Stroud Town Centre Concordat

What is the Stroud Town Centre Concordat?

A formal partnership between Stroud District Council, Stroud Town Council and Gloucestershire County Council focusing on improving Stroud town centre.

Why work together?

• Some issues or projects are too complicated to be handled by one agency on their own and a joined up approach is needed
• By meeting and discussing issues on a regular basis we are able to share information, inform each other’s decision-making and pool resources
• Sometimes stakeholders’ priorities conflict and this can make working together more difficult. The Concordat provides a mechanism for discussing these types of problems

What have we been working on recently?

• Stroud Town Centre Public Realm Strategy
• Managing major traffic changes
• The redevelopment of the canal and how it affects the town centre
• The proposed transport interchange
• How to attract investment into the town centre

What has the group achieved?

• Encouraged the use of planning powers to bring derelict shops back into use – e.g. in Russell Street and the High Street
• Reduced parking charges for shoppers in London Road multi-storey
• Developed an Evening Economy strategy
• Introduced floral displays in Parliament Street and replanted Church Street car park
• Agreed a programme of replacement signage
• Adopted a “Stroud green” colour for street furniture

Mission Statement

(Extracts from the Dec 2002 agreement signed by Stroud District Council, Stroud Town Council and Commerce and Gloucestershire County Council)

“We want to make Stroud Town Centre a place that people want to come to live, also to shop, do business and visit time and again.

We commit ourselves to continue to:

• Work together to improve the town centre
• Perform a leadership role
• Emphasise the benefits of working together
• Respect the fact that we may have different views on occasions but these will not be allowed to undermine our work as partners
• Communicate to others and consult with others to develop a shared vision for the town centre
• Finance improvements in a co-ordinated manner.”