WEEKLY COLUMN by Stroud District Council deputy leader Pete Kennedy

It’s been a busy year of elections in our area, what with the Parish, Town and District Council elections in May, quickly followed by the General Election earlier this month.

Now that the campaigning is over and the hard work of delivering on our promises has begun, I’m optimistic about the opportunities ahead.

The new government announced their to-do list in the King’s Speech last week, and many of us have been thinking about what it means for the district Council.

The details will emerge over the coming year, but the early signals look promising.

New rights for renters, better bus services, and more powers for councils to improve their local area are all on the horizon.

Many of the promised changes would mean more decisions can be made here by councillors in Stroud and Gloucestershire, rather than by civil servants in London.

Some of the proposals could give our communities new options to shape their future.

Improved compulsory purchase powers could help improve our local infrastructure and build more affordable housing on brownfield sites.

New support for community owned renewable energy can allow us to ensure local people benefit from these green energy projects while reducing our environmental impact.

And a stronger community “right to buy” could protect our local pubs, green spaces and other assets for generations to come.

No political party has a majority of councillors on Stroud District Council, but councillors from all parties take their roles seriously and work together on behalf of our communities. 

The changes proposed by the government will, I hope, bring new opportunities for us all to build on Stroud District's long history of innovation, creativity and doing things differently.”