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A section of Stratford Road in Stroud will be closed for two days in September to allow essential tree works and inspections to be carried out in Stratford Park.

The road will be closed on Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September, between 7am and 6pm, from the Tesco roundabout to the roundabout at the entrance to Stratford Park.

The closure is required to enable specialist contractors to safely undertake essential tree works on trees that overhang the carriageway, as well as carrying out more detailed inspections of a number of significant trees within the park.

All proposed works have been approved through the planning process and are necessary because the trees are located within a conservation area.

Stroud District Council acknowledges that the closure will cause some disruption and has scheduled the works over a weekend to help reduce the impact on weekday traffic. Motorists are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for journeys during the closure period. 

Vehicular access to Stratford Park, Active Lifestyles Stroud and The Museum in the Park will be available only from the Paganhill direction.

Angela Gillingham, Head of Community Services for Stroud District Council said:

"Stratford Park is home to some of the finest and most significant mature trees in the district. Regular inspections and maintenance are essential to ensure the long-term health of these trees and the safety of park visitors and road users.

"We appreciate the disruption this temporary road closure may cause and would like to thank residents and motorists for their patience and understanding while these important works are carried out."

Stratford Park is a 56-acre park owned and managed by Stroud District Council and boasts one of the finest collections of mature trees in the region. Its collection rivals that of nearby Westonbirt Arboretum, and it is believed that several specimens were acquired through a shared order with Westonbirt in the late 1890s.

The park is home to more than 800 trees, including notable examples of Cedar of Lebanon, Monkey Puzzle, Wellingtonia, and Indian Bean Tree among others.

The works will help protect and preserve this important collection for future generations while ensuring the safety of everyone who uses the park and surrounding roads.

Diversion signs will be in place, and residents are advised to plan their journeys in advance and allow extra time for travel during the closure period. 

Please note: the original road closure signs displayed the incorrect dates. These have now been corrected.

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Anyone interested in working in a polling station ahead of the 2027 Gloucestershire Council elections is invited to visit Stroud District Council's mock polling station at Ebley Mill on Tuesday 22 September from 4pm to 6pm.

The drop-in information event will give participants the opportunity to experience first-hand what polling station staff do on election day. Visitors can practise issuing a ballot paper, learn which forms of photo ID are accepted, and ask questions of elections officers.

It is suitable for people who have never worked in a polling station before, as well as experienced polling station staff looking to refresh their knowledge. 

The practical information session comes ahead of elections on 6 May 2027 for the new Gloucestershire Council, which will bring together services currently delivered by Gloucestershire County Council and the county's six district, borough and city councils - including Stroud District Council - into a single organisation. 

Stroud District Council sets up 105 polling stations during elections, serving more than 97,000 voters. To support this, the council typically recruits around 435 temporary polling station staff.

Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm on election day, and staff work for approximately 16 hours to set up, run and then close the station. Presiding Officers must be able to drive, as they are responsible for transporting ballot boxes to the count venue at the end of the day.

In 2026, fees were £215.20 for a Poll Clerk and £304.20 for a Presiding Officer. These rates are agreed across Gloucestershire and are subject to change for the May 2027 elections. Training will be provided for all successful applicants before the election.

Kathy O'Leary, Chief Executive and Returning Officer for Stroud District Council said:

"Working in a polling station is an exciting opportunity to get involved in the democratic process, and polling station staff report that they really enjoy the experience.

"Whether you've never worked at an election before or have previous experience, I encourage you to come along to our information event and find out more about the roles available and the important contribution polling station staff make to ensuring elections run smoothly."

The event will take place at:

• Stroud District Council,  Ebley Mill,  Ebley Wharf,  Stroud,  GL5 4UB
• Tuesday 22 September, 4pm to 6pm

Those arriving by bike can use the lockable cycle racks at the entrance to the building. Free visitor parking is available on site in the SDC staff car park (turn right at the mini roundabout).  

For more information about polling station roles and to apply to become a Poll Clerk or Presiding Officer, visit the Elections staffing page on the Stroud District Council website: Elections staffing

More information about Gloucestershire Council can be found here:  Future Gloucestershire : Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation in Gloucestershire.

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As we head towards the end of the school summer holidays, there's still plenty happening across the district for residents and visitors to enjoy.

The final Big Summer Picnic & Play event takes place at Stratford Park on Friday 28 August from 10am to 4pm. These free family events have been hugely popular throughout August, offering everything from sports and games to arts, crafts, museum activities and entertainment. If you're planning to attend, please remember that overflow parking is available at SGS College and Tesco when the main car park is full.

The Museum in the Park will also be open on Bank Holiday Monday, giving visitors a final chance to see the popular Park Life exhibition, which celebrates our parks and green spaces through a range of artwork.

There's exciting progress to report on the Canal project, with work now underway on the 'missing mile' section that will eventually take the restored canal beneath the M5. The project's Bonds Mill Lift Bridge has also been shortlisted for a prestigious award, and there's still time to vote in the People's Choice category before it closes on 28 August.

If you have an idea for a community project, now is a great time to find out more about Stroud Funding, our community crowdfunding platform. Since launching in April 2024, it has helped raise more than £588,000 for local projects across the district. Two workshops are taking place in September for anyone interested in learning how to develop a project and launch a crowdfunding campaign. Why not take a look at the website for inspiration, and to sign up.

Finally, if you'd like to keep up to date with council news, events, service updates and other local information, why not sign up for our weekly email bulletin? It lands in subscribers' inboxes every Friday and is a simple way to stay informed about what's happening across the district. Sign up at www.stroud.gov.uk/emailalerts