9th August 2024

The main topic to cover this week has to be one of the most prominent in the news.

The concerning rise in racist sentiments that we've witnessed nationally have had wide impacts. It has been heartening to see many who have broken the law experiencing swift justice through our legal processes - something that helps cement that racism and discrimination, in any form, has no place in our society. What played out on streets across the country was fuelled by a number of people capitalising on a tragedy and spreading misinformation. If ever we needed proof of how damaging misinformation can be, this was it. If we ever doubted how important it is to question social media posts for their accuracy and intent, this was it. Holding those to account who incite violence and hate is important and there are lessons to be learned. Just because a video looks to show something, it doesn't mean it's true; the captions and narrative text may lead you to totally misjudge the context and the video may be years old. Just because someone shared an image of an official website that looks like it says something disagreeable, it doesn't mean it hasn't been altered to whip up anger.

I'm sure I heard that the human brain is wired to trust what is read more than something that is just said - it's a tool in the box of conspiracy theorists who suggest you "do your own research", as if you read enough then you may come to believe it, no-matter how far fetched it may seem to be.

Stroud has always prided itself on being a welcoming, inclusive community where diversity is celebrated. The strength of our town lies in the cultures, backgrounds, and experiences that our residents bring. Stroud Town's councillors stand against prejudice, discrimination, and hatred.

In other news, quite literally, Friday saw BBC Points West come to Stroud to cover the story of Stroud District Council winning funding for a new chewing gum removal machine. You may think that it's not too much of a problem… until you look and start counting. In itself it's not the most huge of issues we face, but don't be fooled into thinking it's trivial - it is a contributory factor in making our town look less loved. Messy places attract more mess, make us feel less safe and all this has further impacts on wellbeing and our local economy. I joined Stroud District Councillors Cllr Gill Thomas and Cllr Martin Brown in recording a piece about the importance of this grant, which will not only help Stroud as the machine can be used across the Stroud District.

Please take your litter home or take it to the nearest bin, rather than discard it where you stand. If there's a problem with a bin, or litter around, please don't leave it to "someone else to do something" or "the 'Council'" to discover it - be part of driving the change and report overflowing litter bins and fly-tipping/litter on Stroud District Council's website.

As an elected member of the local town council, I value transparency and accountability in my interactions with constituents. Please note that while I serve as a councillor, the views expressed on social media are my own and do not necessarily represent the official stance of the council as a whole.

For official responses from the council, please direct inquiries to council@stroudtown.gov.uk.