Nominate your community hero

There is still time to nominate your community heroes for the Chair's Community Awards, but hurry, the deadline for nominations is Friday 21 March.

The annual awards event celebrates the hard work and dedication of volunteers in the community who display outstanding commitment in giving up their time and effort to help others. Suggestions for nominations include those who have contributed to community development, promoting equality, arts, sports, play, environment, working with older or young people, advice and advocacy or have simply been a good neighbour. From charity fundraisers to local football club managers, sports coaches and arts festival organisers, these awards have seen South Gloucestershire Council honour the dedication and commitment of hundreds of unsung heroes across the district.

You can nominate online. The winners will be invited to a ceremony at the South Gloucestershire & Stroud College WISE campus in Filton on Sunday 18 May.

Changes at Abbotswood Post Office?

The Post Office is consulting about changing the arrangements at Abbotswood Post Office. There would no longer be the screened counters. Instead there would be a till on the main retail counter.

This would mean that Post Office services would be available for much longer (Mon – Sun 06:00 – 22:00) but a few facilities would be lost, for example you wouldn’t be able to pay by cheque.

You can comment online at postofficeviews.co.uk quoting branch number 16351199, write to “FREEPOST Your Comments” (Yes, that’s it, the shortest address we’ve ever seen!), phone 08457 22 33 44 or textphone 08457 22 33 55.

Southmead Hospital - a bus ride in the right direction?

First Bus have announced proposals for a direct bus service from Yate to Southmead Hospital from 13 April, together with changes to other services. While the direct link will very welcome, it falls short of the desire for a service from Chipping Sodbury as well.

Other consequences appear to be that certain services will be lost from parts of North Yate, and Chipping Sodbury and South Yate look likely to lose their existing direct service to Cribbs Causeway.

So all in all, a mixed bag. One upside is that most of these services will be run on a commercial basis, rather than being council-subsidised, so they should be less vulnerable to council cutbacks.

We'll only really know the detailed impact when timetables are published online in mid March. Meanwhile you can read more on the First Bus website.

Temporary footbridge for Wapley Bushes

It looks like Network Rail have listened to councillors and users of the path over the footbridge to Wapley Bushes. They have put in an application to divert the path via a temporary footbridge while they raise the bridge to get clearance for the overhead cables for electrifying the line.

Clearance work has recently started on site and we are now waiting for Network Rail to sort out the details of the paths to make sure that the slope isn’t too steep.

Bus fare consultation roadshow to be held in Yate

The promised roadshow by First to consult passengers on bus fares will be held in Yate Shopping Centre on Monday, February 17 from 9 am to 12.30pm.

First are also running an online survey on fares, with a  chance to win an iPad.

The consultation closes on March 16th.

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.

Your views on anti-social behaviour

Avon and Somerset Police are running an online survey about anti-social behaviour. If you're using a desktop or laptop you can fill it in here and there is also a mobile and tablet version. The survey closes on Sunday 9th February, 2014.