Lib Dem Louise Harris WINS South Glos Dodington ward by-election

Congratulations to Louise Harris, who has won the South Glos by-election for the Dodington ward by a very convincing margin, after a very hard-fought campaign.

The full results are as follows:

• HARRIS Louise - Liberal Democrat Focus Team    693 votes (49.3%)
• LIVERMORE Ian - Conservative    554 votes (39.4%)
• MALONE John - Labour    158 votes (11.2%)

New Tory election tactic - distracting drivers near accident sites

Local residents have complained to the police about Conservative volunteers in the Dodington by-election distracting traffic near the sites of road traffic fatalities during this morning's rush hour.

One resident said "There was a group of people waving Conservative banners at passing cars, right on the busy junction opposite the entrance to the Centre (one of the polling stations). They're being a real nuisance distraction to drivers"

This was along the road from a recent road traffic fatality, and not far from where the Tory candidate and the Tory MP stood for a road safety publicity photo the other day:

What's more, they were also waving banners in the middle of the dual carriageway near the other polling station - not very far from where another person was killed in a road accident a couple of years ago.

Is it a case of "Do what I say, not what I do?"

South Glos by-election radio interview - Tory fails to show up

Radio Bristol did a live broadcast from Abbotswood this morning about the by-election for the South Glos by-election for the Dodington seat (Shire Way and Abbotswood areas). 

The Tory candidate was invited but didn't turn up - the interviewer speculated that possibly the Conservative didn't want to answer searching questions.

Liberal Democrat Focus Team candidate Louise Harris came over very well. The Labour candidate took part too. There was a good discussion about what opposition councillors can achieve, and Louise made some very good points.

You can hear these two candidates on BBC Radio Bristol's website - the interview was on the Emma Britton show (31/10/2018) starting at about 2 hours 7 minutes in.

South Glos By-Election - Shire Way, Rodford Way and Abbotswood areas

Louise Harris with Lib Dem Focus Team colleagues

If you live in the Shire Way, Rodford Way or Abbotswood areas, it won't have escaped your notice that there is a by-election for the South Glos Dodington Ward seat following the sad death of Cllr Gloria Stephen. The election will be held on Thursday 1st November, but postal vote forms have already been sent out.

The Lib Dem Focus Team candidate is Louise Harris, who grew up locally after being born in an RAF hospital where her father was serving. She shares our problems, like finding an affordable home, travelling to work and making sure our families get a fair deal.

Louise brings with her a wealth of experience. Professionally she is a front line worker in disability charities, and she is involved in lots of voluntary groups such as Fair Trade and Abbotswood Action Group. She is an unpaid councillor on Dodington Parish Council.

So what are the election issues? The main points seem to be:

• The BIG problems with the bus services, due to the new timetables and lack of drivers, compounded by the rail closures needing replacement buses
• Conservative cuts - both by South Glos and the Government - affecting local services such as police, schools, youth work and sports facilities
• The effect of Conservative austerity on our local community, for example the number of families who have to use the Food Bank and the growing potholes on our roads
• Speeding on many of our local roads
• Conservative-controlled South Glos Council refusing to let developers' money due to the Abbotswood area to be spent on what local residents really need

There are three candidates. Labour have never won a South Glos seat ANYWHERE near here. The realistic choice is between hard-working Lib Dem Louise Harris - backed up by the Focus Team, with a proven track record of getting things done for local people, and a Conservative that almost nobody locally has ever heard of, who would just vote the way he's told, rather than sticking up for what local people want and need.

South Glos budget passed with £36m in cuts and 5.99% council tax increase

On Wednesday the Conservatives on South Gloucestershire set a budget containing £36 million in cuts in 2019-2022, including over £16 million from adult and children's social services. This was despite a 5.99% council tax rise, including 3% for social care services.

Last week Claire Young chaired a detailed scrutiny of the budget where the Conservatives admitted they don't yet know how many of these cuts will be made. While the Liberal Democrats support some elements, such as the ongoing commitment to keeping free parking to support our town centres and  money for school improvement, we could not support a budget with so many holes and no proposals of how to fill them.

