Wednesday, August 21 – 30/30 Challenge

An event at Forest Green Rovers to launch an initiative led by Gloucestershire County Council to get 30 local employers to offer 30 young people aged between 14 and 18 with learning disabilities a work awareness day within their business. It aims to encourage young people with learning disabilities, their families, carers and educators to start thinking, before they leave school, about realistic career options.


Thursday, August 22 – Exam results

Last week we had the A-level results and today will see thousands of 16-year-olds receive their GCSE results. We wish them the best of luck. Incidentally the council has a couple of apprenticeship vacancies to fill, but the closing dates for applications is imminent. Anyone interested should visit www.stroud.gov.uk/jobs as soon as they can.

 

Friday, August 30 – Community grants

A quick reminder. This is the deadline for applications for council grants for the voluntary and community sectors. To attract funding, organisations must be either located within our district or serve the district’s residents. There isn’t much time left if this has just sparked your interest, but you can find out more and how to apply at www.stroud.gov.uk/grants

Monday, September 2 – Stroud to Paddington

Work to redouble the railway line between Swindon and Kemble is well underway. Essential engineering work to achieve this has meant that the line between these two stations has been closed and road transport has been provided between them over the past few weeks. Disruption is inevitable for such a major project, but the good news for travellers is that this day will see the Swindon to Kemble stretch reopen and normal service will resume. When the £45million project is completed next year, passengers travelling between Stroud and London can look forward to a better service and more frequent trains – I understand, four trains per hour in each direction.

 

September – a look forward

It won’t be long before the summer holiday period is over and we enter September. It promises to be a busy month with all four council committees meeting, the final part of the consultation on the local plan taking place before it is submitted to the government, and a major push by the council to encourage people to shop local. I’ll provide more information on these in due course.


Geoff Wheeler

Leader, Stroud District Council