Leader's blog - w/c 26 January 2026

"The theme for this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is ‘Bridging Generations’, a reminder that the responsibility of remembrance doesn't end with the survivors. It lives on through their descendants, and through all of us. By listening to those who came before us and sharing those stories with those who come after, we can preserve the memory, but also connect it to present events. This year’s memorial was marked at Lansdown Hall in Stroud over the weekend, and there are further events in Gloucestershire including a Young Gloucestershire ‘Bridging Generations’ event at their Gloucester Docks HQ from 3pm on Monday 26th, and Cheltenham’s event at 6.30pm on Tuesday 27th.

Having a postal vote can be convenient if you might be away on holiday, if your work schedule can make it difficult to get to a polling station, or simply if it’s easier for you to vote from home. But the Elections Act 2022 has brought changes to the postal vote system, so existing postal voters who applied before 30th January 2024 now need to reapply by the end of this month. If you want to reapply, or to apply for the first time, you can do so here. If you need a paper form, you can print one off here or visit Ebley Mill to pick one up from the council’s reception.

At this week’s Strategy & Resources Committee, members will consider a recommendation to council of a rise of 13p per week for district council services (such as waste collection, leisure services, planning, licensing and animal welfare), which will help cover inflationary rises including in staff costs. The majority of your council tax goes to fund Gloucestershire County Council services such as road maintenance and social care. This infographic sets out which services are carried out by which council.

Step into a world where imagination and ingenuity transform everyday objects into joyful, moving works of art: the Museum in the Park has reopened after its annual deep clean with a brand-new exhibition, ‘A Moveable Refreshment’, which showcases the delightful creations of Robert Race, an award-winning toymaker and inventor. Don’t miss this lovely exhibition, which runs until Sunday 8th March."

Cllr Chloe Turner, Leader of Stroud District Council