Councils across the country are being squeezed by the Conservative Government. An amendment, seconded by Claire, was passed noting with dismay the ongoing reduction in central government Settlement Funding for South Gloucestershire Council and its impact on the council's core spending power.

New South Glos wards confirmed

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has published its final recommendations for the new wards for South Gloucestershire Council, to take effect from the elections in May next year. In the area covered by this blog:

• There will be two wards covering most of Yate - Yate North (3 councillors) and Yate Central (2 councillors)
• The Dodington ward (2 councillors) will cover Shire Way/Rodford Way, the Birds and the yate area around Abbotswood.
• Chipping Sodbury, Cotswold Edge and Wickwar Parish will be combined as a 2 councillor ward.
• Westerleigh and Ladden Brook wards will disappear. 
•  The Westerleigh ward of Westerleigh Parish and Dodington South ward of Dodington Parish, which are both currently in Westerleigh ward, will move into an enlarged Boyd Valley ward (2 councillors)
• Frampton Cotterell ward will be enlarged to become a 3 councillor ward, covering the parishes of Frampton Cotterell, Iron Acton, Rangeworthy and Tytherington and the Coalpit Heath ward of Westerleigh Parish. 

The external boundaries of the Parish Councils are unchanged. For example Westerleigh Parish will still cover Westerleigh village, most of Coalpit Heath, Henfield, Ram Hill, Kendleshire, Mayshill, Nibley (south of the River Frome) and the Stover Road area of Yate. However, instead of being in the one member Westerleigh ward, the Parish will now be covered partly by the 3 member Frampton Cotterell ward and partly by the 2 member Boyd Valley ward.

Low cost computer scheme for people on benefits and charities

South Glos Council has teamed up with an IT provider to offer a range of low cost professionally refurbished computers to eligible residents and registered UK charities in South Gloucestershire. Both desktop and laptop computers are available under the scheme in a range of performance/price combinations, costing between £99 and £149. All have Windows 10 fitted.


To apply for a low cost computer you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

    Housing Benefit
    Income Support
    Jobseeker’s allowance
    Pension credit
    Disability Living Allowance
    Attendance Allowance / Constant Attendance Allowance
    Carer’s Allowance
    Incapacity Benefit / Employment and Support Allowance
    Disability element of Working Tax Credit
    Universal Credit

Registered UK charities are also eligible for this scheme.



More details are available here, and you can apply at any South Glos library.

Advice sessions on South Glos Member Awarded Funding

Last year South Glos launched the Member Awarded Funding (MAF) scheme that gives Councillors the opportunity to make awards to projects and services that benefit residents in their ward. From 1 April 2017 each councillor has an allocation of £3,000 to award to local projects and services before 31 March 2018.

South Glos is offering voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations and Town or Parish Councils the opportunity to drop-in at one of their advice sessions to meet with a Grant Officer for help and support with the MAF process, such as:

• How to register your organisation on the grants on-line system
• How to create or revise policies
• How to apply to your Councillor(s)
• How to complete an application form
• How to apply if your project crosses ward boundaries

The sessions are being held in Room 0013 at the Council Offices, Badminton Road, Yate, BS37 5AF:

• Wednesday 21 June 09:00-13:30
• Monday 24 July 09:00-13:30
• Monday 14 August 12:30-15.30

For more information please contact the Grants Helpline, Mon-Fri, 9am to 4pm, on 01454 865865 or grants@southglos.gov.uk.  The sessions are open and so please do just drop-in. However, if you would prefer to book a place, please contact the team to arrange.

Council tax to increase for social care?

Have you had your say on the South Glos budget yet?

An extra question has now been added to the consultation. Last year South Glos took up the option to charge an extra 2% of council tax as an "adult social care precept" to go towards the spiralling costs of providing care to the vulnerable. It had been expected that this would continue at 2% for the following years but in December the Government announced a proposal that councils could introduce the rise sooner  – so they could increase council tax by up to 3% in 2017/18 or 2018/19 but still could not exceed 6% in total over the three year period 2017-2020. South Glos want to know your views on this. You can have your say online until 23rd January.

