This Saturday (6th December) is Small Business Saturday UK. In South Gloucestershire, participating traders and independent shops will be getting involved, including in Yate, and you can win £100 to spend at one of the businesses.
To be in with a chance of winning, simply tweet the South Gloucestershire Council Twitter account @sgloscouncil on Saturday 6 December and tell the council why you like to shop locally and/or suggest your favourite independent shop in South Gloucestershire. All tweets must include the hashtag #southglos and the best tweet will win the voucher.
For more info about Small Business Saturday events and offers in South Gloucestershire visit www.southglos.gov.uk/smallbusinesssaturday
Thursday, 4 December 2014
South Glos Council to start collecting unwanted green bins
Details of the green bin removal day will be provided on a leaflet that will be delivered to your address one week before the collection. This is a one off service and if you no longer want your green bin it must be put out for removal on the date on the leaflet you receive.
All green bins for removal must be outside by 7 am on the appropriate day and must be empty. They will not take any bins that contain waste, including garden waste.
If you currently receive help putting out your bins and require assistance to put your unwanted green bin out, please contact 01454 868000 or e-mail sortitteam@sita.co.uk prior to your removal day.
Warning - if you subscribe to the green bin collection service, please make sure that your bin is not outside on "removal day" or it will disappear!
Full details are on the South Glos website here.
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
Could you be a school crossing patrol person?
The Manor School is currently looking for a new school crossing patrol person. Parents feel much happier walking children to school, or allowing older children to walk by themselves, if there is someone to help them across the road at the school. Contact Claire Young to find out more.
Latest on parking problems
As we reported last month, parking continues to be a problem on some of our local roads.
School run parking
Although the 3 strikes scheme recently introduced by PCSO Andy Pound has been positive, some residents expressed concern that there wasn’t sufficient police presence to support it fully, as only the police can issue tickets. On Friday local councillor Claire Young attended a meeting at the school with the headteacher, governors, residents and PC Finbar Simmons. During the meeting, PC Simmons committed to giving the issue extra attention, and at last night's Safer Stronger Community Group meeting it was selected as a priority, which will help him argue for prioritising it over other work.
South Gloucestershire Council now has a parking enforcement camera car and while Claire was presenting the results of her survey to the committee on 12th November she also asked for the necessary steps to be taken to enable it to be used at the Manor School. At Friday’s meeting, she agreed to arrange an on-site meeting with the police and a highways officer to discuss this further and that is being done.
As well as enforcement, it’s also important to try to reduce the number of people driving to school. Claire has spoken to the Road Safety Officer at South Glos and she has now sent the headteacher details of a new scheme, "Five Minute Walking Zones", to promote children walking at least part of the way to school.
Other parking concerns
School run parking isn't the only concern for local residents, something Claire raised at last night's Safer Stronger Group meeting. Following concerns from residents, Claire wrote to both the football club and Fitquest asking them to remind their members to park considerately. Both responded positively - the football club are putting it on their next agenda and Fitquest have assured her that they remind their users every session and do spot checks.
In Claire's survey, people also expressed concern about people parking too close to certain junctions and Claire took this up with officers. White lines were introduced at the junctions off Roundways following a previous meeting she had on-site with highways officers. They are now proposing similar advisory keep clear lines at the junctions of Heath Gardens/Henfield Road and Station Road/The Brake. Although they are only advisory, the fact that someone is parked on them does help the police build a case for issuing a ticket for obstruction.
At last night's meeting, PC Finbar Simmons explained how the police approach parking problems. They need to be able to build a case that will stand up in court if the ticket is challenged. An obstruction has to be more than an inconvenience and courts will take into account how long it lasts, its nature, extent and purpose. Being prevented from leaving your driveway is an obstruction, but being temporarily blocked from entering isn't because you could park your vehicle elsewhere. With pavement parking, he will look to see if you can get a double buggy through. If there is an element of danger officers are more likely to be successful at court. If you are in any doubt, he advised you to call the police using the 101 number.
School run parking
Although the 3 strikes scheme recently introduced by PCSO Andy Pound has been positive, some residents expressed concern that there wasn’t sufficient police presence to support it fully, as only the police can issue tickets. On Friday local councillor Claire Young attended a meeting at the school with the headteacher, governors, residents and PC Finbar Simmons. During the meeting, PC Simmons committed to giving the issue extra attention, and at last night's Safer Stronger Community Group meeting it was selected as a priority, which will help him argue for prioritising it over other work.
