Have your say on planning across the West of England

The West of England (the former Avon area) is consulting on its planning issues for the next period of time upto 2036. It is important that as many residents as possible submit their views.

Consultation on the Issues and Options for the Joint Spatial Plan and Transport Study, led by the area’s four local authorities, comes to a close at the end of the month (29th January).

More than 1,000 people have given their feedback to date, and on social media the #WEbuildourfuture hashtag has been used, shared and commented on hundreds of times since the consultation launched on 9th November.

The West of England is growing and economically successful: the area is worth around £26bn a year to the UK economy, and around 95,000 new jobs are targeted to be created by 2036.It is one of the few parts of the UK that makes a positive contribution to the national exchequer.

Estimates state that the area needs 85,000 new and affordable homes by 2036, which is 29,000 more than currently planned and predicted.

There are a number of other ways people can share their views before the consultation closes on 29th January:-

Online- by emailing comment@jointplanningwofe.org.uk

Mail-  West of England Joint Planning Consultation, c/o South Gloucestershire Council, PO Box 299, Corporate Research and Consultation Team, Civic Centre, High Street, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 0DR.

For more information, visit the website at: http://www.jointplanningwofe.org.uk.

Tory plans to penalise single parents must be stopped

The Tory Government is still hell bent on penalising low income families by whatever route. The latest is to penalise single parents who find happiness with a new partner. Meanwhile Google can get away with a sweet tax agreement with this Tory Government. One law for the Rich and one law for the rest of us!

More details here :- http://www.libdems.org.uk/scrap-the-love-tax

More homes

The four West of England Councils are currently consulting on the Joint Spatial Plan Issues and Options document and Joint Transport Study between 9th November 2015 and 29th January 2016
Further information and links to all consultation documents can be found here: https://www.jointplanningwofe.org.uk/consult.ti/JSPIO2015/consultationHome

It is important that comments are fed back. Currently thanks to the failure of the Bristol Mayor to address housing issues adequately they are looking for the rest of us to take their housing – could be several thousand for us.

Bath Quays Waterside – construction begins January 2016

The Flood Mitigation and creation of new public space that my Cabinet developed over the last 4 years will now start in January. This will enable new employment space and new homes to be built and in the light of recent floods elsewhere should be secure and more as it is designed to withstand the extreme predictions that are being forecast.

Bath & North East Somerset Council and the Environment Agency will begin work on the next phase of the Bath Quays Waterside project in January.

Construction work will be phased over the next two years and, when completed, will reduce flood risk for over 100 residential and commercial properties; reconnect the city centre to the riverside with a new waterside park, and enable the development of Bath Quays, a new office and creative quarter.

Contractors Alun Griffiths Ltd, will begin work on a compound on January 4. Avon Street carpark and Riverside coach park will remain in operation throughout the works. From January Riverside Coach Park will remain the primary visitor drop off and pick up location, but once passengers have disembarked, coaches will relocate to the First Bus Weston Island Depot.

Once the compound is set-up the contractor will start on highway and utility works in late January in Ambury, Corn Street and Green Park Road.
A new section of road will be built, connecting Corn Street with Green Park Road, which, on completion will carry two-way traffic. Traffic will be permanently diverted from a length of Green Park Road (next to Avon Street car park), allowing the river bank alongside to be widened, providing additional flood flow and a new public open space.
For detailed information about the construction works and its impacts on the public, please refer to the question and answer sheet attached on the project  webpage www.bathnes.gov.uk/bathquayswaterside

Timescales for road closures, towpath and river access will be communicated later in 2016.

New Archway Centre at Roman Baths

One of the projects that has been developing over the last four years is a major new education centre to enhance the Roman Baths experience. I am delighted that the new administration is continuing with this project.

Members of the public will be able to find out more about plans for the new Archway Centre in Bath at an exhibition in January.

The drop-in exhibition will be held in the Kingston Room in the Pump Room complex, from January 7 – 9, 11am to 4pm. There will also be a presentation on January 8, at 6.30pm. Those who attend will be able to see a 3D model of the building and meet some of the Council staff and architects working on the project

The Archway Centre project will create a new Roman Baths Learning Centre above and behind the former city laundry in York Street and Swallow Street. It will also include a World Heritage Centre for the city. In addition, visitors to the Roman Baths will be able to go beneath the street and see parts of the site that have never before been open for regular public access.

There will be an Investigation Zone where school parties can carry out investigative work on in-situ archaeological remains and Roman stonework in an atmospheric setting. School groups will be able to walk through these fascinating spaces beneath York Street via an underground tunnel and then through an original Roman doorway, straight into the Roman Baths to be met with a stunning view of the Great Bath chamber.

The Council has appointed local architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios as lead designers for the project. Other members of the design team are Bath-based structural and civil engineers Integral Engineering Design and mechanical and electrical engineers Method Consulting from Swindon.

The Archway Centre project is expected to cost approximately £5.2m. Bath & North East Somerset Council has committed £1m, and Council staff are now working with the design team to prepare a round two application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for capital funding of £3.5m. This will be submitted in June 2016.

Keynsham South – Well done Andy

Well done to Andy Halliday last night in Keynsham South byelection. An interesting ward and it is difficult to make any comparisons with other results due to the differing nature and the different range of candidates and the numbers of places being elected to but what is undeniable is that Andy’s result saw a dramatic improvement in the Liberal Democrat vote in Keynsham South last night. The Town Council is now as was with 13 Conservative Councillors and 2 Labour.

 

Result from last night:-

EDWARDS, SIRILUCK                       300                    38%
The Conservative Party Candidate          ELECTED

DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER JEFFERY    234                    30%
Labour Party

HALLIDAY, ANDREW BRYCE            195                   25%
Known as Andy Halliday  Liberal Democrats
EDWARDS, JUSTIN NIGEL                 55                      7%
Green Party

B&NES 2015

Alan Dudley Hale Conservative Party 1213 26% Elected

Lisa O’Brien Conservative Party 913 20% Elected

Tony Crouch Labour Party 827 18% Not elected

Fflyff McLaren Labour Party 483 11% Not elected

Philip Evans UK Independence Party 444 10% Not elected

Karen Godfrey Liberal Democrats 284 6% Not elected

Matt Orton Green Party 244 5% Not elected

Linda Denise Hawes Liberal Democrats 184 4% Not elected

Town 2015

Allan Sinclair Conservative Party 1161 16% Elected

Kate Simmons Conservative Party 1158 16% Elected

John Fleming Conservative Party 1099 15% Elected

Tony Crouch Labour Party 1088 15% Elected

David William Biddleston Labour Party 908 13% Elected

Christopher Davis Labour Party 886 12% Not elected

Roy Staddon Labour Party 844 12% Not elected

 

 

Press responsibility

I just sent an email to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport calling on them to reject the press barons’ Royal Charter. It only took a minute using a model letter – please take the time to do the same.

All you have to do is visit http://act.hackinginquiry.org/lobby/16 and put in your postcode – easy as that.