Area Forums abolished - last chance to have your say next week

Next week could be your last chance ever to have your say at an Area Forum, after the ruling Conservatives scrapped them.

Not that anyone reading the council press release would have any idea they are being abolished. They talk about everything the public can do there and all the reasons to come along but don't let on what's planned. There is one innocuous looking line: "There will be an update on the future of the Area Forums." That future is gone, because the Tories and Labour voted to get rid of them last week.

Why not come along and make your views known, not only on local highway schemes and community grants, but also on the decision to scrap the forums themselves? You will also be able to hear from Sirona Care and Health about community health care services. The Frome Vale Area Forum will have an update from Network Rail on their forthcoming work on the Dodington Road railway bridge and the Severn Vale Forum will have a bus service update after concerns were raised at previous meetings.

In future, instead of decisions about things like highway safety schemes and community grants being made by the councillors who live in and know the area, they will be made by council committees that have themselves been merged. One committee will now cover everything from waste to strategic planning, libraries to traffic schemes - and make decisions on community grants. The Conservatives have suggested that some of the community grant money could be given to individual councillors but couldn't explain how this would be administered efficiently and transparently.

Frome Vale Area Forum (which includes Frampton Cotterell, Ladden Brook and Westerleigh wards) meets at 7pm on Thursday 3rd March in Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church. Severn Vale Area Forum (which includes Charfield ward) meets at 7pm on Wednesday 2nd March in Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury.

Have you say at Severn Vale Area Forum

The next Severn Vale Area Forum is on Wednesday 2nd December at 7pm at Turnberries Community Centre, Bath Road, Thornbury.

The agenda includes the council's annual budget consultation, a presentation on the draft waste strategy, community grant allocations, highways maintenance priorities and a progress update on local highways schemes.

Grants for community groups

There is still time to apply to South Glos for the next round of grants for community groups. The closing date is 17th November and decisions will be made at the Area Forum next March.

You can find out more information about how to apply here. The amounts left to allocate for each forum are for the decisions the Area Forum will be making this year about the previous round of grant applications. When they make decisions on this round of applications in March the Area Forum will be allocating money from next year's budget. The amount will be set as part of the budget setting process in February.

Have your say at Severn Vale Area Forum

The next Severn Vale Area Forum (which covers Charfield ward) is at 7pm on Wednesday 16 September at Turnberries Community Centre, Bath Road, Thornbury. On the agenda will be the allocation of grants and a progress update on the highway schemes for which we have previously allocated funding. There will also be the usual open session where you can put questions to councillors and officers.

Severn Vale Area Forum tomorrow

The Severn Vale Area Forum (which covers Charfield ward) takes place on Wednesday 1st July at 7pm at Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury.

As well as the usual open session, the agenda includes the allocation of community grants, presentations about food/waste recycling plus a presentation from BT about broadband.

Severn Vale Area Forum next week

The next Severn Vale Area Forum meeting, which covers Charfield ward, is on Wednesday 4th March at 7pm in Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury .

Items on the agenda include a presentation from Avon Fire and Rescue raising awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning, decisions on community and New Homes Bonus (NHB) grants and consideration of youth funding. Members will also be deciding which highway schemes are a priority and considering objections received following the public advertisement of local transport schemes.

The next round of meetings will take place in July. If you would like to receive details of meetings in your area contact Democratic Services on 01454 864425 or visit www.southglos.gov.uk/areaforum

Further information regarding grant funding is available on 01454 865865 or www.southglos.gov.uk/grants

Next Severn Vale Area Forum on 3rd December

The next Severn Vale Area Forum (covering wards including Charfield) is at 7pm on Wednesday 3 December in Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury.. Why not come along and have your say?

On the agenda will be information about the council’s budget consultation, applications for the Positive Activities Subsidy (PAS) grants programme and New Homes Bonus (NHB) grant allocations. The Forum will also be asked to identify local roads and/or pavements for resurfacing.

You can view the papers here.

Latest Severn Vale Area Forum next Wednesday

It's time once again to have your say at the local Area Forum meeting. The Severn Vale Area Forum (covering Charfield ward) is at 7pm on Wednesday 10th September in Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury. There will be a presentation by BT who will be updating residents on broadband in the area, plus decisions on community grant applications and Positive Activities Subsidy grant applications. All meetings include an open session for members of the public to put questions to councillors and officers on any matter in their area.

Charfield ward - Have your say at Area Forum

For those living in Charfield ward, the next Severn Vale Area Forum is at 7pm on Wednesday 2nd July in Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury. This is your chance to go along and influence local decision making.

As well as the usual open session where you can put your questions on local issues to councillors and officers, there will be a presentation about the current consultation on community composting sites, applications for community grants and Positive Activities funding for your people, updates on the New Homes Bonus scheme and progress reports on local transport schemes.

Have your say at Area Forum

The latest Area Forum meetings take place next week:

Severn Vale (including Charfield ward) - Wednesday 14 May, 7pm, Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury 
Frome Vale (including Frampton Cotterell, Laddenbrook and Westerleigh wards) - Thursday 15 May, 7pm, Frampton Cotterell Primary School, Frampton Cotterell

The meetings will include an open session where you can have your say on any issue affecting our area and you can also join in the discussions before any formal decisions are made. We will be making decisions on the latest New Homes Bonus applications and receiving progress reports on local transport schemes.

For more information visit www.southglos.gov.uk/areaforum

Area Forums - your chance to get involved

At the latest round of Area Forums there will be updates on the Local Transport Capital Programme, Small Grant awards, the New Homes Bonus grants scheme and funding for youth activities. As always, there will be an open session where you can put any questions to councillors and officers. Why not come along, join in the debate and have a say where local funding is spent:

• Frome Vale (including Frampton Cotterell, Laddenbrook and Westerleigh wards) - Thursday 6 March, 7pm, Shireway Community Association, Yate. 
• Severn Vale (including Charfield Ward) - Wednesday 5 March, 7pm, Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury

Have your say at Severn Vale Area Forum

Next Wednesday residents of Charfield Ward can once again have their say at the local Severn Vale Area Forum. It starts at 7pm on Wednesday 4 December in the Council Chamber at the Council Offices in Thornbury. The agenda for the meeting is available on line.

Get involved at Area Forum

Area Forums give you a chance to get involved in the decisions that affect you. Parish councils, community organisations and local residents are all welcome to join in the discussions before any formal decisions.

Severn Vale Area Forum (which covers Charfield ward among others) will be meeting at 7pm on Wednesday 15 May at Thornbury Council Offices. The Frome Vale area Forum (which covers an area including Laddenbrook, Frampton Cotterell and Westerleigh wards) meets at 7pm on Thursday 16 May at Frampton Cotterell Primary C of E VC Primary School.

There will be information about upcoming Post Office service changes, South Gloucestershire Council's localism plans and details of the waste strategy consultation. There will also be updates on the Local Transport Capital Programme, the New Homes Bonus grants scheme and the Positive Activities Subsidy Grants Programme for youth services.