A busy week again....I join Project Board re sheltered accommodation

Community Kitchen garden before work began

Isn't August meant to be quieter? This week has, among other things, seen me finish work for a local charity after 4 years and 4 months (v sad to leave colleagues) and start work at another which looks set to be challenging and exciting, make a film of Sunday's fun creating a garden at the new Community Kitchen in Stroud, (see film here and photo left), meet the District's Youth Officer to discuss a couple of projects, see a great theatre production by youth charity Otesha (film coming very soon of that), meet student film makers for Stroud Community TV, go down Tuesday evening to Dursley for David Drews' Talking Politics about the care sector with three speakers and take a day of annual leave to go to the newly established Project Board at the District Council looking at the future of our sheltered accommodation.

The latter meeting was 10-3.30 at Forest Green Rovers and was an opportunity to get the facts and info straight regarding the likely changes coming to Sheltered Accommodation. The County Council currently provide funding that looks very likely to be reduced significantly or withdrawn so action is needed. It was reassuring to find Officers, tenants and councillors from all 4 parties keen to find the best solution for the tenants. The timescales are tight, a report will go to December Executive meeting and a consultation may be launched just after Christmas to ensure tenants views are found regarding the ways forward ahead of the January Full Council meeting.

I am more optimistic that a better solution can be found, than I was some months ago when all looked pretty gloomy....nevertheless this will still impact on lives of some of our more vulnerable tenants. There will be 4 or 5 more days of the Project Board meeting but the full details will not be available until the report for the Exec meeting is published.