Stroud District Councillors’ Annual Report
May 19, 2025•1,251 words
Annual Parish Meeting 2025
Affordable and energy efficient housing
Work is underway to build 97 new council homes across the district.
In March 2025, the Council was awarded £5.2 million funding from Government, which will enable investment in hundreds of older council homes to make them warmer, healthier and more energy efficient.
Stroud District Council was a finalist in the 2024 UK Housing Awards in the category of Best Older People’s Landlord.
Eight new council homes for affordable rent, are being constructed on Gloucester Street and Bradley Street in Wotton, and these are due to complete in May 2026.
Community funding
Crowdfunding A new scheme to fund community-led projects in Stroud district, called Stroud Funding, launched in autumn 2024.
So far, the scheme has secured pledges worth over £250,000 which has enabled the 17 district projects, which took part in the first round to meet their funding targets. Check out successful projects in Wotton ward.
Market Towns Vitality Fund In November 2024, Stroud District Council awarded funding to market towns from this district-wide fund. This included projects for town events, including new festive lights. £29,600 was awarded to Wotton Town Council.
Rural England Prosperity Fund This fund, administered by the District Council supports capital projects for small businesses and community organisations. Over the past year the Council has awarded funding to the Electric Picture House Cinema, for a new projector, Synwell Playing Field Association for repair of play equipment, the 1st Wotton Scout Group towards their new Headquarters at Conygres, and the Wotton Community Sports Foundation for the New Barn project.
Council priorities 2025-29
Following the district council elections in 2024, Councillors have reviewed the Council’s priorities and agreed a new council plan.
In addition to statutory services, the Council’s work over the coming years will be focused on five themes: Environment, Climate and Nature, Communities and Wellbeing, Local Economy, Housing and Working for our Communities.
https://www.stroud.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/corporate-plans-and-policies
Reorganisation of local government in Gloucestershire
The Labour Government published a white paper in December 2024 stating that all district and county councils will be reorganised into unitary councils and that those councils should join with others to form a strategic authority covering approximately 1.5 million people and headed by a mayor.
For Gloucestershire, this is likely to mean that the six districts and county council are restructured to create one or two unitary councils. It will also mean a decision on whether to align Gloucestershire with the West of England Combined Authority or a new strategic authority. Outline plans must be submitted to Government by 28 November 2025. The Government will make the final decision on any changes.
There will be some community and stakeholder consultation to understand people’s hopes and expectations between June and September 2025. The Government would like to make all the changes during this Parliament, but at present the timeline for Gloucestershire council reorganisation remains uncertain.
Planning and development
A local plan agreed in 2015, is used by planners to help determine where new development can take place in Stroud district. Local plans are due to be updated every five years, and in 2021, the council submitted a new draft local plan to the Planning Inspectorate.
Over three years later, this draft plan is still under examination. The Planning Inspectors have said that public funding to upgrade M5 junctions 12 and 14 must be secured before they can approve it.
However, the Council believes that the Inspectors have misinterpreted the rules, since funding for motorway junctions can only be secured after a new Local Plan has been adopted. This will be resolved one way or another in the coming months and in the meantime, the District Council is starting work on the next local plan, and looking to identify new sites for development, to meet even higher nationally-set housing targets.
Tackling anti-social behaviour
In 2024 the Council approved a new policy to prevent anti-social behaviour (ASB) which focuses on community involvement, early identification, supportive intervention, and enforcement. District Council Community Officers are key to this approach and work closely with Neighbourhood Police teams, other councils and service partners.
The Council is also part of the Solace partnership with Gloucestershire Constabulary, which has multi-agency teams to tackle medium to high risk ASB. Our new community safety partnership plan for the district focuses on tackling ASB and violence, and on building stronger and cohesive communities.
Cultural Strategy
In 2024 a new Cultural Strategy was approved, with a budget of £250,000 to support local actions. The Strategy looks to harness the creativity of our diverse communities and generate more opportunities for people to connect, create and communicate. Cultural organisations have been involved in development of the strategy. Following the official launch event in April 2025, cultural forums will meet across the district to discuss the next steps.
Health and wellbeing
In November 2024, Active Lifestyles was launched as a new leisure service for the Stroud district. The Council’s Active Lifestyles Dursley centre (formerly The Pulse / Dursley Pool) has been refurbished, and the Council has taken on management of Active Lifestyles Stroud (formerly Stratford Park Leisure Centre).
These changes are about putting communities at the heart of the work of the council and helping to make health and wellbeing central to everyone’s lifestyle.
A new service for home energy efficiency improvements
Stroud District Council has worked with partners at Climate Leadership Gloucestershire to set up a new service to assist people to undertake home energy efficiency work.
Furbnow Gloucestershire will help homeowners by managing the entire home project from start to finish, starting with a survey and personalised energy plan, then designing improvements, selecting and managing trusted contractors, and ensuring high quality installation. The first 100 Gloucestershire residents will secure a 50% discount on their home survey.
https://furbnow.com/gloucestershire/
Animal welfare services
Stroud District Council has once again won RSPCA Paw Prints awards for its work with animals. The council’s Animal Welfare service ensures that all stray dogs are safely collected and cared for until they are reunited with their owners and maintains high standards in animal welfare for licensable activities.
The Council’s housing and community services teams were also recognised for pet-friendly housing policies and integrating animal welfare into emergency planning.
Your District Councillors
The District Councillors have various roles and committee responsibilities:
- Gareth is a member of the Audit & Standards Committee and the Council’s representative on the Gloucestershire Police & Crime Panel
- Linda is a member of Housing and Strategy & Resources Committees, and
- Catherine is currently Council Leader and Chair of Strategy & Resources Committee.
District council services account for approximately 11% of the Council Tax bill and include waste and recycling, planning, environmental health, housing, parking, parks and recreation, leisure centres, animal welfare, benefits administration and advice, elections, licensing and flood management.
We share monthly reports about district council work with North Nibley Parish Council, Stinchcombe Parish Council and Wotton Town Council in the Wotton Ward. Please contact us for further information or if you have any queries about district council services.
Cllr Catherine Braun (Green)
cllr.catherine.braun@stroud.gov.uk
Cllr Linda Cohen (Liberal Democrat)
cllr.linda.cohen@stroud.gov.uk
Cllr Gareth Kitchen (Green)
cllr.gareth.kitchen@stroud.gov.uk