Merry Christmas

 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers from your Focus Team.

Have your say on Ruffet Road plans

Earlier this year we reported the good news that South Glos had finally given the go ahead for the third phase of the Quiet Lanes Scheme in Kendleshire. This will involve installing a gateway treatment at the Badminton Road/Ruffet Road junction, to highlight to drivers that they are entering a more rural area where they should expect to find walkers, cyclists and horse riders sharing the lanes.

At a meeting in the summer, one option discussed was closing the slip road. This hasn't proved possible due to the utilities buried there. Residents and Claire Young held a further meeting with officers in November to look at revised plans.

Now officers want your views on their proposals. You can view and comment on the plans on the South Glos website until 27th January.

South Glos moves out of the slow lane

Fast broadband is vital for many local residents and businesses. While some local authorities have already claimed their share of Government money for improvements and others have submitted plans, until now South Glos had only got as far as starting a consultation to gather evidence of demand:

http://www.southglos.gov.uk/broadband

Now though there is good news as South Glos has announced it is joining Wiltshire and Swindon’s project, described as the most advanced in the country. This will speed up the roll-out of superfast broadband to rural areas and should bring significant savings. The process of inviting bids from commercial suppliers is set to begin in spring 2012, with the contract announcement due in the summer. Work to install the network is expected to begin by December 2012, with the first residents and businesses able to sign up for superfast broadband from 2013. The Council has changed the deadline for completing its surveys to 29th February 2012 to fit in with these plans.

Local MP Steve Webb, who has been campaigning for faster broadband in our area, has urged local people to fill in the online surveys and spread the word to friends, family and colleagues. As well as holding meetings with South Glos, Steve has spoken to Virgin about getting cable to more areas and has met BT at Westminster. He stressed to them the urgent need to get improved broadband in South Glos and BT is providing information to help South Glos in preparing its plans.

Planning applications return to committee

The applications for outdoor activities at Box Hedge Farm and a Wessex Water sewage holding tank in a Badminton Road layby are both on the agenda for the Development Control (West) planning committee on Thursday 5th January. In both cases, the committee deferred the applications so more information could be supplied.

You can view the agenda and the officer reports online.

Bins and buses over Christmas

If you're wondering when your recycling and rubbish will be collected over Christmas, you can find out on the South Glos website. On the same page you can also find out the opening times for the Sort IT centres and the best way to dispose of your Christmas tree and cards when the time comes.

South Glos has also provided details of changes to local bus timetables over Christmas.

Henfield Road closure postponed

Last Wednesday night the section of Henfield Road between the Station Road junction and the Ram Hill junction immediately to the south of the viaduct should have been closed to enable a safety inspection to be carried out on the viaduct. Unfortunately the weather was too bad for the inspection to take place, so it is now planned to happen between 10pm on Weds 18th January amd 6am on Thurs 19th January.

Royal seal of approval for Armadillo

HRH The Earl of Wessex (Prince Edward) came to Yate on Tuesday 13th December to visit the Armadillo Youth Cafe and Venue. Despite a storm that delayed his helicopter flight, the Earl spent a long time talking to the young people and the organisers behind the venture.

There was some good coverage in the newspapers - check out the reports on the Gazette and Evening Post websites.

The Armadillo has its own website where photos of the visit will appear in the near future (click on the Cafe icon, then Royal Visit). You can also take a virtual tour of the building.

Update: You can now view photos here.

Nibley Lane Closure

Nibley Lane will be closed from 9.30am until 2.30pm on Tuesday 20th December for cleaning.

Bus stop markings

The Greater Bristol Bus Network project has been trying to encourage more people to use buses by improving bus shelters and other infrastructure on key routes.  As part of this, South Glos is going to install some additional raised kerbs on the Bristol-Yate corridor and change some of the existing bus stop clearway markings so the buses can line up properly with the raised kerbs. You can see what's planned and make any comments you may have on the South Glos website - the closing date is 23rd December. Subject to comments, the work is expected to be carried out in the new year.

Improving safety on our roads

At the recent Frome Vale Area Forum, your Focus Team won funding for several road safety schemes in our area.

A large number of people turned out from Iron Acton, Frampton Cotterell, Mayshill and Coalpit Heath to give their views on how best to improve road safety on Frampton End Road. The committee awarded £12,500 so that officers can investigate a number of different options, including lower speed limits and closing the road. There will then be a public consultation so all residents affected by the officers' proposals can have their say. Any scheme that comes out of that consultation will only be implemented when further funding is provided.

Money was also awarded for schemes to make it safer for children walking to school. Children cross Park Lane from Clyde Road to Rectory Road beside the Live & Let Live en route for Cof E and Winterbourne International. £10,000 was allocated for "wigwag lights" here,which are required for a school crossing patrol, and a further £5000 was allocated to investigate road safety issues highlighted in the Frampton Cotterell C of E School travel plan.

Henfield Road closure

The section of Henfield Road between the Station Road junction and the Ram Hill junction immediately to the south of the viaduct is expected to close between 10pm on Wednesday 14th December and 6am on Thursday 15th December. This is to enable a safety inspection to be carried out on the viaduct.

North Road closure

North Road is expected to be closed from its junction with Armstrong Way to the bridge over the River Frome between 6am and 8am on Monday 12th December so that the road can be cleaned. This is necessary to avoid flooding.

Congratulations to Crossbow Pre-school

Crossbow Pre-school has won £6000 towards renovating St Peters Hall from the the NatWest Community Force competition. Well done to all involved!

Support Fromeside Youth Centre

Would you like better youth facilities in the Frampton Cotterell area? Ryan Wood is a young entrepreneur and fund raiser who is trying to get £18,000 towards the Skate Park and Social Enterprise at Fromeside Youth Centre. You can back his idea on "The Stake" website.

Nominate a community hero

Do you know someone in your community whose work deserves to be recognised? If so, go to www.southglos.gov.uk/communityawards before 3 February 2012 to nominate them for a community award. The award winners will be invited to a ceremony at  BAWA, Filton on 29 March 2012.

Westerleigh odour update

The following update has been agreed with all involved following the most recent meeting of the Odour Working Group:

Westerleigh Parish Council’s Odour Working Group met on 16^th November following an increase in reported smells in the late summer. All reports are logged and when analysed the data showed a general pattern of smell reports building up through a week, with most reports on late Thursday and Friday. However, it was noted that there have been no reports since early September.

