Snap up studio photos in aid of Help For Heroes!

Fancy having some really good quality photos done at a moderate price, and helping this worthy cause at the same time?

Come along to Castle Combe Village Hall next Saturday to have some studio photography shots done. Three prints for £10, and/or pay £10 to get all your photos on CD. All profits go to Help For Heroes.

It's a great way for people to get professional photos done of themselves and their family at a low price, and support charity at the same time.

More details available about the photographers here

Ram Hill Colliery - dates for your diary

The Friends of Ram Hill Colliery will once again be holding an open day as part of the South Glos Heritage Weekend. It will run from 10.30am to 4.30pm on Sunday 9th September and light refreshments will be available.

If you fancy getting more involved, why not join them for a work day, 10am-4pm on Wednesdays and the second Sunday of the month from April to October. Or attend their next committee meeting at 7.30pm on Monday 3rd September 2012 in the Miners Institute Coalpit Heath.

Make the most of your library!

Yate Library offers a wide range of facilities and runs lots of special events, ranging from children's workshops to talks by authors. During the summer there is a series of art exhibitions too - check out Yate Library's MyYate page for details. The children's Story Lab summer reading challenge runs in all South Gloucestershire Libraries until September 16, and it’s free to take part.

And did you know that you can borrow audio books and ebooks online? It's free. You'll need your library number and PIN. You can borrow up to 3 eBooks at a time for up to 21 days maximum - they work on most ereaders (except unfortunately Kindles), and they work on tablets and PCs. Audio books are mainly in unprotected MP3 format so they should work on almost any device. Find out more from the Libraries West home page.

Rail electrification works

Paul Hulbert at the Wapley footbridge

The main London to South Wales line – the one that runs next to Shire Way - is going to be electrified (we don’t know the timescale yet)  and this will involve quite a bit of engineering work. For example we understand that the footbridge to Wapley Bushes will have to be raised by half a metre. This means that slopes up to the bridge will be steeper and the RADAR disabled access gate will have to be moved. We’re awaiting more details from Network Rail.

Prinknash Court flats to be upgraded

Local councillor Tony Davis at Prinknash Court

Following consultation with the residents Merlin Housing Association have decided to keep Prinknash Court at Abbotswood for the elderly and will refurbish the accommodation so there are no bedsitting rooms any more.  Effectively 2 existing bedsitters will be made in to either 1 or 2 bedroomed flats.  Empty units will not be filled from January 2013 to enable work to begin later that summer. Anyone living there will have first options on returning once the development is complete.

Don't forget - Rodford School plans drop-in tomorrow!

South Glos Council’s consultants, Kendall Kingscott and an officer from South Gloucestershire Council, will be at the library tomorrow, 7th August, from 3.00 - 7.00pm, to answer your questions about their plans for the Rodford School site.

Tell the officials what you think

• Fill in the survey form at the Library (but also keep a copy!)
• Email: the South Glos Officer in charge of the consultation: Chris.cox@southglos.gov.uk
• Write: South Gloucestershire Council, Property Services, The Council Offices, Castle Street, Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, BS35 1HF 
• It’s really important for residents to let them know what you think of their plans. If you can’t get your views in by the deadline, then tell Tony as soon as you can - and he will  make sure your views count, whenever you get them to him.
• If you want to join Tony campaigning to stop this proposal, contact him. Together we CAN get our voice heard. 

Tony Davis wins first stage in Common campaign

Tony Davis, a life long campaigner to protect the Common has managed to get agreement from the landowners (South Gloucestershire) to apply to make it a Diamond Jubilee Queen Elizabeth II Field in Trust. A bit of a mouthful - but what it means is that the Common and the Fox Covert will have extra protection from developers and others.

The Fox Covert, part of what we think of as the Common is not actually common land, so it has always been particularly vulnerable. This new label will make it as safe as we possibly can get it. Now the experts are filling in the paperwork - and Tony is trying to make sure they do it as quickly as possible, so before the year is out, so we can celebrate 25 years of saving the common AND its new protected status.


To give it even more protection, he has got the landowners to offer to lease the lot to the local community for 50 years - and is trying to get the owners to GIVE the entire common to the town.

Help fight plans for Rodford School

Yesterday we reported your views on what should happen to Rodford School and Wapley Court. But council officials and developers have other plans...
  
