Grants for local groups

The Frome Vale Area Forum had some tough decisions to make on grants on Thursday night, with very little money left in the pot for this year. Normally at this time we'd be able to allocate money for the coming financial year, but with the axing of the Area Forums there is no coming year's money to allocate. Details are not yet clear on how the grant system will work.

Two local groups were successfully in winning funding. Fromeside Gymnastics club were granted a total of £1740.52 and the Floral Friends of Frampton £300.

Road safety wins at Area Forum

A number of local road safety schemes got the go ahead at last night's Frome Vale Area Forum. After listening to the concerns of residents, councillors chose schemes including:

• Introducing a crossing point on Wotton Road, Iron Acton, outside the primary school
• A red surface treatment to highlight the existing crossing points in Rangeworthy
• Processing a Traffic Regulation Order to reinforce the existing `No Stopping’ marking outside Frampton Cotterell C of E Primary School

Local people also came along to talk about the schemes they would like the council to investigate in preparation for carrying them out in the future. The Forum could choose three from a long list. Two of the chosen ones were in our area - investigating a 20mph limit on Ram Hill and a 7.5T weight limit on Dodington Road. Thank you to those who came along to speak in support.

Earlier in the meeting we had heard about the work Network Rail plan to do on the bridge, which local people are concerned will reduce visibility. The forum members also asked for their concerns on this and the need for the completion of the pavement to be raised with the Chair of the Planning, Transport and Strategic Environment Committee.

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 your say at Frome Vale Area Forum

The next Frome Vale Area Forum is at 7pm on Thursday 26 November in Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church, High Street, Chipping Sodbury.

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.

Network Rail will also be attending to provide an update on electrification works in the area.

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 Frome Vale Area Forum

The next Frome Vale Area Forum is at 7pm on Thursday 17th September at Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church, High Street, Chipping Sodbury. 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.

Wickwar Community Centre get money for redecoration

Wickwar Community Centre was awarded £1000 at last night's Frome Vale Area Forum towards its redecoration.

Crossbow Pre-School win funding for shelter

At last night's Area Forum, Crossbow Pre-School was awarded £1000 towards building a canopy over the main entrance to St Peter's Hall. This will protect the children and their parents or carers when they are waiting to go in or collect the children and will also be used by other users of the hall.

Frome Vale Area Forum next week

The Frome Vale Area Forum (which covers Frampton Cotterell, Ladden Brook and Westerleigh wards) takes place on Thursday 9th July at 7pm at Shireway Community Association, Yate.

As well as the usual open session where you can have your say on local issues, the agenda includes the allocation of community grants, presentations about food/waste recycling plus a presentation from BT about broadband.

Action on road safety

Last week's Frome Vale Area Forum saw local councillors winning support for a number of highway safety schemes in our area:

• In Tytherington, an existing school bus stop point will be moved, dropped kerbs south of the lay-by improved and a coloured road surface introduced to highlight the crossing point. The scheme will also provide a new crossing point at the Stowell Hill/New Rd junction and a small area of coloured
  road surfacing and the existing pavement will be extended from its current end in New Rd to Stowell Hill. Contact Howard Gawler if you have any questions.
• The first phase of the Church Road proposals will be implemented. There will first be further consultation, taking into account suggestions from residents during the previous informal consultation period. Contact Pat and Dave Hockey for more information.
• The second phase of traffic calming proposals for the rural part of Henfield Road, around the sharp bend at the junction with Ram Hill, will go ahead. Monitoring last year showed a significant number of vehicles were travelling well in excess of the 30mph speed limit, despite it being a blind bend with a junction on it. There will be further consultation on the proposals before implementation. Contact Claire Young to find out more.
• Further traffic calming measures will be investigated on Westerleigh Road between the railway bridge and Broad Lane and on Shorthill Road after complaints from residents about some of the measures implemented so far. The outcome of the investigation will be a set of proposals for consideration for funding next year. Again, contact Claire Young for more info.

Claire also highlighted the results of her survey on a 20mph limit around the Manor School, in an effort to get it prioritised in the roll-out of 20mph limits to schools that don’t currently have them.

Next chance to have your say at Frome Vale Area Forum

The next Frome Vale Area Forum meeting is on Thursday 5th March at 7pm in Shireway Community Centre, Yate.

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.

We will also be deciding which highway schemes are a priority. So if you'd like to see the Henfield or Church Road traffic calming proposals implemented or further measures for Westerleigh investigated, come along and have your say.

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 Frome Vale Area Forum on 27th November

The next Frome Vale Area Forum (covering wards including Frampton Cotterell, Ladden Brook and Westerleigh) is at 7pm on Thursday 27th November in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. 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 making decisions on proposals for a 40mph speed limit on most of the Iron Acton Bypass into Frampton Cotterell and a 20mph limit along Nibley Lane and Hope Road and through Iron Acton village.

