Stroud District
51°44′53″N 2°12′58″W / 51.748°N 2.216°W
Stroud District | |
|---|---|
 Stroud from the air | |
 Stroud shown within Gloucestershire | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | South West England |
| Non-metropolitan county | Gloucestershire |
| Status | Non-metropolitan district |
| Admin HQ | Stroud |
| Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
| • Body | Stroud District Council |
| • MPs | Siobhan Baillie Geoffrey Clifton-Brown |
| Area | |
| • Total | 177.9 sq mi (460.7 km2) |
| • Rank | 82nd (of 296) |
| Population (2022) | |
| • Total | 123,205 |
| • Rank | 194th (of 296) |
| • Density | 690/sq mi (270/km2) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| ONS code | 23UF (ONS) E07000082 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | SO8508905550 |
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
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]
- Dursley Rural District
- Gloucester Rural District (part, rest split between Forest of Dean and Tewkesbury)
- Nailsworth Urban District
- Sodbury Rural District (parish of Alderley only, rest went to Northavon)
- Stroud Rural District
- Stroud Urban District
- Thornbury Rural District (parishes of Alkington, Berkeley, Ham and Stone, Hamfallow and Hinton only, rest went to Northavon)
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
Stroud District Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Deputy | |
Kathy O'Leary since November 2018[8] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 51 councillors |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 6 May 2021 |
Next election | 2 May 2024 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Ebley Mill, Ebley Wharf, Stroud, GL5 4UB | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Stroud District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Gloucestershire County Council.[9] The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[10]
Political control
The council has been under no overall control since 2011.
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
The leaders of the council since 2001 have been:[14]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Stephenson-Oliver | Conservative | 10 May 2001 | 29 Jul 2004 | |
| Chas Fellows | Conservative | 29 Jul 2004 | 12 Nov 2009 | |
| Frances Roden | Conservative | 12 Nov 2009 | May 2012 | |
| Geoff Wheeler | Labour | 12 May 2012 | 8 May 2016 | |
| Steve Lydon | Labour | 19 May 2016 | Jan 2018 | |
| Doina Cornell[15] | Labour | 25 Jan 2018 | 30 Jun 2022 | |
| Independent | 30 Jun 2022 | 21 Jul 2022 | ||
| Catherine Braun | Green | 21 Jul 2022 | ||
Composition
Following the 2021 election, a by-election in May 2023 and changes of allegiance up to February 2024, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 19 | |
| Green | 14 | |
| Independent | 10 | |
| Labour | 4 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 3 | |
| Vacant | 1 | |
| Total | 51 | |
11 Labour councillors have left the party since being elected. In July 2022 four initially resigned, followed by another six in September 2022. All initially sat as independent councillors, four as the "Community Independents" group, five form the "Independent Left" group and two not aligned to any group.[16][17] The council's administration is formed by a co-operative alliance of the Greens, Independent Left, Community Independents, Liberal Democrats and an independent (no group). In October 2023 a Labour Party councillor quit the party and joined the Independent Left political group.[18] In December 2023 a Green Party councillor died.[19] In February 2024 one of the "Independent Left" joined the Green Party. The next election is due in May 2024.
Premises
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.[20]
Elections
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.[21]
The district covers a very similar area to the Stroud parliamentary constituency. The 2019 general election saw the constituency won by Siobhan Baillie, a Conservative.
Towns and parishes
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.[22]
Notable Members of Stroud District Council (and predecessors)
Margaret Hills (née Robertson) was the first woman elected to Stroud Urban District Council in 1928.[23] where she stood as a representative of the Stroud Women's Citizens Association (SWCA).[24] She remained a member until 1936 when the council was expanded to cover Cainscross and Rodborough.[25]
David Drew is also a former member of the council originally representing the Stonehouse Ward and more recently the Paganhill and Farmhill Ward.[26] Tom Levitt is also a former member and served for a short time before moving to High Peak in the early 1990s.[27]
References
- ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Stroud Local Authority (E07000082)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "Profile of Stroud District | LSP". lsp.stroud.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "The Avon and Gloucestershire (County Boundaries) Order 1991", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1991/271, retrieved 28 August 2023
- ^ "The Gloucestershire (District Boundaries) Order 1991", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1991/281, retrieved 28 August 2023
- ^ "Council minutes, 18 May 2023". Stroud District Council. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "The Chief Executive - Kathy O'Leary". Stroud District Council. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "Election maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ "Stroud". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Council minutes". Stroud District Council. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ James Felton (30 June 2022). "Election hopeful Doina Cornell leaves Labour Party". Stroud News and Journal. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ Caroline Molloy (1 July 2022). "Stitch-up for Starmer ally backfires as Labour loses council". openDemocracy. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ Caroline Molloy (1 July 2022). "UPDATE – another Stroud Labour Councillor has tonight quit the party". Retrieved 2 July 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Stroud Councillor quits Labour over Starmer Comments". BBC News (Gloucestershire). Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "Warm tributes to Stroud councillor who died this week". Stroud News and Journal. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Historic England. "Ebley Mill (Grade II*) (1223361)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ "The Stroud (Electoral Changes) Order 2015", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2015/2034, retrieved 28 August 2023
- ^ "Parish Council contact details". Stroud District Council. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ Womens Leader (formerly Common Cause) 27 April 1928
- ^ "Margaret Hills". Suffrage Pioneers. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.