You may have seen that the Council has started work on a new Local Plan and published a map showing sites around the district which includes some fairly large ones near Wotton. I know that this will cause a bit of alarm, especially on social media (Zuckerberg needs more engagement $$$), so I want to reassure you about what’s actually going on.

The map is not a plan. It shows land that landowners and developers have put forward. By law, the Council has to consider every site submitted, but being on the map absolutely does not mean a site will be built on. Many will be ruled out and some won’t be suitable, others may not even be needed. Nothing has been chosen.

Nothing has been decided. This is the very first stage, a chance to gather views before any options are even drawn up. The Council is asking what matters to us, what the priorities should be, and how we think growth should happen.

The Government, up in Westminster, requires the Council to plan for at least 846 new homes a year. We can’t opt out of that, but the Council can weigh up real constraints such as flood risk to the west, the Cotswolds National Landscape to the east and limited road capacity along with sensitive countryside. All these things will shape what’s realistic.

Four approaches are on the table. The Council wants our views on how growth could be spread. Spreading it evenly across towns and villages, focusing on the bigger settlements, tying it to infrastructure or larger strategic developments. Each has pros and cons, and none has been picked.

What happens next. After this stage, the Council reviews everything, draws up options, and consults again, with much more detail that time around.

There’ll be further chances to comment right through to 2030 before anything is adopted.

Please take part.

The consultation runs until Sunday 9th August. Go to www.stroud.gov.uk/newlocalplan to find the survey and the maps. If the online form is tricky, email [email protected] and they’ll help.

If you’ve got concerns and I know a lot of you do already, now is the time to raise them. It carries far more weight now, while everything is still open, than further down the line.

#sdc #gloucestershire #localplan #wotton

The July SDC Councillors’ Report, an overview of council business in June.

https://listed.to/@eco_g/73811/sdc-councillors-report-july-2026

#sdc #stroud #gloucestershire #ukpol

Although I don’t sit on the Strategy and Resources Committee at Stroud I’m hoping to ask this question as the Comms Strategy isn’t going to Full Council:-

I’d like to raise a concern regarding Section 4 of the Comms Strategy which identifies ‘pockets of digital disengagement.’

The strategy frames this primarily as a logistical issue seemingly solved by printed material and emails. From my experience as both a councillor and small business owner, I believe the root cause is actually trust.

Residents aren’t necessarily offline because they lack access; many are withdrawing from systems they perceive as invasive. My consultation response from last year argued that relying heavily on third-party platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, or using tracked services like Granicus, signals we prioritise metrics over privacy.

Research published in 2025–2026 indicates approximately 46% of people leaving Facebook cite privacy as their primary reason . Given this:

• Does the committee agree that our current digital-first strategy, which relies heavily on US Big Tech platforms and surveillance advertising, may inadvertently deepen the trust deficit?

• Should we consider piloting decentralised, algorithm-free engagement models (such as Fediverse-based approaches) rather than doubling down on corporate social media infrastructure?

• Can we stop labelling residents as ‘hard to reach’ and instead recognise many are making informed choices about the communication infrastructure they use?

I acknowledge resource constraints exist. However, until we address why people disengage, not just where, we aren’t really fixing the underlying problem. After all, one of our core stated objectives is to ‘strengthen trust and transparency,’ and this approach risks doing the opposite.

Thank you.

#SDC #CommsStrategy #UsBigTech

In its new slot on the first Sunday in July, this festival is taking place across four locations:

• St Cyr’s Church, Stonehouse
• Ship Inn Community Enterprise,
• Stonehouse Court Hotel
• Ocean Canalside, Stonehouse

The much-anticipated Stonehouse Canal Festival returns on Sunday 5 July 2026, running from 12noon to 4pm. Events and activities will be held across Stonehouse Court Hotel, St Cyr’s Church - Stonehouse, the Ocean Canalside, Church Lane, the canal and the Ship Inn Community Enterprise - Spice. This year’s event promises more excitement than ever before, with plenty to see and do for all ages.

Festival-goers can look forward to live music, delicious food and drink, children’s games and inflatables, boat trips, market stalls, handmade gifts, cakes, crafts, art, plant sales and more. The event is family-friendly, fully accessible and completely free to attend.

https://www.visitstroud.uk/events/stonehouse-canal-festival-2026

#Stonehouse #Gloucestershire #SDC #Stroud

Please boost to let them know the power of the Fediverse! ;)

🏠 Stroud District Council has completed the purchase of 13 new affordable homes in Cam, continuing its work to increase the supply of high-quality housing for local people. 🏡✨

The homes are at the Lister Gardens development, built by Wain Homes on the northern edge of the village. The site is within walking distance of local amenities and Cam & Dursley train station 🚶‍♂️🚆, with good road and rail links to Stroud, Gloucester, Cheltenham and Bristol. The development also includes areas of open space and an on-site play area. 🌳🎠

The council has acquired a mix of homes, including six for shared ownership (two two-bedroom houses and four one-bedroom flats) and seven for affordable rent (four two-bedroom homes, two three-bedroom homes and one four-bedroom home). 🏘️🔑

All properties include gas central heating, solar panels, electric vehicle charging points, dedicated parking and private gardens. ⚡☀️🚗🌱 They have been designed to be energy efficient, helping residents keep running costs down. 💷💚

The wider development also supports local wildlife 🦔🐦, with features such as bird boxes and a hedgehog highway! 🐾

Councillor Gary Luff, Chair of the Council’s Housing Committee, said:

The homes have been secured through Section 106 agreements, which require developers to include affordable housing within new developments. These agreements allow councils and housing providers to purchase homes at a reduced cost, helping to make the most of public investment while meeting local housing need. 🤝🏘️

There are currently more than 3,000 households on Stroud District Council’s housing register. Acquisitions like Lister Gardens form an important part of the council’s approach to increasing affordable housing, alongside its own council house building programme. 📈🏗️

#Stroud #AffordableHousing #SDC #Cam #ListerGardens #SharedOwnership #SocialHousing #CommunityHousing #GreenHomes #LocalHousing #StroudDistrict #WainHomes

Green-led Stroud District Council is one of the largest council house builders in the whole of England, it has been revealed.

Only three other councils in the country - Leeds, Basildon and Harlow - started more homes in 2024/25 (the date for which the latest data is available) than Stroud started in 2025/26.

We delivered 8 of then the other week in my ward; Wotton-under-Edge.

https://stroud.social/objects/db225fbf-ab13-4ba2-9a33-6d9fece902c3

#sdc #stroud #ukpol

Thinking about Drupal Canvas? Start with better components. Join @ultimike for Creating single directory components with Drupal Canvas in mind at #MidCamp2026!

💡 Learn:
🧩 Single Directory Components basics
🎨 Visual builder foundations
🚀 Canvas readiness

📍 Room 325 | Wed, May 13, 2026 | 9:00-9:45 AM CDT
🔗 Register: https://midcamp.org/tickets
👨‍💻 Learn more: https://www.midcamp.org/events/2026/sessions/creating-single-directory-components-drupal-canvas-mind

#Drupal #DrupalCanvas #SDC