...and officials are only giving you 10 days to comment! 

South Glos want to sell it to developers for housing. If they are going to sell the land it’s important to make sure they know what it’s worth, so some developer doesn’t come along and rip off the taxpayers - so it’s right to work out what to do with it NOW - but  their housing scheme can’t be the right answer.

South Glos  are willing to keep the playing field  for open space, sports and allotments but want to:

• Scrap the landscaping put in by local residents, pupils and parents along Barnwood Road 
• Build 66 houses (with just 101 parking spaces)  right up to the Barnwood Road edge of the site
• There’s no promise to keep the trees. 

Where to see their plans

You can find their plans online or at Yate Library but they’re only bothering to put it on show for just 10 days - until 10th August . That’s absurd,  particularly in the school holidays.

Tell the officials what you think

South Glos Council’s consultants, Kendall Kingscott and an officer from South Gloucestershire Council, will be at the library on 7th August 2012 from 3.00 - 7.00pm, to answer your  questions.

• Fill in the survey form at the Library (but also keep a copy!)
• Email: the South Glos Officer in charge of the consultation: Chris.cox@southglos.gov.uk
• Write: South Gloucestershire Council, Property Services, The Council Offices, Castle Street, Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, BS35 1HF 
• It’s really important for residents to let them know what you think of their plans. If you can’t get your views in by the deadline, then tell Tony as soon as you can - and he will  make sure your views count, whenever you get them to him.
• If you want to join Tony campaigning to stop this proposal, contact him. Together we CAN get our voice heard. 

West of England Care and Repair Service

Most older and disabled people want to live in their own home for as long as possible, but sometimes they need a bit of extra support to be able to do so.

South Gloucestershire Council has agreed a new contract with West of England Care & Repair to deliver services that do just that. The agency will provide information and advice on housing related issues, ensure that homes are suitable for people leaving hospital and support those requiring major adaptations to their homes.

A new centre has also been opened in Waterloo Street, Bristol where people can test out equipment to aid their mobility such as level access showers, kitchen equipment and seat raisers. A ‘smart house’ in Yate, offering similar facilities, will be provided later in the year in conjunction with Merlin Housing Society.

The services will help people identify their options by addressing problems such as disrepair, home health, accident hazards, fuel poverty and debt or by finding alternative suitable accommodation. The core customer groups are all older and disabled households, and mostly owner-occupiers. Information and advice and support for those leaving hospital will be provided for free. The agency will also advise on any grants, charities and low cost loans.

Coopers site development refused

Residents have thanked Tony and Ruth Davis from the Focus team for speaking out about concerns over the Coopers site planning application.

The planning committee were convinced by their arguments and refused the application due to the effect of highway safety issues and overbearing development on Stanshawes Drive.

Citizens Advice Bureau funding

Dodington Parish Councillor Paul Hulbert
at the CAB office in Yate

Yate Town Council and Dodington Parish Council are working to persuade other local councils to pay their fair share of the running costs of the Citizens Advice Bureau. This cash-strapped organisation is providing an invaluable service to local people in the current difficult economic situation. Yate and Dodington have always paid the "going rate" and it's time other some local councils did the same.

Your spaces - your choice

In a recent Focus, Tony Davis asked for your views on what should happen to Wapley Court and Rodford School. Loads of residents phoned, emailed and sent back the survey form. Thank you to everyone. So, what was your verdict?

 

Your Verdict

	Rodford School	Wapley Court
Open Space	54%	31%
Social Housing	2%	5%
Redevelopment for Housing	4%	3%
Extra Care Housing for the Elderly	20%	46%
Commercial Development eg shops	0%	5%
Allotments	17%	10%
Special School	3%

Other suggestions included - skate park, sports area and changing rooms, petrol station, larger GP surgery, open air swimming pool, enclosed dog training area, sensory garden, formal gardens, youth centre, housing for older people.

Traffic accidents on Rodford Way

Tony Davis checking out the fast-moving traffic

As well as the pedestrian accidents on Rodford Way, there’s another cluster of accidents on the eastbound carriageway near Kelston Close and Witcombe that each involve only a single vehicle. For example, recently a car overturned above the Abbotswood subway.  Focus councillors have requested South Glos traffic engineers to investigate this piece of road, and Yate Safer Stronger Community Group has asked for a flashing speed sign to warn motorists and gather speed data.