Column by Doina Cornell, leader of Stroud District Council.

Last week I attended a training course for council leaders, representing councils from across England.

As I reflected on what was going on in our district, I was struck that what particularly works well are the partnerships across the public, private and the voluntary sectors.

For example, this week I visited the new Stroud Growth Hub, the set up by the Gfirst Local Enterprise Partnership to support local businesses.

We’ve always worked closely with the LEP, and they are a key partner in helping prepare the local Levelling Up Bid, whose working group also met this week.

Our district’s voluntary and community sector is also strong, as I heard at the GL11 Community Hub’s AGM this Monday, and how GL11 has worked in partnership with the NHS to set up a pioneering peer-to-peer long Covid support group, making a real difference to people’s lives.

How can we measure the outcomes of these partnerships and projects? On 25 November I’ll chair the Strategy and Resources Committee where we propose to adopt a new Social Value Portal.

The Social Value Act means councils must consider economic, social and environmental wellbeing in connection with public contracts, and the Portal will enable our council to better measure and report on those outcomes.

The Committee will also consider a new Economic Development Strategy, as well as a Property update with a view to bringing back next year a revised strategy for all the assets owned by the council. I’ve asked for this to look not only at buildings but also our green spaces, another example where we can work in partnership with towns, parishes and communities to preserve and enhance our precious green spaces.

This week I’ll be out with Stroud Valleys Project looking at Holywell Orchard, a green space at the heart of the Cam and Dursley community. SVP are another example of a local organisation, like GL11, who bring so much value to our district’s places and people, and its a privilege and pleasure to work within these partnerships.