Cllr Gill Moseley, Newent (2025)

30/06/2025

I am very pleased to tell you that THE FOREST OF DEAN DISTRICT COUNCIL IS EXPANDING ITS KERBSIDE RECYCLING COLLECTION to include plastic tubs, trays and certain pots.

You can now put out yoghurt/margarine pots and tubs, plastic fruit and veg punnets and ready meal trays in your green recycling container that you already use for plastic bottles, aluminium foil, tins and cans.

Pots, tubs and trays are particularly light and can blow out of the recycling container if you are not careful. When putting out recycling containers for collection, please stack another container such as your paper/cardboard bag on top of your box for plastics to prevent plastic from blowing away.

Plastics accepted for recycling now include:

Yoghurt pots, margarine and ice cream tubs
Punnets from fruit and vegetables
Trays for meat, biscuits etc
Some plastics remain non-recyclable through the kerbside collection, including:

Soft plastics, such as carrier bags, bread bags and crisp packets
Plastic film
Cling film
Bubble wrap
Hard plastics (like flowerpots and toys)

Plastic bottles - including those for drinks, milk, ketchup, shampoo, toiletries, bleach, and washing-up liquid - will continue to be collected as usual. You should leave lids on bottles but remove and dispose of triggers (such as spray nozzles) in the general waste bin.

Soft plastics can be recycled at most larger supermarkets including Newent's large Co-op and flower pots can be taken to various collections points such as Dobbie's, B&Q or the Butterfly Garden Charity at Dundry Nurseries or advertised locally for free collection and re-use.

There is a a quick overview of what can be recycled at the kerbside on the back of your annual waste collection calendar. Alternatively, more information can be found on the District Council’s website: https://www.fdean.gov.uk/bins

The Gloucestershire Waste Wizard online tool can help you find the most sustainable way to dispose of your unwanted household items, including at local repair cafes, charity shops, and recycling drop off points. Find the Waste Wizard: https://www.fdean.gov.uk/wastewizard

There is also a hyper-local Recycling Guide at Newent Town Council's website: https://newenttowncouncil.gov.uk/climate-change-sustainability/

This additional capacity to collect plastics has been made possible by the District council's acquisition of a larger waste depot which now has space to sort more recycled materials.

But don't let this be an invitation to buy produce and prepared food in plastic if alternatives are available. More stores are swapping plastic for cardboard trays and making loose produce available with handy paper bags close by.

Happy Recycling!

11/06/2025

Celebrating the Forest Economic Partnership's new Innovation in Business Awards this evening at Lydney Town Hall.

Winners included producers of 3D-printed eco concrete, a flower farmer growing local blooms to reduce airmiles for seasonal cut flowers, a livestock farmer using tech to manage grazing and the highly successful Cinderhill Farm sausage roll makers whose produce is sold at Gloucester Services and has featured on TV.

I was pleased to meet some of the leaders of the FEP and encourage them to visit Newent again. Our businesses need support and the network offered by the FEP is one way to find it.

20/05/2025

TODAY - COME AND TELL YOUR STORY ABOUT WALKING, CYCLING OR WHEELING IN THIS AREA!

Between 4pm and 8pm there will be a drop-in session at the Community Pavilion on Watery Lane Recreation Ground. This will be an opportunity for people in the Newent area to tell the Forest of Dean District Council about what you would like to see in the way of improvements to our paths and facilities for what is called 'Active Travel'. Where can you not walk, cycle, push a buggy or use a mobility scooter safely? How could things be improved?

If you can't get to the consultation, you can fill in this short survey:
https://app.maptionnaire.com/q/foddcactivetravelmay2025

18/05/2025

ACTIVE TRAVEL CONSULTATION - THIS TUESDAY MAY 20TH 4-8pm COMMUNITY PAVILION, WATERY LANE, NEWENT.

Forest of Dean District Council has launched a six-week consultation to help shape the future of active travel in the area.

The consultation, which started this week, invites residents to share their views about the current active travel infrastructure in the Forest of Dean to help to identify areas for improvement which will make it easier and safer to walk, wheel, and cycle across the district.

Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Cllr Chris McFarling said:

“Active travel – whether that’s walking, wheeling, or cycling - plays a vital role in helping us connect communities, promote healthier lifestyles, provide a low-cost way to move around, and protect our natural environment.

