Interim head announced for Winterbourne International Academy

Peter Smart, Headteacher of The Castle School, Thornbury, will be seconded to the post of Interim Principal at Winterbourne International Academy, from 16th January to 31st August 2017. More information is available on the WIA website.

Police seeking information on burglaries

Police would like to hear from anyone who has information on the following incidents locally:

• At some point between midday on Wednesday January the 4th and 1.20pm on Saturday the 7th, unknown person(s) have forced entry to a residence on Medway Drive, by using a screwdriver-type object to force a rear bedroom window. 
• Between Tuesday January the 3rd and 9am on Friday the 6th, unknown person(s) have attempted to force entry to a residence on School Road, Frampton Cotterell. It appears the offender(s) have gained access to the rear of the property through an insecure side gate, where they have tried to force one of the rear patio doors. 

If you have any information regarding these incidents, please contact the Police on 101. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Yate Spur cycle consultation - still time to make comments

Cllrs Paul Hulbert and Claire Young at the exhibition

It was good to see so many people at last week's Yate Spur cycle path drop-in session at Shireway Community Centre. You only have until Sunday 15 January to have your say. Full details of the scheme and how to comment are on the South Glos website.

Nibley Lane to close for cleaning

Nibley Lane is expected to close for cleaning from its junction with Badminton Road to its junction with Westerleigh Road between 9.30am and 2.30pm on Monday 16th January.

Latest on Winterbourne International Academy

Will Roberts, CEO of The Castle School Education Trust, and Dave Baker, CEO of The Olympus Academy Trust, have written a joint letter to parents about the interim leadership arrangements for Winterbourne International Academy. You can read it on the WIA website. They have invited parents to a rolling programme of presentations followed by questions starting at 4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm on Wednesday 11th January.

Try a new activity for free

Do you fancy trying a new fitness activity this New Year?

South Glos Council's SportsPound programme helps people across the area to get active. If you currently do less than 30 minutes of physical activity per week, are over 14 years old and live in South Gloucestershire, you are eligible to receive SportsPound vouchers. These will give you eight free sessions of any of the activites listed on their website, including aerobics, ante and postnatal fitness, badminton, bowls, cricket, football, martial arts, netball, rugby, running, swimming, tennis and yoga.

You can now register online, which makes it quick and simply to apply for SportsPound vouchers. There is also a team of Sports Pound activators across South Glos who you can speak to - you can get in touch via the website.

South Gloucestershire’s SportsPound received National Lottery funding of £171,324 from Sport England.

Happy New Year, Sir Steve Webb!

Our former MP Steve Webb has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year's Honours List. He was our MP from 1997 to 2015 and Minister of State for Pensions in the coalition government.

Since last year Steve has been the Director of Policy at the large mutual insurer Royal London, a role that allows him to carry on raising issues about pensions and other areas of public policy. He pops up on Moneybox or the Today programme from time to time, but unfortunately because of this role he's not able to engage actively in party politics.

We wish Sir Steve and Lady Helen all the very best for 2017 and the future.