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The Week inEast Bristol & North East Somerset

Issue no 416FREE

Stand by for rail disruption . . . page 3Upgrade work closes Keynsham station for 10 days

Bitton church needs car park . . . page 14Council will review District Valuer’s report

Car parking shake-up in Hanham . . . page 24Consultation on new waiting restrictions

In this week’s issue ......

Read by over 30,000 people every week31st March 2016

2 The Week in • Thursday 31st March 2016

Plans for a zebra crossing near Hanham Hall have beenpulled after objections including one from conservationofficers who were worried it would spoil the look of theGrade II listed building.South Gloucestershire Council asked people what they thoughtabout a proposed crossing on Whittucks Road, north of the un-named link road to Samuel White Road.The site the council identified is next to the new development inthe grounds of Hanham Hall where 185 homes have been built,and also near Hanham Health surgery. In a council survey a total of 129 pedestrians, including 60children, had been counted crossing at this point in a 12-hourperiod.At the recent meeting of the Safer Stronger Community Group(SSCG) for Hanham and Longwell Green, it was revealed thatthree people had supported the proposal but four had objected.Concerns had been raised about the loss of on-street parkingand the need for a zebra crossing at this location wasquestioned.South Gloucestershire Council's own conservation team alsoopposed it on the grounds that the crossing would be “visuallyintrusive” immediately opposite the Grade II listed Hanham Hall

which has recently been restored.The council's engineer response was that given the level ofopposition to the scheme, including the comments of theconservation team, the plans for a crossing at that point wouldbe scrapped.Some residents at the SSCG were unhappy that conservationhad taken a higher priority than road safety.The council will investigate further sites on Whittucks Road aspossible locations.

Hanham

Zebra crossing 'would have spoiltthe look of Grade II building'

Hanham Hall

The Week in • Thursday 31st March 2016 3

Commuters are being urged to plan ahead to during theforthcoming closure of the railway between Bath Spa andBristol Temple Meads.Keynsham and Oldfield Park stations will be closed fromSaturday 2nd April to Sunday 10th April while Network Railcarries out modernisation work in preparation for theelectrification of the Great Western Line.The new generation of electric trains with more seats and morereliable journeys are due to enter service in the summer of2017. As the work is taking place during the school Easter holiday, it'santicipated that the volume of traffic in the city of Bath willremain the same as a normal busy day. However, roadworks inthe centre of Bristol could have an impact on traffic flow,particularly between Keynsham and Bristol. As a consequencethose travelling between Bath and Bristol are being advised toplan ahead, use alternative means of public transport, avoidpeak travel times if possible and allow extra time for theirjourney.GWR will run regular rail replacement bus services along theroute and extra buses will be on standby to provide additionalcapacity if required. Additional buses will also be provided atBath's Park & Ride sites as and when necessary. There is ticketacceptance on some First Bus services.Hauliers have been asked to route M32, A37, A38 throughtraffic to the west of Bristol where possible. Avon & Somerset'sRoad Policing Unit has been asked to enforce the box junctions

at Hicks Gate, particularly during peak times. Signal timings willbe actively managed from Hicks Gate through to Bristol TempleMeads.There will be strict parking and bus lane enforcement along theA4.

Stay on the moveduring rail works

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South Gloucestershire councillors will tomorrow (Friday)carry out a site inspection at the Cherry Tree pub whichdevelopers want to turn into seven apartments by buildinga two-storey extension. Local councillor Sam Bromiley has asked the sites inspectionsub-committee to visit as he has a number of concerns,including the junction on the mini roundabout, parking, theposition of the windows overlooking a primary school and theloss of a community pub.The council's sustainable transportation team has also raisedconcerns about the proposed parking and manoeuvring areas.

Seven objections have been received from local residents,including one from the nearby pre-school. Concerns include the access off an already busy road, that adangerous crossing area for children will be made worse, thelack of parking, the potential for overlooking the school and pre-school, which could have safeguarding issues, and the loss ofthe facility.

Oldland Common

Parking concerns overCherry Tree redevelopment


Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando,Corston, Downend, Emersons Green, Fishponds, Hanham, Hillfields,Keynsham, Kingswood, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, Marksbury, NorthCommon, Oldland Common, Pucklechurch, Saltford, Staple Hill,Stockwood, St George, Warmley, Whitchurch, Wick, Willsbridge.

