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

  • Tuesday, September 5 – development control committee (2pm start)

The two discount supermarket applications are both on the agenda at this meeting which have been the subject of considerable interest.

The majority of people seem to have a strong opinion on the development sites one way or another and both schemes have been recommended for approval by planning officers.

You can follow the meeting live at stroud.gov.uk/webcasts but no doubt the decisions will be available on local news websites within seconds of being made.

On the subject of local stores, if you pop into the council offices in Ebley Mill make sure you walk over the canal footbridge where the small development of businesses there has been joined by a new convenience store.

Wharf Stores stocks a range of traditional `corner shop’ goods, but many of their suppliers are local. So tins of Heinz baked beans sit alongside bread baked in Stonehouse, organic veg from fields in Chalford and free range sausages from Frocester. They even sell special food for feeding the ducks on the canal with.

  • Sunday, September 10 - World Suicide Prevention Day

Tragically, over 800,000 people die by suicide in the UK every year and up to 25 times as many make a suicide attempt.

As members of communities it is our responsibility to look out for those among us who may be struggling.

The International Association for Suicide Prevention report that those who have lived through a suicide attempt often report that they did not want to die, but instead wanted someone to intervene and stop them.

Many say that they actively sought someone who would sense their despair and ask them whether they were okay.

So if there is anyone in your family or neighbourhood who you are concerned about, please take a moment to check in with them. Your small actions could change their life. There’s more information online at iasp.info