South Glos Liberal Democrats welcome declaration of Ecological Emergency

South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats have welcomed the statement by the authority’s majority Conservative group, following pressure from the Opposition Liberal Democrats, that the Council has declared a formal Ecological Emergency.

South Gloucestershire’s neighbouring West of England local authorities of Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and Bristol declared Ecological Emergencies earlier in 2020, however Conservative-controlled South Gloucestershire had, until tonight, made no formal statement on the subject.

Following the submission of a motion to tonight’s full council by the Liberal Democrat Group calling for the declaration of an Ecological Emergency, the Conservative group gave notice to the opposition groups of their intention to move an amendment including the phrase: “this council notes that a formal Ecological Emergency has been declared”.

Following this acknowledgement that South Gloucestershire Council has already declared an Ecological Emergency, and the statement by the Leader of the Council during the discussion on Climate Emergency Update Report, that tackling the Ecological Emergency had been fully integrated into tackling the Climate Emergency the Liberal Democrat Group decided it was no longer necessary to move the motion at Council.

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Adrian Rush, who had been due to move the Liberal Democrat motion, said:

“I welcome the administration’s acknowledgement that, through it’s work on the Climate Emergency, this Council has already declared an Ecological Emergency.

“Declaring an Ecological Emergency is an important step forward. The administration now needs to demonstrate that it takes the Ecological Emergency, which it has acknowledged, seriously.”

Council gives unanimous support to Liberal Democrat motion on tackling stalkers and domestic abusers

Gloucestershire councillors have unanimously supported a motion proposed by the opposition Liberal Democrat Group on tackling stalkers and domestic abusers.

The motion, proposed by Yate North councillor Ben Nutland, highlighted the scale of the scourge that is domestic abuse across the country – with evidence having shown that domestic abuse has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Proposing the motion, Councillor Nutland said:

“On average a woman is killed by a man every three days in this country.

“One in four women in this country will suffer domestic violence in their lifetime.  One in four.

“Three-quarters of violence against women happens in a place where a woman should feel safest – her own home.

“I think colleagues on all sides will agree with me that these are truly shocking statistics.

“By passing this motion tonight we send out a clear signal for those who suffer in silence, that they can speak out and receive the help they need. We can change the narrative from ‘Why doesn’t she just leave?’ to ‘Why doesn’t he just stop?’.

“Domestic abuse is everyone’s problem and the solution must be too.”

Seconding the motion, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Yate Central, Ruth Davis said:

“It’s about stopping the perpetrators not stigmatising the victims.

“We’ve got to get this right, if anything the most important things are the cultural shift, that we prioritise stopping perpetrators and asking them why they do it and including the details of stalkers and domestic abusers on the Violent and Sexual Offenders Register.”

By passing Councillor Nutland’s motion, the Council gave it’s support to:

• The proactive identification, assessment and management, by the police and probation service, of domestic abusers.
• A cultural shift, whereby greater emphasis is given to identifying and stopping the perpetrators of domestic abuse.
• The details of stalkers and domestic abusers being included in the Violent and Sexual Offenders Register.

The Chief Executive of the Council will now write to the Home Secretary and the Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner setting out the Council’s position and asking her to take action.

CONSULTATION ON 30 MPH SPEED LIMIT FOR HERON WAY, CHIPPING SODBURY

 

South Glos Council is consulting on a proposal to change Heron Way from a 40 mph limit to 30 mph. It's always been a bit of an oddball, as a single carriageway 40 mph road in the middle of the Birds housing estate.

We've seen a few near misses ourselves, particularly for example with vehicles speeding down the hill to the roundabout just when families and children are crossing the road after school closing time, when traffic coming from Scott Way is also heavier.

You can see the full details and comment officially to South Glos Council on this link:
https://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/.../consultationHome

 

Feel free to comment below, but please remember that your opinions ONLY count if they are sent officially to South Glos.

FIGHTING FOR HALF HOURLY TRAINS

The new train timetable from Sunday 13th Dec is a real missed opportunity. 

 You can find details at: https://www.gwr.com/plan-journey/train-times. Annoyingly, they are running slow trains from Glos to Bristol every half hour, but only alternate trains stop at Yate!! 

The Malvern line B3  from Malvern to Bristol stops at Yate.

The Weymouth B10 line from Gloucestershire to Weymouth does not show the train stopping at Yate. It says it will stop at places like Thornford and Upway, but not Yate. But actually it will because it is really the B3, but some of them will go on to Weymouth.

Confused?

