TWO separate motions calling on a district council to become a single-use plastic-free organisation will be considered by its members next week.

Stroud District Council will become the latest authority in Gloucestershire to consider the move, following the county council’s pledge last month.

The first motion, proposed by Green councillor Catherine Braun and seconded by Labour councillor Paul Denney calls on the council “to take a lead” on the issue “on behalf of our district”.

It urges the council to stop buying single-use plastic products at the council’s Ebley Mill offices and at council events.

Schemes already being run in the district – bottle refill schemes in Wotton-under-Edge and Stroud – are highlighted in the motion as examples of the work already being done in the area.

“Media reports have succeeded in raising public awareness of single-use plastic and our throwaway culture, prompting action across Stroud district by individuals, organisations and businesses.

“It is time for Stroud District Council to take a lead on this issue on behalf of our district.”

If passed, the motion would also see a new ‘task and finish’ group formed which would produce an action plan on how to tackle the issue.

It would also urge the council to encourage other organisations in the district to play a part in tackling the issue as well as investigating the possibility of requiring vendors at large events to avoid single-use plastics as part of their contracts and the creation of a ‘plastic-free network’.

The second motion, put forward by Conservative councillors Nigel Cooper and Stephen Davies also calls on the council to take action “following the interest raised by the BBC programme Blue Planet”.

It calls for the council to “eliminate” its use of the material by 2020 and within its supply chain by 2025.

Both motions will be considered at the full meeting of Stroud District Council on Thursday, April 26.