It is hard to see how South Glos can plug the funding gap without taking up this proposal but the Liberal Democrats nationally do not think this is the answer to the crisis in social care. Using council tax to raise the money will disproportionately burden the less well off in our communities and poorer parts of the country will be less able to raise money in this way than wealthier ones. Led by our health spokesperson and former Health Minister Norman Lamb we are pushing for a cross-party agreement on funding for health and social care. Is it time to put a penny on income tax to secure the future of the NHS and social care?

Farewell to Kay

R.I.P. Kay Crowe, 1944 - 2015

Campaigning stopped today as we said our final farewell to our dear friend and council colleague of many years, Kay Crowe. A real "community builder", a true campaigner for many causes, an enthusiast in everything she did, and a mainstay of her family.

We'll miss you, Kay.

Have your say on how planning consultation works

South Glos Council has to produce something called a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). This sets out how local people are involved in preparing planning documents and how they are consulted on planning applications.

The first SCI was adopted in May 2008, since when both laws and the council's internal processes have changed. The council now needs to update its SCI to reflect this and wants to hear your views.

The Draft SCI is available to view at http://www.southglos.gov.uk/planningSCI.

Printed copies of the Draft SCI 2014 are available for inspection, 8.45am - 5pm Mondays to Wednesdays and 8.45am - 4.30pm Thursdays and Fridays, at the Council’s One-Stop Shops, including the Yate one (Kennedy Way, BS37 4DQ - access via West Walk). Electronic versions of the SCI can be viewed at all South Gloucestershire libraries (http://www.southglos.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/libraries/).

Comments can be made by email to PlanningLDF@southglos.gov.uk or by letter to Strategic Planning Policy and Specialist Advice Team, South Gloucestershire Council, Environment and Community Services Department, PO Box 299, Civic Centre, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 0DR. If possible, indicate the page number and section number to which your comments refer. Please note that the responses received, including personal details, cannot be kept confidential. If you would like to be notified when the SCI is adopted, please say.

The deadline for comments is 5pm on 13th October 2014. All the responses will be taken into consideration in preparing the final version, which will be presented to the Planning, Transportation and Strategic Environment Committee for adoption in early 2015.

Waiting restriction review

South Glos Council is planning to change the waiting restrictions on the roads on and around the trading estates on the edge of Yate. This includes a residents parking permit scheme outside the rank of cottages on North Road. You can find out more and comment on the South Glos website - the deadline for comments is 20th February.

Time to apply for revenue grants

If you're a voluntary group working to make our local communities better, did you know that you can apply for a small grant from South Gloucestershire Council to help you do it?

At the September Area Forum capital grants - for "project" type works - were awarded to a number of local organisations:

• South Gloucestershire Citizens Advice Bureau - Boiler replacement - £2844
• Sodbury Tennis Club - Court 4 Floodlighting - £2000
• Shopmobility (South Gloucestershire) - Shopmobility  - £900
• Ridgewood Community Association - New Computers - £1000
• Cafe Ridgewood - Lap top - £500
• Abbotswood Pre-school - Outside Space Project - £3000
• Pop Inn Cafe - £432
• Shireway Community Association/Midway Social Club - Childrens Play Area - £930
• South Gloucestershire Deaf Association - Promotional banner purchase - £148
• Yate and Dodington in Bloom - Carved Sculpture at Jubilee Gardens - £2000
• Yate and District Archaeology Group - Archaeological Equipment - £898
• South Gloucestershire Youth Initiative - St Nicholas Youth centre - £2000
• Yate Star Twirlers - Yate Star Twirlers - £440
• Yate & District Heritage Centre Trust - Laptop for Community Work - £1230
  

The current round of applications is for revenue grants - small grants that can help you with your basic running costs and buying small pieces of equipment. For example, they can help towards room hire, insurance or putting on a community event. We are especially keen to hear from groups that haven't made an application before as we want to make sure we are reaching all parts of the community.

