News - June 2020

To help prevent, contain, respond to and monitor Covid-19 in Gloucestershire, the county council has today published the first edition of its Local Outbreak Management Plan.

On Wednesday, 24 June at the first ever virtual meeting of the county council, councillors unanimously agreed to a series of events, to recognise and celebrate the exceptional efforts of residents, the NHS, social care and wider public sector workers, and to establish lasting memorials so we never forget both the volunteers and the tragic loss of life within Gloucestershire communities.

At last Wednesday’s council meeting (24 June) councillors agreed the lessons learnt during the coronavirus crisis on how to deliver change at a rapid pace will help meet the county’s climate change targets to create a cleaner, greener post-covid Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire County Council has been given close to £8.5m for the West Cheltenham Transport Improvement Scheme, with at least £1.6million dedicated to active transport links in the area.

Have you kept a diary of life during lockdown? Do you have memories you would like to share with future generations? Gloucestershire Archives, working with county museums, libraries and other local organisations, want to hear about your experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic.

At Wednesday’s council meeting (24 June) councillors agreed further promotion is needed to encourage people to carry on cycling.

A stack of laptops and tablets will be making their way to 1558 vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people in the county to support them to learn at home.

Gloucestershire County Council has joined the new Countryside Climate Network, set up by UK100, designed to amplify rural voices and signed the UK100 pledge on achieving 100 per cent clean energy by 2050.

A new service is set to become available for users of Gloucestershire libraries enabling them to collect items.

Together with its health partners, the county council is launching a new anonymous, one-to-one telephone/online chat drop-in service for children and  young people struggling with their mental health.

Leaders of the Western Gateway partnership have welcomed a decision taken at the West of England Combined Authority Committee on 19 June to extend the scope of the Metrowest 2 increased train services between Bristol and Gloucester.

As lockdown restrictions are eased and town centres reopen, motorists are being reminded to follow parking regulations in Gloucestershire.

Three million pounds to create more special school places and better facilities for children with additional needs were part of the plans agreed by council’s cabinet today (Wednesday 17 June).

As part of the county council’s £150 million pound investment in Gloucestershire’s roads; the A38 Cole Avenue in Gloucester will be resurfaced overnight from Tuesday 16 June.

The county council has received £2.2 million from government to support the test and trace service in Gloucestershire and reduce the spread of Covid-19.

Over the coming weeks, the mobile testing unit, previously at Oxstalls Tennis Centre in Gloucester, will be trialling new locations across the country.

The county council has received £7.7 million from Government to help tackle the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in care homes and to protect those who receive care at home.

The county council and Gloucestershire’s NHS have secured £375,000 in extra funding, over three years, to help prevent suicide and improve the positive mental wellbeing of people in Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire County Council’s Trading Standards have extended their free advice scheme until 31 August for small local businesses that have been forced to close or restrict their normal activities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gloucestershire Archives have been working with Ancestry, the world’s largest online family history resource, to provide the public with free access to digital records until the Heritage Hub re-opens.

At its meeting next week cabinet will consider a proposal to progress the second half of the West Cheltenham Transport Improvement Scheme (WCTIS) to the next stage.

Next week the county council’s cabinet are being asked to agree the contract for the ambitious scheme to upgrade Junction 10 of the M5 in Gloucestershire.

At its next meeting (Wednesday 17 June) council’s cabinet will be asked approve an extra £300k investment for schools in the county, particularly to support more children with special educational needs.

The immense efforts of staff responding to the Covid-19 pandemic will be recognised by the council’s cabinet when it meets on 17 June as they put on record their heartfelt thanks to colleagues and partners for their tireless work.

The Gloucester Canal Towpath is in line for a major upgrade to encourage sustainable travel and improve accessibility.

This Carers Week (8 -14 June), the county council and the NHS in Gloucestershire want to recognise and raise awareness of the fantastic work carried out by informal carers across Gloucestershire.

New signs and pathway stickers will be going up in the popular Cotswold village from tonight, to help residents and visitors to continue to socially distance as restrictions continue to be eased.

Gloucestershire County Council has appointed Knights Brown as the contractors to bring the first half of the West Cheltenham Transport Improvement Scheme (WCTIS) to life.

The Department for Health and Social Care has confirmed the new testing site will begin testing from 5 June from Hempsted Meadow in Gloucester.

More than 240,000 copies of a new Covid-19 leaflet are being delivered to all homes in the county, with distribution starting last week.