What does it mean for me?

The Joint Core Strategy (JCS) is a partnership between Gloucester City Council, Cheltenham Borough Council, Tewkesbury Borough Council, supported by Gloucestershire County Council.

The JCS was formed to produce a co-ordinated strategic development plan for the area, and will plan how the area will develop during the period up to 2031.

The JCS will set out the approach that the Councils will take:

to protect and enhance the natural and historic environment
deal with climate change
set out policies for the location and timing of new housing and employment development, key infrastructure, community, leisure and tourism facilities

Visit a staffed exhibition being held in the Parish Room on Thursday 5 January 2012 between 4.30pm and 7.30pm to find out more.

Contact the JCS team on 0800 073 1441, email info@gct-jcs.org or visit the web-site www.gct-jcs.org

Communities back rural broadband campaign

Parishes and market towns throughout Gloucestershire are backing a campaign to bring high-speed broadband to the county’s rural areas.

Borders Broadband is a £14.4 million initiative to secure private investment in a new fast rural broadband infrastructure. The project is managed by GFirst (Gloucestershire’s Local Enterprise Partnership), Gloucestershire County Council, Herefordshire Council and Broadband Delivery UK.

A Gloucestershire-wide survey of households and businesses is underway to show there is demand for fast broadband in rural communities. And so far, 311 volunteers covering 135 parishes across the county have stepped up to become ‘broadband champions’ for their communities.

Please complete a questionnaire for your household. If you have internet access, you can do it online at www.gfirst.co.uk/broadband or hard copies are available at libraries or from district and parish/town councillors, or broadband champions.

Questionnaires are also available from Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) – contact Chris Cowcher on 01452 528491. Also contact GRCC if you would like to volunteer as a broadband champion.

There is a separate survey for businesses online at http://bit.ly/betterbroadband . If you run a local business and live in Gloucestershire, you can complete both residential and business surveys.

Our footpath project is now complete and we would like to thank the following who granted money

Awards for All - The Big Lottery Fund

Tewkesbury Borough Council

Highnam Community Fun Day 2010

and residents

Mr & Mrs G O'Connell

Mr & Mrs P Dole

Mr & Mrs P Humble

Mr & Mrs A Folliard

Mr & Mrs M Heenan

Mr & Mrs A Fowler

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Photographs by Bob Train Photography, not to be reproduced without permission

At Highnam's Annual Parish Meeting this month, 2 members of the community were thanked for their contributions to parish life. Doreen Whisson was presented with an aerial view of Highnam, taken before the new estate was developed, in recognition of her work with Highnam HARPs - Help and Advice for Retired Persons. The group started in January 1985, meeting once a month in the afternoon and quickly became an all day event providing a hot meal as well as a network of support and help for older residents. The group met for the last time in April when the new Chestnut Club took over. Doreen is shown in the picture top left being presented with her picture by Parish Council Chairman Cllr Roger Hanbury.

Cllr Hanbury himself stood down at this year's elections after 17 years on the Parish Council, 14 of those as Chairman. He is shown in the picture top right, receiving a framed print of the interior of Highnam Church from Cllr Derek Davies. Roger has overseen many improvements to the village, including the construction of the Gambier Parry Hall, the setting up of the allotment association, the construction of the new car park and the cycle path. His guidance will be greatly missed and we send both him and Doreen every good wish.

The bottom picture shows L to R Cllrs Mike Heenan, Yan Watkins, Roger Hanbury, Derek Davies, Mark McGillion and the Rev'd Pam Kemp and Clerk Mrs Jean Rosam.

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Parish Council Newsletter

Follow the link to read the Parish Council's third Newsletter. If you would like to contribute to future editions, please contact the Clerk.

Click here

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Village Link

For this month's Link article, click here. Click on the dates below to view the Parish Council articles that appeared in The Link magazine.

2011 February March April May June July September October November

2010 February March April May June July August October November December

2009 February March April May June July August October November December

2008 February March April May June July August October November December

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The on-line glosfamilies directory has been re-launched to include improved searching and a 'What's On?' feature for all family members. Follow the link www.glosfamiliesdirectory.org.uk

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Your Circle is a new web-site to help you find information and advice about the wide range of services and support for adults and older people available in Gloucestershire.

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There's a new way to find social housing in Gloucestershire.

Register online to bid for homes that you are eligible for. Just log on to the web-site and search for available homes in the county. Once registered, you can bid online, by text or by phone - instructions are at www.gloshomeseeker.co.uk. For further information please contact your local council housing team on 01684 272212

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New! Baby & Toddler/Recreation Ground Project web-site: click here

Community Notice Board pilot goes live

A new web-based notice board for local residents is being piloted in the Forest of Dean .

Launched by Gloucestershire County Council, the online board mimics the idea of the Parish Notice Board, but gives residents the chance to feedback and help to make decisions about their areas.

Funded by a grant from government under the “Timely Information for Citizens” programme, the first notice board covers the North Forest area, which includes Newent, Mitcheldean and Cinderford. This is the pilot area and is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK . The Notice Board includes links to:

· Where’s my nearest?... find council and other services using a postcode search

· What’s happening – latest news from your local newspaper

· Report it online – such as pot holes or faulty street lights

· Online questionnaire – to tell us what you think about your area

· Statistical profile of the North Forest

· Community contacts – police, local services

· Crime information for the local area

The site is based on the area covered by the Forest North Safer Community Team, which includes local councillors, local government and police officers. Notice Boards for the other 17 safer community areas in the County will be rolled out after Christmas.

This notice board contains all the resources that you will need to help your Safer Community Team (SCT) and others to make North Forest a good place to live. Find it again at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/northforest - or add it to your favourites.

Would you like to be a volunteer in Highnam? Click here to find out about opportunities currently available.

If you see fly tipping or littering occurring, please take down all the information you can, most importantly the car registration, make and model details and report it immediately to Tewkesbury Borough Council, 01684 272186, flytipping@tewkesbury.gov.uk

Gloucestershire County Council has launched the new Inform web site.

Inform Gloucestershire is designed as an information portal that provides statistics about Gloucestershire for researchers, policy makers, commerce, industry and the general public. The site contains a large and up to date range of information on the demography, economy and environment of Gloucestershire. www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/inform

There is a bi-monthly electronic-magazine that provides readers with up to date information on the research and intelligence work that is currently being carried out. You will be able to find the Nov/Dec edition as well as previous issues on the new Inform website: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/inform/e-zine Find out how you can have a say on the future of transport in the County, plus many other interesting facts and figures on Gloucestershire.