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PublisherKeynsham & Saltford Times Ltd, 8 Temple Court, Keynsham. BS31 1HA0117 986 0381www.theweekin.co.ukISSN: 2052-9767

Managing Editor Stephen Rodgers [email protected] Becky Feather 07973 839936

Christine Rogers

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The Week in


Projects in St George and Fishponds have received afunding boost from the Veolia Environmental Trust.The Friends of Troopers Hill have been awarded £23,750 tofund the installation of a new wooden activity trail at the playarea on the field. It will incorporate several features and willbe suitable for five to 11-year-olds. Chair of the Friends group Susan Acton-Campbell said: “Thesite is freely open to all and the new activity trail will be usedand enjoyed by the children who cross Troopers Hill to getto the nature reserve and when they are coming home fromschool.” And the third of a four-phase project to revive the RiverFrome can go ahead, thanks to Veolia's grant of £21,524 toBristol Zoological Society. It will fund a community-ledprogramme to remove invasive non-native plants and carryout river health surveys. It will focus on a stretch of theFrome running near UWE Bristol and Blackberry HillHospital. The grants are two of 27 the Veolia Environmental Trust'sboard has awarded to community and environmentalprojects in England and Wales totalling over £834,000. Grants are awarded through the Landfill Communities Fund.

Despite assurances that a solution was being sought, theEaster Bank Holiday came and went with the popularMemorial Park café closed.As we reported in Issues 412 and 413, the lease on the café hadexpired and the previous tenants were not being offered a newone. Although no tender has been published for a new deal,B&NES Council told us earlier this month that it was “working onoptions to keep the café open”. We understand that since then, the departing tenants haveremoved their fixtures and fittings from the site, leaving just theshell of the building.At the time of going to print we were awaiting an update on thesituation from the council.

St George & Fishponds

More than £45k awardedto local projects

Keynsham

Park café still closed

The café on Easter Monday



A parcel of open space close to Tintagel Close and thechurch on Queens Road has been transferred from councilownership to homes provider Curo. While locals were unaware of the transaction, a noticeappeared earlier this month in a Bath weekly newspaper.Although no further information has been made public at thisstage, there are fears that the green space will be lost to furtherhousing.Last week a B&NES Council spokesman told us: “The councilis working with Curo to support them in regenerating a numberof their key estates. The transfer of the open space adjacent toTintagel Close to Curo is part of this co-operation agreement. “Any plans for the Tintagel Close area will be prepared by Curoand will be subject to consultation with the community prior toany planning application.”

Keynsham

Development plans for TintagelClose?

Free one-to-one sessions to help people join the online worldare coming up at Emersons Green Library.They are taking place on Saturday 9th April from 2pm to4.30pm, Friday 15th April from 2pm to 4.30pm and Tuesday26th April from 10.30am to 12.30pm.Help is on offer to people who want to use email, Facebook,job hunt, find about courses or training, health and wellbeingand online shopping, To book a 30-minute session call 01454 868006.

Free internet help

Local transport campaigner David Redgewell urged B&NEScouncillors not to “throw the baby out with the bath water”when deciding on the Government's devolution deal for theWest of England region.As we reported last week, the deal announced in theChancellor's Budget would give the four local councils controlover key issues of planning and transport. The extra powersand funding that come with it are conditional on the combinedauthority electing a mayor, and each of the local councils nowhas to agree to the plan before it can go forward.At last week's meeting of B&NES full council in Bath, MrRedgewell from the South West Transport Action Group, whois a director of Bus Users UK, reminded councillors that thedevolution deal contains measures on transport and highwaysplanning that would not only advance the Metro West projectbut could also extend to infrastructure projects such as theA36/A4 road link. Acknowledging that transport was just one of the many issuescouncillors will have to consider in the regional devolutionproposals he told them that on transport, it was “something wehave been asking for many years. It is a once-in-a-lifetimeopportunity. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.”B&NES Council will decide on the plan at its next meeting inJune. Although Robin Moss, leader of the Labour Group ofcouncillors, called for an emergency debate on a motion toreject the concept of an elected mayor, council chair IanGilchrist refused to allow it. He argued there had not been enough time between theChancellor's announcement and last Wednesday's meetingfor councillors to be properly briefed.

'Don't reject transportplans in newdevolution deal'



Sudoku1-Easy 2 -Hard8 9 7

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CHEMISTSWEEKENDOPENING

Sunday 3rd April

Boots, Gallagher Retail Park,Longwell Green (10.30am-4pm)

Asda Store Longwell Green(10am-4pm)

Boots, Emersons Green Retail Park(10.30am-4pm)

Sainsburys, Emersons Green(9.30am-4.30pm)

Stockwood Pharmacy78 Hollway Road, BS14 8PG(9am-7pm)

A big thank you Dear Sir,Recently someone stole a wheel frommy car which was parked outside myhouse. Thanks to an observantneighbour, the police arrived and theperson concerned was arrested whiletrying to take another wheel. He wastaken into custody along with his car andmy wheel.I felt quite upset, being an elderly widowon limited income. The thought ofspending money on a new wheel, tyreand getting someone to do the job,seemed more than I could cope with.When Sergeant Ryan Matthews arrivedon the scene, he showed me a greatdeal of concern, taking a statement,asking relevant questions and assuringme things would be taken care of. Hethen arranged for my wheel to bereturned and refitted and on finding aproblem with the bolts, he went to thelocal garage for help. They responded,even though by this time they shouldhave closed for the day.Sergeant Matthews was a credit to thepolice force and a God-send to me thatday. I am sure he did much more thanhis valuable time required. My heartfeltthanks to him for all his kindness andalso a big thank you to Crown Garage in

