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Stroud District

Coordinates: 51°44′53″N 2°12′58″W / 51.748°N 2.216°W / 51.748; -2.216
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

51°44′53″N 2°12′58″W / 51.748°N 2.216°W / 51.748; -2.216

Stroud District
Stroud from the air
Stroud from the air
Stroud shown within Gloucestershire
Stroud shown within Gloucestershire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth West England
Non-metropolitan countyGloucestershire
StatusNon-metropolitan district
Admin HQStroud
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyStroud District Council
 • MPsSimon Opher
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
Area
 • Total
177.9 sq mi (460.7 km2)
 • Rank82nd (of 296)
Population
 (2022)
 • Total
123,205
 • Rank194th (of 296)
 • Density690/sq mi (270/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code23UF (ONS)
E07000082 (GSS)
OS grid referenceSO8508905550

Stroud District is a local government district in Gloucestershire, England. The district is named after its largest town of Stroud. The council is based at Ebley Mill in Cainscross. The district also includes the towns of Berkeley, Dursley, Nailsworth, Stonehouse and Wotton-under-Edge, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Over half of the district lies within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.[2]

The neighbouring districts are Forest of Dean, Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Cotswold and South Gloucestershire.

History

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The area is rich in Iron Age and Roman remnants and is of particular interest to archaeologists for its Neolithic burial grounds, of which there are over a hundred. Much of its wealth was built on the cloth industry during the Victorian era, and its many mills, most of which are now listed buildings, survive as testament to this. Much of the landscape in this area is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Cotswold Way walk leads through the area. There are gliding clubs at Aston Down and Nympsfield.

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the whole area of four former districts and parts of another three, which were all abolished at the same time:[3]

The new district was named Stroud after its largest town.[4]

Boundary reviews in 1991 saw the district gain the parish of Hillesley and Tresham from Northavon and cede the parish of Quedgeley to Gloucester.[5][6]

Governance

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Stroud District Council
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Kate Kay,
Green
since 23 May 2024
Catherine Braun,
Green
since 21 July 2022
Kathy O'Leary
since November 2018[7]
Structure
Seats51 councillors
Political groups
Administration (22)
  Greens (22)
Other parties (29)
  Labour (20)
  Conservative (7)
  Liberal Democrats (2)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
2 May 2024
Next election
4 May 2028
Meeting place
Ebley Mill, Ebley Wharf, Stroud, GL5 4UB
Website
www.stroud.gov.uk

Stroud District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Gloucestershire County Council.[8] The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[9]

Political control

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The council has been under no overall control since 2011. Following the 2024 election a Green minority administration formed to run the council.[10]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[11][12][13]

Party in control Years
No overall control 1974–1976
Conservative 1976–1984
No overall control 1984–1996
Labour 1996–1998
No overall control 1998–2002
Conservative 2002–2011
No overall control 2011–present

Leadership

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The leaders of the council since 2001 have been:

Councillor Party From To
John Stephenson-Oliver[14][15] Conservative 10 May 2001 29 Jul 2004
Chas Fellows[15][16] Conservative 29 Jul 2004 12 Nov 2009
Frances Roden[17][18] Conservative 12 Nov 2009 17 May 2012
Geoff Wheeler[18][19] Labour 17 May 2012 May 2016
Steve Lydon[19][20][21] Labour 19 May 2016 Jan 2018
Doina Cornell[22][23][24] Labour 25 Jan 2018 30 Jun 2022
Independent 30 Jun 2022 21 Jul 2022
Catherine Braun[25] Green 21 Jul 2022

Composition

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Following the 2024 election the composition of the council was:[26]

Party Councillors
Green 22
Labour 20
Conservative 7
Liberal Democrats 2
Total 51

The next election is due in May 2028.

