North Yate Election Guide

 To help you find out more about your Lib Dem Focus Team candidates for North Yate we have published this guide.

Central Yate Election Guide

 To help you find out more about your Lib Dem Focus Team candidates for Central Yate we have published this guide.

Dodington Ward Election guide

 To find out more about your Lib Dem Focus Team candidates for Dodington, we have published this guide. 

Yate wins Age Friendly Status

Thanks to work pioneered by Lib Dem Yate Town Councillors, the town has been awarded UK Age Friendly Status.

This recognises all the work going on, led by Cllr John Gawn and his committee to make Yate a better place for older people. Thank you to everyone who has helped with our work on making Yate age friendlier so far. There is a mass of work to be done, and as we saw with the park gates, changes help everyone, whatever your age

If you would like to be a community champion- an older person letting us know what needs to be done, feeding in ideas, getting the news first about new opportunities - do please contact us. You can ring on 01454 866506 or email info@yatetowncouncil.gov.uk

Focus Team Councillors fund new police electric bikes

Have you seen the local police out and about on the new electric bikes, funded by Yate councillors Ruth Davis John Gawn and Ben Nutland, from MAF money.

These are already in use, helping the police get about faster, and get to places police cars can't. The police say they are great. 

Thanks Ruth, John and Ben.

(picture, Ruth, John and Ben outside the South Glos Offices with the bikes and the police who are using them.)

Let's save the HSBC bank in Yate. Sign the Petition!

 

Let's save the HSBC bank in Yate. Sign the Petition!

Posted by South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats on Friday, 22 January 2021

South Glos lagging behind on electric car charging points

South Gloucestershire Council is lagging behind its neighbours on delivery of electric vehicle charging points. That’s...

Posted by South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats on Monday, 18 January 2021

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.

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)

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

A46 Tormarton - comments by 2 Dec

South Glos is proposing to do some work on the A46, where the road up from Codrington/Westleriegh and the road to the Compass Inn meet it, close to the M4 junction. That has always been a dangerous junction and South Glos want to cut the number of serious accidents there.. Claire Young, and local residents have been working to get the Council to take action.(Picture below of Claire and residents campaigning back in 2018 when South Glos put in temporary lights)

Officers have now published their plans: some raised red hatching and a change in speed limit. Here are the plans.

If you want to comment you need to fill in the S Glos form at:
https://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/consu.../A46Tormarton
Comments close on 2nd Dec. The proposals are below

.

MORE CYCLEWAYS FOR YATE

A few months ago, during lockdown, Yate Town Council put together a master plan for the strategic cycle routes we need around Yate, to help people cycle (and consulted with cyclists to identify the strategic routes where it is currently trickier to cycle). We are pleased that South Glos has agreed to act on some parts of the Yate Town Council master plan. So they are currently drawing up plans for a cycleway from the B and Q roundabout to Link Road along Station Road, and from B and Q to Link Road along Kennedy Way. That would give a link to the North South Route.

We have asked them as part of the plans to sort out the McDonald's car park entrance and pilot a one way system through the car park using the Armadillo exit; and have reminded them of the urgent need to sort out the two traffic lights and mini roundabout at Church Rd which has a real pedestrian hazard. And we have put the case for having a secure covered bike park at the junction of these routes by the bus terminus for bike and ride. We have also stressed they need to consult carefully BEFORE they start doing anything - and learn the lessons from the Station Rd mess. These routes SHOULD be easier to solve without harming residents or businesses....but they need to listen and resolve the problems up front.

Focus wins battle to tackle problem underpass.

South Glos have confirmed to John Gawn that the subway from Sundridge Park to the shops will close this coming week. They hope to start work shutting it off on 5th October ie Monday. Thanks to John for all his work with residents, the police and South Glos to tackle the problems there.

McDonald's Chaos

Friday, 4.30pm and it is... chaos.... First full week back at school and Station Rd was completely blocked in both directions by queues for McDonalds - blocking the fire and ambulance station, right turn area and the east and west bound lanes.

We have asked the police and South Glos to work with McDonalds urgently to stop this happening again. And asked the shopping centre owners to help.

Two residents have very helpfully supplied photos - if YOU spot the problem, and can safely take a photo, please do and send it to us, as the more evidence we have, the more likely officials are to take serious action to prevent the problem.

When it was bad earlier in the year, S Glos did some monitoring, but of course McDonalds knew, so they made sure the problem did not occur. And McDonalds for a while had a sign saying no queuing back onto the road, with someone where forcing cars to move in. That needs to be restarted, and they need to act quickly whenever a problem occurs. McD's say they don't know if there is a problem. Well, there is a camera that monitors car parking entrance, run by the shopping centre owners, so could they not use that to spot if there is a backlog, or simply put in their own camera. It is not acceptable for the town centre to gridlock because of a queue for McDonalds....

Park and Ride Planning Application in

Good news - with your help there have been improvements to the proposals but …

• users are still going to have to cross the A432 to get to the bus stop -
• It is likely to turn into a Council Office overflow car park

The plan is for 192 spaces, incl 13 disabled and 20 electric, one car club bay, 6 m/c and secure parking for 46 bicycles. We've attached the plans to this post.

Open from 6am to 10pm excluding bank holidays

This is much smaller than would be needed to allow for all the extra houses since the plans agreed in 2005, so there are real worries about whether it will be big enough.

Parking will £2.60 a day but free for those using the buses. So you won’t need to use the bus or train to park there. That means it is likely to get heavily used by people working in the Council offies next door, as that is desperately short of parking. So there is a real risk relatively few of the 192 spaces will be available for ACTUAL park and ride users.

The plan does show an on site bus lay-by, but there is STILL NO COMMITMENT commitment to actually getting the buses to go in so users are still going to have to cross the A432 to get to Bristol bound buses

The good news is that it WILL have a signal controlled pedestrian crossing over the A432 Badminton Rd - so we have won that battle thanks to your help in creating a strong community pressure.

You can check out the plans and add your views at

https://developments.southglos.gov.uk/online-applications/ - then put the reference P20/16166/R3F in the search box.

Photo - Stephen Williams, Ruth Davis, John Gawn, CLaire Young and Mike Drew trying out the road crossing to get to the bus stop from the proposed car park.

Developers rip up Ladden Gardens Local Centre master plan

Plans have now been published for the 'local centre' at Ladden Gardens. They are COMPLETELY different from the approved master plan.

The hotel and pub are gone, the 7 shops have been reduced to 1, green space is being removed and car parking put in. Instead all the space that would have been used for these facilities is going to be 3 storey flats, with only the road width and s single row of cars between them and existing houses. All the plans showing them set further back have been torn up. They are proposing to put the community building at one end, and all the parking at the other end, right outside existing houses (just to make sure you maximise disturbance to resident late night).

If YOU live anywhere on the new development, you might want to have a look and comment as this is going to be the only community facility for the whole of the new development. You can find it at: southglos.gov.uk/search-planning-applications - then put in the reference P19/14631/RM - but you will need to move fast - they only published this revised version of the plan this week and want comments immediately.

The version the developers put in last October was far far worse, and S Glos officers have done well to get as many changes as they have managed so far. Now we need to all help put pressure on to get more changes.

The Town Council has objected to the changes - when resident shave tried to get eg play area problems sorted out they are told by the planners ' oh we have to stick to the approved masterplan' but this looks like another example of one rule for residents and one for the developers - if the developers get away with ripping up the masterplan for the local centre. Their only excuse for the change is ' there is no demand for a pub or hotel' - well not right now maybe, but we need to plan for the next 50 years - and if they cannot build those right now, at least let us have it for community uses, to replace the community use of a pub and hotel.