Saltford for coming to my assistance.M GlassonSaltford

SWEB reunion Dear Sir,Some 26 years ago, SWEB Retailopened its second superstore atLongwell Green. This was the start of anexciting time in retail for SWEB and forthe staff who worked there. Despite thefloor area of the store it still had theatmosphere and sense of 'family' thatthe shops had for its staff.Staff were drafted in from other shops inthe area such as Keynsham, Knowleand Bath to get the store ready foropening and by the time it did, theLongwell Green family had been formed.The story, like so many other familystories, had its ups and downs. Thingschange, people leave, some changesare good, others are not - but as you getolder you can look back and appreciatewhat good days they were and whatgreat people worked with you. With that in mind, a few of us areorganising a reunion to be held on 11thApril at the Horseshoe, Siston Common,at 7.30pm. If you or a family member orfriend worked for SWEB at LongwellGreen, we would love to hear from you.We have managed to contact 18 friendsalready but there were at least another10 who lived locally and we would love tomeet up again.

Contact me via Facebook (SWEBLongwell Green Reunion).Jan BirdSpeedwell

Unelected yet in charge Dear Editor,I noted your postscript (Issue 415) thatB&NES Council's chief executive JoFarrar is going to Whitehall - you couldn'tmake it up. It should not surpriseanyone; this is a person who could noteven respond to a letter.She was costing £200,000 a year, let ushope our esteemed UNELECTED leadermanages to employ someone at far lesscost and answers letters from residents.He can publish his picture with the newUNELECTED chief executive.William Houghton

Spotlight on Osborne Dear Editor,The Chancellor George Osborne hasagain shot himself in the foot with yetanother U-turn, this time over theproposed cuts to PIP. He has broughtscorn upon himself simply by notconsulting sufficiently or thinking throughthe consequences of his policies beforelaying them on the table.Is this characteristic trait one which wewant to see in a Chancellor or a possiblefuture party leader or Prime Minister?Roy Staddon

Letters


LettersHow inclusive a country arewe really? Dear Sir,Would the councillors, in theirdeliberations about the future of ourlibraries, remember the reasons whycomputers were put in them?Many of us use them for a host ofreasons, from finding out importantinformation to keeping in touch with familymembers by email. However, the peoplefor whom it is imperative to access is theunemployed. If they are seeking work, theJobCentres tell them they have to goonline to find positions and completeapplications. They are told that if they donot have computer access at home, to goto their local library. Without access to theinternet it seems you are excluded fromapplying for all manner of entitlements. If someone in Hanham needs access to alibrary computer but it's behind closeddoors, they would have to take two busesto get to Kingswood Library. Had thecouncillors ever stooped so low as to usepublic transport, they would find not onlythe inconvenience but also the high costbuses - something which further stretchesthe finances when on a limited budget. I use the library at least twice a week andhave never seen a councillor in thereother than the time that MP ChrisSkidmore made himself available forconstituents' questions.For those of us who lived through the war,we remember that the libraries stayedopen throughout that period unless theywere bombed. Today we are told we are arich, inclusive country but somehow can'tafford to provide our citizens with such an

important community facility.D Thorne, Hanham

Do your research Dear Stephen,The prospectus of Hanham's ChristchurchPrimary School page on 'Governors'responsibilities quotes: “Our longestserving Governors to our newest areactively encouraged to participate in thelatest training available to ensure thegoverning body stays up to date with thelatest Government initiatives to fullyunderstand how to work with the schooleffectively”, so it was with disbelief I readApril Begley's letter, (Issue 415),especially extolling her role as a governorthere, but claiming she didn't know about

the removal of the requirement for 'parent'governors, and their replacement bypeople with 'proven skills' to achieve thebest educational standard possible, untilshe heard it on a question-and-answerprogramme. Starting from this position of totalignorance of the proposal in question, herparochial view ignores the problems ofschools catering for children from six ormore ethnic minorities all requesting theirown parental input, then brings intoquestion the relevance of her own era ofteaching when, to demonstrate herexpertise, she claims to have solved theproblem of disruptive children by gettingtheir parents to take a few weeks off workand sit in class with them until they settleddown, and then proceeds to call Nicky

