Merry Christmas from your Focus Team

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers from your Focus Team. We hope you have an enjoyable festive season.

You can find out about changes to council opening times and services over Christmas here.

Free Christmas events at local libraries

There are a wide range of free Christmas events going on libraries locally including festive Rhymetimes, seasonal crafts and stories round the Christmas tree. More information is available on the South Glos website.

Premises licence granted for South Glos Show

Today the Licensing Sub-Committee at South Glos Council granted a premises licence for the South Glos Show, an event to be held at Windmill Fisheries on 2nd and 3rd August next year.

Members listened carefully to local residents, local councillor Claire Young, officers and the applicants, then everyone left the room while they deliberated. The sub-committee agreed to grant the licence, but alcohol can only be served until 9pm. Two extra conditions were added, one of which requires the organisers to follow the recommendations of the Safety Advisory Group, which will meet in January.

You can find out more about the event at www.southglosshow.co.uk or by calling 01454 222 959.

Have your say on NHS

The South Glos Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has extended the deadline for responding to their Call to Action survey to 31 January 2014. They are asking your views on health services, locally and nationally.

You can complete the survey online here. For more information about the NHS Call to Action click here. If you would like a printed copy of the survey, please telephone 0117 947 4400.

Good news as Core Strategy approved

On Wednesday, South Gloucestershire Council took the important step of adopting its Core Strategy, the planning blueprint for the area until 2027. The development makes South Gloucestershire one of the very first councils in the country to have a National Planning Policy compliant framework.

Lib Dem lead on planning, Cllr Pat Hockey said: “We welcome the fact that the Core Strategy has gone through. This means we won’t get planning by appeal. It’s an important milestone for proper planning for South Gloucestershire communities.

“All over the country, unwanted development is being imposed on local communities. It’s going where developers rather than the council have decided they would like to put it because they haven’t got their planning blueprint in place. We’re well aware that some people are losing out because of the huge developments they will be finding on their doorstep. As one of the most attractive places in the country to live, work and invest, we have no choice but to play our part in making way for the much-needed economic development and housing.”

Enjoy the festive lights in Westerleigh

If you want some help getting in the festive spirit and you're in the Westerleigh area you might want to drop in to Mill Crescent, Westerleigh. Residents there have once again put on an amazing display for a good cause. This year's charity is the Teenage Cancer Trust, which is devoted to improving the lives of teenagers and young adults with cancer.

Sainsbury's Local planning application submitted

Developers have submitted an application to build a Sainsbury's Local store in the car park of the Badminton Arms, Coalpit Heath - and you only have until Boxing Day to let the council know what you think.

You can view all the plans and make comments on the South Glos website. If for any reason that link doesn't work, go to http://developments.southglos.gov.uk/online-applications/ and enter the reference number PK13/4401/F.

Claire Young will be forwarding on the views already expressed to her but it's important that people also make their views known to the case officer directly, whether for or against. The best way is to use the online comments facility linked to above but you can also email planningapplications@southglos.gov.uk.  

If you know people who have a view on this application but don't have internet access, they can use a computer at a local library or submit comments to the council in writing. Letters should be sent to Planning Applications, PO Box 299, Civic Centre, High Street, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 0DR.

If you would like to receive email updates on the progress of this application, please sign up here.

Senior Siren magazine

The Senior Siren magazine is the bi-monthly magazine of the Senior Citizen Liaison Team (SCLT). The SCLT is a hybrid police/charity project that aims to provide a tailored crime prevention, victim support and social advocacy service to vulnerable older adults in the community.

You can read the latest version online.