STROUD District Council leader Steve Lydon keeps you up to date with council matters

  • Wednesday, November 23 Autumn Statement

The next few years will be extremely challenging for councils with the Local Government Association estimating an overall £5.8billion funding gap by 2020.

  • Friday, November 25 Highlighting Domestic Abuse

Organisations across the county are taking part in 16 days of action to highlight and prevent Coercive Control, a new offence which recently came into law aimed at tackling controlling or coercive behaviours in relationships between partners and family members.

It occurs when someone in a relationship is continuously controlling the person they are in a relationship with.

Threats and intimidation are used to isolate and frighten them and control their everyday behaviour.

Examples include isolating someone from their friends and family; repeatedly putting a person down and making them feel worthless; taking control over aspects of their everyday lives, such as where they go, who they can see, what to wear and when they can sleep; enforcing rules and activities to humiliate them; controlling their finances; threats of violence or to take children away; and monitoring a person’s activities, such as phone calls, texts and internet use.

These are just some examples of manipulating and insidious behaviours which are now easier to clamp down on — a welcome move, I’m sure you’ll agree. You can find out more at: glostakeastand.com

  • Friday, December 2, Goodwill Evening and Festival

This weekend will see Stroud play host to its Goodwill Evening from 4pm on Friday.

It’s an increasingly popular event in the town. If you’re turning up early to visit, don’t forget that it is free to park in the Brunel Mall car park on London Road after 3pm.

On Saturday, the Stonehouse Goodwill Festival takes place from 1.30pm.

More details on both the Stroud and Stonehouse events are on their respective Facebook pages.

Thank you to the organisers and volunteers of all of these events who put in a huge amount of personal effort into making them successful and valued occasions for their towns and communities.