Morgan “stupid”!Had she researched the background asadvised in her school's prospectus, shewould have found it was due to a vowmade in 2010 by the Education Secretaryto replace a failed education system theCoalition inherited, that saw one in threechildren finishing primary school unable toread, write and add up properly,apparently justifying Labour's claim thatan open door immigration policy wasnecessary to fill a 'skills' gap. Nicky Morgan's Priestley Lecture fouryears later at Birmingham University is agood starting point for her, and anyoneinterested on either side.:-w w w . g o v . u k / g o v e r n m e n t /s p e e c h e s / s e c r e t a r y - o f - s t a t e - f o r -education-our-plan-for-education Michael O'Regan

Open letter to MP andHanham councillors Dear Chris Skidmore, June Bamford,John Goddard & Heather Goddard,,I am concerned to read that the sale ofshares in RBS Bank is set to recoup£22bn less than the taxpayer paid to bail itout. This seems extremely rash,particularly at a time when youth services,libraries and disability benefits are beingcut. In addition, the Chancellor's recentBudget has increased costs to schoolsand the NHS by increasing theirresponsibility for pension payments. Surely it would be prudent to retainownership of RBS and reap the financialbenefits of continuing to own what areprofitable shares?I'd be most interested to know yourposition on this matter and look forward toyour reply. Joe Unwin, Hanham


No 5 service is a lifeline Dear Becky,Thank you so much for all your interestand stories about the No 5 bus servicewhich is being restored. It will make all thedifference to many of us in the CleeveWood area in that we shall be able toreach our surgery and bank in Fishpondsand the bus station, hospitals and shopsin Bristol.Without this, we have had to endure a 20-minute walk to any other bus service andwe cannot buy a loaf of bread, a pint ofmilk or a newspaper in Cleeve Wood soevery little thing entails a long walk or abus service.A lot of effort by many people has beenput into emailing, letter writing, telephonecalling, meetings etc, and it has at last,paid off! We are most grateful that Firsthave agreed to resume the No 5 serviceas it really is a lifeline for many of us, whohave given up driving due to healthproblems and age-related difficulties -also those of us who have never drivenand wholly relied upon bus services.Gerry & Tony SmallCleeve Wood, Downend

Sleepwalking into gridlock Dear Stephen,With the major consultation on aNeighbourhood Development Plan forKeynsham starting on April 8th and 9th Iwould like to see traffic and parking highon the agenda.It was news to me to read in the latestedition of Council Connect that B&NEShad adopted a Transport Strategy forKeynsham in 2015. I read the documentonline - all 49 pages of it - and I am not

reassured. The “solutions” seem to be to installsignals at pinch points and to encouragemore cycling and walking. They suggestlights to exit Somerdale, also at both endsof Avon Mill Lane and at the Wellsway/ A4junction to exit on to Charlton Road fromthe new housing at Bilbie Green, which isfast reaching completion, and two sets tojoin the already overcrowded A4 if the newproposals for housing in Keynsham eastget planning permission. No new busesexcept for the Somerdale site but this isdown to the operators, not the council.Set this against their quoted figures ofKeynsham's population: 50% above 44years compares with 43% in the whole ofB&NES and 41% in UK; 23% above 65years (16 % in UK).Between 2011 and 2029, 2,150 newhomes are planned, increasing stock by30%.New-builds should have a Travel Plan asa condition of planning permission andthis should have been the case for thetown centre development. In which casehow did we end up with a narrowing ofBath Hill and the loss of the left-hand sliplane into Temple Street? I am still waitingfor an explanation of that.We are sleepwalking into gridlock for ourtown unless we make our views heard.Sheila Crocombe

Striking the right balance Dear Sir,Following the letter about charity shops inyour 21st January edition, there havebeen mass debates over this between myfriends and family.Firstly, I would like to point out that I am intotal support of charity shops and thecauses they support. I do not mind payinga bit more if it is helping the charity butthere needs to be a balance.

I frequent charity shops several times aweek and not just in Keynsham and itdoes seem that many now have corporatebranding with flat screen TVs, radiosystems chipping in your ear about buyingraffle/lottery tickets and an increase inmanagement/supervisors who are paid awage. Perhaps this is one of the reasonswhy the cost of items is going up.I know it is easy to say that if charity shopsare too expensive, then don't shop there,but my concern is that they were onceplaces where OAPs or people on tightbudgets could go to get a bargain. Ifcharities can get more money for items byselling them on eBay, then fine, but someitems of clothing may well be cheaper newin places like Primark these days.Let's not forget that charity shops rely onour goodwill and are given their stock forfree. This needs to be reflected in theprices on offer or otherwise the charitiesneed to look more closely at theiroverheads.Fellow concerned charity shopper

Letters

The Week In is independent of any political orcommercial interest. We aim to produce abalanced and accurate view of local news andwelcome comments from our readers. Normally, we will publish letters in full butreserve the right to shorten or clarify thecontents or to refuse publication. Please try tokeep letters under 300 words and supply yourfull name and address for reasons ofauthentication. Only the name and districtwhere you live will be reproduced. Anonymityis possible under certain circumstances.

