STROUD District Council leader Geoff Wheeler keeps you up to date with what is happening at the council

January fitness pledges

MOST of you will be aware of the significant improvements which have been made at Stratford Park Leisure Centre, its increasing popularity and the forthcoming redevelopment of Dursley Pool, which starts this year.

As it’s the time of year when many people begin new fitness regimes, you might also be interested to know that our part-time sports centres at Maidenhill School in Stonehouse and at Thomas Keble School in Eastcombe, will now also be open on Saturday mornings until the end of March.

While memberships are available, the ability to just pay as you go is particularly useful to anyone just starting out on becoming more active without having to make a big financial commitment.

Thursday, January 29 – local plan examination

Revisions to the draft local plan were approved by the council in December.

Today marks the start of a two-day hearing in the form of resumption of the public examination by the government’s planning inspector assigned to evaluate our plan.

Housing requirements will be discussed today and employment issues the following day.

Should the revised plan then proceed to the next phase, further public consultation will take place next month to allow anyone to put forward their views on the changes to the plan.

You can find out more about the examination process at: tinyurl.com/omleyaa.

Thursday, January 29 – budget meeting, Ebley Mill, 7pm

Following on from the strategy and resources committee meeting earlier this month, this full meeting will see the financial items from that committee and more come to the council to debate and decide.

A freeze for SDC’s proportion of your council tax bill has been put forward for 2015/16. Even though this will be covered at this meeting, there’s a little more to do before we all know exactly what our bills will be.

The next council meeting in February will pull together all the other portions of your council tax bill from the police, Gloucestershire County Council and parish and town councils to arrive at a figure for your overall bill.