main channel for liaison with both official bodies and members of the public. If you call the office number, it is Michael on the other end of the line.

Giles is the Conservation Officer. His role includes monitoring and recording plant and wildlife, planning livestock and habitat management, seeking funding to support conservation work and providing information to official bodies, local interest groups and members of the public.

Nicole is the Community Engagement Officer. She provides informal education to visitors to the Common through a programme of events. She takes schools out on a variety of different sessions (some of which are free, find out more on our learning pages). She also manages our social media activities and engages with a wide variety of users of the Common.

The Rangers are the people whom you are most likely to see on the Common. They look after the livestock, manage the grassland and scrub, carry out repairs and renovation, patrol the Common and assist visitors whether as individuals or taking part in an organized event. Our Operations Manager is Kay. James T, James A and Joe, alongside Kay make up the ranger team.

The Voluntary Wardens help the Rangers in day-to-day monitoring and maintenance of the Common.

We have a number of other volunteer roles, find out more about these, and how to volunteer your time for Cleeve Common Trust by visiting our Get Involved page. If you’d like to help, just get in touch – we’ll be delighted to hear from you!

Local ecology and wildlife groups play an important part in habitat and wildlife monitoring too, for example in carrying out surveys of grassland, reptiles, invertebrates and birds.

Commoners are local landowners who have seasonal grazing rights. Only one of the registered Commoners is currently exercising this right. Instead, other local stockholders are invited to put sheep on the Common.

How are we run?

Constitution

Management of the Charity and responsibility for managing Cleeve Common lie with the Trustees, formerly known as Conservators. While many commons today are managed by Commons Councils set up following the Commons Act of 2006, the Cleeve Common Trustees have a much older pedigree. The group has been in existence since 1890 when it was set up by its very own Act of Parliament, the Commons Regulation (Cleeve) Provisional Order Confirmation Act. This comes under the framework set out in a series of Enclosures Acts from 1845 to 1878.

The Trustees have wide-ranging powers to make Bylaws and regulate what activities may take place on the Common. To quote from the Act:

“The Conservators shall make Bylaws and Regulations for the prevention of or protection from nuisances and for keeping order on this said Common, including the regulation of the exercise of lawful rights of Common, subsisting over or on the said Common, and the playing of games thereon.”

We seek to promote best use of the Common today while ensuring it is looked after for future generations to benefit from and enjoy.

Membership

The Trustees are representatives appointed by Cheltenham Borough Council and the Parish Councils of Bishops Cleeve, Southam and Woodmancote. The joint Landowners also have two seats and there is a co-opted Adviser to represent Tewkesbury Borough (which did not exist in 1890). Trustees and Advisers are local people with an interest in Cleeve Common, who serve in a voluntary capacity. They meet 5 or 6 times per year and carry out an annual inspection of the Common.

Because there is such a wide range of business to conduct, two working groups have been set up. The Executive Team focuses on strategic matters such as funding, staffing and recreation policy. The Operations Team directs and supports the work of the staff team in running the Common year-round. Both Teams report back to the main Trustees Board.

Funding

The Trust is a Registered Charity. Its main sources of funding are the Countryside Stewardship agreement and the licence fee for the golf course. Details of income and expenditure can be found in the latest annual report which we can share on request or which is published online by the Charity Commission.

Donations large or small are very valuable to us. To make a donation click here. Thank You!