News

Press release 
15 August 2025

Tewkesbury Borough Council is about to start its annual canvass and residents are urged to check their electoral registration details to avoid losing their chance to vote on decisions that affect them. 

The annual canvass is the council’s way of making sure that the information on the electoral register for every address is accurate and up-to-date. While the register is primarily for electoral purposes, it is also used by credit reference agencies when checking applications for credit (e.g. mortgages, loans and mobile phone contracts).

Alistair Cunningham, Electoral Registration Officer at Tewkesbury Borough Council, said: “Keep an eye out for either an email or a letter from the council in the next few weeks which will contain information on what you need to do to make sure that your household is fully registered. It’s really important that everyone who is eligible to vote has the choice todo so, and only one person needs to respond on behalf of the household.

“We would ask you to respond as soon as possible so that we don’t need to send any follow-up communications (or even carry out a visit to your property as a last resort), which will save time, paper and money. 

“If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear in the messages we send. If you want to register, the easiest way is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”

Recent home movers in particular are urged to check their details. Electoral Commission research has found that recent home movers are less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time. In Great Britain, 92% of those who have lived in their home for 16 years will be registered, compared with 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than a year. Please note that your electoral register details will not automatically be updated when you register for council tax at your new home – you will need to register separately.

The council’s communications regarding the canvass should not be confused for a scam:

• emails will be sent out from electoral.services.tewkesbury.borough.council@notifications.service.gov.uk

with the subject line of ‘Electoral Register Annual Check – Action required’;

• letters will be addressed to the ‘Resident/Occupier’, carry the council’s logo and address details, and include one of the following headings: ‘You must respond so we can check who is eligible to register to vote’ or ‘Is the electoral register information correct for this address?’.

If anyone has any questions, is unsure about their registration status, or is in any doubt about a communication, they should contact the council’s Electoral Services Team at elections@tewkesbury.gov.uk or call 01684 272025.

Further information is available on the council’s website at www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/annualcanvass     

ENDS

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Following the recent electricity power outage at Twigworth Green, many residents will be concerned about what caused the outage and why it took so long to restore.

The outage incident started on Thursday 14 August 2025 at around 12:28 hrs and affected all parts of Twigworth Green (GL2 9) and some other nearby areas too; the power was later restored at around 21:20 hrs – after nearly 9-hours!

We have requested an explanation from EPS into what the cause of the incident was and why it took so long to restore the service – we will advise further, when we have a response.

When residents first reported the incident, their immediate action was to contact the National Grid, who then referred them to EPS

WHO ARE EPS?

EPS Utilities Group are a multi-utility network operator providing water, wastewater, electricity, and gas services to over one million customers in the UK. 

They also specialise in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and connecting it to the grid. 

WHAT DO I DO IF THERE’S A POWER CUT?

If your electricity supply goes off, or if you’re at all concerned about the safety of your meter or our underground electricity cables, please call 105. 

This number is available 24/7, and free to call from a mobile or landline.

We recommend checking to see if your neighbours have power. If they don’t, please call 105

HOW CAN I CHECK FOR POWER CUTS IN MY AREA?

EPS aim to provide a safe and reliable electricity supply, but unfortunately, faults can cause unplanned interruptions. Sometimes, we need to carry out essential maintenance. If so, we’ll always write to you first and regularly update our planned supply interruptions page.

HELP FOR VULNERABLE CUSTOMERS

The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free service offered by both your network operator and utilities supplier, which may entitle you to extra help and support with your utility supplies – click the link for more information:

https://espug.com/householder/help-for-vulnerable-customers/

More general information can be found on the EPS website following this link:

https://espug.com/householder/electricity/

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Press release

14 August 2025

Waste and recycling collections will be a day later than usual after the bank holiday on Monday, 25 August.   

Catch up collections will run from Tuesday, 26 August through to Saturday, 30 August. Normal collections begin again on Monday, 1 September.   

Usual collection day – Bank holiday collection day

Monday, 25 August – Tuesday, 26 August

Tuesday, 26 August – Wednesday, 27 August

Wednesday, 27 August – Thursday, 28 August

Thursday, 28 August – Friday, 29 August

Friday, 29 August – Saturday, 30 August

During the bank holiday weekend, some of us may take advantage of any fine weather to enjoy a barbecue. The council is asking everyone to be mindful of the amount of waste generated and to recycle wherever possible, and advises people to dispose of ash from their barbecues by putting it in a bag before placing it in their refuse bin.  

Councillor Murray Stewart, Lead Member for Environmental Services, said: “With warm weather expected over the holiday weekend, many of us will be planning picnics or barbecues with friends and family. We would ask you to limit the amount of waste as far as you can and recycle as much as possible. Better still, be kind to the environment – and your pocket – by using re-usable cups, plates and cutlery.   

“And, in the unlikely event that you have leftover food you cannot use later, don’t forget to put it in your food caddy to be recycled.”  

 Anyone who is unsure of their collection day can find out by visiting: tewkesbury.gov.uk/recycling   

 ENDS 

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As residents will know, the road works to the entrance of Twigworth Green are currently underway by Vistry and MV Kelly.

GCC have also been out and carried out a Section 38 Audit, which is a section of the Highways Act 1980 that can be used when a developer proposes to construct a new estate road for residential, industrial or general purpose traffic that may be offered to the us for adoption as a public highway.

