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.

Charfield Station - tell South Glos what you think

Thank you to everyone who responded to our survey on the possibility of re-opening Charfield Station (pictured left, with John and Sandra O'Neill). Many people supported the idea, but others raised concerns about parking problems, increased congestion in the area and road safety, particularly on Station Road and at the junction of Station Road and Wotton Road. Some suggested alternative sites.

South Gloucestershire Council is currently consulting on its Draft CoreStrategy, a planning blueprint for the area until 2026. In the Draft Core Strategy, the Council is proposing to safeguard 0.84 ha of land at the former Charfield Station and adjoining land to the S.E. for a station and car parking. It is included in the Rural Package covered in PolicyCS7 on page 52 and described on page 58 in para 7.9. The possibility of re-opening Charfield Station is also mentioned in the RuralAreas section in para 16.12 on page 146.

You can view the Draft Core Strategy on the South Gloucestershire Council website and hard copies are available to view in libraries and One Stop Shops. You have until 6th August to make your comments.

Charfield Hill cycle improvements

The Council is proposing to extend the on-pavement westbound cycle path on the B4058 Charfield Hill and install an advisory cycle lane on the road to the top of the hill. You can read more and have your say on the Council's website.

Roadwork round-up

• There will be traffic lights on Westerleigh Road near the Cooks Lane junction from 9-11 March so the road can be repaired.
• The B4058 Wotton Road will be closed from B4059 Iron Acton Way to Manor Road between 15-28 March to enable the road to be resurfaced.
• The B4058 Wotton Road, from Charfield Road B4059 eastwards for 500 metres (near the Post Office) will have temporary traffic lights and width restrictions 22 March - 6 April for resurfacing work to take place.

New station for Charfield?

Would you like to see a railway station at Charfield? Or does the prospect cause your concern? Whatever your views, please share them with your local Focus Team at this website.

Crime "average" locally

There's a new website showing crime statistics by area. You just put in your postcode and it reports the statistics for different types of crime.The information on the map is at beat area level. The Frampton Cotterell beat (which includes Coalpit Heath, Westerleigh and Iron Acton as well as Frampton Cotterell), Yate beat (which includes Dodington South) and the Charfield and Ladden Brook beat are all average for the Avon and Somerset constabulary.

Campaigners celebrate funding for Post Office

Tytherington residents were celebrating after last week's Area Forum where local councillors awarded a grant which will enable the post office to reopen. The £3,000grant will complement money raised on the Tytherington council tax and from central council funds to cover the annual running costs for a re-opened post office. The post office closed in Autumn 2008 when it was included on a national list of closures but following a concerted campaign led by local MP Steve Webb, Tytherington parish leaders, the village shop and local councillors, a funding package has been put in place which should enable the post office to reopen later in the Spring.


Commenting on the decision, Steve Webb said, "This is excellent news. Over a period of several months we have been meeting government ministers, post office officials and the local council to put together a funding package to rescue Tytherington post office. I am delighted that local councillors have allocated this grant to Tytherington post office and will continue to work with local residents to see this project through to completion".

Cllr Howard Gawler, whose ward includes Tytherington, said, "The village shop is at the heart of the community in Tytherington and the post office was a hugely valued service. I am grateful to my fellow councillors for awarding this grant as I know that they understand how village shops and post offices help to keep a community together".

Final financial details are now being agreed with the post office and then work will be needed to reinstate computer and other equipment at Tytherington post office before the service can finally be restored.

Other organisations in the Ladden-Frome area also won grants:

Frampton Cotterell Over 50s Computer Group - £910
South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group (Frog Lane 2009) - £900
Wickwar Playing Fields Association - £700
Friends of Ram Hill Colliery - £1000
Brockeridge Youth Club - £899

Change of venue for Area Forum

In a break from recent practice, this Thursday's Frome Vale Area Forum will be held in the Main Hall at Frampton Cotterell Primary School (rather than the Ridgewood Centre, Yate). Doors open at 6.15pm for a 7pm start and the agenda includes a chance to give your views on the Government proposals to impose 33000 new homes on South Gloucestershire, decision making on grants and an open forum for your to have your say on whatever is concerning you.

Deadline looming for phone box comments

BT have asked South Gloucestershire Council to co-ordinate the local response to the proposed phone box closures. Comments must be sent to the Council not BT directly by 31st August 2008. For more information, see the South Glos website.

Phone boxes under threat

Many of our local phone boxes are threatened by a BT plan to remove all "uneconomic" phone boxes from our streets, whether they are needed for emergency purposes or not.

The following phone boxes are under threat in the Ladden-Frome area:

Henfield Road, Coalpit Heath
North Road, Yate
Sundays Hill Lane, Falfield
Charfield Hill, Charfield
Little Bristol Lane, Charfield
Court Road, Leyhill
Longcross, Cromhall
Heathend, Cromhall
outside the old Post Office, Westerleigh
At the layby, Stover Road, Yate
Codrington

Since 2002 BT has removed 31,000 kiosks around the UK.

The Evening Posts reports the phone box story here.

Success for Paul's Place and Coalpit Heath Cricket Club

The People's Millions application made by Coalpit Heath Cricket Club in partnership with Paul's Place received the most votes last Thursday and they received a cheque for £89,300 during the ITV West local news on Friday night.

Plans are now going ahead to build a ramp down from the cricket club to the pitch and refurbishment of the cricket club.

Paul's Place is the nominated charity of the Chair of Council, Sandra O'Neill, who is the member for Charfield ward.

Civic Service

The five South Gloucestershire Councillors from this area attended the Civic Service at Tortworth Church on Sunday. Sandra O'Neill (Charfield) is currently Chair of Council and the host for this event. As well as Councillors and Council officers, there were representatives from the emergency services and a whole range of community organisations. The collection was split between the church and Paul's Place, Sandra's chosen charity for the year, which has its base near Coalpit Heath.

Afterwards attendees were able to take a tour of Leyhill Open Prison.