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

Last week the council passed its budget for 2021-22. The budget will help pay for services including protecting communities during the pandemic, waste and recycling, planning services, environmental health, parking, parks and recreation, leisure centres, a museum, canal restoration, animal welfare, benefits administration and advice, Covid business grants payments, elections, youth work, Selsley Common and Cam Peak and Long Down upkeep, and licensing and flood management.

We recognise this is a very difficult time for many, and we have again kept the rise in council tax to less than 10p per week. The budget includes £1.1 million for projects relating to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as funds for regeneration, economic recovery, developing community hubs and extra support for retrofitting energy-saving measures in council and private homes. There is also £3.6 million of capital works for environmental schemes including green homes, water source heating and promoting cycling schemes. Later this month will see the council vote on adopting a plan for how to get to a carbon neutral district by 2030.

Strategy & Resources Committee also meet this week to agree on the next steps for the Brimscombe Port regeneration so we can start the process of appointing a development partner.

Our council animal welfare team was able to help reunite a stolen dog recently with her owner. This followed a recent incident when our animal welfare officers were involved in a joint operation with Gloucestershire Police and the RSPCA that had resulted in a number of dogs being recovered near Gloucester. If you have lost a dog, or found a stray, please telephone 01453 754478 during normal office hours or our out of hours service on 01453 766321