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Crossword ACROSS1 A Marvel comic character (4)3 Do not allow (8)9 Centuries old (7)10 Stick (5)11 Marine mammals (6,6)14 Baby's bed (3)16 A pick-me-up (5)17 Zero score (3)18 Method of preserving food (6-6)21 Decoration on a cake (5)22 Colloquial term to die (5,2)23 Waste band on clothing (8)24 Ancient city of Asia Minor (4)

DOWN1 Lethal road hazard (5,3)2 Outspoken (5)4 Decomposition (3)5 A writ against unlawful detention (6,6)6 An intermediate position (7)7 A property of sound (4)8 Three times twenty-six (7-5)12 Recoil in pain (5)13 Somewhat (8)15 The act of twisting or turning (7)19 Deduce (5)20 Reduced Instruction Set Computer (4)22 Noble title (3)

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Across

A Marvel comic character (4)1Do not allow (8)3Centuries old (7)9Stick (5)10Marine mammals (6,6)11Baby's bed (3)14A pick-me-up (5)16Zero score (3)17Method of preserving food (6-6)18Decoration on a cake (5)21Colloquial term to die (5,2)22Waste band on clothing (8)23Ancient city of Asia Minor (4)24

Down

Lethal road hazard (5,3)1Outspoken (5)2Decomposition (3)4A writ against unlawful detention (6,6)5An intermediate position (7)6A property of sound (4)7Three times twenty-six (7-5)8Recoil in pain (5)12Somewhat (8)13The act of twisting or turning (7)15Deduce (5)19Reduced Instruction Set Computer (4)20Noble title (3)22

LettersConcerns over academies Dear Editor,A chaotic and bleak time awaits many ofour schools in B&NES. The forcedacademisation of all schools by 2022 willeffectively end the role of the localauthority in local education and will putan end to local accountability. The Government is insisting thatacademisation will push up standards.Yet there is no evidence for this. A recentOfsted report highlights seriousweaknesses in many academy chains,with the head of Ofsted Michael Wilshawexpressing concern that manyacademies are “failing their poorestchildren”.Most primary schools in B&NES (as inthe rest of England) have chosen not toconvert to academy status. TheGovernment is ignoring the views of thegoverning bodies, staff and parents inthese schools by forcing academisation

on them. This is dismantling stateeducation purely for ideological reasons,in an attempt to privatise the business ofeducation.There are good reasons for notbecoming academies. Firstly, the needto have parent governors on thegoverning body will disappear, makingacademies unaccountable to parentsand the local community.Teachers in academies don't have to betrained, so saving money as they will becheaper. There will be no national payawards for teachers and no national payscale. This is a recipe for chaos, whichwill inevitably push down pay, making iteven harder to attract and retainteachers and inevitably lead to industrialaction. However, the average pay ofmany chief executives of academychains is much higher than the PrimeMinister's.Academies do not have to follow theNational Curriculum. So the millions ofpounds spent in changing the NationalCurriculum two years ago have beenwasted.

There has been a deafening silenceabout how the real problems affectingour schools will be tackled. There is ashortage of teachers with a seriousproblem in their recruitment andretention. Teachers' workload has hit anall-time high. The proportion of teachersleaving teaching before retirement agehas risen to 75%.There is a widening attainment gapbetween disadvantaged children andtheir peers.Schools are facing an 8% cut in theirbudgets, due to increased NationalInsurance and pension contributions,with education spending falling for thefirst time since the mid-1990s.With all these problems affecting ourschools, the drive to academisation is anideological distraction with no effectiveGovernment strategy for raising overallstandards other than by removingschools from local authority control.Cllr Liz Hardman (Labour)Paulton


The well-known 37th Kingswood Drum Corps hasannounced its closure.The news was greeted with sadness on the group's Facebookpage, with over 120 people posting comments.In a statement the group said: “It is with regret that the 37thKingswood Drum Corps have made the difficult decision tocease to operate as a competitive corps and a performanceensemble with immediate effect. This decision has been madein light of a decreasing membership/staff group.“We have had a really good run since our inauguration back inthe '60s, and so many youngsters have benefitted from being apart of our group and of the drum corps activity. But all goodthings eventually come to an end. “We would like to pass on our very best wishes to all of ourmarching members past and present, to the army of volunteersand to all of our friends and competitors across the drum corpsmovement nationally and internationally.”The 37th has been a regular feature at local parades includingChristmas on the Hill at Staple Hill and South Gloucestershire'sannual Armed Services Day.The motto of the Drum Corps, part of the 37th Kingswood ScoutGroup, is 'To be the best, the best that we can be.'

