Coronavirus — A message from Doina Cornell, Labour Leader of Stroud District Council

Following the government’s announcements yesterday and a briefing from the local government minister we have had a bit more of a steer as to what local government needs to be doing. There will be more information soon for example where to go for specific queries (phone/email) and how to cooordinate all the community groups that are out there.

All SDC council meetings have been cancelled so officers can focus on the most urgent services, supporting the community and our most vulnerable residents.

A great deal of preparation is going on by our local frontline services and has been for some time. I can only speak for what SDC has been doing but this includes, making preparations for as many officers as needed to be able to work from home, so phones and online systems can keep functioning, mapping out which staff have caring responsibilities, with plans to ensure the most important council services keep running.

SDC is an active member of the Local Resilience Forum, the main coordinating group which brings together our key frontline public services and emergency services. A top priority is putting in provisions to support our most vulnerable residents. SDC is also working now to ensure we have this in place: support for businesses around the government proposals on rates relief and grants; support for our tenants and for people on benefits.

We need national and local government and grassroots all working together to help. Government has asked local councils and LRFs specifically to help coordinate all the new community groups so that we have a hub which brings everyone together in one place (not literally of course!). Importantly, we need mapping of all the local efforts to ensure no one is missed, and make sure safeguarding is in place for our most vulnerable people. It is heartening to see how so many people are stepping up to help their neighbours.

Thank you all for all you are doing. Take care of yourself.

Community initiatives

There are a great many community initiatives starting up all across the District and you can find links to accredited information and your community on this facebook page

Stroud Community Coronavirus Response
https://www.facebook.com/groups/stroudcorona/

(You can find your area in the Neighbourly Networks unit)

For those that don’t use facebook, there is a website with all the content on it here
https://neighbournetworks.uk/

Additionally every area has local WhatsApp Groups and these are being widely circulated.

We would like to encourage our members to help support our communities as much as possible with due regard to your own personal safety and risk.

Welcome to Stroud Constituency Labour Party

For more than 100 years the Labour Party, through the efforts of our members and supporters, has brought about massive social change.  Our proudest achievements include the welfare state, the NHS, our education system, and equal pay.   However, we know that even a century later, our country, and many of our institutions remain in the grip of a wealthy and privileged few.

Since 2010 the Conservative Party has systematically used the excuse of austerity to once again penalise the vulnerable, the poor and the marginal.  The arrival of the Johnson government marks a further shift to the right.   These are now very scary times.   As power slips away from them – as it will – they will use any tactic, any slander and any excuse to cling on to their power – through the excuse of Brexit, the demonisation of the marginalised and vulnerable, and the appeal to ‘common sense’ – which is anything but.

Stroud Labour Party welcomes those who care about our society.   We understand that only by cooperation and our active involvement locally and nationally can we defend our vision for a fairer society, where equality of opportunity means exactly that, and where everyone has the freedom to achieve their potential, no matter what the circumstances of their birth.

Labour is a democratic socialist party – with all the obligations, duties and responsibilities which that involves.

Find out more about our campaigns, how we work for you, what our views are and how to get involved.

Stroud Constituency Labour Party (CLP) is based at 5a Lansdown  in Stroud.  The constituency covers a large area from the River Severn on the west, from Hardwicke down to Berkeley and from Frampton across to Bisley.  Within this area there are a number of local branches that hold regular meetings to discuss political issues and organise local events and campaigns that help the local community.

We organise campaigns, social events, elections and debates on policies.  A lot of Labour Party activity takes place at branch level – campaigns, socials and fund-raising. Labour members take part in choosing local council candidates, attend Labour Party Conferences and contribute to making local and national Labour Party policy.

Labour Party Office, 5A Lansdown, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 1BB Tel: 01453 840 080 Email: stroudclp@tiscali.co.uk

As part of our fundraising activity we run an online shop via Etsy.   We are running a ‘Summer Reading’ promotion, where all our books can be ordered post-free.

We sell a wide variety of products with a radical and socialist theme – mugs, t-shirts, books, badges, tea-towels, bags, posters, fridge magnets, and everything you might think of.