In these particularly difficult economic times, you may know someone within our village community who might appreciate confidential financial support from the Stinchcombe United Charities (SUC).
Support may be considered for anyone struggling to meet basic living expenses, respite care for children with special educational or neurodiverse needs, respite care for the elderly and help for those who have medical or health concerns.
Please don’t assume that you, or someone you know, won’t qualify for help – each approach will be dealt with on an individual needs basis and with consideration of available funds.
(SUC is a registered charity. CR #: 237542)
Emily Loveday
Clerk to the Trustees: Stinchcombe United Charities Matthew Tyndall Educational Foundation Maxwell Workman Trust
Having joined the Council in December 2019 and chaired it since May 2021, Simon Packer has now resigned. He has worked very hard for the benefit of the village and the PC would like to thank him for his very valuable contribution.
This means that there is now a vacancy on the Parish Council. Membership of the Council is open to anyone who lives or owns a business in, or within three miles of, Stinchcombe and is an opportunity to be involved in village life and to have a say in what happens here. It involves attendance at, usually, nine meetings per year, at approximately six-week intervals (with mulled wine at Christmas!) and each lasting about an hour and a half. There is also some communication by email between meetings. It would be an excellent way for someone new to the village to become established and get to know people or for those who’ve been here a while to become more involved and we would welcome applications from new residents as well as long-standing ones.
Ours is a very small Parish Council with only five members but a quorum of three is required for meetings (the same as for a council of ten members). If we don’t have a full complement of councillors, a touch of flu and a traffic jam on the same day can mean cancelling a meeting at short notice. This hasn’t happened often but means that we would like to fill the vacancy as soon as possible. If you think you might be interested, don’t hesitate to contact the Clerk at clerk@stinchcombepc.co.uk for more information.
In 2019/2020 Dursley Rugby Club purchased approximately 6.25 acres of land to the rear of the Village Hall from Gloucestershire County Council.
As part of that purchase, the Club also applied for Planning Permission for Change of Use from agricultural to sporting use. This permission was granted on 6th November 2020.
Since that time, the club has undertaken various works linked to the conditions and requirements of that change, including removal of some hedgerows, and replacement planting around the perimeter of the land, and undergrounding of the power line.
Work has been slower than originally hoped due to the uncertainty created by the pandemic, but we are now able to proceed with preparing the land more fully for actual sporting use. As per the change of use, this will include use by the Dursley Running Club for a running course around the field (precise route and design to be confirmed), and training areas for mini rugby groups.
To achieve this we now need to apply to divert the footpaths on the land, and we are keen for local residents to understand the reasons for this, and to answer any questions prompted by this application.
2. Which footpaths are we talking about?
The footpaths in question are CST19 and CST21.
2.1 Original proposal – Please see Map 1 below:
The original proposal (dating back to 2019/2020) was only to divert CST 19, on a route to the northwest and around the perimeter of our new land to re-join CST21 at the stile which then leads into the field owned by James Luck.
2.2 Revised proposal – Please see Map 2 below:
However, having liaised with James Luck and Sandy McDonald, we now propose a different diversion which we believe will be better for footpath users by removing the need to return to CST21 down one side of our land, by following a route across James Luck’s land and rejoining CST21 in the field owned by Sandy McDonald.
This is rather complicated to describe in text but hopefully is easy to see in the attached maps!
3. Why do we need to divert footpaths?
3.1 CST19
The diversion of footpath CST 19 is necessary as it crosses the rugby club land in a way which will make it incompatible for safe use by sporting users and footpath users at the same time. It will also restrict our ability to prepare and maintain the land.
3.2 CST21
The additional diversion of CST21 we believe is advantageous in several ways:
It reduces the extent of the actual length of the diverted route on CST19 in order to get back onto CST21 making it better for footpath users
It reduces the footpath presence on the rugby club land which is advantageous to the Club
The diversion at point A to H takes walkers over the site of the Roman Villa
It is advantageous or of neutral impact for James Luck, Sandy McDonald and the owners of Townsend Barn
The Millennium Oak is still visible from the path near point F
4. Stiles & gates
The Rugby Club and James Luck will undertake to install gates (either kissing or hunter’s) at the junction points (see Points A & H on Map 2) in place of stiles (there is no stile at Point B).
The junction between fields at Point G will need to be stock proof, so may remain as a stile.
The existing stiles at Points C & E on Map 2 will be removed or stopped up.
5. Next steps
We have presented this proposed diversion to the Parish Council, and now with local residents via the Stinchcombe e-News via this article.
The local Ramblers Association have indicated that they see no objection to the proposed diversion.
The next step will be to make a formal application to the Stroud District Council for the diversion in the very near future.
If anyone would like to seek clarification on anything to do with the proposed diversion please email Simon Bilous at simonbilous@gmail.com .
TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE THE STREET (STINCHCOMBE PARISH STROUD DISTRICT
Gloucestershire County Council, as traffic authority, intend to make an order under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended) to temporarily close part of The Street, Stinchcombe from its junction with Echo Lane to outside the property known as Northfields for a total distance of approximately 413 metres.