The Management Team at Tulip advised that since March of this year they have carried out a daily ‘sniff test’, which they record in a log. Since identifying an effluent tank filter failure in the summer, Tulip has invested around £8,000 in a new five stage filtration system to replace the old one. The filters change colour to warn that they need replacing and because there are multiple filters, even if one does fail it should not lead to odours escaping.

Wessex Water has received no reports of occurrences directly. Dosing is continuing at Kidney Hill pumping station and nothing has changed. They again confirmed that there is adequate flow capacity within the sewer system.

Whilst the situation again seems to be improving, it is vital that local residents report any odour occurrences as they happen. If it is reported immediately, persons can be on site very quickly to try to establish the cause. When reporting any odours please be descriptive as possible and as accurate as you can about the time and location.

For all smells call:

Environment Agency’s 24 hours a day 365 days a year freephone number 0800 80 70 60.

If you think it may be coming from the abattoir, please also call:

Tulip Ltd 0117 957 1919

If you think it may be coming from the sewers, please also call:

Wessex Water 0845 600 4 600

You might also like to inform:

Westerleigh Parish Clerk  Fiona Thornton on 01454 864433 or email westerleighpc@btinternet.com

District Councillor Claire Young on 01454 864086 or email claire.young@southglos.gov.uk

Vince Cable opens National Composites Centre

On Thursday, Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, opened the new multi-million pound National Composites Centre at the Science Park. The aim of the centre is to speed up new products going from the laboratory to the shop-floor.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said, “Here in the UK we are very good at invention, but we need to do more to innovate and turn our ideas into products and jobs. I don’t want the UK to miss out on any opportunities to create economic growth through manufacturing."

“This centre will work with our world class universities and international businesses based in the South West and across the UK, to develop and commercialise new technologies. Its work will strengthen our manufacturing sector, exploiting the next generation of advanced composites materials and helping maintain our global lead in this technology area. I look forward to seeing what they produce.”

Claire Young, whose ward neighbours the new centre, also attended the ceremony. "Speaking to representatives of small and medium-sized businesses at the event, it was clear how important this facility will be to them. It makes new technologies available to them and brings together research and manufacturing to the benefit of both."

"There was some fascinating technology on display, from a machine that cuts a range of materials using a jet of water to accelerate abrasive particles to scanners for identifying flaws inside composites. I hope local businesses will be able to take advantage of these new opportunities."

North Road closure

North Road is expected to be closed from its junction with Millbrook Road to its junction with Armstrong Way from 9am to 4.30pm on Sunday 27th November so that tree safety works can be carried out.

Folly Brook Road roadworks

There is expected to be a temporary ban on turning left into Folly Brook Road from the A4174 Ring Road from 28th November to 2nd December. This is so that the badly deteriorated road surface can be repaired.

Have your say on "Fairer Contributions Policy"

South Glos Council is asking you to have your say on how social care users contribute to the care they receive. Your Focus Team would also be interested to hear your views.

Bags for cardboard recycling - update

South Gloucestershire Council took down the web page we advised you to check for updates on when more bags for cardboard recycling would be available. We're now told that you can ring 01454 868000 and ask for a bag to be delivered to your home.

B4059 - speed limit change

South Glos Council are planning to reduce speed limits on the B4059 between its junction with Bristol Road and Earthcott, and the section of the B4059 called 'Yate Road' from the roundabout with Iron Acton Way to Stover Road. You can find out more and have your say on the Council's website.

More cardboard recycling bags coming!

Despite having insisted there would be no more bags for cardboard recycling, South Glos have caved in to the huge demand and ordered some more.

Over the last few months your Focus Team has been challenging the Tory Cabinet Member responsible to sort out the chaotic distribution of the first 40,000 bags and last week he admitted lessons needed to be learnt. Many people were unaware the bags were ready to collect and where from as the Council didn’t tell them. By the time they found out via the grapevine the bags were gone. Others who did strike lucky were able to walk off with dozens at a time. Trying to find out which distribution points still had bags was nigh on impossible with the website not reflecting the situation on the ground.

We’re now told the new bags will be distributed in the same way as all the other recycling bags. You will be able to call the Council Contact Centre on 01454 868000 to request one and it will be delivered to your house. The Council don’t yet know when the new bags will arrive but they promise that the latest updates will be on their website. Let’s hope this new process works much more smoothly.

Apply for grants now

If your community group would like to apply for a small revenue grant from South Gloucestershire Council, you have until December 5th to make your application. Several local groups were successful in gaining Capital Grants at the last Frome Vale Area Forum so it's well worth applying. You can find out more on the South Glos website.

More houses for our villages?

Representatives of Barratts have had a meeting with a South Gloucestershire Planning Officer as they are preparing a planning application for Woodlands in Coalpit Heath. This is the remaining fields between The Meads (the new houses currently being built next to Park Lane) and the railway line.

This area of land is over twice the size of The Meads so there could be a very large number of houses built there. Details of what is proposed are expected later this month.

Please let us know whether you are opposed to yet more houses here or whether they would be acceptable if they came with more local facilities. You can find contact details for Pat, Dave and Claire here.

Box Hedge Farm application deferred

On Thursday the planning committee deferred a decision on the Box Hedge Farm application to a later committee meeting. They asked for more information on traffic management on Westerleigh Road, the plans for passing places on Box Hedge Lane and the range of the guns used for the clay pigeon shooting.

Managed motorway plans - find out more

The Highways Agency are to hold two exhibitions to explain their plans for the M4 between junctions 19 and 20 and the M5 between junctions 15 and 17.

The Agency will start preparatory work for an £88.6m managed motorway scheme on Monday 7th November. The scheme will involve using variable speed limits and using the hard shoulder as an extra traffic lane to ease congestion. The work in full is expected to start between January and March 2012, with completion in 2013-14.

The details of the work will be made public at exhibitions in Bradley Stoke on Friday 4th and Patchway on Saturday 4th November. The prepatory work will include installing traffic management and site clearance. The hard shoulder will be closed in sections, with three lanes open in both directions. A 50mph speed limit, enforced with average speed safety cameras, will also be in place for the safety of road users and the workforce.