With this in mind Vistry are provisionally looking at the below dates to carry out the surfacing works.

Thurs 4th & Fri 5th Sept – Plane roads

Mon 8th – Wed 10th Sept – Surfacing (hopefully only need 2 days)

To safely carry out these works Vistry have also approached GCC regarding a road space agreement. This allows developers to carry out works on the public highway that are necessary for their development.

Vistry Customer Care Team and MV Kelly will be providing letter drops about this.

There are one or two drivers who think that Apley Road and Ironbridge Road is their own personal race track – we are observing speeds in excess of 30mph on these residential roads!

It’s not clever, it’s not safe, it is just plain stupid and illegal!

This will lead to someone being seriously injured, we have children playing, there are dog walkers and other pedestrians about, with parked cars along both these roads.

Speeding drivers on residential roads in Gloucestershire can be reported through the police’s Operation Snap online form.

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A private investor has snapped up a popular village shopping centre, just outside of Gloucester – taking ownership of the almost one-acre site with five shops and 35 car parking spaces.

By  Emma Luther  |  Published Monday 4 August 2025

Property developer Robert Hitchins has sold Twigworth shopping centre near Gloucester to a private investor for just over £1.9 million.

The 8,780 sq ft centre has been developed by the Gloucestershire firm since 2021, as part of a mixed-use development, which includes more than 725 new homes at Twigworth Green. 

Built by EG Carter on a three-quarters-of-an-acre site alongside the A38, the centre includes 35 car spaces and five retail units which are currently fully let. 

Shops include a 4,000 sq ft Midcounties Co-Operative anchor store and a branch of Gloucester cafe chain, Janes Pantry. 

Asset manager for Robert Hitchins, Henry Squier, said: ‘We’re pleased to have delivered such a successful district centre to Twigworth at what could have been a difficult time during Covid. 

‘We were nevertheless able to bring a major national convenience retailer to the local area, as well as the hugely popular Janes Pantry. 

‘More recently, the addition of three independent retailers has further enhanced the centre, broadening the range of amenities available.

‘Not only does the centre provide much-needed facilities for the residents of Twigworth, it also offers a great service for commuters on the A38.’

Bristol agents ARC Retail & Leisure, handled the sale. Director, Andy Smallman, said: ‘The successful leasing campaign delivered a fully-let well-balanced mix of occupiers which meets the needs of the local community. 

‘The subsequent investment sale generated a good level of interest with multiple offers, showing that there remains a strong demand for high-quality prominent roadside retail assets with a good tenant mix and dedicated parking.’

Robert Hitchins has developed, or owns, more than three-million-square-feet of commercial property and has recently developed the first phase of Cotswolds Designer Outlet at J9 of the M5 motorway in Gloucestershire.

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Gloucestershire County Council has unveiled plans to upgrade and expand its network of safety enforcement cameras, to improve road safety by managing vehicle speeds.

Enforcement is an essential means of improving driver behaviour to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.

The council is planning to introduce new speed enforcement cameras where collision data indicates they are needed most. It also plans to review its current network of existing roadside safety cameras. These play a vital role in encouraging safer driving, as well as reducing speeding and breaches of traffic offences, such as ignoring red lights. However, the current system does not use up-to-date technology and needs to be reviewed so that the right cameras are used at the right locations, to maximise the positive impact on road safety.

A report was presented to cabinet at a meeting on Wednesday 23 July and the proposals were unanimously approved.

It will allow the introduction of new safety cameras and the upgrading of the existing network of safety camera sites. The aim is to reduce the number of people who are killed and seriously injured on our roads by reducing speeding and improving compliance with traffic laws, making roads safer for all road users. The council will work with the police to implement safety enforcement camera systems.

The proposals support the Road Safety Policy goals of reducing collisions by 50 per cent between 2022 and 2032 and the wider transport strategy, which aims to encourage active travel, reduce carbon emissions, and make streets more welcoming for pedestrians and cyclists.

Cllr Roger Whyborn, cabinet member for sustainable transport and road safety at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “This is about putting safety first. We want to make sure our roads are safer for everyone. By investing in better enforcement tools, we can help prevent accidents and save lives. It’s a step towards a more responsible driving culture and a more secure environment for all who use our roads.”

The new contract is set to be awarded later this summer, with implementation planned for early next year.

You can read the full cabinet report here

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National government has announced its intention to reform the structure of local councils in Gloucestershire. Currently the county is served by one county council and six district councils.

The proposed changes aim to replace these with unitary councils. Three options are being developed for the new council structure:

• One council covering the whole county
• Two councils with an east (Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, and Cotswold) and west (Gloucester, Forest of Dean, and Stroud) split
• Two councils, with one being an enlarged Gloucester city (referred to as ‘GreaterGloucester’) and the other covering the remainder of the county

Public opinions on these specific options is not being sought at this time. Instead, all seven councils are working together focused on gathering feedback on how local services can best meet the needs of residents both now and in the future. This information is crucial for planning, regardless of the eventual council structure.

Residents, community groups and parish/town councils are invited to share their views from 1 July until to 9 August 2025.

Resident and stakeholder opinions will play a vital role in shaping the final proposals before they are submitted to the government in the autumn.

To take part in the survey, please click on the links below:

County-wide local government reorganisation survey | Have Your Say Gloucestershire

Future Gloucestershire: https://futuregloucestershire.org.uk/

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