37th Kingswood DrumCorps folds

Fishponds

Bedroom fireA woman in her 50s was taken to hospital after sufferingburns and inhaling smoke in a fire which started accidentallyin a bedroom in Fishponds.Two fire engines from Kingswood fire station were called outto tackle the blaze on the first floor of the house in ForestRoad on Monday 21st March about 6.40pm.Firefighters carried out first aid at the scene and she wasthen taken to hospital.

An independent review of the business case being used bySt Mary's Church to justify creating a car park in the GreenBelt has now been published.District Valuer Tony Williams says the case for a car park is“compelling” if the church is to survive but adds it has providedscant details about costs.South Gloucestershire planning officers have beenrecommending refusal of the 30-space car park in a corner ofthe Glebe Field at Church Road, saying the exceptionalcircumstances needed to justify development in the Green Belthave not been shown by the church in its business case. The officers also have concerns over the safety of the proposedcar park access. To avoid vehicles crossing an established rightof way, a new access south of the existing gate is proposed witha tarmacked entrance and gravelled drive. The car park itself would be made from a plastic grid mesh filledwith soil and seeded with grass. The field is owned by theDiocese of Bristol.Church elders have warned that with high running costs and anageing congregation, the 1,000-year-old church could closewithin 20 years so needs to increase its income by offeringmore activities to the community. It considers a car park isessential to its survival. Currently Church Road and ChurchLane become clogged with vehicles during services.The car park proposal has also divided opinion in the parishand councillors have also been split on the matter. In Januarythe Development Control (East) Committee accepted officeradvice that the independent District Valuer be asked to studythe viability of the church's business case. Mr Williams said in his report: “It is clear that the currentfinancial position of the church is not ideal and I estimate that insome years the costs exceed their income after provision ismade for the diocese and commitments to charities.“The Parochial Church Council have clearly considered theoptions under a business plan to improve the income from thechurch, however, in the short term an investment will be needed

to improve both the facilities within the church and the car parkif consent is granted.“Putting aside the planning issues, I am of the opinion that thecase for a car park is compelling since without one, theincreased use of the church would become very difficult andeven if achieved it may fail in the future without the availabilityof off-street car parking.”He says the church provides some detail about its reorderingproposals for the existing building but no detail has beenprovided about costs.“Although it is my professional opinion that a car park isrequired to enable the church to extend its use and income intothe future, without the detail of the funding for both thereordering proposals to the church and the creation of the carpark the overall scheme may not be deliverable.“I would stress that this review is my professional opinion of theapplicant's business case for the car park and does not takeaccount of the planning issues.”The report will be now be considered by the DevelopmentControl (East) Committee whose next scheduled meeting is 7thApril.


Bitton

'Church needs a car parkto survive'


As part of its National Careers Week activities, St Brendan'sSixth Form College arranged opportunities for its students tomeet with more than 25 employers and industry experts. A diverse range of businesses, university ambassadors andvolunteering organisations attended the careers fair whichaimed to help students understand the numerous opportunitiesavailable to them after college. The event was a part of thenational celebration of careers guidance in education across

the UK. With more than 1,750 students at St Brendan's, staff work hardthroughout the year to ensure students are supported duringtheir time in post-16 education, and when the time comes tomove on from college. The annual careers fair is just one of themany initiatives implemented to ensure students receiveimpartial and clear advice on the many options that areavailable to them. Throughout the afternoon, students were able to discover arange of information from a diverse host of guests. Amongst thevisitors were apprenticeship providers Dyson, youth-led Bristolmagazine Rife, audit firm giant Ernst & Young and nationalcharity Volunteering Matters.

Careers fair at St Brendan's


Situations Vacant


Oldland Parish Council held its second annual Youth AcademyAwards at Cadbury Heath Hall on 18th March. Young people who have actively taken part in projects receivedeither their bronze or silver award. Awards were presented bythe chair of Oldland Parish Council Cllr Ron Hardie and the chairof the Community Investment Committee Cllr Graham Downing. A special presentation was made to the young people's chosencharity, the Make a Wish Foundation. The young people raisedover £200 from the Christmas sales of products they made aspart of their Youth Academy apprentice project. Oldland Parish Youth Academy runs at The Batch Youth Centreon Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, starting from Year 6. Formore details contact Steve Skidmore on 0117 9673941 or07896326737.

