Badminton Road resurfacing

Claire Young has been given the following dates for the resurfacing work on Badminton Road and Station Road in Yate:

Station Road, Yate: From its junction with Westerleigh Close to North Road
20:00hrs on Friday 29th October - 06:00hrs on Monday 1st November 2010

Station Road, Yate: At its junction with Cranleigh Court Road
20:00hrs on Wednesday 3rd November 2010 - 06:00hrs on Thursday 4th November 2010
20:00hrs on Thursday 4th November 2010 - 06:00hrs on Friday 5th November 2010

Badminton Road, Yate: From the new joint at North Road down to the roundabout outside the new offices (inc. remaining area in Stover Road)
20:00hrs on Friday 5th November 2010 - 06:00hrs on Monday 8th November 2010

Badminton Road, Yate: From the new joint at North Road down to the roundabout outside the new offices (inc. remaining area in Stover Road)
20:00hrs on Friday 12th November 2010 - 06:00hrs on Monday 15th November 2010

Bus shelter farce

The scheme to replace bus shelters on the "Showcase corridors" like the A432 with ones capable of being equipped to display "real time information" has not been without its problems. In Coalpit Heath, a number of the new shelters had to be resited, in one case only after months of badgering from a resident with the help of local Councillor Claire Young.

Now you Lib Dem Focus team is shocked to learn that some of the replacement shelters won't be displaying "real time information" after all.

Cllr Ian Blair said, “I was appalled when perfectly good bus shelters in Yate were ripped out and disposed of without warning, replaced by what I believe is a lower standard of shelter, and shelters were erected at new locations without consulting any of the residents affected.”

“The justification we were given was that the new shelters could be fitted with kit providing ‘real time information’ for bus users about when buses would be arriving at the stops. We are now told that not all the shelters will get this equipment which begs the question, why did they take the old ones out? This is a shocking waste of tax payers’ money, especially at a time when every penny of spending needs to be justified. Why did the Council’s Conservative Cabinet Member responsible for transport let this happen?”

Badminton Road temporary traffic light delays to continue

It now looks like the work to put overhead electricity cables along Badminton Road underground will continue into November.

Local food and drink festival starts Friday

The 6th ‘Taste’ Local Food & Drink Festival runs from Friday 1 October to Sunday 17 October and gives you the chance to find out about local food and drink producers. Some of the local events include:

• A demonstration of how to joint different types of poultry and French trimming a loin of pork at the Tortworth Estate Shop 6.30-7.30pm on Tuesday5 October (booking required)
• Chipping Sodbury Festival of Food on Saturday 9 October, including a chocolate workshop, cake decoration, waffle making, beer tasting, bread tasting and an extended farmers' market. Find out more at www.visitchippingsodbury.com
• Brewery tour at Cotswold Spring Brewery from 10am-4pm on Saturday 9th October.
• An Orchard Harvest Day at Winterbourne Medieval Barn on Sunday 10 October from 10.30am - 3.30pm
• Dairy farm/conservation tour at New House Farm, Tytherington at 11am on Sunday 10 October (booking required)
• Another brewery tour, this time at Wickwar brewery, on Saturday 16th October from 10am-4pm

More information on the 'Taste' site.

Local organisations win grants

At the September Frome Vale Area forum, the following organisations in the Ladden-Frome area were awarded grants:

The Manor Hall Coalpit Heath - £1,200 towards the installation of disabled toilets
Wickwar Playing Fields Association - £1,200 towards vital access safety Improvements
Friends of Ram Hill Colliery - £1,000 towards a scheme of work for restoration
Dodington Parish Band - £1,200

Westerleigh smell - an open meeting

There has been an ongoing problem with a bad smell in Westerleigh. On Monday 4 October the Parish Council are holding an open meeting in the Village Hall to which representatives of Tulip, Wessex Water and the Environment Agency are invited. The representatives will be given a chance to address the meeting and there will then be a question and answer session. Flyers will be going out to all residents.

Claire Young has been working with the Parish Council in the run-up to this meeting. The South Glos environmental health team are unable to take action under "nuisance" legislation because the offence does not arise on a "premises" (sewers are not classed as such). They have however been redirecting enquiries to the Environment Agency and were able to provide contacts for the Parish Clerk to invite to the meeting.

Safer Stronger Community Group on Tuesday

The next meeting of the Frampton Cotterell, Westerleigh, Coalpit Heath and Iron Acton Safer Stronger Community Group is on Tuesday 28th September 2010 between 7.30pm and 9.30pm in Iron Acton Village Hall. There will be reports on previous priorities, including the light switch off trial between Wayleaze and Alexandra Road and the chance to set some new priorities for the coming months.

