Home

Anyone interested in working in a polling station ahead of the 2027 Gloucestershire Council elections is invited to visit Stroud District Council's mock polling station at Ebley Mill on Tuesday 22 September from 4pm to 6pm.

The drop-in information event will give participants the opportunity to experience first-hand what polling station staff do on election day. Visitors can practise issuing a ballot paper, learn which forms of photo ID are accepted, and ask questions of elections officers.

It is suitable for people who have never worked in a polling station before, as well as experienced polling station staff looking to refresh their knowledge. 

The practical information session comes ahead of elections on 6 May 2027 for the new Gloucestershire Council, which will bring together services currently delivered by Gloucestershire County Council and the county's six district, borough and city councils - including Stroud District Council - into a single organisation. 

Stroud District Council sets up 105 polling stations during elections, serving more than 97,000 voters. To support this, the council typically recruits around 435 temporary polling station staff.

Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm on election day, and staff work for approximately 16 hours to set up, run and then close the station. Presiding Officers must be able to drive, as they are responsible for transporting ballot boxes to the count venue at the end of the day.

In 2026, fees were £215.20 for a Poll Clerk and £304.20 for a Presiding Officer. These rates are agreed across Gloucestershire and are subject to change for the May 2027 elections. Training will be provided for all successful applicants before the election.

Kathy O'Leary, Chief Executive and Returning Officer for Stroud District Council said:

"Working in a polling station is an exciting opportunity to get involved in the democratic process, and polling station staff report that they really enjoy the experience.

"Whether you've never worked at an election before or have previous experience, I encourage you to come along to our information event and find out more about the roles available and the important contribution polling station staff make to ensuring elections run smoothly."

The event will take place at:

• Stroud District Council,  Ebley Mill,  Ebley Wharf,  Stroud,  GL5 4UB
• Tuesday 22 September, 4pm to 6pm

Those arriving by bike can use the lockable cycle racks at the entrance to the building. Free visitor parking is available on site in the SDC staff car park (turn right at the mini roundabout).  

For more information about polling station roles and to apply to become a Poll Clerk or Presiding Officer, visit the Elections staffing page on the Stroud District Council website: Elections staffing

More information about Gloucestershire Council can be found here:  Future Gloucestershire : Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation in Gloucestershire.

Sign up for regular email alerts from Stroud District Council here.

For social media updates follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

As we head towards the end of the school summer holidays, there's still plenty happening across the district for residents and visitors to enjoy.

The final Big Summer Picnic & Play event takes place at Stratford Park on Friday 28 August from 10am to 4pm. These free family events have been hugely popular throughout August, offering everything from sports and games to arts, crafts, museum activities and entertainment. If you're planning to attend, please remember that overflow parking is available at SGS College and Tesco when the main car park is full.

The Museum in the Park will also be open on Bank Holiday Monday, giving visitors a final chance to see the popular Park Life exhibition, which celebrates our parks and green spaces through a range of artwork.

There's exciting progress to report on the Canal project, with work now underway on the 'missing mile' section that will eventually take the restored canal beneath the M5. The project's Bonds Mill Lift Bridge has also been shortlisted for a prestigious award, and there's still time to vote in the People's Choice category before it closes on 28 August.

If you have an idea for a community project, now is a great time to find out more about Stroud Funding, our community crowdfunding platform. Since launching in April 2024, it has helped raise more than £588,000 for local projects across the district. Two workshops are taking place in September for anyone interested in learning how to develop a project and launch a crowdfunding campaign. Why not take a look at the website for inspiration, and to sign up.

Finally, if you'd like to keep up to date with council news, events, service updates and other local information, why not sign up for our weekly email bulletin? It lands in subscribers' inboxes every Friday and is a simple way to stay informed about what's happening across the district. Sign up at www.stroud.gov.uk/emailalerts

After six years of planning, design and preparation, construction has officially begun on the Missing Mile Project – a landmark stage in reconnecting the historic Cotswold Canals to the national inland waterway network.