The reason for the closure is for the installation of Gigaclear Infrastructure.
There will be no stopping or waiting permitted throughout the duration of the works.
The road is expected to be closed from 24th April 2023 until 5h May 2023 only or until the works have been completed. For further information, please contact Gloucestershire Highways on 08000 514 514 or visit www.gloucestershire.gov.uk.
Alternative Route – As signed on site. Pedestrian access to premises on or next to the road and emergency access will be maintained.
DATED: 6th April 2023 for Assistant Director of Legal Services GT/77177 Legal Services, Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester GL1 2TG
The 17th Annual General Meeting of the Friends of St Cyr will take place on Wednesday 22nd March 2023 at 7.30 pm in the Church. All are welcome. This is a chance for you to meet the committee and hear about our progress and plans for the coming year for the maintenance and improvement of our beautiful Church.
Any nominations for the committee should be sent in writing with a proposer, a seconder and the permission of the nominee, to reach the secretary by Wednesday 5th February 2020 If you would like a copy of last year’s minutes please contact me preferably by e-mail.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible Lynn Brown (Secretary)
Following the success and great feedback of the Jubilee Party, on the Bank Holiday Monday the 8th May there will be a Stinchcombe Coronation Party at the Village Hall, including a Hog Roast and Bar. Full details in due course watch this space.
I had mild expectations of receiving one or two replies. So I am pleased to have to inform you that a surprising number took the time and trouble to email, text and phone me with their considered responses. So thank you from me to all those who did. It seems that my post broke the dam gates on the communities feelings.
My first shock was that in most cases, somewhere in the communication was a “Thank You” to me!
The phrase usually went somewhere along the lines of “Thank You for raising this matter“. It seems that many people in our community have been feeling that Stinchcombe Social has lost its way somewhat.
Time and time again
Things that came up time and time again were:
Birthdays. Messages for Birthdays go on and on all day. It’s a classic example of where a message should GO PRIVATE!! I think that we would all be happy to be notified of a Birthday, but greetings and wishes should then be sent DIRECTLY to the person.
Comments of a personal nature. Stinchcombe Social is not the platform to attack people, institutions, government or indeed the Parish Council. About half said they had thought of coming off because of the personal nature of some of the posts.
One person wrote “Some days the feed feels quite toxic“, another “I have personally felt very uncomfortable at times when comments have appeared to get very personal in nature and have also spoken to other people who find it distasteful “
There was much more in this vein, but I would like to give you one more quote which I feel sums it all up “gossip about other people in the village on a large platform reflects poorly on the culture of the community; it’s not a very welcoming signal to relative outsiders, regardless of prior misdemeanours of the subjects of gossip. I personally value kindness, inclusion and non-judgement very highly “
A Reflection of the Community
So, to sum up,
I would like everyone who uses Stinchombe Social, to think before you post. What you post, reflects on the community of Stinchcombe and also on you.
Wherever possible, reply to a person DIRECTLY. Unless the information benefits us all. (Good: Safari Supper starts at 7.00pm Bad: I live in No 13 with red door) If you don’t know how to reply directly, LEARN!
No, the ADMINS don’t want to ADMIN the Group. The Community of Stinchcombe should be able to have a WhatsApp group that reflects all that is good in Stinchcombe. It’s positive attitude, it’s willingness to each other and it’s caring for others less fortunate.
No Late night posts There are night owls and early risers out there, but if someone rang you at 12 midnight for a chat, would you be happy?
Social Media. Please re-post relevant post from other Social Sources onto Stinchcombe Social. However YOU are responsible for FACT CHECKING them and making sure the are relevant, true with no other hidden agenda contained within. We live in a world where it seem that facts are bent by all, from Prime Ministers to Opposition Leaders, from Journalists to Newspapers. People have learnt how to use Social Media to spread hate and untruths. Make sure that you are not an unwilling accomplice. Is any repost, the truth the whole truth, and not just supposition. Example: Today’s repost links the POW with a sexual assault with no proof whatsoever. I call this malicious and I feel it should NOT have been reposted until it was re-written.
Free Speech. We DO have free speech in our country. The right to hold strong opinions, to receive and impart information without interference by public authority. Send me a written article under your name that is well researched, fact checked and even contentious and I will happily post it onto the website. But keep the Rants off Stinchcombe Social.
In conclusion
Stinchcombe Social is still very, very much appreciated. One person wrote “I am grateful for the group’s existence as it is easy access to the local network” another “I think the group is very useful” and yet another “It was great that this group started during Covid, and I’m glad it has continued. I think it has helped us get to know more people in the village and to have a greater awareness of what’s going on“
Stinchcombe Social is OURS, the Community’s, so let’s all just mind our P’s & Q’s, remember we are talking to 100 other people, and keep the SOCIAL in STINCHCOMBE SOCIAL!