The M4 M5 public exhibitions will be held at:

Baileys Court Activity Centre
Baileys Court Road
Bradley Stoke
BS32 8BH
on Friday 4 November, between 2 pm and 8 pm;

and:

Coniston Community Centre
The Parade
Coniston Road
Patchway
BS34 5LP
on Saturday 5 November, between 10 am and 4 pm.

You can find out more on the Highways Agency website.

Nibley Lane closure

Nibley Lane is expected to be closed from 9.30am to 2.30pm on Thursday 3rd November. This is to allow the road to be cleaned.

Nominate your local sporting hero now

You have until Friday 28th October to nominate your local sporting hero for an "Active South Gloucestershire" sports award. There are a range of categories:

• Sportsman of the Year
• Sportswoman of the Year
• Young sportsperson of the Year (awarded to members of a Sport England ‘Accredited’ Sports Club)
• Young sportsman, sportswoman and disability sportsperson category
• Sports coach award
• The Sports Link award (awarded to a Sport England ‘accredited’ sports club which has done the most to promote club/school links. Proposals must be independent of the club)
• School sport award (separate primary and secondary school category, awarded to the school which has done the most to promote school sport and physical activity to young people. Proposals must be independent of the school)
• School sport award individual - primary and secondary category (proposals must be independent of the school)
• Team award (awarded to teams who have excelled i e school, adults, Sport England ‘accredited’ sports clubs)
• Personal Achievement Award - sponsored by the Active Partnership
• James Clifford Memorial Award (awarded to sporting and leisure industry professionals for innovation, creativity and / or provision of excellent customer service) James was the popular marketing manager for Circadian Trust (who run SouthGloucestershire Leisure & Sports centres) who sadly passed away this year.
• Community sport award - sponsored by Airbus UK (awarded for outstanding contribution to a lifetime of sport)

All nominees for the awards, which are sponsored by Airbus and the Active Partnership (a partnership between South Gloucestershire Council, South Gloucestershire Leisure Trust and NHS South Gloucestershire to increase participation in physical activity) must live within South Gloucestershire or be involved with a South Gloucestershire club or school.

You can find out more on the South Glos website.

Planning committee to consider Box Hedge Farm application

The Development Control (West) planning committee will consider the Box Hedge Farm application this Thursday. The meeting will be held in Thornbury and will start at 2.30pm. Box Hedge Farm is the first application on the agenda, although there are a few other items before the applications. You can see the agenda, including the officer’s report recommending approval, online.

Badminton Road closure - update

The nightime one-way closure on Badminton Road will now happen from 17th-20th October inclusive and 25th to 27th inclusive. Cyclists can pass through the closure, as directed by site staff.

Badminton Road closure

From 17th to 24th October, Badminton Road will be closed to northbound traffic except buses at the motorway bridge just north of the ring road between 7pm and 6am. Southbound traffic (coming from Yate) will be controlled by temporary traffic lights. This is to allow the bridge over the M4 to be inspected. Major delays are inevitable.

Planning committee to visit Box Hedge Farm

The Development Control (West) planning committee will visit Box Hedge Farm on Friday to look at the impact of the activities on surrounding homes. They won't be making any decisions on the application on site, that will come later at a meeting of the committee in Thornbury. There will be an opportunity for supporters and objectors to speak, as well as the local member Claire Young. The committee is expected to arrive at around 11.30am, although as it is the last item on the agenda there is the possibility of a delay.

You can view the application and the agenda for Friday online. Please contact Claire if you have any queries.

School bus re-routed due to weak bridge

An emergency 13T weight limit has been imposed on the bridge that takes Church Road over the River Frome. As a result, the 960 Yate - Winterbourne International Academy School bus has had to be re-routed.

School days only
North Corner, Western Coach House    07:50    
Iron Acton, White Hart    07:54    
Iron Acton school     07:55    
Frampton Cotterell, Post Office    08:04    
Frampton Cotterell, Rising Sun    08:05    
Frampton Cotterell, Heather Avenue    08:09
Coalpit Heath, Church    08:15    
Lower Stone Close    08:20    
Winterbourne International Academy    08:30

Winterbourne International Academy    15:25
Coalpit Heath, Church    15:35
Lower Stone Close    15:39
Frampton Cotterell, Post Office    15:40
Frampton Cotterell, Rising Sun    15:42
Frampton Cotterell, Heather Avenue    15:45
Iron Acton school    16:00
Iron Acton, Rose & Crown    16:01
Then non stop to W.I.A. North Corner, Western Coach House    16:05

Get your electric blanket tested

Book now to get your electric blanket tested for free next Friday, 14th October, at Yate Fire Station. To make a booking, call South Glos on 01454 863632.

Nationally, around 1,000 fires are caused by faulty electric blankets each year. Before you buy a blanket make sure it carries a recognised approval mark, such as the British Electrotechnical Approvals Board (BEAB) mark, or the International Standard number EN 60967.Don’t buy second hand and have your blanket inspected by the manufacturer or a qualified electrician in accordance with their instructions, usually every three years.

Yate Safer Stronger Community Group tonight

If you've got a concern in the Yate police beat area (which includes the rural part of Dodington Parish) come along to the latest Safer Stronger Community Group meeting tonight. It starts at 7pm at Shire Way Community Centre.

Victory on Yate train overcrowding

We're happy to announce the end of the long fight to get extra train carriages from Yate. From December the 7.40 and 8.09, and the return journeys from Temple Meads at 14.41, 15.41, 16.41 and 17.10 will each have an extra carriage. First Great Western told us this good news at the Friends of Yate Station meeting on Monday.

Also for those affected by the complete failure of the commuter train service to Bristol on the morning of Monday 26th, Nigel at the station has forms for users to obtain refunds, or you can claim via the passenger charter.

Ruffet Road and Coalsack Lane cleaning

Ruffet Road (from Badminton Road to Coalsack Lane junction) and Coalsack Lane is expected to be closed from 9.30am until 2.30pm on 10th October to allow the road to be deep cleaned. The road closure notice allows the Council to close the road at any time in the five days from 10th October.

Bus service changes

• The London Bus X2C service into Bristol, which only started in June, has been withdrawn from service as there have been fewer passengers than expected.
• From 30th October, there will be an additional 327 journey at 1940 (1935 Saturdays) from Yate to Bristol.
• Also from 30th October, there will be minor changes to early morning and evening times and on Mondays to Fridays the 0833 X42 journey from Chipping Sodbury will be withdrawn.

