News

Council launches ‘Town safe’ campaign to enhance community safety

Improving safety, high street cleanliness, and tackling antisocial behaviour, is at the heart of a new campaign launching in Tewkesbury Borough this summer.    

Beginning this month, led by the Tewkesbury Borough Community Safety Partnership (TBCSP), the council’s community teams will be working with the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner and Gloucestershire Constabulary, to tackle safety issues and raise awareness of the help and support that is available to everyone that needs it.    

Councillor Alex Hegenbarth, Lead Member for Communities and Housing for Tewkesbury Borough Council, said: “We know that feeling safe really matters to our communities—especially during the summer, when antisocial behaviour tends to rise. That’s why we’re taking action to help everyone feel secure and supported.   

“As well as working with Tewkesbury Safe in the town centre, our officers—and the police—will be out in the busiest areas, using their powers to deal with littering, dog-fouling and other anti-social behaviour.   

“Tewkesbury, Bishop’s Cleeve, and Winchcombe will all see the benefits of the partnership work which will help keep our towns and villages welcoming, tidy and safe for all.”     

Police and Crime Commissioner, Chris Nelson, said: “Preventing crime and anti-social behaviour is never a job just for the police. This summer, alongside frequent high visibility patrols to deter crime and anti-social behaviour and make people feel safer, we’re working with a whole host of organisations that we’re lucky to have here in Gloucestershire, that can help provide alternative activities and support.”  

Throughout the summer, the TBCSP will work with local businesses and residents to tackle fly-tipping, support housing providers in organising community clean-ups and skip days, identify Safe Spaces, and raise awareness of the support available to vulnerable people.   

Steve Lindsay, Gloucestershire Safe Manager, continued: “I’m pleased to see this great response to the Tewkesbury Safe scheme, and I’d urge businesses who are interested in joining to get in touch.”    

Inspector Grant White, from the Tewkesbury Neighbourhood Policing team, said: “Everyone has the right to feel safe where they live. My team will be conducting more patrols in busier shopping areas around the borough to help reduce thefts and assaults on shop workers. Joint council and police patrols will also continue to help reduce anti-social behaviour and ensure safer public spaces.”     

Full details of Tewkesbury Safe can be found on the website: tewkesbury.gov.uk/tewkesbury-safe.  

Notes:   

Gloucestershire Safe is a not-for-profit Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) formed by members of the Business Community with the sole intention of facilitating the reduction of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour around Gloucestershire.   
Find out more: Home – Gloucestershire Safe.   

Tewkesbury Borough Council is using £20,000 from its UK Shared Prosperity Fund to develop community safety projects over the summer months, including expanding Tewkesbury Safe.  

Council Plan refreshed to deliver on ambition through to 2028

A revitalised version of Tewkesbury Borough Council’s strategic roadmap has been published, reaffirming the council’s commitment to supporting people and strengthening communities – while adapting to a changing local government landscape.

Originally approved on 15 May 2024, the Council Plan (2024–2030) set out a clear vision underpinned by three priorities: caring for people, caring for the environment, and caring for place. These remain unchanged, alongside the council’s values of being open and honest, respectful, and inclusive.

The plan has undergone its first annual refresh, ensuring it continues to be relevant and focused on delivery. This year’s refresh reflects national Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), which will see the creation of new unitary authorities by 1 April 2028.

In light of this, the Council Plan has been refocused as a three-year delivery plan (2025–2028). While the overarching vision and priority themes stay the same, several supporting actions have been updated. Using a ‘continue, change, cease’ approach, the council reviewed each action to focus on what can realistically be achieved by the end of 2028. Many actions are progressing well and will continue unchanged, while others have been adjusted to reflect delivery realities before the 2028 transition.

Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Leader, Councillor Richard Stanley, said: This refresh strikes the right balance – staying true to our ambitions while ensuring we deliver results our residents can see and feel. With the changes ahead, we want this plan to guide real impact, not just good intentions.” 

Some highlights from actions during the last 12 months include the council’s national Climate Action Scorecard being at 44% – significantly above the national average of 35%.

The Development Management team won Local Authority Planning Team of the Year at the prestigious Planning Awards 2025, recognising their three-year business improvement which saw significant transformation for speed of planning application decisions. The council continues to support local communities and is working towards securing more affordable high-quality housing as part of the Strategic and Local Plan.

The council has also supported people’s health and wellbeing by supporting 12 new and existing warm spaces across borough, which offer free warm and safe places during winter with 12,000 visits to those spaces.

