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Tewkesbury Growth Hub is now open for business – an exciting new space where the local business community can work, meet and get access to important resources in a supportive environment.
In a first for the country, the Growth Hub is based inside Tewkesbury Borough’s Public Services Centre meaning businesses can access unrivalled support and advice from council services, including important regulatory, planning and environmental health advice.
Promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and business growth in the area, the Hub offers support to businesses of all types, from pre-start to existing companies and organisations looking to grow. It forms part of the Gloucestershire Growth Hub network, supporting local enterprises to achieve their potential, expand and create jobs.
It was officially opened by Councillor Rob Bird, Leader of Tewkesbury Borough Council and David Owen CEO of Gfirst LEP on 21 November at a packed launch event, including local businesses who shared their experiences of support received through the Growth Hub network.
Councillor Rob Bird, Leader Tewkesbury Borough Council, said: “The Tewkesbury Growth Hub is a major boost for local businesses of all types and sizes, and I encourage everyone to make full use of the help, advice, resources and facilities available.
“It fulfills two key council objectives: practical support for business growth and prosperity and the one-stop customer service experience, by co-coordinating our services to businesses through one contact point.
“This is the first Growth Hub in the UK hosted by a local council, illustrating our driving ambition to help businesses grow successfully, which creates prosperity for a thriving community.”
Nigel Dawson from Café Au Chocolat in Tewkesbury spoke at the event about his experience of business support through the council and growth hub. He said: “We have found the advice and guidance we received from both the council and the Growth Hub invaluable and I would really encourage small businesses to get in touch with them to see how they can help develop businesses further.”
Jake Berry, Minister for Local Growth, said of the launch: “This Government is committed to boosting economic growth across the whole of the UK and building a Britain fit for the future.
“The latest addition to the Gloucestershire Growth Hub network in Tewkesbury, backed by £465,000 from the Local Growth Fund, will deliver jobs and boost productivity for local businesses.
“It’s great to see the network expanding right across Gloucestershire, part of a £9.4m investment in Growth Hubs across the county.”
Diane Savory, Chair of GFirst LEP added: “Back in 2013 we came up with the original concept of a Growth Hub network offering business support right across the county. The original Growth Hub in Longlevens, in partnership with the University of Gloucestershire, opened its doors in October 2014 and has worked with over 2,000 businesses since then.
“The Tewkesbury Growth Hub, forms an integral part of the public service element of Tewkesbury Borough Council. It is fabulous and a real coup as it is the only Growth Hub to be located within and partnered with a borough council in England.
“The Growth Hub is certainly an amazing space for local businesses to work, build wider commercial networks and access the support they need to encourage and realise their growth potential. It has been an absolute delight to work on this project from conception through to the development of this fantastic facility.”
The Tewkesbury Growth Hub space includes three incubator units and the tenants benefit from access to a wide range of support services. There is also the opportunity for businesses to use the corporate meeting room suite for events, seminars or training. The rooms have all been upgraded, so they are business ready with updated IT equipment.
A full business navigator service is provided along with a range of workshops and training events, bringing these services out into the local Tewkesbury area.
Coopers Edge School are seeking enthusiastic and committed individuals to join the Schools Governing Body as Co-opted Governors.
A co-opted governor is often a professional with no ties to the school other than perhaps living within the local community; this allows the School Governing Body to benefit from the wealth of experience which people like you can provide.
Full details can be found here – Co-opted Governor Opportunity
Tell us what you think…
Members of the public are being asked their opinions on how best to deliver growth in Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury Borough.
The Joint Core Strategy was adopted in December 2017 and this sets out the identified need and location for employment and housing sites, and associated infrastructure, up to 2031.
The adoption came with a commitment to carry out an immediate review on the issues of housing supply for Gloucester and Tewkesbury and the retail policies for the whole area.
This review, called ‘Issues and Options’, will look again at the growth needs and options beyond 2031 and the strategy for delivering it.
The three councils have now approved the ‘Issues and Options’ consultation, the first stage of plan-making, which aims to generate engagement and ideas on these key issues.
It is important to recognise that the Issues and Options review does not propose a new strategy, new sites or policies. Rather, the consultation document asks members of the public, and any other stakeholders, 15 key questions to help develop a way to best deliver growth, including:
– What should the scope of the review be?
– What timeframe should the review plan for?
– Are the JCS vision, aims and objectives still relevant?
– How can the review best plan for city/town centres so they remain vital and viable in the future?
– Are there suitable sites for development?
– What infrastructure needs should be considered?
The consultation last for over eight weeks between Monday, 12 November 2018 and Friday, 11 January 2019.
Consultation events will be held in the following locations, where members of the public can come along, ask questions and have their say:
• Gloucester Eastgate Shopping Centre on 30 November 10am to 4pm.
• Cheltenham Muncipal Offices on 4 December 10am-4pm
• Tewkesbury Town Hall on 13 December 4-7pm
Alternatively, members of the public can view the consultation documents and have their say online here.
Senior Responsible Officer for the Joint Core Strategy and Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Chief Executive, Mike Dawson, said: “We encourage members of the public to take part in this initial consultation which will take place at the end of November through to the New Year. It’s important that as many people as possible tell us how they feel about the Issues and Options so that we can consider the feedback carefully in the further development of the JCS review.”