Recyling banks to be removed

This week recycling banks will be removed from a number of places across South Glos including:

• Charfield - Railway Tavern
• Coalpit Heath - Badminton Arms
• Cromhall - Royal Oak Inn
• Falfield - Park Hotel
• Frampton Cotterell - The Rising Sun and the Royal British Legion
• Leyhill - HM Prison
• Westerleigh - Ye Olde Inne
• Yate - shopping centre overflow car park, Broad Lane Council offices, and YOSC

Resources are being re-allocated to providing recycling facilities for blocks of flats that don't currently have them. Please let your Focus Team know if you have concerns.

Filton Airfield consultation

A few weeks ago we posted about our concerns that the delay in the Public Inquiry for the Core Strategy may leave our countryside at risk of unwanted development.

Officers at South Glos have been working hard to provide the extra information the Inspector has requested. One area of extra work is on the closure of Filton Airfield. The Council will be holding some drop in exhibitions, some staffed, others unstaffed. You can find details of all the exhibitions and view the exhibition material online. The deadline for comments is Monday 24 October 2011.

Your Focus Team is also very interested to hear your views. You can find all our contact details here.

Help win money for local projects

You can help support local projects by voting for them on the Nat West Community Force website.

Projects in our area include:

• Armadillo youth cafe, Yate - kitting out a radio studio, to be led by young people, which will broadcast a full range of news, sports reports, adverts for local firms and groups and gigs by local bands
• Crossbow Pre-School - renovating the community hall, which they and many other community groups use
• Friends of Ram Hill Colliery - preserving a wall
• Great Western Air Ambulance - covering the cost of 6 missions
• Paul's Place, Coalpit Heath - a year long sports project, to support up to 50 disabled people to visit a leisure centre regularly to use the gym, play team games and do yoga and relaxation
• St Saviours Church Hall - refurbishing the church hall, which is heavily used by the local community
• The Seven Angels Animal Sanctuary, Westerleigh - expanding and improving their sanctuary for unwanted farm animals

If you are unable to access the online site to vote, contact the Nat West CommunityForce helpline on 0800 2100 246. Or if you need minicom etc. call 0800 0155 545. They will be happy to let you know which charities, projects and groups have applied in your area.

You will be able to see all of the applications made in your local area.

Each person can vote up to three times, in any area. You can only vote once for each cause. You may decide only to vote for one cause, or may pick up to three. Multiple voting is controlled by way of email address therefore you will be required to register before you can vote.

How to vote

To register please go to https://communityforce.natwest.com/user/register and put in your email address and a password. Once complete an email will be sent to you, please click the link to register. You are now ready to vote! Go to the projects you want to vote for and click to vote.

Please get your colleagues to join in. Why not post it to your Facebook, Twitter, blog or other page?

Links to the CommunityForce site can be posted on social media sites etc. This is a great way to help get as many votes as possible. So do please join in the fun and get posting!

NHS consultation - meeting tonight

North Bristol NHS Trust plan to become a Foundation Trust from December 2012. They want to know your views on the plans and are holding a meeting at Frenchay Hospital tonight, Wednesday 28 September. The meeting runs from 7pm to 8.30pm in the Monica Britton Museum. More information is available on the Trust's website.

Main View to be resurfaced

Weather permitting, Main View, Coalpit Heath will be resurfaced on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th September.

Scrap metal thefts - police appeal for help

Avon and Somerset Police are asking for your help to reduce scrap metal thefts.

Scrap metal theft is an increasing problem across the country and our local force has been targetting the problem as part of "Operation Relentless".You can read updates on the police website.

At last week's Safer Stronger Community Group meeting in Coalpit Heath, local beat manager Finbar Simmons asked local people to help prevent thefts, by improving their security and not leaving metal out, and to pass on any information they have to the police. For more detailed advice, please check this page.

Is your home safe for winter?

Avon Fire and Rescue Service want to help you make sure you stay safe this winter. At the recent Safer Stronger Community Group meeting in Coalpit Heath they highlighted a number of services:

• Home Fire Safety Visits
• Firework safety
• Electric blanket testing - take your blankets to Yate Fire Station between 9.30am and 4pm on Friday 14 October to have them tested for free

You can also find out more on their website about other winter safety issues like chimney fires.

Facilities for young people

Are you a young person looking for activities in Frampton Cotterell and Coalpit Heath? Or could you or your business help support youth activities in our area?

Fromeside Youth Centre offers a range of activities for different ages. During the day they hold training sessions and run an inclusion project for young people referred from their schools. On Monday there is a youth club for years 8 to 12, on Tuesday an after school club for years 7 and 8. On Wednesday and Thursday the youth workers work in the local area away from the centre itself and the centre plays host to an autism group on Thursdays. On Friday the centre is open to young people in years 8-13. For more information on this and all the other South Glos-run Youth Centres, including the Brockeridge Youth Centre, go to the Youth Unlimited website.

At the recent Safer Stronger Community Group meeting in Coalpit Heath, youth worker Charlie Williams explained some of the work being done at Fromeside Youth Centre. They have won grants for a new hard court area outside and an indoor skate park but are always looking for more support. Please contact your local Focus Team if you can help.

Claire Young has been looking into activities for young people from Coalpit Heath. Some already go to the Brockeridge Centre but it lacks capacity to extend the sessions. Claire is speaking to another venue.

'Taste' is back

The annual 'Taste' South Gloucestershire Local Food & Drink Festival is back for its 7th year from Friday 23rd September until Sunday 9th October. You might want to tour the Wickwar or Cotswold Spring Breweries, visit Chipping Sodbury Farmers' Market or get money-saving meat preparation tips at the Tortworth Estate shop. For more information, take a look at the online version of the leaflet.

Footes Lane resurfacing

Footes Lane will be resurfaced from 19th-21st September. The work will be carried out between 7am and 5pm and traffic will be controlled with what South Glos call "signing and guarding". Bad weather or other problems may lead to the work being delayed.

Westerleigh Road roadworks

Watch out for delays on Westerleigh road between Henfield Road and Folly Brook road. Temporary traffic lights will be used as and when required for the installation of telecommunications duct and cables. The work is planned to end by 8th October.