Construction lorries in the Quiet Lanes Scheme

If you see any construction lorries in the Quiet Lanes Scheme covering Henfield, Ram Hill and Kendleshire, please make a note of as many details as you can and pass them on to Claire Young (claire.young@southglos.gov.uk).

New bus link to Emersons Green NHS Treatment Centre

If you are visiting the NHS Treatment Centre at Emersons Green, you can now catch a bus from Sainsbury's to the centre, linking in with the services to the supermarket. The bus is fully accessible for those with mobility restrictions and buggies. You can read the timetable online.

Stover Road lights

If you've found yourself stuck in long queues at the Stove Road/Badminton Road junction lights, there is hope that the problems may be fixed soon.

When Claire Young passed on complaints from residents, they informed her that all the vehicle detecting loops for the traffic signals are damaged. Although Siemens have made some temporary alterations to alleviate the situation, they have only been partially successful and the traffic signals are not functioning at their optimum. The loops will be repaired in October when Badminton Road is resurfaced.

Police awards

If you would like to nominate a police officer or member of staff for an award recognising their hard work, now's your chance. The Avon and Somerset Police are looking for nominations for their fourth Community Policing Awards. To find out more and make a nomination visit the website.

Celebrating Age Open Day

Living (dlc), the local Disabled Living Centre, is holding a “Celebrating Age”OPEN DAY at the Vassall Centre, Gill Avenue, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2QQ on Wednesday 29th September 2010 10:00 am – 3:00pm. Admission is free, as is the tea/coffee and cake, and all are welcome. For information please phone 0117 9653651.

Have your say on Council budget

Back in July, Lib Dem group leader Cllr Ruth Davis won the Council's backing for a full public consultation on the Council's budget, similar to the Bristol City Council Big Budget Conversation. With the current serious economic situation the Council faces some tough decisions and the Lib Dems felt it was important that local people should have a say on how those decisions might affect the services they use. You can take part in the discussion here.

Footpath closure

Footpath PMR7 from Westerleigh Road to Howsmoor Lane will be closed until the end of March 2011 while construction work takes place.

Getting into public life

If you are interested in representing your local community, whether as a local councillor, school governor or magistrate, but don't know where to start, there is a free community learning programme to support you.

The 10 week course starts at 7pm on Monday 27 September in Yate Library. For more information, see the leaflet online.

If you are interested in standing as a Liberal Democrat Councillor in next year's elections, for South Gloucestershire Council or your local Town or Parish, please contact a member of your Focus team.

Better disabled access at polling station

On 6th May, people who tried to use the disabled access at the Manor Hall polling station found it was locked due to the pre-school operating in an adjacent room. Staff would unlock it on request, but this clearly wasn't helpful for those who turned up without someone able-bodied to access the building via the steps to ask on their behalf.

Claire Young took up the complaints and it has now been agreed that the polling station will move to the Newman Room, with the pre-school moving to the Jubilee Room. This means that the door at the top of the concrete ramp can be left open at all times and everyone should have good access.

The count will still be held in the larger Jubilee Room, as more space is needed and at that time of night the pre-school obviously won't be operating.

Visit Ram Hill Colliery and other heritage sites this weekend

Over the next few days there are a whole range of ways you can find out more about our local heritage.

The Friends of Ram Hill Colliery will be holding an open day at the site on Sunday 12th September from 10am until 4pm,with guided tours from 10.15 to 2.30pm. In nearby Coalpit Heath you can visit St Saviours Church on Saturday (10.00am – 3.00pm) and Sunday (2:00pm – 4:00pm).

You can visit Wickwar Town Hall by appointment on Fri 10th and Sat 11th September 10.00am – 4.00pm (contact Mrs P. A. Trull, trull@btinternet.com or 01454 299120.

You can find out more on these and many other events by viewing the South Glos Heritage Open Days leaflet online.

If you're interested in places further afield, look at the national Heritage Open Days website.

Frome Vale Area Forum tonight

The Frome Vale Area Forum is at 7pm this evening at Frampton Cotterell C of E School. Along with the usual open session for you to raise issues, there will be displays on the Joint Local Transport Plan and South Glos Council's review of licensing policy and the committee will be making decisions on grants for local organisations.

Have your say on transport - this Tuesday

South Gloucestershire Council and the other three councils that make up the West of England Partnership are currently putting together the Joint Local Transport Plan for the next 15 years. There will be a consultation event in Yate Shopping Centre on Tuesday 7 September from 11am to 3pm. Residents can complete a questionnaire at www.transportmatters.org or pick up a paper copy at the library, where you can also read the draft plan. The consultation deadline is Monday 4th October.