COLUMN by Chloe Turner, Chair of SDC’s Environment Committee

Stroud District Council’s Environment Committee meets again on Thursday 19th September, with the main item of business being the Council’s proposed new anti-social behaviour policy.

We are fortunate that the vast majority of people in our district show their love for where we live by respecting our local environment and each other.

Where that is not the case, this policy sets out our approach to the prevention, response to and reporting of anti-social behaviour.

It covers everything from littering, graffiti and other vandalism through to any behaviour causing nuisance, harassment, alarm or distress to other residents.

As a council it is our duty and ambition to treat each case with respect and dignity – this means putting the victim at the centre of our new policy, which has been co-developed with residents.

We’re grateful for the support of partner councils, the police, volunteer groups including the Litter Free Partnership and the Cotswold Canals Trust, Stroud Youth Voice and all of the other stakeholders who have given their views along the way.

Also coming to this week’s meeting are a whole range of reports on the work of council officers in the areas of strategic planning, environmental health, EV charger delivery and recycling, as well as feedback from members who represent the council in the leadership of other organisations.

These are available here: https://stroud.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=140&MId=1508 Last call for families with loved ones buried at St Cyr’s, Stonehouse: 62 of the gravestones identified and marked as unsafe during our safety work earlier this year have yet to be claimed.

Unfortunately these lovely but wobbly memorials pose a real risk to graveyard visitors, so they will need to be laid flat by council officers at the end of November unless family members get in touch to agree an approach to repair (01453 766321).