Well done to local groups

Community groups in the Ladden-Frome area had a successful night at the recent Area Forum. Grants were awarded to:

• Fascinating Rhythm - Enhancing equipment and performance - £1,325.00 
• Tytherington Village Shop - Extension for the Village Shop - £2,000.00 
• St Saviours Church Hall - Church Hall refurbishment - £2,000.00 
• Dodington Parish Band - Music and uniforms - £1,950.00 
• Friends of Ram Hill Colliery - Conservation of wall at Ram Hill Colliery - £1,250.00 
• Westerleigh Village Hall - Health and Safety Iniative - £1,225.00 
• South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group - Serridge Engine Site - North Side Preservation - £1,250.00 
• The Manor Hall, Coalpit Heath - Community Play Area - £2,000.00 
• King George V Memorial Hall - Sanding and Polishing of Hall Floor - £2,000.00 

The next round of revenue grants will launch on 24th October with a closing date of 5th December. You can find out more on the South Glos website.

Planning committee to decide on Box Hedge Farm application

The application to allow outdoor activities to be run at Box Hedge Farm is to be decided by the planning committee. It is likely that the site inspection will take place on 14^th October so it can be considered at the Development Control (West) meeting on 27^th October.

Don't lose your vote

The Register of Electors forms are arriving on our doormats. Don't forget to return yours! If you aren't on the electoral register you can't vote in elections - and the register also gets checked if you apply for credit.

It doesn't take long to fill out the form. If there are no changes you can simply do it by telephone or online. Remember that if you won't want your details used for marketing, you need to tick the right-hand column on the form, confirm that to the person on the telephone or tick the box on the online-form.

Find out more about local heritage

From Thursday 8th - Sunday 11th September you have the chance to find out more about local heritage. Local sites featured include Ram Hill Colliery (left) and St Saviour's Church. For more information about sites here and elsewhere visit the Heritage Open Days website.

Badminton Road street light switch-off - an update

Earlier in the year we reported that South Glos were planning on turning some of the lights on Badminton Road off in the early hours to save money and help the environment. Your Focus Team was concerned though that no consultation with residents was planned and got agreement that the change should be delayed until local people had had a chance to comment on the proposals.

It's now been agreed that the changes won't be made until April 2012 so that consultation can take place during the autumn and winter. A South Glos officer will attend a meeting of each of the Parish Councils and each of the Safer Strong Community Groups affected. They will write to local people to let them know about the Parish meeting.

Countryside at risk

Your Focus Team is worried that more of our countryside could be at risk.

The Public Inquiry to consider the plans for future development in South Gloucestershire, the Core Strategy, will not go ahead in October as planned. The Inspector appointed by the Government has told the council it must think again about how many homes will be needed, in the light of the latest population forecasts and the Minister's view that development should go ahead where possible. He also wants the Council to put forward proposals for the development of Filton Airfield and to justify the Green Belt boundaries.

It is really important to get the Core Strategy in place as the Minister has indicated he will be minded to give permission for planning applications when Councils have not got up to date plans. South Glos Council has written to the Inspector saying they can be ready for a Public Inquiry in February. Local people will be invited to workshops to discuss possible new proposals and there will then be public consultation on any changes towards the end of the year.

The Inspector's letter and the Council's response can be viewed on the South Glos website.

Bags for cardboard - out of stock, more promised

South Glos seems to have been taken by surprise by the demand for the bags for cardboard recycling.  According to this page all distribution points are out of stock at the time of writing. There will be a second wave of bags available in mid-September.

Sadly we know some residents didn't even realise the bags were available. Officers say it would be too expensive to notify everyone with a tag on their bin, so people who don't read blogs like this one or the local papers may well have missed out. We know from the surveys we did in the spring and winter that many of you were concerned about the lack of containers for cardboard. Let's hope that when the next batch of bags becomes available everyone who wants one can get one.

Road closures in Winterbourne

You might want to avoid driving through Winterbourne in the evening for the next week.

From 31st August - 7th September, road resurfacing will take place in Flaxpits Lane, Dragon Road and Beacon Lane. The work will be done between roughly 8pm and 6am. From 31st to 2nd, Flaxpits Lane and Dragon Road will be closed to through traffic overnight with diversions in place. When the work moves to Beacon Lane there will be temporary traffic lights. All times and dates are subject to change due to bad weather or other problems.

First Bus raise fares

On Sunday, First Bus increased the price of adult and children, single and return tickets between 5p and 20p depending on the length of the journey. They have also introduced three new season tickets and are reducing prices for a limited period on some of the existing ones.
 
More information on the First Bus website.

New police non-emergency number - 101 coming soon

From 19th September you will be able to contact Avon and Somerset Police by calling them on 101.

Part of a national programme to make it easier for you to contact your local police, 101 will be used for non-emergencies such as:

• reporting a crime
• contacting local officers
• getting crime prevention advice
• making us aware of policing issues in your local area
• making an appointment with a police officer
• for any other non-emergency

Key Facts

101 will not replace 999, which will continue to be used for emergencies.
It will replace the existing 0845 number, although there will be a period when both numbers will be available.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, you can textphone the police on 18001 101
Calls to 101 from landlines and mobiles cost 15 pence per call, no matter what time of day you call or how long your call lasts.
International callers, those in the UK residing outside of England and Wales and those residing in local force areas currently awaiting access to 101 should call 0845 456 7000 to contact Avon and Somerset Police.

Remember...

999 should be used for an emergency, when a crime is happening, someone suspected of a crime is nearby, someone is injured, being threatened or in danger.

For more information about 101, please take a look at the police Frequently Asked Questions

Sixty sheep stolen from field near Bagstone

Police are appealing for information following the theft of sixty sheep from a field near Bagstone. You can read more on the Avon and Somerset police website.

Free cardboard recycling bags

To help stop cardboard blowing around our streets, South Gloucestershire Council is providing local residents that want one with a FREE bag for recycling cardboard. 