You can find out more and make your application on the South Glos Grants Website. There is also a helpline available on 01454 865865 Mon-Fri, 9 am-4 pm.

In communities that have had new housing, there is also an opportunity to make a proposal for spending some of the New Homes Bonus that the government gives the council for the first 6 years after each new house is built.

 If you want a New Homes Bonus scheme to be considered at the next Area Forum, you need to apply by Monday 4th November. Applications for the following meeting should be submitted by 3rd February. Contact your local councillor if you'd like to know more.

Key Youth Services vote ensures continued provision in areas that need it most

A special South Gloucestershire Council meeting this week listened to many young people speaking passionately about the services they need, then voted to safeguard youth centres in the Priority Neighbourhood areas and still make funds available across South Glos to help communities provide for young people, while a Tory effort to slash funding to young carers was defeated. The issue was originally discussed by the Council's Children and Young People Committee on 25th July, but Conservative councillors then referred it to a meeting of the full council.

Lib Dems proposed that one youth centre be provided as a council service in each of the council's six Priority Neighbourhoods, and also to provide £437,700 for youth services in other areas across the council.

Speaking to support the Lib Dem proposal, Cllr Pat Hockey said "Of course we have vulnerable people in all communities, so we must keep all the youth centres open - hopefully the councillors here go back to parishes and communities and say "come on, get up, let's keep these clubs open"

Speaking afterwards, Cllr Ian Blair said: "Under the Conservative proposals, no youth centre in South Gloucestershire would have been guaranteed to continue. We've safeguarded centres in the most deprived areas, and have made funds available to communities across the district to decide what works for their communities, what their young people want."

After the Liberal Democrat motion had been passed by Council, the Conservatives tried to amend it further, to move £100,000 away from support for vulnerable young people including young carers, and towards Conservative wards. Cllr Ruth Davis, leader of the Lib Dem group was appalled. "This is playing politics with young people's expectations, and the council's very limited resources"

The Tories tried to pass the £99,000 costs of the Armadillo Youth Cafe to the Frome Vale area from 2014/5, which would probably have used up all council funding for the area, but this was defeated. Eventually Liberal Democrats and Labour agreed that each priority neighbourhood should have 2 sessions a week  of South Glos youth work in a youth centre.

A further £210,000 of "targeted youth provision" money was added to the amount already agreed at the CYP meeting.  This was to shore up the areas that had no deprivation weighting, such as rural areas and Thornbury. This money will allocated based on population of young people.

A further Tory proposal suggested moving another £100,000 from targeted provision (e.g. young carers, drugs and alcohol, youth offenders services) to subsidise general provision, but this was defeated because it would have put the vital target provision at risk.

The final outcome is a balance between support for Priority Neighbourhoods (e.g. Abbotswood and Cranleigh Court in our area) and targeted services. Some Council Youth Service provision has been maintained, strategically sited across the authority, and the Area Forums have been given some money with which to support youth services in their area.

The next step is to decide the best way to deliver a Youth Service to the priority neighbourhoods and importantly from where they will be delivered. To have a service that is the same as at present ALL youth centres are going to have to find some alternative source of income.

If an external organisation takes on a centre it will have to be self sufficient in everything including management, performance management etc. These management aspects will no longer be provided by the Council. Some tough decisions have been taken in the light of the restricted finance available, but hopefully and with community support the new financial structure will provide a basis for youth work to continue where it is most needed and in a way that meeds community needs.

Handy Van South Glos - free security checks, subsidised minor repairs

Free Security Checks
Handyvan South Gloucestershire Council operate a free home safety and security check for all owner occupiers and private tenants in the South Gloucestershire area. Improving the security of your home, will help reduce the risk of burglary and unlawful entry, making you feel safer.

