Join the Big Conversation To Shape Gloucestershire’s 2050 Vision

Via press release from Cotswold District Council.

Ambitious plans for the future of our County over the next 30 years will be unveiled at the launch of the Gloucestershire 2050 Big Conversation on Thursday 1 February which takes place from 3pm to 6pm at Cheltenham Racecourse. Cotswold District Council is urging local residents, businesses and organisations to be there so that they can help to shape the Gloucestershire 2050 Vision.

The event will include the announcement of eight potential ambitions for the future of the county and six major projects that could radically transform the county’s reputation on the national and international stage, as well as delivering significant improvements in the quality of life for local people.

The Big Launch will also mark the opening of a six-month programme of public engagement activity to develop the Gloucestershire 2050 Vision, and collect alternative ideas from residents and organisations.

CDC Cabinet Member for Enterprise and Partnerships, Cllr Chris Hancock, is looking forward to the launch: “The Gloucestershire 2050 Vision is a very exciting venture, and it is of vital importance that the Cotswolds is represented effectively at the Big Launch by both those in the 16 to 25 year age group and also older residents. The organisers want the conversation to evolve into an agreement on what people want Gloucestershire to be like by 2050 and how people can come together to overcome potential obstacles and realise ambitions.  There will be many opportunities to engage, including the use of social media, video, and attendance at action days.”

Stephen Marston, Vice Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire, added: “Gloucestershire is a fantastic place to live with bustling towns, a historic city, innovative businesses and beautiful countryside. But we face some major challenges over the next 30 years that will have a significant impact on all our lives if we don’t take action to address them. 400 people in the 18-30 age bracket are leaving the county every year to seek work elsewhere. Our working age population is only increasing by 1.4% a year but we’re expecting the number of people aged over 65 to increase by 66.8% by the year 2039. We need to make sure that Gloucestershire offers a great quality of life for every generation, based upon shared values, and that means we need to explore some big ideas for how we could do things differently.”

Tickets to the Gloucestershire 2050 Vision Big Launch on 1 February are free. Book your place now!

The Big Launch has been organised by the University of Gloucestershire on behalf of Leadership Gloucestershire, a partnership of the county’s leading public sector organisations.  The exhibition-style event will include stands hosted by a range of innovative local businesses and organisations that are shaping the way that Gloucestershire residents will live, work and study in the future.

For more information visit www.glos2050.com.