They will be available from 22 August on a first come, first served basis (one per household) from the following local places:

• Yate Leisure Centre
• Yate Library
• Chipping Sodbury Library
• Yate Town Council (Poole Court)
• Dodington Parish Council (Dodington Parish Hall, Finch Rd)
• Frampton Cotterell Parish Council (Brockeridge Centre)

Other locations are listed on the South Glos cardboard recycling web page

If you have a disability or mobility issue and there is no one else that can collect a bag for you, South Glos may be able to arrange delivery. Please contact 01454 863593 or email waste.management@southglos.gov.uk to talk about your situation.
(Delivery may take up to 10 working days)

Latest on speed limit reductions

You may have read in the Gazette that the Council has now advertised the B4465, Westerleigh Road and Nibley Lane scheme. This is the next stage in the legal process for introducing the speed limits.

In the paper it says that the deadline for comments is 1^st September. However, Claire Young spotted a mistake in the Notice of Proposal and raised this with officers. As a result a corrected Notice of Proposal has been issued and the deadline has been extended to 12 September 2012.

You can see all the details of the consultation on the South Glos website.

Reporting odours in Westerleigh village

The bad airborne odours in Westerleigh village last week appear to have been related to a filter failure at Tulip. The filter was replaced but there has been one further report earlier this week. The Environment Agency officer who has been dealing with the case has been on leave and will be sending Claire Young the formal report on her visit to Tulip that she made at the end of July on her return.

It is very important for those involved to learn of problems as soon as possible, so that they can try to identify the source. If the smell appears to be coming from Tulip, please call 0117 957 1919. If you also call the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60 it may be possible for someone to make a visit to the village if it is during office hours.

Could you help the Friends of Ram Hill Colliery?

The Friends of Ram Hill Colliery are still looking for a new Chair and also volunteers for gardening at the site on a Wednesday or the 2nd or 4th Sunday of the month. If you can help please contact David Godden at da.godden@btinternet.com .

If you'd like to find out more about the site, why not go along to the Heritage Open Day between 10am and 4.30pm on Sunday 11th September. Or if you'd like to raise money to help the work of the Friends, get a quiz team together for Thursday 22nd September in the Miners Institute. To book a table call Steve and Liz Hillyard on 0117 923 6595. 

Yate X-Ray - your views please!

We reported recently that the X-ray facility in the new West Gate Centre at Yate has started closing at 5pm due to lack of patients in the early evening. Focus councillors persuaded health chiefs to run a survey that asks you, the residents of the area about the hours and services you want at the Minor Injuries Unit, the X-ray facilities, and the outpatient clinics.

You can click here to complete the survey online, or download a copy to print out and send to a Freepost address or drop in to the NHS reception desk at the Yate West Gate Centre.

This letter from the NHS to residents explains more about the background to the survey.

Please take part in this survey to make sure that we get the local health service we want and need. The survey will run until Friday 30 September.

Good news on SORT IT! Centres

 From 1st August there will be improvements at the SORT IT! centres, including the one at Yate.

• Extended opening hours - every day from 8am until 6.30pm until Friday 30 September, 8am to 4.30pm in winter
• New materials recycled - rigid plastics like children's toys, cooking oil, printer cartridges, books, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, reusable items
• Extra staff to help visitors and make sure only South Glos residents use the sites

Users of small double-axle trailers will be glad that the ban on those has ended, but transit-size vans will now be limited to using the site between 10am and 2pm Monday to Friday, and 8am and 12noon on Saturdays.

You can read more here and here. Note that if you ever use the Stoke Gifford SORT IT! centre the arrangements are slightly different.

Pavement to be repaired

After Claire Young took up complaints from local residents, the pavement near "The Wishing Well" pub (formerly the "Codrington Arms") is going to be repaired. The Council will also put up a couple of reflective bollards to stop lorries driving on to the pavement and causing further damage.

Post-16 education travel problems

Are you or someone you know unable to access education post-16 because of lack of transport?

Most young people over 16 have to fund their own transport to school or college. But for some in rural areas there is no bus available and it is too far to cycle or walk. At last night's Council meeting Pat Hockey asked the South Glos Cabinet Members responsible for transport and schools to look into this problem. Please get in touch with Pat if it affects you.

Scammers target businesses

Yesterday we posted a warning about scammers targetting local residents, but consumers are not the only ones to fall victim. Businesses too are targetted. One scam is the ‘advertising scam’.

Your business may receive a phone call about placing an advert in a publication such as a wall planner or directory in aid of drugs awareness in schools, the emergency services or another charitable purpose.You may be told that you have agreed to place an order or that someone else in your business has. This tactic is used to confuse you so you won't question the caller and will pay up. They may even claim to have a telephone recording of you agreeing to the contract.

The message is - don't take the caller’s word for it that you have entered into a contract. If you haven't agreed to advertising then you cannot be held liable for the payment being demanded. Never agree to anything over the phone - a genuine company will be happy to send you details through the post.

If you think you have fallen victim to such a scam, please contact Trading Standards for advice
on 01454 864419 (businesses only)
.

For consumer advice contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Progress on road safety improvements

Following the consultation earlier this year on plans to reduce speed limits on the B4465, Westerleigh Road and Nibley Lane, the Council is hoping to take the next step in the legal process early in August. As there were objections, the Council's Transport Exec will have to make the final decision, hopefully by the end of the year so the scheme can be implemented early in 2012.

 

Earlier in the year Sainsbury's agreed to get the lorries from their Emerson's Green depot to use the ring road instead. Claire Young has reported a number of Sainsbury's lorries spotted using the B4465 and Westerleigh Road to the depot manager.  He promised to follow them up. He said there has been a significant reduction in lorries from the depot using the route, the difficulties were generally with lorries from elsewhere. Murco have responded to Claire's letter saying that they want to work with the local community but have to consider their costs.

 

Claire recently met officers and a resident to discuss road safety and drainage issues on the approach to Kidney Hill. The Council's drainage engineer is going to investigate further.

The future of the Air Ambulance Service at Filton

If Filton Airfield closes, it's essential that the Great Western Air Ambulance stays based at Filton. It's different from the neighbouring air ambulance services, which concentrate on transporting patients. Ours is a true Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, and has a specialist trauma consultant on board - it's one of only four such specialist services in the UK.

The site at Filton is strategically located so that the helicopter can get to any serious incident within our area as quickly as possible. If it had to be moved to Staverton for example, response times would become longer and lives would be at risk.

Please let South Glos Council know what you feel about this by commenting on their Filton Airfield Position Statement (also available in libraries and at One Stop Shops)

Comments need to be made by July 29th to planningLDF@southglos.gov.uk or by post to South Gloucestershire Council, Spatial Planning Team, PO Box 2081, South Gloucestershire, BS35 9BP.