From Monday 3 to Friday 21 December, Hempsted Household Recycling Centre, near Gloucester, will be temporarily closed to allow some important upgrades to the site. This work follows a similar upgrade completed at Pyke Quarry HRC, near Stroud last summer.
We are changing the method used to compact some types of waste and recyclable materials. A mobile materials handler will replace the existing static compaction equipment. The existing equipment is old, breaks down frequently and has become expensive to maintain. The new method will save money and also give more operational flexibility. We are also investing in new waste collection containers and improved signage.
The information on this closure will be posted online in the next couple of days here
During this closure residents will be redirected to their closest alternative centre, these being:
• Pyke Quarry HRC near Stroud (closed on Wednesdays)
• Oak Quarry HRC near Coleford (closed on Tuesdays)
• Wingmoor Farm HRC in Stoke Orchard (closed on Wednesdays)
Hempsted HRC will re-open on Saturday 22 December. There is never a good time to have to close a HRC site, but December is historically one of the quietest months at the sites and we hope that residents will welcome the improvements when the site re-opens.
GCC Waste Team
waste@gloucestershire.gov.uk
Following the recent announcement about changes to the opening hours of the five county council Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) we are now able to let you know which days the individual sites will be closed.
From 28th October Gloucestershire County Council’s Household Recycling Centres will be closed one day mid-week, either on a Tuesday, a Wednesday or a Thursday.
As the evenings get colder and darker, the HRCs across the county receive almost 30 per cent less waste and recycling. In order to reflect this and save taxpayers money, HRCs will be open from 10am until 4pm, six days a week.
On Tuesdays, Fosse Cross (Cirencester) and Oak Quarry (Coleford) will be closed.
On Wednesdays, Pyke Quarry (Horsley near Stroud) and Wingmoor Farm (Bishops Cleeve) will be closed.
On Thursdays, Hempsted (Gloucester) will be closed.
The council collected data from recycling centres and this told us that midweek is the quieter period at our sites. Importantly, the closure rota also means HRCs in the county will still be open on Bank Holiday Mondays and Good Friday, which are especially busy days at the sites.
Residents will have a reasonable alternative recycling centre with this closure pattern, by closing sites at opposite sides of the county. The new opening arrangements and how the sites are used will be monitored.
The information on the closure days and new seasonal times are now online at www.recycleforgloucestershire.com .
Gloucestershire County Council and the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group are running a survey to ask people with learning disabilities and autism in Gloucestershire what does and does not work for them. This is so that their views can be taken into account in services and support arranged locally.
Inclusion Gloucestershire is a charity run by people with disabilities for people with disabilities, and it specialises in making sure disabled people are included, listened to, and have real opportunities. They are helping to gather as many views as possible by organising workshops to make sure the individual, carer, and family voices are heard.
To find out more about the survey, the workshops and to complete the survey online, click this link for the relevant section of the County Council website. The survey is open until 2 November 2018. The final findings report will be published by May 2019.
Arlington, owners and developers of Gloucester Business Park, invite you to view and comment on proposals for a new development at Plot 2000.
The site comprises 1.8 hectares (4.4 acres) and is situated on the western side of Gloucester Business Park. The site has outline planning permission for office and industrial development.
The development consists of a detached three-storey office building and comprises 6,930 sq m (74,595 sq ft) Gross External Area.
The purpose of the drop-in session is to inform the local community and interested stakeholders of the development proposals and invite your comments prior to submitting a Planning Application. The drop-in session will take place at the Park Management & Marketing Office on Gloucester Business Park on:
• Monday 8th October from 3.30pm to 6.30pm.
If the above date is inconvenient and you would like to meet a member of the team individually or you have any questions or comments you would like to make direct to the team please email robin.moxon@arlington.com or telephone 0118 370 2571.
We have received the update below from Open Reach:-
As you know we had hoped to have cabinet 42 on Barnwood exchange up and running this month. I’m very sorry but unfortunately the timescales have slipped on the completion of the project.
The better news is that the project is moving forward. Arrangements are in place to get the new cabinet in place in October. There will then be some further civil engineering work required for the electric supply to power the cabinet, followed by the usual commissioning of the cabinet and all systems.
Barring any further unforeseen delays we expect to have the cabinet up and running before the end of this year. Although every effort is being made to complete the work as soon as possible.
There is a second cabinet in the area, Barnwood 40. That cabinet has been upgraded for fibre already. However, demand has been high and we are waiting for additional fibre equipment to be installed to increase capacity so we can take new orders.
A project is underway to arrange this. However, the work required is more extensive than first predicted. It is likely to be at least 6-9 months before further fibre equipment is available.
My advice to residents for either cabinet, is to continue to monitor our website. As soon as a fibre service is available from either cabinet the details will be published here first:
https://www.homeandbusiness.openreach.co.uk/fibre-broadband
I’m very sorry that it’s not better news at this stage. However, I hope that residents are reassured that we are moving forward and a fibre service will be available very soon. If you need anything further please let me know.
There has been two recent night time burglaries in the area of Churchdown.
Please be vigilant, with the darker nights drawing in please consider home security. leaving lights on when out or generally making the impression someone is home can deter potential opportunist.
Please report any suspicious activity to the Police.