We have been campaigning for half hourly trains for a long time, and the local MP SAYS he backs the campaign. And WECA and South Glos say THEY back it, but say it is going to cost a lot of money as they need to make technical changes. WECA are spending a fortune on feasibility studies.

We have immediately got Yate Town Council to approach GWR to suggest they sort this out, and once again pushing for the half hourly service we need. 

Stephen Williams, who has been helping us with this campaign commented " Yate  desperately needs the half hourly service, and instead of years more promises that it is ‘being investigated’ we need action.”

BOOK MY BUS RIDE

The book my bus ride scheme is about to go live on the Y1. so you can now book a ride on the Y1 on Monday - Friday. This means you are sure there is space for you on the bus and the bus will not be overcrowded. (You don't get a specific seat, you get a promise you will be able to find space on the bus safely)

You can book a slot on line at www.bookmybusride.com

We were worried that those who most need the certainty may not use computers, so they have agreed to trial a dedicated phone and book service on 07866 977586, Monday to Friday from 09.00-17.00 (excluding Public Holidays). Confirmation of all phone bookings will be sent in the post and First recommends making phone bookings seven days in advance of your journey to allow time for this delivery.

If you know of people who might find this service helpful, do please tell them about the phone and online service.

Mayor, Karl Tomasin said " We are really pleased with this as it will mean people can phone or go on line to book a seat - and people have been telling us they are put off trying to use a bus because worried that the bus may be over full. This reassures them they have a space booked and will be empty enough to meet social distancing rules” (photo taken before COVID)

Drive-In Christmas Carols Sunday 20 December

 

Churches within Yate have organised Drive-In Christmas Carols on the Riverside Car Park, the one near the cinema, supported by Yate Town and Dodington Parish Councils, Yate Shopping Centre and the community.

 

You will be able to sit in your car, COVID-safe with your "bubble". There will be music on the sound system and the words will be up on the big screen. Esquire Coffee will be open for take away food and drink.

 

There are two sessions, at 6 pm and 8 pm. Booking is ESSENTIAL - tickets are going very quickly. You can book here - https://www.yateparish.org/carols - click on the session you want. Donations will go to St Peters Hospice.

Campaign for touch-free pedestrian crossings

Instead of pushing a button as a pedestrian, to get the lights to change, you move your hand under the button unit. Like touch free toilet flushing. The gadget detects the movement.

A simple way to avoid the button that is never cleaned and so many people touch so often - which is a COVID risk (and other infections)

The cost? £100 per pushbutton. So you could do every pedestrian controlled light in Yate for under £2000. So we suggested South Glos used some of the money it had been given for highways works resulting from COVID to do this. They refused point blank, even though other authorities have rolled this out. What do you think?

Have a look at:https://twitter.com/.../status/1322503676544585728/video/1

NEW PLANS FOR TERN INN SITE

 

The owner of the Tern Inn and car park off Heron Way has submitted a new planning application for the car park area.

 

The proposal is to build a convenience store - likely to be CO-OP - with 5 flats above, one 2 bed and four 1 bed. The building would be along the side of the car park next to Heron Way. The pub would be retained.

 

The plans show that there would be 41 spaces in the car park - around the existing capacity. Out of the 41 there would be 1 disability space and 5 spaces for the flats, with access bollards.

 

15 spaces would be designated for store use, leaving 19 "additional spaces" for everyone else.

 

You can see the full details and comment on the South Glos website here:
https://developments.southglos.gov.uk/.../applicationDeta...

 

This replaces the previous application that was turned down after so much opposition, which would have seen the pub demolished and flats built all over the car park.

 

Feel free to comment and discuss the new proposal here, but please remember that your views will only be officially considered if you send them to South Glos - the easiest way is to use the "Make a Comment" button on the page linked above. Please get your official comments in before Christmas. It's likely that there will be a decision by Wednesday 27 January.

 

There is also a lively Facebook discussion going on in The Birds Yate and Chipping Sodbury Resident Group - if you're not already a member, you can find them here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1031148403680385

RAISE CARER'S ALLOWANCES

Join our #StandUpForCarers campaign to increase the Carer's allowance by £1,000 a year.

Will you join them and add your name and join our fight to give carers the support they need?

The national campaign is being led by Ed Davey. This campaign is so personal to him as he has been a carer for much of my life.

His story "First as a teenager, nursing my mum during her long battle against bone cancer. Later for my Nanna, organising her care and trying to make her last few years as comfortable as we could. And now as a father, as Emily and I care for our disabled son John. I know how tough it can be. I will speak up for the nine million carers in our country and be their voice." Will you join Ed? If you will, join the campaign today: libdems.org.uk/carers