The Air Ambulance is run by a local charity - check out the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity website here

Police looking for cadets

If you are between 14 and 17, live or go to a school in South Glos and have an interest in policing, why not apply to become a Volunteer Police Cadet?


The Avon and Somerset Constabulary will shortly be starting a uniformed Volunteer Police Cadet Unit as a pilot project in South Gloucestershire area. This will involve weekly training sessions and the opportunity to get involved in actual Police operations.

You can find out more on the Avon and Somerset website. Don't delay, there are limited places available and the force will suspend applications when they hit 250.

Watch out for scams!

Trading Standards are once again warning local people to be on their guard against scams. 

• There are reports of rogue traders targeting residents in the Yate, Westerleigh and Filton areas offering block paving, landscaping and patio laying services. 
• A new tactic is cold calling residents and offering to clean and seal your path or driveway for a cash payment.

There are some concerns that these traders are not providing consumers with written notice of their right to cancel, which is a criminal offence, and that they are using aggressive tactics to convince residents to agree to the work.

There are a number of steps you can take to try and avoid becoming the victim of a rogue trader.

• Be wary of traders who cold call and the deals they offer you – it is unusual for genuine tradesmen to need to cold call to drum up work!
• Do not allow any unknown and unexpected visitor into your home.
• If they claim work needs doing, get a second or even third opinion from other professional tradesman.
• If you agree to work you are afforded cancellation rights by law, and these should be given to you in writing.
• Check any paperwork you are given to make sure it has not been backdated and includes everything you have agreed to.
• If you are unhappy or feel intimidated by the visitor – shut the door and call the police.

If you do have work you wish to be carried out, why not use a trader who is a member of the Trading Standards operated Buy With Confidence scheme?

For a list of approved traders, visit www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk or contact South Gloucestershire Trading Standards on 01454 864419 or email trading.standards@southglos.gov.uk.

If you believe you have fallen victim to a rogue trader, or would like some further pre-shopping advice, please contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Bags for cardboard delayed

Acting on complaints from local people, your Focus Team successively campaigned for better arrangements for cardboard recycling now that cardboard can no longer go in the green bin.

The bags had been expected to be available from collection points around the area in early summer. Unfortunately South Glos tell us that due to a quality issue, this has now slipped until the end of September. We will keep you informed.

Parking consultation extended

A consultation on the proposed changes to the parking restrictions around the Badminton Road council offices has been extended until 28th July after minor changes were made to the Notice of Proposal. You can find out more and comment on the South Glos website.

Cheque-mate! Banks back down on scrapping cheques

The Payments Council, representing the banks, has announced that it will not be scrapping cheques in 2018 after all. They now say that cheques will be will be kept "as long as customers need them".

This follows major campaigns by Liberal Democrat MPs, charities and organisations representing older people and voluntary groups. The BBC has more details here.

Update on Westerleigh-Yate cycle path

A South Glos representative told the latest meeting of the Joint Cycleways Group that negotiations are still ongoing with Network Rail, whose consent is essential - several parts of the route are on their land. They have agreed verbally but South Glos are still waiting for Network Rail to send them the conditions they have to agree to.

To add to this delay, certain parts of the work can't legally be done in the bird nesting season, which isn't over yet.

South Glos reckon that they should be able to do the first part of the route, from the Cox Hill end towards Westerleigh, this summer. They're aiming to do the second part into Yate in summer next year. The next meeting of the Joint Cycleway Group is in early October, but we'll put updates here as and when we hear anything.

Reporting bad odours in Westerleigh

Sadly there was a bad airborne smell in Westerleigh village at the end of last week. Claire Young is aware of problems in Kidney Hill, Sunny Bank, Mill Crescent and Old Mill Close. If it travelled further, do please let herknow. Claire has asked for feedback on why these smells are happening and suggested that there may need to be another meeting of the working group.

If Claire isn't available, there are other ways you can report smells. The Environment Agency have a free phone, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year incident-reporting helpline 0800 807060. If it is definitely an airborne smell from the abattoir you could contact Tulip directly on 0117 957 1919. In both cases, it would be helpful if you could email Claire about the incident as well, so she can follow it up later.

New gateway for Kendleshire

Bob Ross, who first had the idea for the Quiet Lanes Scheme, discusses the options with Claire Young

Ruffet Road residents are celebrating the news that there will be a new gateway treatment at Kendleshire crossroads to warn drivers they are entering the Quiet Lanes Scheme.

Since the second phase of the Quiet Lanes Scheme was completed in 2008, Claire Young has been pushing for the next stage to go ahead but the new gateway for Ruffet Road has been repeatedly delayed. In December Claire persuaded the Area Forum to send a message to the Transport Exec that starting new Quiet Lanes Schemes while this one remained unfinished made no sense. It looks like he has finally listened and funding has been found.

Yesterday residents, officers, a Westerleigh Parish Councillor and Claire met to discuss ideas, including the possibility of closing the slip road. Many drivers speed down there only to find they have to pull up suddenly at the give way.

Extension of working hours at Ram Hill Business Park refused

This afternoon the planning committee narrowly voted against plans to extend the working hours at Ram Hill Business Park.

A neighbour spoke eloquently about the impact 6am starts and Saturday afternoon working would have on her family's wellbeing and that of other residents. Claire Young was there too to speak on the three applications and two Greenacres Park residents turned up to demonstrate the concern of residents there.

Claire earlier spoke on an application for a heating fuel distribuion centre on the Badminton Road Trading Estate. After some discussion of the planning policy implications, the committee unanimously approved that application in line with the officer's recommendation.

Light switch-off for Badminton Road

Following the success of switching off some street lights for part of the night along the ring road and in a number of towns and villages, South Glos Council is planning to do the same for Badminton Road. The Council wanted to push ahead without consultation but your Focus team has persuaded them to take a little more time so we can get your feedback. A bit of local knowledge now could save much time and money later!

From the centre of Yate to just past the new Council offices, the lights would stay on all night. Between there and the Wick Wick roundabout (where the A432 meets the A4174 Ring Road), the lights would be switched off in the early hours except around the following:

• Church Road junction
• Woodend Road junction
• Beesmoor Road junction
• railway viaduct as you leave Coalpit Heath
• Park Lane
• Kendleshire Crossroads
• Cuckoo lane junction, just before Wick Wick roundabout

If you have any queries or comments, please contact Claire Young.