As well as a clear performance management tracker document supported with a suite of key performance indicators that accompany the plan, a number of strategies and programmes will inform and support its delivery. These include:

  • Climate Change and Ecological Framework
  • Housing and Homelessness Strategy
  • Waste and Recycling Strategy
  • Economic Development and Tourism Strategy
  • Strategic and Local Plan
  • Flood Response and Resilience Action Plan
  • Communications Strategy
  • Community Safety Strategy
  • Tree Strategy

The plan will be revisited in 2026 to reflect not only the progress and impact of Local Government Reorganisation but also the challenging financial landscape which the council will continue to face.

Tewkesbury Borough Council Plan can be viewed online at tewkesbury.gov.uk/council-plan 


Twigworth Green Incident

Tewkesbury Local Policing Team are aware of the racially aggravated incident in Twigworth last week on 12/06/25.

We are also aware of the footage on social media, we are investigating and will be looking to speak to all involved.

If you have any information regarding this incident, then please call Gloucestershire Police on 101 and quote incident number: 162-12/06/25

Twigworth Green FC

⚽ ANNOUNCEMENT – TWIGWORTH GREEN FC ⚽🌿

Some of you may have already spotted the name in the Stroud & District League divisions… and YES 👍 it’s official! Twigworth Green FC was accepted into the league last night! 🙌

We’re proud to bring a brand new football club to the heart of our growing community here in Twigworth. The club has been created to give local people the chance to come together, play, support, and be part of something from the very beginning.

We’re starting with one senior team this season, but our plans are bigger… we’re laying the foundations for a club that will soon offer youth football and opportunities for all ages.

We’ll be playing our first season on the 4G pitch at Plock Court. Pre-season kicks off next week, so if you’re interested in coming along, just fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch.

We’ve already got a good amount signed on but there’s still space for more. If you’re local, love the game, and want to be part of a proper community club, we’d love to hear from you.

👉 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdopUOl6alvE-Hz3FihNhkTjom8NT7PayFtyKvSsg-MG3WaUg/viewform?usp=dialog

Thanks to everyone who’s supported the idea so far. ⚽️

If you need any further information or want to get involved in any aspect of the club please send a private message or email bgoddarjones@gmail.com

Launch date for new EV charge points

Press release 
02 June 2025

Launch date for new EV charge points

Tewkesbury Borough Council’s eight new electric vehicle (EV) charge points, installed in Spring Gardens carpark in Tewkesbury, are now active just in time for Summer visitors. The units, installed by Evolt Charging on behalf of the council, will be formally opened on the first market day in June, Wednesday, 4 June.  

Cllr Cate Cody, Lead Member for Climate and Ecology, said: “A large and increasing number of residents and visitors have contacted me asking about the provision of EV charging in Tewkesbury.    

“Having chargers assures everyone that our historic town is a convenient and attractive place, and recharging EVs allows plenty of time to explore with lots on offer from shops and businesses, the Abbey and the rivers to our markets and annual events such as the Medieval Festival and Tewkesbury Live.  

“I am also pleased that the bays have been laid out following the latest PAS1899 guidance ensuring ample room around the vehicles for all users.”  

Other borough council-owned car parks will have charge points installed in the future as part of an ongoing programme which is part-funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. 

How will they work?   

Drivers can access them using the Evolt app, zap map, web pay and with RFID cards to begin charging, using their own cables to connect the car to the chargepoint. 

The charge points will cost 50p per kWh plus 30p transaction fee. More details: Spring Gardens, Oldbury Road, Tewkesbury, GL20 5LR – Tewkesbury Borough Council 

The installation process  

Installing public infrastructure such as EV charge points requires the co-ordination of many phases. Having planned everything thoroughly with Evolt Charging, our Asset Management team devised a phased approach which began in December with the laying of the underground power cables.   

Next was the installation of the physical charge points themselves before the signage and line marking could be added. Connection to the power grid has now been completed and final testing of the units was the last step of the physical installation process, before finally the configuration of the back office support systems and the app. 

Internal combustion engines are the greatest source of greenhouse gases in Tewkesbury borough, so providing opportunity for charging and enabling a shift to electrification will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can also help improve air quality.   

For more information, contact: climatechange@tewkesbury.gov.uk 

ENDS

Neighbourhood Dog Barking!

If a barking dog in your neighbourhood is causing a disruption, the first step is to try and resolve the issue directly with the owner, if that’s not possible or doesn’t work, you can report the issue to your local council.

We are asking dog owners to help their dogs be good neighbours.