Selected libraries in Gloucestershire are to reopen for collection services from next week.

12 libraries in Gloucestershire will reopen for collection services from the week beginning 13th July. Other services remain suspended.

You can find full details here.

It was good to meet up with local police officers at the Club at Tuffley Park recently. They were out meeting the community and listening to concerns. More events are planned where we can attend together and I can offer advice on council issues.

At full council in July I asked the cabinet member for Culture and Leisure a question about the Blackbridge athletics track and sports hub development.

The management committee and users of the track would like accessible toilet facilities near to the track when the project is complete. I’m happy to report that the cabinet member agreed with me that this was a very reasonable request. I will be supporting the project in any way I can.

The drains along Tuffley Avenue were blocked with leaves so I asked for them to be cleared.

This work was done last week. I’m pleased with the results!

There has recently been some fly-tipping in the alleyway from Podsmead Place to Tuffley Avenue.

I have been in touch with council officers and we are taking this case forward. We need to establish ownership which is proving complex at the moment.

See my Facebook page for a video about this issue.

We’re good to go!

If you run a business, you can now apply for a free UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark to reassure your customers that your business adheres to Government and public health guidance.

More information can be found here.

There is also a local campaign coming soon, which will help Gloucester businesses recover.

After asking officers when the weeds in Podsmead would be cleared they confirmed to me that the work would be carried out from the beginning of the week commencing 29th June.

We can see where they have been sprayed as they are going yellow and dying off. Hopefully the rainy spells we have had recently will not reduced the effectiveness of the spray, but if any weeds need to be followed up with a weed clearing machine such as we used last year, I will request this.

If any residents notice any weeds that haven’t been done or where the spray hasn’t taken, please inform me.

With thanks to Prospects Services for the information.

Plastic Free July is a movement in which you can challenge yourself to avoid single-use plastics in order to reduce plastic pollution.

More info: https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/

PLASTIC FREE SHOPPING IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Over the past few years we have seen a small number of plastic free shops appearing across the county. These shops provide basic food and household supplies that are free from plastic packaging, environmentally friendly and are often organic and/or plant based too. Here are just a few of the plastic free shops in our county:

Stroud: http://looseplasticfree.co.uk/

Cheltenham: http://foodloose.co.uk/

Gloucester: https://www.facebook.com/fill.your.boots.shop/

You can find others, along with other ethical and zero waste organizations using this link: https://www.zerowastenear.me/loc/gloucestershire/

It’s really exciting for us to be bringing a summer book club to Podsmead.

This is a FREE event with books, crafts and snacks.

Why not come and pick up a free book to keep you entertained during the summer.

We’ve got suitable books for every age from babies up.

Social distance rules will apply.

If anyone has questions they can email linda@readwithme.org.uk

Many businesses will be reopening from July 4th. Lots more will be opening gradually over the coming weeks.

Please support them if you can, whilst staying safe and being sensible. All the businesses in Podsmead have been working very hard to reopen with sanitary and social distancing measures in place.

Although many people will be keen to return to favourite pubs and restaurants, we must all be responsible and respectful for others.