Parish Council

Mobile Test Unit locations

 An important part of minimise and manage any future spread of Covid-19 is the speed at which people can be tested and isolation measures put in place, should an outbreak occur.

The mobile testing unit, previously at Oxstalls Tennis Centre in Gloucester, is now available at other locations across the country. The mobile unit has meant hundreds more tests are available each day it is operating.

 We need your help! We need to let the residents of Gloucestershire know where the mobile testing units will be each day. We are asking all local media outlets to share this information whether this be online, in print or via broadcast media.

 Each Monday morning, we will be sending you a list of the locations for the week ahead. If you could include this information in your daily covid-19 coverage or on your morning bulletins, it would really help the county’s residents access a test if they need it.

Anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 can have a test.

To book a test or for more information on testing, go to the NHS website or call 119.

This weeks locations:

Mobile testing unit locations

Council welcomes investment in MOD base

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has confirmed that it is developing plans for a new programme of investment in its site in Ashchurch, which includes releasing part of the land, to the east, for housing.

The announcement is welcomed by the council as the proposed investment will see the base renovated and modernised, with circa 15 hectares of land opened up to help meet a housing shortfall in the area.

Councillor Mel Gore, lead member for built environment, said: “I am really pleased to hear that a significant  investment is being planned for the Ashchurch MOD site. This is excellent news for the area. The release of a parcel of land is also welcome news – the land being made available will help address a shortfall of housing in the area and will be worked in with the overarching Garden Town programme to build a new community for Tewkesbury over the next 30 years.

“I know that the Garden Town programme team and the MOD will continue to work closely together to progress this great development opportunity.”

Original plans for the MOD site to be unlocked for housing development, as part of the Joint Core Strategy, were put on hold in November 2016, when the Defence Infrastructure Organisation announced that a significant portion of the site would be needed for at least 10 years.

For more information about the Tewkesbury Garden Town, visit tewkesburygardentown.co.uk

Car parking charges will resume in July

Parking charges in car parks owned and managed by Tewkesbury Borough Council will resume on Monday 13 July.

Charges were temporarily suspended on Tuesday 24 March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but as government restrictions are gradually being lifted, car parking charges will soon resume.

With most non-essential retail stores reopening on Monday 15 June, the borough council will continue to suspend parking charges for a further four weeks after this date to allow traders and shoppers to become accustomed to the new safety arrangements. Following almost 16 weeks of free parking, charges will resume on Monday 13 July.

The council is urging anyone parking after 13 July to use the Ringo app on a mobile device to avoid handling cash, and there is also the option to call the Ringo number to pay over the phone. This service is now free to use.

Another option is for shoppers to use the Paypoints in Tewkesbury and Winchcombe, where parking can be paid for using a contactless card. When using Paypoint locations, drivers must take note of the car park number, found on the ticket machines and lamposts.

Councillor Robert Vines, lead member for finance and asset management said: “We hope that shoppers and traders find the extended free parking useful as they familiarise themselves with the changes put in place to make our high streets safer.

 “The charges will resume on 13 July, so in preparation, I would urge drivers to use the cashless payment system and download the Ringo app – this is the safest and most convenient way to pay. Other options are to call the Ringo number and pay over the telephone or use the PayPoints located in nearby shops.”

 The council has also temporarily increased the number of parking permits available to help residents who need off-street parking whilst working from home. For details of prices and to apply for a permit, visit: tewkesbury.gov.uk/parking-permits