South Gloucestershire Council now has a parking enforcement camera car and while Claire was presenting the results of her survey to the committee on 12th November she also asked for the necessary steps to be taken to enable it to be used at the Manor School. At Friday’s meeting, she agreed to arrange an on-site meeting with the police and a highways officer to discuss this further and that is being done.
As well as enforcement, it’s also important to try to reduce the number of people driving to school. Claire has spoken to the Road Safety Officer at South Glos and she has now sent the headteacher details of a new scheme, "Five Minute Walking Zones", to promote children walking at least part of the way to school.
Other parking concerns
School run parking isn't the only concern for local residents, something Claire raised at last night's Safer Stronger Group meeting. Following concerns from residents, Claire wrote to both the football club and Fitquest asking them to remind their members to park considerately. Both responded positively - the football club are putting it on their next agenda and Fitquest have assured her that they remind their users every session and do spot checks.
In Claire's survey, people also expressed concern about people parking too close to certain junctions and Claire took this up with officers. White lines were introduced at the junctions off Roundways following a previous meeting she had on-site with highways officers. They are now proposing similar advisory keep clear lines at the junctions of Heath Gardens/Henfield Road and Station Road/The Brake. Although they are only advisory, the fact that someone is parked on them does help the police build a case for issuing a ticket for obstruction.
At last night's meeting, PC Finbar Simmons explained how the police approach parking problems. They need to be able to build a case that will stand up in court if the ticket is challenged. An obstruction has to be more than an inconvenience and courts will take into account how long it lasts, its nature, extent and purpose. Being prevented from leaving your driveway is an obstruction, but being temporarily blocked from entering isn't because you could park your vehicle elsewhere. With pavement parking, he will look to see if you can get a double buggy through. If there is an element of danger officers are more likely to be successful at court. If you are in any doubt, he advised you to call the police using the 101 number.
Have your say on Sort It! Centre changes
South Glos Council is consulting about possible changes to the Sort It
Centres (recyling centres) to save money by limiting the amount of
commercial waste and material brought in by people who don't live in
South Glos. This could affect the way YOU use the Sort It Centres -
options include:
You can find out more and let South Glos know your views by:
- Limiting business use by clarifying the definition of a van, introducing van permits and limiting the number of times a van can visit in a year
- Asking local residents to pre-register for permits before visiting to reduce the number of non-residents using the sites
- Introducing a charge for the collection and disposal of some non-household waste items
- Changes to opening hours and the days sites are open
You can find out more and let South Glos know your views by:
- Completing the consultation feedback survey (you can fill it in online or download and print it)
- Email: consultation@southglos.gov.uk
- Write to: FREEPOST RTCT-JXLE-EET, South Gloucestershire Council, Corporate Research & Consultation Team, Sort It Centre Changes Consultation, Civic Centre, High Street, Kingswood, BRISTOL, BS15 9TR
- Phone: 01454 868154
If you would like someone to talk to your group or organisation about
these proposals, please contact South Glos using the details above to
arrange.
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
Update on Westerleigh cycle path "missing link"
The funds currently available for cycling schemes won't cover much more work, however. The major part of the scheme will be to bypass Westerleigh on a largely off-road track that will emerge under an unused arch of the railway bridge near the Shire Way mini-roundabout. We talked about the reasons for this strategic scheme in our blog post back in August when we launched our petition to get the final section of the route done as soon as possible.
Two lots of money will be needed - one lot for the detailed design work, consultations with residents and legal work, and one lot to carry out the actual construction. Probably the trickiest part of the design will be the last leg through to Shire Way, but it also brings opportunities to sort out the notorious Nibley Lane / Westerleigh Road junction, which will benefit motorists, and to get better pedestrian facilities too.
We think South Glos are now well aware of the need to carry out proper consultations for schemes like these, but we'll keep on their case to make sure that they do.
So whether you're a cyclist, a motorist or a pedestrian - and lots of people are all three - please sign our online petition here: http://tinyurl.com/cyclelink to make sure that the "missing link" is completed soon as possible.
Monday, 1 December 2014
Let's Get Yate Moving!
The campaign comes as thousands more houses are set to be built in and around Yate over the coming years, on top of hundreds already built in the last few years. Campaigners are calling on South Gloucestershire Council to plan ahead for the new housing and make sure that there are proper public transport options for new and existing residents.
In particular, the Lib Dem team are calling for:
- A Park and Ride for Yate and the surrounding area, next to the Council offices at Badminton Road;
- For the Yate-Bristol rail route to be included in the electrification project for the Great Western mainline;
- For improved bus services in residential areas, especially for North and South Yate and Dodington, not just services from Yate town centre.
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