Funding has been allocated to introduce both of these schemes in the current financial year. Before they go ahead, however, the Councillors representing the Frome Vale wards have to consider the objections that were made during the formal consultation period. They have the option of going ahead with the advertised proposals, modifying them to take on board objections or abandoning them and leaving things as they are.

The proposals for the Bypass are that the existing 40mph limit on Yate Road should be extended beyond the Esso Garage and the existing 40mph from Frampton Cotterell should be extended to the junction with Bristol Road, Iron Acton.

If you go to the Forum you will be able to let the Councillors know your views before they make their decisions.

You can view the papers here.

Latest Frome Vale Area Forum next Thursday

It's time once again to have your say at the local Area Forum meeting. The Frome Vale Area Forum is at 7pm Thursday 18th September in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. There will be presentations by BT on broadband in the area and Network Rail on the Great Western Electrification Programme and bridge works. There will also be 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.

Frome Vale Area Forum next week

For those living in Frampton Cotterell, Ladden Brook and Westerleigh wards, the next Frome Vale Area Forum is at 7pm on Thursday 10th July in Shireway Community Association, Yate. 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.

Success for Beesmoor Road Playing Field pavillion roof application

At the recent Frome Vale Area Forum, Pat Hockey’s proposal seconded by Dave that the full amount of £9, 991 should be paid from the New Homes Bonus funds to Beesmoor Road Playing Field Committee so they could reroof the pavilion was unanimously approved by the Area Committee.

Pat stated that the roof has been in dire need of replacement for many years. Dave explained to the Area Committee that Beesmoor Road Playing Field Committee (BRPFC) does raise funds each year through car boot sales in the summer to help run and maintain the field and play equipment on behalf of the village. £9,991 was however far beyond their accumulated funds.

The bid which was submitted by Alison Lee on behalf of the Committee stated that the Football Club aimed to get the pavilion reroofed over the summer in time for the new season. Because the existing roof contains asbestos, the appropriate measures will need to be taken when it is removed.

We are delighted that this bid was successful – well done BRPFC.

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 Frome Vale Area Forum

Next Thursday you can once again have your say at the local Frome Vale Area Forum. It starts at 7pm on Thursday 28 November in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. The agenda for the meeting is available on line.

Time to apply for revenue grants

If you're a voluntary group working to make our local communities better, did you know that you can apply for a small grant from South Gloucestershire Council to help you do it?

At the September Area Forum we awarded capital grants to a number of local organisations:

• Crossbow Pre-school Community Hall - Renovaton project -£1,192.00 
• Frampton Cotterell & District Community Association - Central Heating for Crossbow House - £1,000.00
• Wickwar Playing Fields Association - Open Air Basketball Facility - £750.00
• Friends of Ram Hill Colliery - Restoration of Ram Hill Colliery Site - £850.00
• Tytherington Rocks Football Club - Pitch maintenance project - £750.00
• 1st Frampton Cotterell Scout Group - Improving kit - £2,000.00
• Tytherington Village Shop Association - "Growing the business" - £550.00
• Frampton Cotterell Netball Club - Frampton Cotterell development - £605.24
• St Saviours Church - Badminton Road Wall - £1,500.00

The current round of applications is for revenue grants - small grants that can help you with your basic running costs and buying small pieces of equipment. For example, they can help towards room hire, insurance or putting on a community event. We are especially keen to hear from groups that haven't made an application before as we want to make sure we are reaching all parts of the community.

You can find out more and make your application on the South Glos Grants Website. There is also a helpline available on 01454 865865 Mon-Fri 9am-4pm.

In communities that have had new housing, there is also an opportunity to make a proposal for spending some of the New Homes Bonus that the government gives the council for the first 6 years after each new house is built. At the last Area Forum we endorsed the following projects in the Ladden-Frome area:

• Frampton Cotterell Netball Club – Hiring Indoor Training Facilities - £1,680 for 1 year
• Frampton Cotterell Parish Council – Pavilion Extension - £30,500
• Frampton Cotterell Parish Council – Solar Panel Installation - £19,675
• Wickwar Youth Club – Kitchen Equipment - £1,000
• Wickwar Village Hall - Refurbishment - £2,830

If you want a New Homes Bonus scheme to be considered at the next Area Forum, you need to apply by Monday 4th November. Applications for the following meeting should be submitted by 3rd February. Contact your local councillor if you'd like to know more.

Have your say at Area Forum

It's Area Forum time again, your chance to have your say on issues in our area and have a say where local funding is spent. At this round of forums we'll be allocating New Homes Bonus and Capital grants for local groups. The Frome Vale Forum is on Thursday 19th September at 7pm in Watermore Primary School (junior site), Lower Stone Close, Frampton Cotterell.