North Nibley Parish Council Meeting - September 2025
September 10, 2025โข616 words
North Nibley Parish Council
3rd September 2025
My informal notes from last Wednesdays Parish Council meeting that I attended along with SDC Cllr. Braun and SDC/GCC Cllr. Cohen.
Normal formalities, just one apology for absence and one member of the public to speak, but deferred speaking to the road safety agenda item. Previous minutes approved. The chair jumped around the agenda a little so some items maybe out of order. :)
Dealing with previous actions. Cllr Braun reported back on the disused garage. There's a limit to what can be done. Not within scope for planning but it may become an environmental health issue if it degrades. So not much that can be done for now.
PC would like to be kept in the loop for any enforcement actions. But that can only happen if they are the complainant (data protection etc. I think). Regarding roads, the obvious making good work has been done now that Rushmire has reopened. Parking improvements and EV charging within North Nibley. Brief discussion about Blackhorse car park a year or so ago. Info was passed to them about funding via the Rural England Prosperity Fund but that scheme is oversubscribed now. This is not a parish council matter. It was suggested that people could do a community thing with EV chargers. Um, that's a good idea! Here are some of those schemes that I've tracked down:-
I gave an brief summary of the SDC Councillors' Report. SDC has decided that their preferred choice for whichever unitary that's chosen is that it becomes part of WECA. The overriding feeling was that Stroud District naturally connects with Bristol, the south west and Wales.
Cllr. Cohen gave a quick overview of her County Council report. Back to school and road safety. Highways are on top of works generally. Community grant scheme similar to build back better to launch in October. Cycle for September, talked about bike hire scheme, people gaining confidence. Govt. initiative to encourage employers to employ younger people to do Saturday work. Talked a little about the Wotton litter pick. Brief mention of protests at the hotel in Gloucester. Counter protesters outnumbered the protesters 3:1. GCC not spending council money to paint over flags. Will get addressed as other work is being done.
A spring that has appeared in road by Highlands Drive maybe due to Gigaclear. Work is being done to establish if it is a ruptured pipe or a natural spring. The Throat has numerous potholes, several tyres and wheels damaged locally. Minor resurfacing required. It was noted that the Stancombe Park planning application hadn't come to the parish for comment. Cllrs should respond to the application directly.
Brief discussions on the Play Area, more dates for The Keepers and possible a meeting on 'devolution' (LGR) at the Blackhorse.
Road Safety - Chris Mewse gave a really interesting presentation on how he thinks the road design could be improved in the village. Making the junction more of a traditional crossroad. It would improve the public space and naturally guide pedestrian flow with some bollards and paintwork. The scheme would be helped with 20mph limit. It's all draft and wants to sit down with the professionals at county to see what's feasible. There was discussion about changing what is already 30mph to become 20mph and strategically 50mph to 40mph and the 60mph to 50mph to make these rural roads safer. e-mail asking GCC for clarity of public consultation. The new leader of GCC came back with a quick response.
Myself, Cllr. Cohen and Braun left after this agenda item for a quick 'street meet' outside.