A WEEK of action to encourage and inspire people across the country to vote will be held at the beginning of next month.

National Voter Registration Day takes place on Thursday, February 5, as part of a nationwide scheme to enthuse those who don't vote.

In line with the campaign and with the UK parliamentary and local elections taking place on Thursday, May 7, Stroud District Council is urging its residents to get involved by registering to vote.

The introduction of individual electoral registration in 2014 means that residents are now responsible for their own vote.

Anyone who has changed their address or is a new voter needs to make sure that they’re registered.

Registering to vote is easy and can be done online by visiting www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Those registering will need to provide their date of birth and national insurance number. Anyone without internet can call the council’s elections team on 01453 754886.

Over the next fortnight, every household in the district will also receive a letter asking them to check that the details of everyone entitled to vote in that household are on the electoral register correctly.

If they are not, the letter advises residents how they can update them to ensure that they are entitled to vote.

The deadline for registering to vote in the UK Parliamentary General and Local elections is Monday, April 20.