"Studies show that getting out in, and reconnecting with, nature improves your wish to protect it - and wildlife needs protecting like never before.

“We know that people often choose the car for short trips because the alternatives can feel disconnected, unsafe, or inconvenient.

“We want to offer residents real alternatives to driving for some of their journeys by creating a network of safer, more accessible walking, wheeling, and cycling routes across our district.

“Embracing and investing in active travel that works for all ages and abilities, will not only help to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads but also lower carbon emissions, paving the way for a more sustainable future for everyone across the Forest of Dean.”

Views gathered during the consultation will be instrumental in helping the council work with other partner organisations to design and develop, a high-quality Active Travel Network that will lead to safer streets, cleaner air, and healthier communities across the Forest of Dean.

To take part in the consultation, please click the following link: www.fdean.gov.uk/activetravelfeedback

Drop-in sessions will be taking place where residents can look at and discuss the plans with the council. These will be held on Saturday 17 May (10am to 4pm) at Clearwell Memorial Hall as part of Newland Parish’s Community Action Day, on Tuesday 20 May (4pm to 8pm) at Newent Community Pavillion and on Wednesday 21 May (4pm to 8pm) at The Rising Sun Community Pub, Woodcroft.

For further information on active travel please visit: www.fdean.gov.uk/activetravel

08/05/2025

Newent's VE Day celebrations and commemorations started with the flag-raising outside The Library today. Then followed a ceremony at the War Memorial, recently restored, with a memorable speech by Newent's Mayor, Cllr Sara Hulbert, two minutes' silence, a reading of the names of the fallen, well-loved verses and the sound of traditional bugle calls.
Then off to Sheppard House for refeshments, a beautifully decorated cake and a speech by the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, Julie Kent MBE, seen talking in the third picture with our Mayor and Cllr Josh Robertson.

"We will remember them."

04/05/2025

Very pleased to say that I was re-elected as your County Councillor to represent the Newent Division at Gloucestershire County Council on May 1st..

I am also delighted to tell you that the Liberal Democrats are the largest party with 27 seats and will now take over the administration of the County Council. We will now start to make the changes that have been needed in our highways, road safety, children's and adult care services and more.

I will continue to do my best for everyone and keep in touch in the ten parishes of Newent, Bromsberrow, Dymock, Kempley, Kilcot & Gorsley, Pauntley, Redmarley, Oxenhall, Staunton and Upleadon.

Please contact me as ever, with any queries or problems.
[email protected] or 01531 820826.

18/03/2025

I reported this shocking 20cm deep pothole or rather a trench in Chapel Lane, Redmarley yesterday as an emergency to Gloucestershire Highways.

I had driven over over it without realising its depth on this narrow lane and my car objected loudly. Fortunately my nearside tyres are still intact!

If you see a danger on the roads such as potholes deeper than 7.5cm, trees blocking the road, or other hazards, please use 08000 514514 to report it rather than FixMyStreet.
I've long been carrying a tape measure to check wheher potholes are deep enough to be classified as an emergency. No doubt about this one!

When water gets into the road surface, deterioration can happen fast. But don't get me started on the state of our roads. I am ashamed of the quality of many repairs as well as the level of maintenance. Underfunding is one thing, but proper checks on the standard of work as well as using the best methods and equipment would go a long way to making what money there is go further.

16/03/2025

Just filling in on the missing A-Z recycling lists I have been posting here since late 2022.
The Recycling Shop is sadly now closed, but there may
be an alternative close by. I'm hoping to check it out this week.

Meanwhile, here is the 'S' list. This is one of only two letters that has a page entirely to itself.

The whole series is available on Newent Town Council's website under the Climate Change and Sustainability tab.

Please let us know if you have any other useful tips for places to recycle everyday items that would otherwise go to the Incinerator at Javelin Park. which is the destination for all of Gloucestershire's residual waste other than that which needs specialist disposal.

Even in the time it has taken to produce these posters, a number of new recycling points have been coming up for inclusion. Terracycle collection is not one of those unfortunately as onward collection has been unreliable.

Hard plastic is still a major concern. The FoDDC is working on a solution with its recent acquisition of a larger depot which is hoped will have the capacity for sorting and recycling hard plastics. Watch this space!

16/03/2025

THE ROBIN - a bookable bus

At last the Robin is coming to the Newent rural area. After successful trials and roll-outs in other parts of the county, a contract is about to be let to provide this area with the rural bus service needed by those who have no access to a car and need to travel to other parts of the area or further afield.

