Former Grace Church planning applications approved

We previously reported on the planning committee's visit to the former Grace Church, now a school. Last Thursday, the committee voted to approve their applications.

Police and Crime Commissioner re-elected

Congratulations to independent candidate Sue Mountstevens on her re-election as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset. You can read more here.

The Liberal Democrat candidate Paul Crossley has posted his thanks on Facebook.

No say on metro mayor

You can now read more about the devolution deal at www.southglos.gov.uk/devolution - but the Tory-run council is only giving you a say after the decision has been taken!

The web page, published today (10th May), explains that while the decision will be taken by councillors in June, the first "consultation" will be in July or August. Your Focus Team strongly believes that local people should be involved now, before the councils decide whether to accept the deal. It would bring £30m of investment each year for the next 30 years, but the Government insists there would have to be a directly elected Mayor for the West of England.

The Lib Dem leader on South Glos Cllr Ruth Davis said: "This is one of the biggest decisions we will ever have to take. The public should absolutely be involved - and they're being told their voice is going to be shut out until after the Tories have decided."

Please do read the web page and let your Focus Team know your views.

Coming to a railway viaduct near you?

As part of electrification, Network Rail not only have to cut back vegetation along the track, 6 metres back either side of the line, but they will also be installing overhead gantries around every 50 metres to carry the wires. Would you want gantries like the ones pictured above on our iconic viaducts, dominating our local landscape? Your Focus Team is pushing for less obtrusive designs to be used - let us know if you agree.

Yate cinema dream becomes reality

A 15 year campaign has come to fruition with the opening of Yate's very own multiplex cinema.

Councillors and Liberal Democrat Focus Team members, led by former MP Steve Webb, campaigned for over 15 years to bring a cinema to the town. Last Thursday it was officially opened by the Mayor of Yate, Cllr Tony Davis (pictured on the right here celebrating with other members of the Focus Team who campaigned for the cinema).

The developers say that we wouldn't have got the cinema if it wasn't for the massive support from local people and Yate Town Council. This shows what a community can achieve if it's determined enough for long enough. A big thank you to everyone who supported our campaign.


Flashback to 2014 - Yate Cinema campaigners celebrate
the announcement that the cinema is on its way

Reminder - consultations on cuts closing next week

Don't forget that you only have until Friday 13th May to have your say on cuts to libraries, council offices and customer services. All three consultations are featured on the council's consultation web page.

First step in investigation into 20mph limit on Ram Hill

Back in March, the final Frome Vale Area Forum agreed that there should be an investigation into a possible 20mph limit on Ram Hill.

Claire Young and the Ram Hill Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator recently met a South Glos highways officer on site as the first step in this investigation. The council will be putting down loops to monitor the current speed of traffic, which will be a factor in deciding whether further traffic calming measures would be needed. If they are, officers would have to take into account factors such as the narrowness of the road, the lack of street lighting, the fact it is a bus route and the desire not to urbanise the road. We looked at the best locations for the loops to be installed and also walked down Serridge Lane to look at the problems there.

The officer stressed that this is just an investigation scheme. Any proposals that come out of it would go on the Priority List to be considered for funding in a future financial year. In the past, local people would have been able to go along to the local Area Forum, which had a budget of £100,000 each year for local schemes, but unfortunately the forums have been scrapped.

The officer went back to the office with her plan marked up with notes. Among the other issues we discussed were where the best starting point would be and whether the existing wooden posts could be reused.