NEW! March council round-up.
A lot of the things the Town Council does over the course of a year
don't really warrant a story all to themselves. However many of these
activities are of interest to specific communities.
In this new feature for our website we'll offer a monthly round-up of some of these projects. For March we have our latest support for Stroud in Bloom, a possible name for the new canal bridge at Wallbridge, our support for Ecotricity's Berkeley windfarm and more ...
PLAY RANGERS: Our Play Rangers pilot schemes were a success at half-term. Around 15-20 children got involved in activities on each site despite the horrendous weather. The council will now consider how to roll-out a bigger scheme during the summer holidays.
ALLOTMENTS: Our allotment social evening was attended by 25 plot holders with an excellent speaker. Following feedback, the council may try more of a networking event for a change next year.
STROUD IN BLOOM: The council has agreed a grant for Stroud In Bloom to create a website to try to generate more support for its annual efforts. The Chamber of Trade is going to get more involved in this year's event with a flower festival prior to judging day. As well as being the main funder for Stroud in Bloom and paying for displays around the town, our Greenspaces Team has just created an area for another new flower bed in Bank Gardens behind the library and planted more than 2,000 bulbs on this site and the nearby Park Gardens.
CEMETERY: We have decided to postpone the open day planned for the Bisley Road Cemetery on April 16th. A date will now be arranged in June.
TREE PLANTING: Due to staffing issues we have also had to delay tree planting schemes at Uplands Playing Field and The Leazes Rec. This was very disappointing as several councillors had worked hard to get schemes agreed. However it was felt bit would be etter to do them properly next season, instead of a rush-job now.
WINDFARM: The council's Consultations Committee agreed to formally write in support of the Berkeley Windfarm Project being proposed by Ecotricity. A proposal by Cllr Mike Jones argued that the company is now one of the town's largest employers with most of its 170 staff working at its two town centre offices. The council's support letter stated: "We should be seeking to actively support Ecotricity as it makes a substantial contribution to the local economy". It added that support for the Berkeley windfarm proposal would also ".. reflect the urgency to act in relation to climate change and energy security."
BUS SHELTERS: The council has supported a proposal from the county council to install two new bus shelters either side of Butterow Hill. It has also backed the design of a new pedestrian crossing at the top of Paganhill Lane which the county council intends to create in the coming financial year.
STROUD BRIDGE: The council's consultations committee has supported a proposal from Gloucestershire Society for Industrial Archaeology to name the soon-to-be-completed bridge over the canal at Wallbridge, "Stroud Bridge".