Mayor's Column

On Sunday I had the honour of attending the Remembrance Sunday Memorial Service in Park Gardens, where the Mayor is the Sovereign's representative (in the absence of the Lord Lieutenant). We remember those who fought in the two World Wars and conflicts since, where the dominant message is a wish for peace.Park Gardens was well attended and the organisers and those in the parade did an excellent job.On... Read More »

Having missed a week (thanks to Helen, our CEO, who gave an update last week) I have updates from a fortnight to share…I had the honour of cutting the ribbon at the opening of the Coach House at the Stroud Valley Scout Group at the end of October. This space had been in a state of some disrepair for a little while and the refurbishment is amazing. It is clear how useful this space will now be,... Read More »

It was a pleasure to open the new Ducklings Toy Shop store on Saturday. Ducklings has relocated to a bigger store within the Five Valleys Shopping Centre from Union Street, where they were based when they first came to Stroud four years ago. Many towns have lost their toy shops, so we are very fortunate to have a strong, independent toy shop within our town; a business loved by young ones and adults... Read More »

"No two weeks are the same" is true of this week too.

Monday was the monthly Consultations & Highways Committee, where we not only reviewed current planning applications, but also were visited by two officers from the District Council who helped us understand how they process planning applications and more key elements to consider when reviewing them. The Town Council is consulted on many planning... Read More »

This week started with a meeting of the different organisations and groups who are working together to bring you Stroud Goodwill 2024.

There'll be old favourites and new things this year, with the Lantern Parade theme of One World, window displays (with a competition to vote for the best) that is Christmas themed, the fun fair is planned for Friday and Saturday, and a host of attractions being scheduled... Read More »

Less rain has been a bonus this week, and it has been a busy week too. Here is what has been happening...

Monday evening was our Full Council meeting where all our Town Councillors, plus County Council and District Council Councillors, are invited to provide updates and (in some cases) deliberate. We had quite an agenda to cover, from accepting the minutes from Committees, understanding the progress... Read More »

It's a slightly drier topic this week for my update which, at the time of writing, is the opposite of the very wet weather. Whilst not the most exciting topic, it certainly is vital…This week we held the Finance and Policy Committee meeting. All our committees are important in their own way, but this one is especially important when it comes to the policies that drive our council and ensuring... Read More »

I'm back this week with another of my regular updates on what's been happening and what we do. Thank you to Laura from our Community Development Team for filling in for me last week and to our CEO Helen for covering the week before, whilst I took a social media holiday (something I think most people can benefit from every now and then).

First up, a reminder I opened the Night Angels shop in the former... Read More »

The Stroud Town Council Community Development Team is stepping in for the Mayor while he enjoys a well-deserved holiday!

It is a busy season for us, as we plan how best to support our community groups and residents through the winter months, but our big news is the arrival of Gina Moppett, our fantastic new Community Development Support Officer. You may spot Gina out and about over the coming weeks... Read More »

The Mayor is having a well deserved rest so our CEO Helen Bojaniwska is taking over his weekly blog for him.On Friday 6th September, I had the pleasure of joining councillors and Gloucestershire County Council staff at Merrywalks for an in-person engagement session about the proposed transport hub improvements. It was heartening to meet so many residents and address their questions directly. Your enthusiasm... Read More »