Police ask your views

The police would like to know what you feel should be their key priorities and what services you would like them to provide. You can share your views online until 19 August.

Free local walking guides

If you want to get out and about in our area this summer, get your hands on a free walking booklet from South Glos Council. Each booklet contains easy-to-follow maps, photographs and historical information and walks include the Frome Valley Walkway and the Dramway. You can order a free copy of any of the guides by ringing 01454 863592 or download them from the Council's website.

Business Park's longer working hours plans go to committee

The Development Control (West) planning committee will make their decision on plans to extend working hours at Ram Hill Business Park at their meeting next Thursday. Last week the committee visited the site and heard from residents and local councillor Claire Young about the impact the proposed changes would have.

You can view the agenda and reports online. The meeting is in Thornbury Council Chamber and starts at 2.30pm on Thursday 7th July.

Yate X-ray change not so transparent!

As you may have read in the Gazette, from 30th June NHS South Gloucestershire intend to stop the extended evening hours of the X-ray facility in the new Westgate centre, with the facility closing at 5pm. They say that very few people have been using the evening service, so it's not worth running.

This raises several questions:

Why didn't they consult anybody locally about this? They didn't tell anyone that numbers were low, despite all the excellent joint working in the run-up to the opening of the centre.

Why are the numbers low? Have people been told that they can get their X-rays done locally, or out of "normal hours"?

Your Focus Team has been pushing for this issue to be looked at properly before the final decision is made. Councillors asked for an emergency meeting with local health chiefs and achieved a breakthrough. The change of hours has already been put in process, but is now being treated as a suspension whilst discussions take place, not a permanent decision.

Local councillors are working with health chiefs to draw up a survey that asks you, the residents of the area what hours you want the Minor Injuries Unit and X-ray open, and why you've chosen to go to X-ray or A and E at Frenchay rather than the MIU / X-ray at Yate.

We also want to find out how the move of A and E exclusively to Southmead will affect your choice of where to go in a crisis (bearing in mind that Frenchay will only have a MIU at Frenchay exactly equivalent to Yate's) .

The health authorities are pulling together data and then are going to work with local councillors to do a public survey between now and the end of September. So, it is not saved yet, but the final cut has been suspended. Please watch this space for more news...

Park Lane closure

Park Lane is due to close between Heather Avenue and Badminton Road on Sunday 3rd July to allow the railway bridge to be inspected. South Glos have applied for a 5 day closure order but officers expect the works to be from 2pm to 10pm on the Sunday.

Village walkabout highlights mobility issues



(L-R) Eve Carey, Dee Bidwell, Claire Young, Julie Morse

 South Glos Highways Officers and local councillor Claire Young recently joined residents for a walk round Westerleigh village to see the difficulties disabled residents face getting about.

Mrs Morse (pictured with the wheelchair) asked for the site meeting so that officers could appreciate how hard it is for people with mobility problems to access village facilities like the church, village hall and pubs. Among the problems highlighted were narrow pavements, overhanging vegetation and the lack of dropped kerbs.

One option discussed that might be considered in the future if funding became available was putting dropped kerbs outside the church and on the village green, with a small piece of path across the green linking the two. This is the route many people use to cross the road, as it gives the best visibility in both directions, but grass is not a good surface for wheelchair users. We would be interested to know people's views on this.

The future of Filton Airfield

If you are interested in the Planning Blueprint for South Glos, the Core Strategy, there is now an extra publication you may like to look at and perhaps comment on.


The decision by BAE Systems to close Filton Airfield means there is a large area of land that will be left vacant. The Government Inspector who will be holding the Examination in Public has asked South Glos Council to put forward their views for discussion on what should happen about this.

You can find the Council's Filton Airfield Position Statement online, as well as in libraries and at One Stop Shops.

Any comments on the suggestions have to be made by July 29th to planningLDF@southglos.gov.uk

Planning committee to visit Ram Hill Industrial Estate.

The planning committee is due to visit Ram Hill Industrial Park this Friday in relation to three planning applications there. The estimated time of arrival is 12 noon, though given they are the last applications on the agenda there is a risk there will be a delay. Claire Young will speak as the local member. To find out more you can read the officer's reports online.

Yate SSCG on Thursday

The next meeting of the Yate Safer Stronger Community Group (which covers the Dodington Parish part of Westerleigh ward) will be on Thursday 23rd June at 7pm in South Glos Council's Badminton Road offices. As well as the opportunity to raise issues, there will also be an update on the Armadillo and a presentation from the Community Lead Group for the Priority Neighbourhood in south Yate.

Outline drawings for new shelter at Yate Bus Station

This week the Yate Focus Team received outline plans for the new shelter at Yate Bus Station, so that you can see where the new shelter might go. Click on the links for the seven-bay version http://www.paulhulbert.org/focus/gullwing7bay.pdf and the six-bay version http://www.paulhulbert.org/focus/gullwing6bay.pdf.
Unfortunately there's nowhere near here with this particular model, but here's a photo of one of these shelters at Treliske Hospital in Truro http://www.flickr.com/photos/74784995@N00/2297231948/ - there are others at Heathrow, Manchester and Leeds.

It has been confirmed that the design has been developed to provide a level of vandal-proof protection, and it should be covered by the Yate Centre CCTV system.

The Yate Focus Team are awaiting some details on seats and have requested these along with quotes for the shelter and the signage.  When Yate Town Council discussed the outline plans earleir this week they asked for lighting proposals and details about the CCTV coverage.

Funding conference for community groups

CVS South Gloucestershire are holding a conference for charities, voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises serving South Gloucestershire. It will be a chance to meet major funders, get advice from experts and have a one-to-one funding surgery.

The event takes place from 9.30-4.30 on Wednesday 6th July 2011 at the WISE Campus, Filton. You can find more information on the CVS website.

SSCG meeting tonight!

The latest meeting of the Frampton Cotterell, Westerleigh, Iron Acton and Coalpit Heath SSCG will be held tonight starting at 7.30pm in Iron Acton village hall. This is a chance to discuss how we make our communities safer and stronger with representatives of South Glos Council, the police, the fire service and other public bodies.