'Fantastic' decision sees Gloucester suburb dodge 'absolute mayhem and chaos'
Summary
The decision to create a super council for Gloucestershire has been welcomed enthusiastically in one Gloucester suburb as splitting the county into East and West would have caused “absolute chaos”. Coopers Edge is currently divided between the districts of Stroud and Tewkesbury and it also comes under three different parish councils, Brockworth, Hucclecote and Upton St Leonards.
Details
The boundary lines have previously been described as “bonkers” and in some cases cut through the middle of some people’s homes. But the recent Government decision to merge the six districts with Gloucestershire County Council has been welcomed enthusiastically by locals who see this as paving the way to create a parish council for the community.
County Councillor Ben Evans (LD, Brockworth) said he is really pleased with the decision not to split the county in two as the main council services will soon be provided to all councillors by the same authority.
He highlighted just how that would have split the community in two by pointing out the local Tesco Express in Lobleys Drive would have had the front door in the proposed East Gloucestershire Council and the back door in the West if that option had been chosen. “There is no doubt in my mind that for Brockworth, one unitary is the best decision,” he said.
Related stories
Chas Townley, of Hucclecote Parish Council, agreed that it was an “absolutely fantastic” decision for Coopers Edge. “It means all three parishes are in a single unitary and it will be much easier to create a parish council,” he said.
“Stroud would have been in one unitary and Tewkesbury would have been in the other and it would have been absolute mayhem and chaos coordinating things locally in that situation.” The parish councillor explained that all three parishes which represent the area all supported the single unitary because it “made much better sense” than the two other options.
“In terms of delivering a single parish for Coopers Edge, it considerably simplifies matters as the decision to create it will rest with the new Gloucestershire Council, rather than a Government decision,” he added.
“We are already knocking on doors to see how quickly it can be delivered.” Elections to the new Gloucestershire Council are expected to go ahead in May next year with the new structural changes then established in April 2028. At that point the current county, city, and district councils will be dissolved.
Report source: Gloucestershire Live