Column by the leader of Stroud District Council, Doina Cornell.

This week you’ll be getting the second ‘Yellow Letter’ from Stroud District Council posted out to all households in the district with details of how to protect yourself and others, and a reminder of where you can get financial assistance, health advice, and local help available if you are self-isolating. As part of our cross party work throughout the pandemic, the letter comes from all four party political leaders at the council. It also complements the letters from government and Gloucestershire County Council which are being sent to people who are deemed to be Clinically Extremely Vulnerable resident, approximately 5,000 of whom live in Stroud District.

As well as responding to the pandemic, work continues planning for the recovery. This week will see the first meeting of the City Region board with the aim of bringing together local councils and other agencies to develop a shared vision for strategic growth and economic success for Gloucestershire. In practical terms, how can we work together to ensure this is a place where young people can work and live, and we get the large scale investment we need in key infrastructure.

Also meeting this week is the Gloucestershire Joint Economic Growth Committee, with a look across the county at what is being done to support our local economy. It is good to see the new Gloucestershire Skills Portal has launched at skillsportalglos.com

Aimed at anyone who is out of work, keen to learn new skills or want to start their own business, there’s a wide range of support available to help and the new portal has information on support, and other learning opportunities.

You can access online exercise classes offered by the Pulse staff. For just £20 until 2 December, you’ll have access to 25 pre-recorded classes and all of the live streamed classes. For more information call 01453 546441.