All work is carried out free of charge, to British Standards and insurance Industry requirements. The service is funded by South Gloucestershire Council and supported by the Avon and Somerset Police and Avon Fire and Rescue Service provides a free security service including crime prevention advice and home security products for:

• Properties at risk of burglary
• Vulnerable people
• Victims of crime domestic violence and hate crime
• General home safety and falls/accident prevention checks with remedial action

Subsidised Minor Household Repairs
South Gloucestershire Council operate a subsidised Minor Household Repair Service. The aim of this service is to enable people to maintain their independence in their own homes.

The minor household repair service is restricted to jobs of less then 3 hours at a subsidised rate of £10.00 per hour and will typically consist of:

• Small building repairs, odd jobs (e.g. fitting curtain rails or shelves)
• Small plumbing jobs, (e.g. tap washers, leaks, blocked sinks.
• Small carpentry jobs, (internal door repairs, flat pack building)
• Gutter cleaning, cracks in paths, small plaster repairs

The service is available to vulnerable residents who are over 60 years of age, and to people of working age with disabilities. This service is not available to Housing Association or Private Landlords.

For more information please contact andrew.harris@southglos.gov.uk or telephone 01454 863857.

South Glos Libraries launch new audiobook download service

Anyone with an MP3 player can now download hundreds of audiobooks for free from a new service available through South Gloucestershire libraries by visiting www.librarieswest.org.uk

Members can choose from over 600 titles, which can be downloaded for 3 weeks to a PC, mobile phone or MP3 player. All titles are unabridged and available simultaneously so there are no waiting lists, and loans automatically expire after 3 weeks, unless they are renewed, so no late fees.

Titles include The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest by Stieg Larsson, the late Swedish writer whose Millennium Trilogy has been turned into a series of acclaimed films, and the Man Booker prize-winning Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel and Twenties Girl by chick lit author Sophie Kinsella. Classics like Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Jane Austen’s Emma are also available and more titles are
added each month.

All that is needed is a library membership card and a computer, iPod or MP3 Player. This new  service is easy to use, available 24/7 - and free!

Waiting restriction review - have your say!

Now that South Gloucestershire Council's Badminton Road offices are open, the new waiting restrictions that were introduced on the surrounding roads are being reviewed. If you have any comments to make, please email mouchel.highwayconsultation@southglos.gov.uk by
Wednesday 30th June 2010.

Chance to see inside new Council offices

Tomorrow night (Wednesday 31st March) at 7pm there will be a chance for local people to see inside the Council offices. To arrange a place on the tour, please ring Lisa Hooper on 01454 863858.

Sea Stores development could be held up

The Highways Agency put an advert in the local papers recently trying to identify previous owners of the Sea Stores site. It was bought during the Second World War. If land has been bought by compulsory purchase - or the threat of it - it has to be offered back to the previous owners or their successors at current market value.

Part of the land was owned by the Newmans, and one of the family has now come forward. The Gazette reports that another part was owned by an electrical company that has stopped trading (Could this be another part of Newmans? Or could someone else come out of the woodwork?)

A third portion was owned by a council that has now been succeeded by South Glos, who don't seem to be interested in having it back. But should they be interested? Is there a potential profit that could be used for improving local facilities?

It's a case of "watch this space" - but we have to ask why the Highways Agency didn't investigate this earlier. It's very likely to hold up the redevelopment of the site for a short while, and could even jeopardise the careful negotiations about the layout of the new development. Or maybe it could result in something more advantageous for the local community going there?

Renewable energy

It was good to see the new wind turbines installed at Avonmouth recently. They're certainly an impressive sight - this photo was taken from Portishead.

In the meantime, we're doing our bit to make small-scale renewable energy cheaper. A while ago a £50 fee was introduced for people wanting advice about permitted development - in other words, whether or not you need to put in a planning application. It turned out that they were even charging for advice on applying to put in solar panels and the like - just the wrong message when you want to encourage them! Now, after pressure by Lib Dem councillors, the charge has been removed completely for advice on renewable energy proposals.

P.S. Those wind turbines weren't the first renewable energy project at Avonmouth. Back in the Eighties the Wessex Water sewage treatment works, which generates electricity from methane, was connected to the mains network. The Evening Post headline at the time was "Power from the people"!