The project, which is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, marks the start of construction on one of the final missing links between the restored Stroudwater Navigation and the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. Once complete, it will bring the vision of a fully navigable canal another significant step closer.

Since securing planning permission in June 2024, the Project Director and Engineering Team have worked extensively with National Highways, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Stroud District Council and local landowners to secure the wide range of permissions, licenses and land agreements required to deliver this nationally significant restoration project.

The River Frome has now been successfully diverted through an existing culvert beneath the M5, with temporary dams installed to enable construction under the M5.  Alongside the volunteer-led excavation works, Stroud District Council is acting as Principal Contractor working with a team of specialist contractors to construct this new canal channel in the River Frome beneath the M5 motorway. It follows many years of planning and close collaboration with National Highways, the Environment Agency, Natural England and other project partners.

Extensive enabling works have been completed, including the creation of a new site compound and haul road, together with preparation of the future canal corridor. Volunteer excavation teams have now begun constructing approximately 750 metres of new canal, extending east from John Robinson Lock towards the M5. The new waterway will ultimately include flood banks, a new towpath and two new locks, creating a vital section of the restored canal.

Before excavation commenced, the engineering team carried out detailed flood modelling and ground investigations to inform construction. Materials excavated from the site, including topsoil, subsoil, clay and gravel which are being carefully separated so they can be reused wherever possible throughout the project. Much of this material will be used to construct new flood banks and raise sections of the towpath. To support the works, the Trust has adapted its fleet of dumper trucks with wider cross-country tyres to minimise ground disturbance, while volunteer working days have increased to help maintain progress on this major engineering undertaking.

To ensure public safety during these operations, the footpath alongside the south bank of the River Frome has been temporarily closed. A signed diversion route has been provided through the Missing Mile site, allowing continued access for walkers while construction progresses, further details on this can be seen on the website: www.cotswoldcanals.org.

The Missing Mile Project forms part of the wider Cotswold Canals Connected programme, led by Stroud District Council and the Cotswold Canals Trust, in partnership with Canal & River Trust, Gloucestershire County Council, the Stroud Valleys Canal Company and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. The programme has received £15.4 million in investment from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, helping to restore one of Britain's most important historic waterways while delivering environmental, heritage, wellbeing and economic benefits for local communities.

David Hagg, Chair of Trustees at the Cotswold Canals Trust, said:
"The start of construction on the Missing Mile is a truly historic moment for the Cotswold Canals Trust and everyone who has supported this remarkable restoration over many years. It represents the culmination of countless hours of planning, engineering and partnership working, but above all it reflects the extraordinary commitment of our volunteers, partners and supporters.”

Chris Mitford-Slade, Cotswold Canals Connected Project Director, said: 
“Building a new canal through the Missing Mile with two new locks, a mooring basin and the construction of a new canal channel in the River Frome is no small feat. The work of the engineering team, specialist contractors, volunteers and partners, with the support of landowners and the vital backing from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, makes this possible. This project provides a blue-green corridor under the M5 for the first time since 1969, reconnecting communities and bringing benefits to a wide range of people. This is a strategic project which retains and restores the heritage of the canal and the Stroud valleys and will bring economic opportunities and benefits once restored.”

Stuart McLeod, Director England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "This is a landmark moment for the Cotswold Canals Connected project, reconnecting communities with their heritage and restoring a vital corridor for nature after the landscape was divided by the M5. This ambitious restoration is bringing a nationally significant waterway back to life, creating new opportunities for people to explore their local history and improving access to nature. Thanks to National Lottery players, we are proud to support the Cotswold Canals Trust as work begins on the Missing Mile, delivering lasting environmental, wellbeing and economic benefits for local communities and helping ensure this important heritage is valued for generations to come."

Construction will continue over the coming months, with regular updates shared as the project progresses.

This press release has been issued by The Cotswold Canals Trust on behalf of the Cotswold Canals Connected partnership.