Meeting to discusscommons

Youth Academyawards night

A meeting will take place on 13th April to give peoplethe chance to look at proposals for the futuremanagement and maintenance of the commons in theparish of Siston.A South Gloucestershire Council spokesperson said: “Weare holding a community meeting at the Grange School &Sports College in Warmley to discuss proposals for thefuture management and maintenance of the commons inthe parish of Siston - Siston, Webbs Heath, Goose Greenand Bridgeyate. “We want local residents and anyone with an interest in thecommons to attend our meeting and contribute their ideasand suggestions.“As custodians of the commons, we want to bring localpeople together and make sure we understand and aremeeting their needs. As part of this we have been workingwith site neighbours, local residents, the parish council andanyone with an interest in the commons to ensure that therequirements of the Scheme of Management continue to bemet and take in to account the change in ways thatcommoners exercise their grazing rights.“This meeting is to present those findings back to the groupand we will also be discussing grassland management,including grazing, biodiversity, boundaries, and we areadditionally exploring the possibility of establishing a friendsgroup.”If anyone has questions prior to the meeting, email theCommunity Spaces Team at [email protected] meeting will be from 6pm to 8pm in the music hall at theGrange.


The first ever Keynsham Walking Festival will take place on 9thand 10th April.It is being organised by the Keynsham Walkers are Welcomegroup in conjunction with Saltford Walkers, SomerdaleRamblers and Keynsham Methodist Ramblers. There will be eight walks of varying lengths spread over the twodays. The Memorial Park will be the start point for many of the

walks and destinations willinclude Hanham, ComptonDando and Burnett, QueenCharlton, Swineford andAbbots Wood.Find out more at e-voice.org.uk/keynshamwalkersarewelcomeor call the town council on 01179868683.

Cam Valley Arts Trail Group will be holding their Spring Exhibition& Sale at Conygre Hall, Timsbury, on Saturday 30th April from11am to 5pm.It follows on from a Taster Day earlier this year where membershad a chance to try their hand at each other's arts and crafts.There will be more than 16 local artists attending the exhibitionand it will be a chance for visitors to meet the artists, see how theycreate their work, and try it out at the free taster art sessions. There will be paintings, ceramics, textiles, wood, glass, calligraphyand more on show. There will also be a display by Taste ofTimsbury, a new local group promoting local produce. Entry is free and there will be refreshments.

Walking festival Spring exhibition

People are invited to a Keynsham Twinning quiz at the RoyalBritish Legion (upstairs) on Friday 8th April.There will be a bar, supper, a raffle and numerous prizes.The quiz starts at 7.30pm and the cost is £5 per person.To book call Carole on 01179 865350 or Anne on 077 331 02741.

Keynsham Twinning

Chaps Drama's upcoming production is a comedy by NormanRobbins entitled Tiptoe through the Tombstones.The show runs from 21st to 23rd April at Wick Village Hall andstarts at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at £6.50 (£6 concessions) and are availablefrom Richard Martin on 0791 762 4360.

Latest production

Pamper night

OUT & ABOUTYour guide to eating, drinking and entertainment in April

There will be a Ladies' Charity Pamper Night on Saturday 23rdApril from 6.30pm to 9pm at Elim Pentecostal Church, BalmoralRoad, Keynsham. There will be gel nails, spray tans, facials,massage, pedicures, craft stalls and workshops.Tickets are £5 per person which includes a drink, nibbles and agoodie bag. Call Rachel to book on 0791 860 2085 or on the door.


People living in Station Close are fed up with their road beingused by people working in nearby commercial units, commuterswho leave their cars and catch buses and those who park andthen hop on their bikes to access the nearby Bristol & BathRailway Path.

Dog walkers going to the nearby Warmley Forest Park alsoleave their vehicles in the close where inconsiderate parkingmeans that residents sometimes struggle to get off theirdriveways.

Warmley Station public car park that serves the railway path isaccessed from Station Close and is long stay. Ian Adams, whorepresents Siston ward on South Gloucestershire Council, feelsa limit on parking should be considered so there is more of aturnover of visitors. He is also looking into whether signs can beput up in the close advising motorists to park moreconsiderately.

Warmley

Congestionproblems incul-de-sac



Students and staff at Keynsham's new IKB School havemoved into their £3.4m state-of-the-art building.The studio school now has top quality specialist facilities todeliver its curriculum, which is focused on science, technology,engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.The 65 students who joined IKB when it opened in Septemberspent the first few months in temporary accommodation atneighbouring Wellsway SchoolIKB will eventually have up to 300 students, aged 14 to 18,following an academic curriculum to equip them with the highquality skills, experience and qualifications they need for theirworking lives.Principal Debbie Gibbs said the students were thrilled to be intheir new home: “They enjoy using equipment such as 3Dprinters and laser cutters and love the integrated technology,with Apple TVs everywhere and touch screens in everyworkshop and classroom. It is such an inspirational workingenvironment.”She added: “We are delighted with the number of applicationswe have already had for September 2016. It is especiallypleasing that as many girls as boys are seeking places in Year10.”

