WELCOME to a new year and a new start in 2019 and I hope that those of you who make resolutions around health and wellbeing will be able to use SDC facilities in one way or another to help you achieve them.

Health and wellbeing is one of the council’s five key priorities which is why we run the new Pulse Leisure Centre in Dursley and in, partnership with Everyone Active, Stratford Park leisure centre in Stroud. For anyone wanting to improve their health both have a wide range of facilities and activities. However it doesn’t have to cost anything to get out there and exercise as we manage common open spaces such as Selsley Common, parks and canal towpaths too which are child buggy-friendly too.

I am especially looking forward to seeing the final transfer of the Subscription Rooms over to the Stroud Town Council and the Subscription Rooms Trust, it has been a long process but as a council we are working hard with our town council and trust partners to ensure that the transfer goes through smoothly. We have taken in to account many peoples’ views on the building and have worked out a deal which means it will stay in public ownership.

We are around halfway through our Local Plan review process and comments on the emerging strategy stage can be made online until January 18 – what does this mean for communities? We have been set a new target of finding room for 12,800 homes between 2020 and 2040, of which up to 6,000 need to be allocated to sites, in a revised version of our Local Plan. If we don’t identify sites for homes, businesses and leisure then the Government could do it for us and take any choice we have out of our hands. So it’s really important that everyone has their say now and further down the line.

Of course on a national level, Brexit dominates and we are holding a Brexit breakfast event later this week at Ebley Mill.