More progress at Milton Avenue as some whips (trees) are planted and some bird boxes installed.

Tenders are going out this week for work on the pond.

In addition to this, work on the play area is ongoing, and there was recently a volunteer day.

My thanks to council officers for their work on the ESIF project and Lisa Jevins who is leading on the play area project for Podsmead Big Local, as well as anyone giving up their time to help improve the area.

The street sign at Laburnum Road has been replaced at long last.

This was previously showing ‘2-54 Evens’ which is incorrect, as the houses go up to 56. It was causing problems for deliveries and service access.

There was some confusion and delay, and it has taken a lot of chasing up to get to where we are now.

But in the end we have got the result we needed and I am grateful to the officers who sorted this at last.

If you know of any other street signs that need attention in our area please let me know.

The sink hole I reported last week on Masefield Avenue has been patched.

It has the word ‘temp’ sprayed across it so I assume this is a temporary fix before it gets properly dealt with.

I will keep pressing for more to be done to fix our roads and pavements.

Residents made me aware of some fly-tipping that took place in Podsmead. They had contacted the council and we were pleased to see that after a council investigation, a fine was issued and other action taken.

The council enviro crime team take these matters very seriously and are operating a robust approach to fly-tipping in the city.

An officer writes:

‘Since the introduction of the team back in September we have investigated 100s of reports of fly-tipping offences throughout Gloucester, and have issued 82 fixed penalty notices to date.

We are also actively working with other agencies and housing Providers in looking at initiatives to prevent and deter problems relating to waste management and fly-tipping.’

Well done to all involved. Do let me know if you spot any fly-tipping in our area.

GARAS (Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers) are appealing for clothing donations.

You can take clean, good quality clothing to St Aldate’s Church GL4 6TR, on any weekday between 9am and 2pm. They are particularly keen to receive men’s clothing currently.

I have urged the council to repair this damaged dog waste bin on the green space at Scott Avenue.

If you know of any other damaged bins in our area please let me know.

I have reported this small hole in the pavement on Masefield Avenue to Highways for repair. I would urge residents to take care in the meantime. It is just outside the entrance to Kipling Close.

If you know of any more highways issues in our area do let me know.

The RPS International Photography Exhibition 162, featuring work from 43 international photographers, has toured the UK and launched at Gloucester Museum on January 27.

Visitors will be able to view the work of award winners Cody Cobb and Chirag Jindal, and explore themes such as identity, spirituality, landscape, and the environment.

More information is available here.

We met with Adam Coleman, Chief Executive of Gloucester Culture Trust, in the JOLT workspace in King’s Square.

GCT are driving cultural activity in the city, in partnership with the city council. We explained a little about what we do via Creative Field and our musical activities.

For a long time, there has been a sense that Gloucester is the poor relation in the county, for cultural events. That is slowly changing as more and more events happen in our city.

As we slowly recover from Covid and start to rebuild our programme of events, it will be vital that we keep being imaginative and innovation.

Some cities have had their cultural offer given an injection of funding and attention by securing City of Culture status. The Conservative administration at Gloucester City have considered bidding for this before, and this time around even got as far as the expression of interest stage before realising that it is too large a task at present.

Bidding for, achieving and then delivering City of Culture is an all-encompassing project and opposition councillors are concerned at the lack of capacity at an already stretched council. But if it could be shown that a bid could be successful and the year properly funded, then it would be a boon for our city.

In the meantime the city must play to its strengths in terms of art and culture. Visual arts, music, performance – all are strong and being supported by the GCT, the council and local partners. We have a great sense of community spirit, and people who want to make things work.

Above all we have a rich and fascinating history which lends itself very well to artworks which draw on it, and tell stories based on it. Community spirit and a unique history must be our chief selling points as we seek to put Gloucester on the cultural map.

Read Easy is a literacy charity helping adults to learn to read. They offer free 1-to-1 coaching. You can find out more about them on their Facebook page.