Lucas Schoemaker
Lucas Schoemaker has been a district councillor since the May 2021 elections and during his first term served on the Development Control committee and on the Housing committee (as vice-chair).
He is also standing for re-election to Stroud Town Council, where he has represented Trinity ward since 2011 and where he chairs the Finance and Policy committee.
Lucas is a retired chief executive and consultant in the housing and voluntary sector and has an Open University qualification in Voluntary Sector Management.
Within Trinity ward he has been active in the campaign to stop the proposed parking permit scheme and led objections to the government’s ongoing plans to move Trinity out of the Stroud Central county council area.
He is also an active member of the Heavens Valley Action Group, which is exploring ways of protecting the Heavens’ open spaces, rights of way and ecological diversity.
If re-elected he will press for the neglected Highfield Rd Play area to be upgraded. He will also campaign for better public transport, improved road safety measures and more play opportunities.
Among his achievements he lists building up the Open House youth homelessness and cultural centre, securing Lansdown Hall for the community, helping Wayfarers to build eight affordable, community-focused homes, establishing the first shared office space in Stroud, and helping createa local organic food chain through the Oakbrook Community Farm.
Lucas is strongly in favour of improved social and economic justice, believing that the richest 5% of the population gained their wealth and power at the expense of the 95%. “There should be more quality and opportunity in the world. Those is power should be made to treat everyone else more fairly,” he says.
He grew up in the Netherlands but has lived in Stroud District since 1979 and loves the area’s diversity and artistic richness – and its natural heritage.
With a BA degree in Architecture, Lucas has a particular interest in housing, and would like to see more affordable housing and co-housing in the district and the creation of housing pods to address homelessness.
He has been involved in many initiatives set up to address social and economic needs, including: WATNOT recycling, Lansdown Hall, Five Valleys Foyer, The Exchange social enterprise centre, Oakbrook Community Farm, Stroud Common Wealth and Wayfarer Housing.
He is a campaigner for the pressure group Make Votes Matter, which aims to replace the current First Past The Post voting system with a fairer proportional representation system where every vote counts.
Lucas has five grown-up children and his hobbies include singing in a community choir, gardening and exploring the British Isles.