Premises

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The council is based at Ebley Mill in the parish of Cainscross, a suburban town adjoining the west side of the town of Stroud. The mill was built as a woollen mill in 1818 and is a grade II* listed building. It was converted to become the council's offices between 1987 and 1990.[27]

Elections

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Since the last full review of boundaries in 2016 the council has comprised 51 councillors representing 27 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[28]

Towns and parishes

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The district is entirely covered by civil parishes. The parish councils for Berkeley, Cainscross, Dursley, Nailsworth, Stonehouse, Stroud and Wotton-under-Edge take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council.[29]

Notable Members of Stroud District Council (and predecessors)

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Margaret Hills (née Robertson) was the first woman elected to Stroud Urban District Council in 1928.[30] where she stood as a representative of the Stroud Women's Citizens Association (SWCA).[31] She remained a member until 1936 when the council was expanded to cover Cainscross and Rodborough.[32]

David Drew is also a former member of the council originally representing the Stonehouse Ward and more recently the Paganhill and Farmhill Ward.[33] Tom Levitt is also a former member and served for a short time before moving to High Peak in the early 1990s.[34]

References

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  1. ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Stroud Local Authority (E07000082)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Profile of Stroud District | LSP". lsp.stroud.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  3. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  5. ^ "The Avon and Gloucestershire (County Boundaries) Order 1991", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1991/271, retrieved 28 August 2023
  6. ^ "The Gloucestershire (District Boundaries) Order 1991", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1991/281, retrieved 28 August 2023
  7. ^ "The Chief Executive - Kathy O'Leary". Stroud District Council. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  9. ^ "Election maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Council remains committed to district vision as new civic year starts". Stroud District Council. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 26 November 2024. (Put "Stroud" in search box to see specific results.)
  12. ^ "Stroud". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  13. ^ Harrison, Stephen (30 April 1998). "Close contest as Labour battles to stay in control Voters across the Midlands go to the polls next Thursdaymay7. Today, Local Government Correspondent Stephen Harrison looks at the looming ballot battle in Gloucestershire". Birmingham Post. p. 4.
  14. ^ "Council decisions, 10 May 2001" (PDF). Stroud District Council. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Council minutes, 29 July 2004" (PDF). Stroud District Council. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  16. ^ Smith, Sue (30 September 2009). "Leader of Stroud District Council Chas Fellows is to step down". Stroud News. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Council minutes, 12 November 2009" (PDF). Stroud District Council. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Council minutes, 17 May 2012" (PDF). Stroud District Council. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  19. ^ a b Cooke-Black, Saul (16 May 2016). "Councillor Steve Lydon elected new leader of Stroud District Council". Stroud News. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Council minutes, 19 May 2016" (PDF). Stroud District Council. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  21. ^ "Dursley's Doina Cornell elected leader of Stroud District Council". Gazette. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  22. ^ "Stroud District Council elects new leader". Stroud News. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  23. ^ James Felton (30 June 2022). "Election hopeful Doina Cornell leaves Labour Party". Stroud News and Journal. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  24. ^ Knight, Alice (22 July 2022). "Stroud District Council leader Doina Cornell resigns". Stroud News. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  25. ^ "Council minutes, 21 July 2022". Stroud District Council. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  26. ^ "Local elections 2024: full mayoral and council results for England". The Guardian. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  27. ^ Historic England. "Ebley Mill (Grade II*) (1223361)". National Heritage List for England.
  28. ^ "The Stroud (Electoral Changes) Order 2015", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2015/2034, retrieved 28 August 2023
  29. ^ "Parish Council contact details". Stroud District Council. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  30. ^ Womens Leader (formerly Common Cause) 27 April 1928
  31. ^ "Margaret Hills". Suffrage Pioneers. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  32. ^ Flowers, Sophie. "From political activists to singers, here's the women we think are some of the greatest in the county". Gloucestershire Live. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  33. ^ Boobyer, Leigh (10 May 2020). "Former Stroud MP David Drew in bid to be local councillor". Gloucestershire Live. Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  34. ^ Railings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "Stroud District Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
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