With council meetings suspended and people over the age of 70 set to be asked to stay at home, it is an uncertain time for Gloucestershire’s councillors.

Yesterday Gloucestershire County Council, Stroud District Council and numerous town and parish councils announced meetings were cancelled until further notice.

Lesley Williams MBE, Stonehouse councillor and leader of the Labour group on Gloucestershire County Council, is one of many preparing to self-isolate in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Cllr Williams said: “I will follow the advice and stay inside. It’s in everybody’s interests to be really careful.

“I will have to go shopping, I don’t have any immediate family.

Despite the fact she, and every Briton over the age of 70, will likely be told within the coming weeks to stay at home for an extended period, Cllr Williams is still determined to help people if she can.

“There will still be stuff going on and even if I cannot go out and organise things I can still be a conduit to signpost people.

“I will have email. Technology will come into its own.

Cllr Williams also expressed the need to ‘keep sane’ during the weeks ahead. She will be following the advice of Sir Francis Chichester, the first person to sail single-handed around the world, and will be drawing up a schedule each day to ensure she maintains some structure in her life.