Details are yet to be confirmed but I have now been informed that Herefordshire Council will not play ball and therefore the bus will not cross the county border unlike the equivalent service in the south of the Forest of Dean, which goes to places like Monmouth.
The Robin will connect up to other services such as the Daffodil line (which is due to increase the frequency of its timetable) and other routes such as the no 32 bus.

Details are here: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/transport/the-robin/

Country buses will often need subsidy as the commercial viability of bus services relies on the volume of passengers. Stagecoach run some subsidised services but are not slow in cutting those that don't produce enough income. Remember the 132 to Ledbury?

I look forward to seeing how well it is used in this part of Gloucestershire. The once or twice-a-week 'shopper' services provided by Newent Community Transport are not flexible enough for many passengers and Dial-A-Ride is a more expensive option.
There will be space for one wheelchair on board the Robin which is basically a large minibus not a service bus like the Daffodil Line.

23/02/2025

It's been a while since I posted one of the Recycling guides produced for Newent Town Council's website. The set of alphabetical guides is now complete. Here is the 'O - P' poster.

If you have any updates or further suggestions, please let us know. Things are always changing in the world of recycling.

22/02/2025

THE FOREST OF DEAN DISTRICT COUNCIL WILL BE ABOLISHED BY 2028 as the Government's plans for Devolution take effect.

All the Gloucestershire second tier councils like the FoDDC, Tewkesbury Borough and Gloucester City councils will be swept up into a unitary authority along with their statutory powers and responsibilities such as waste collection, environmental health and planning.

At the moment, there certainly are too many different models of local government ranging from three-tier, like ours, with town and parish councils at the lowest level, and district and county councils sitting above them.

Some councils have already adopted the unitary model like Herefordshire which has combined the upper two tiers into one unitary council.

Then there are unitary authorities that have joined together as combined (strategic) authority with or without a mayor such as Greater Manchester. This is what the Labour government wants ALL councils to do. Funding for major infrastructure projects will come mainly to those combined (strategic) authorities with a mayor

The number of upper-tier councillors will be drastically reduced and it will fall to town and parish councils to step up and fill the vacuum. How? We don't know. There is nothing in the government's White Paper except reference to parish and town councils 'wiring up' whatever that may mean.

As far as larger towns that are now second tier authorities like Gloucester City and Cheltenham Borough, they are likely to become large town councils within the parish and town council lower tier, just like Tewkesbury and Cirencester already are. But there are going to be large gaps to fill.

The assets of the FoDDC will need to be transferred such as the Lakeside car park in Newent. And what will happen to the support provided to the community which is not a statutory service?

Looking to the top of the local government hierarchy, for me, the idea of so much power going to one person in the form of an elected mayor of a strategic authority with minimum of 1.5m people is not Devolution. How will one person understand the needs of all the different communities within that huge region.? There may be some benefits though of regional administration - mayoral authorities will be able to take over control of the public transport network in their area for example and create better integrated services.

There are two phases in the Devolution process and Gloucestershire will be in the second phase as it is nowhere near working our how to create a unitary council or deciding which strategic authority it might join.

Whatever shape the Devolution takes, things will look very different in a few years' time for local government in this area.

29/01/2025

FLOODING AT MALSWICK

Following my request for action from GCC, I have just been informed that the Principal Flood Officer has been talking to the Highways Manager for our area and the resolution of the problem will probably lie with the management of the Ell Brook around Malswick Mill.

So the Environment Agency is being contacted to look at ways in which they can be brought on board with the watercourse management in this specific location but it will need other authorities like FoDDC to be involved as well.

The Ell Brook divides by the Mill into the mill race and the main watercourse. It is thought there may be some solution available to retain more water within this system and prevent the brook adding to the rainwater which floods the road to an impassable depth.

As I mentioned in my emails to many people who wrote to me, it is not a simple solution. Please feel free to contact me if you wish. I will post updates on my cllr page which you can follow for easy communication on local issues. and an item will be included in my regular local newsletter, coming soon.
[email protected], 01531 820826.

Cllr Gill Moseley

30/06/2025

11/06/2025

20/05/2025

18/05/2025

08/05/2025

04/05/2025

18/03/2025

16/03/2025

16/03/2025

23/02/2025

22/02/2025

29/01/2025

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