Westerleigh Road closure

Westerleigh Road will be closed temporarily from its junction with Besom Lane north for 150m to enable signing works to go ahead. The closure order starts on 6 September for a maximum period of 18 months but it won't be closed for the whole period - the work is only expected to take one day.

Find out more about local history project

If you're interested in local history, here's a date for your diary. On Wednesday 21st October, the South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group is hosting a talk by Anne Lovejoy of the Know Your Place Project team. It is 7.30pm for an 8pm start and will be held in the Miners (Coalpit Heath Village Hall). The cost for non-members is £2.

Know your place is a web-based local history project allowing the comparison of new and historic maps of the area on-line. Photos can be attached and anyone can add their own. The talk will explain how the project works and how volunteers can extend the information available.

Paths to close for crossing works

The bridle way between Broad Lane and Dodmore Crossing in Westerleigh and the path that links in to this from Westerleigh Road, between The Bungalow and The Old Stores, will be temporarily closed so that level crossing works can be carried out. The closure order will be in place for 6 months from the 21st September 2015 but it's anticipated the works will take seven weeks during that time. The alternative route is to go down Broad Lane to Westerleigh Road and then along Westerleigh Road up to Dodmore Crossing.

Site visit changes - no Boundary Road, now visiting Mafeking Hall

Last week we reported that the DC (East) planning committee would be visiting 20 Boundary Road and Beech Hill Farm tomorrow, Friday 28th August.

The visit to 20 Boundary Road has now been postponed until the next round of site visits on 25th September, with the decision likely to be made at the committee meeting on 8th October. Instead the committee will be visiting Mafeking Hall, to look at the Prior Notification Application for a change of use to allow Coalpit Heath Pre-School to open there.

Have your say on minor injuries services

 How do you think the NHS locally should deal with minor injuries? NHS South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is proposing a pilot of community-based minor injury services at local GP practices. They are looking for your views on the proposals.

For further details and to complete the questionnaire, please visit www.southgloucestershireccg.nhs.uk/minorinjuries. The survey will be open until 7pm on Friday 11th September 2015.

There will no doubt be particular concern about how this might affect the Minor Injuries Unit at Yate, especially following the worrying noises from the new Government we reported on in June. The CCG say they have no plans to close the minor injuries unit and they want to make sure it works alongside the new pilot. If you value the Yate MIU, make sure you say so when you fill in the questionnaire.

Survey for disabled taxi users

South Gloucestershire Council wants to hear from taxi users, especially those with a disability, about their experience of the accessibility of "hackney carriages" (ie taxis) locally. You can find out more and have your say here - you have until 7th October to comment.

The council is particularly keen to find out if you feel that all relevant areas are being considered and whether you think there are any specific impacts or alternatives that the council and its partners should consider. Information is also available from your local South Gloucestershire library and One Stop Shop.

Planning committee site visits next Friday

Next Friday, 28th August, the Development Control (East) committee will be visiting two sites in Westerleigh ward - 20 Boundary Road (at approximately 10.15am) and Beech Hill Farm (at approximately 10.35am). You can view the agenda, including links to the relevant reports, online.

Have your say on council's licensing and gambling policies

Are you concerned about the impact of licensed premises?

South Gloucestershire Council is the Licensing Authority for the local area. That means it is responsible for granting premises licenses, club premises certificates, temporary event notices and personal licenses with regard to the sale and/or the supply of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment and late night refreshment.

The council has just published its draft Statement of Licensing Policy, which sets out the policies the council will apply when making decisions on applications. Now is your chance to have your say on this. The council is particularly keen to find out if you feel that all relevant areas are being considered and whether you think there are any specific impacts or alternatives that the council and its partners should consider.

You can read the draft statement and comment on it here - you have until 28th October to make your views known.

The council is also the Licensing Authority for the area for granting premises licenses and permissions in South Gloucestershire in respect of casinos, bingo & betting premises, tracks, adult gaming and family entertainment centres, club and prize gaming permits, temporary notices and the registration of small society lotteries. It is currently asking for your views on its Statement of Principles for gambling. You can read the document and comment on it here before 16th October.

Friends of Ram Hill Colliery look for new treasurer

The Friends of Ram Hill Colliery are looking for a new Treasurer. They say there are not many entries and the committee meets every two months. They can be contacted via their website - www.ramhillcolliery.org.uk

If you would like to find out more about this historic site, their next Open Day is to be held on Sunday 13th September 2015. 10am – 4.30pm.

Concerned about abuse?

If you are concerned that a child, young person or adult is being abused, you can find out what to do on the new South Gloucestershire Joint Safeguarding Board Website. This brings together information that was previously held in different places. The clear message is if in doubt, speak out - and the website tells you how to do that.

Changes to parking at new Sainsbury's

The developers have made an application for some "non-material amendments" to the planning permission for the new Sainsbury's. These would:

• Create a break in the low wall at the front for pedestrians to go through.
• Following the removal of the play area, which Wadworths felt was not needed for the customers they attract, part of that space has been tarmacked. Three car parking spaces will be relocated here from along the side of the pub. In turn this will enable 2 extra spaces to be provided along the back wall.

If you want to find out more, you can view the application on the South Glos website by going here and entering the reference number PT15/3296/NMA.

Some residents had raised concerns that the store was not being built to the approved plans. Claire raised this with the planning enforcement team at South Glos, who have investigated and confirmed it is in accordance with the plans.

Coalpit Heath road safety issues

Pat and Claire recently spent a very wet morning looking at a number of road safety issues in Coalpit Heath with a South Glos highways official. The issues had all been raised at the July Safer Stronger Community Group meeting.

Residents were concerned that the pedestrian crossing outside Coalpit Heath Village Hall is too close to the junction of Woodend Road and reported a number of near misses. Unfortunately due to entrances to driveways and so on it would not be possible to move the crossing and keep it close to where people want to cross, to get to the hall and to get to the shops on Woodend Road. The officer suggested warning signage on Woodend Road.

 

We then looked at the junction of Southview Road and Badminton Road near the corner of the playing field. The concern here was about cars parking when there are events on the field making the junction unsafe. The officer suggested an advisory keep clear marking on the playing field side of Southview Crescent (there is already one on the other side).

 

Finally we looked at the problem of speeding traffic making it difficult for residents to exit properties near the sharp bend on Beesmoor Road. Before making any proposals, the officer has arranged for some speed monitoring to take place during the school term (as traffic is heavier then).

 

The next Safer Stronger Community Group meeting is on Tuesday 29th September 2015 at 7.30pm at The Brockeridge Centre, Woodend Road, Frampton Cotterell, BS36 2LQ.

Warnings after fires

Following two fires in Coalpit Heath this week, Avon Fire Service has issued advice which you can view online regarding disposable barbecues and getting out safely in the event of a fire.

Have you had a bike stolen?

Avon and Somerset Police recently arrested five people and seized seventy stolen bikes after a year long investigation. As of 29th July, twenty eight of these had no known owners and photographs have been posted here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/aspolice/sets/72157656395071206

If you think one of the bikes might be yours, call 101. You can read more on the story here.

Manor Hall AGM on 11th August

The Manor Hall Trustees are holding their Annual General Meeting at the hall at 7.30pm on 11th August 2015. All Westerleigh Parishioners can attend and the agenda, last year's minutes, financial information and Trustees' report are available on their website.