One of the key parts of Stroud District Council’s vision is to provide housing for our diverse and changing population.

Like the rest of the country, we have a growing ageing population in the Stroud district and we are making sure we are ready for that wherever we can.

So I was delighted to see my colleague Cllr Chas Townley, chair of the housing committee, joined councillors, SDC officers and contractors in a celebration marking the start of work on a new sheltered housing scheme.

The 11 homes at Tanner’s Piece in Nailsworth is part of our £8m investment in modernising and rebuilding sheltered housing schemes, and will replace pre-fabricated eight homes which were no longer fit for purpose.

The £1.6m scheme is expected to be ready for Summer 2019.

This week sees a strategy and resources committee meeting and members have some important decisions to make.

That includes approving a delivery strategy for Brimscombe Port, which would mean finding development partners and submitting initial planning applications.

The committee has already approved £1.6m of funding toward infrastructure costs, and this site will deliver more than 170 much-needed homes.

Finally, chief executive David Hagg will retire on Friday, after 17 years’ service to this district and the council. He has served with dedication and skill, sailing the ship through tough financial times when hard decisions have had to be made.

Thanks in no small part to him, the council is well respected nationally and locally with very high satisfaction ratings, is known as a council which is a willing partnership worker, and is a council which punches above its weight. I wish him a long and happy retirement.

We have chosen a new chief executive and we look forward to welcoming Kathy O’Leary at the end of November.