A unique feature of IKB is the links with employers; youngerstudents do a day's work experience every fortnight and sixth-formers one day a week. The school is fostering strongrelationships with major local employers including BuroHappold, Kier, Arup, Hartwell Jaguar and the Ministry ofDefence. IKB, named after the great engineer IsambardKingdom Brunel, is one of six schools in the Wellsway MultiAcademy Trust. Its chief executive Andrea Arlidge, said: “TheIKB Studio School is a significant addition to educationalprovision available for young people in this area and it isfantastic to see the school moving into its iconic new building.“The trust is delighted by the progress the school has madesince it opened last September, thanks to the hard work andcommitment of its excellent staff and students. The visionbehind this new school is very exciting and it will make a

significant difference to the future prospects of its students.”While all IKB Year 10 and 11 students study a core curriculumof English language and English literature, maths, biology,physics and chemistry and choose from a range of STEMGCSE and BTEC options, if a pupil wishes to choose a subjectsuch as history, art or a language they can join classes atWellsway. All sixth-formers at IKB study maths and do A-levelsand BTECs in STEM subjects, with the option to take additionalsubjects at Wellsway. Students of all ages can also join after-school sports and music activities at Wellsway.Places are still available for next year, open to all at Year 10 andsubject to grades at Year 12. Student transport can bearranged from other areas, including Mangotsfield, Kingswood,Longwell Green and the Chew Valley.

Keynsham

Students move into new£3.4m school


A 24-year-old man has been jailed for five years and fourmonths after admitting a charge of rape. Benjamin Hudson, of Kingswood, raped a woman at a propertyin the Hartcliffe area on 6th December 2015.The victim called a friend following the incident, who called thepolice and an investigation began. Hudson was forensically linked to the incident and admitted acharge of rape at court. He was sentenced at Bristol CrownCourt last Tuesday (22nd March).)Investigating officer Det Con Kiri Williams said: “Hudson carriedout a horrendous offence against the victim who was lefttraumatised by her ordeal.“Forensic evidence linked him directly to the offence and eventhough he answered 'no comment' during police interviews, headmitted the offence in court due to the weight of evidenceagainst him.“Thankfully the victim didn't have to go through the experience

of giving evidence in court butshe's been fully supportive ofour investigation throughoutand I'd like to praise herbravery. “We encourage anyone whohas been a victim of a rape orsexual assault, whether it is arecent or a non-recent offence,to come forward and speak to us.”If you don't want to report a rape or sexual assault to the police,you can call The Bridge - a Sexual Assault Referral Centreavailable 24/7, 365 days a year, on 0117 342 6999.The Bridge provides medical care and emotional and practicalsupport to anyone affected by rape and sexual assault. You cancall The Bridge for help and decide about talking to the policelater.

Jail sentence for Kingswoodman convicted of rape

Benjamin Hudson

Two Brownies were invited to cut the ribbon to officiallyopen the new extension to St Francis Church Centre. The community centre extension modernises the building andincludes a brand new kitchen and a meeting room. The£160,000 project was funded primarily by Bath & North EastSomerset Council, which contributed £80,333, while IbstockCory Environmental Trust (ICET) and Cory Environmental Trustin Britain (CETB) contributed £57,000 collectively.Rio and Skye, from the St Francis Brownie unit, opened theextension at the recent fun day to celebrate the modernisedfacilities. A wide range of local groups use the communitycentre regularly, from a parents and toddlers group to an elderlypersons’ luncheon club. The extension is being welcomed locally, particularly as morelocal people are participating in community activities and therecent increase in housing on the estate did not include anycommunity buildings as part of the development. Vicar the Rev Andrew Judge said: “This extension is muchneeded and will be used by hundreds of people each week. It'sfantastic to see so many people here who have helped make ithappen, especially the many organisations that havecontributed financially without whom the extension would nothave been possible.” The Rev Judge said representatives fromthe Brownies were invited to perform the official opening in

recognition of their fundraising efforts, swimming the equivalentof Keynsham to Wales in the town's pool. Brown Owl Sarah Watkins said: “We use the community centreas our base and all the Brownies enjoyed swimming to helpcontribute £550 to the new extension. We were very pleasedour Brownies were asked to open the extension and lookforward to making full use of the new improved hall for manyyears to come.”The Bath & Wells Diocesan Fund for Church Growth gave£10,000 towards the work and the Rank Foundation gave£5,000, while £2,000 came from the Medlock Charitable Trustand £1,000 from Keynsham Town Council.


People are invited to the Masonic Hall in Keynsham onSaturday 23rd April to celebrate St George's Day with atraditional English four-course meal.Tickets are £21.50 and proceeds will go to the SpeedwellArmy Cadets who will be providing the entertainment on theevening. The event is 7pm for 7.30pm when guests will sitdown to soup, roast beef and all the trimmings, cherry crumbleand English cheeses, followed by coffee and mints. There willbe waitress service.The organiser is Keynsham man Len Burden and this will bethe 18th year he has organised the event to celebrateEngland's patron saint. For tickets contact him on 01179860499.

Celebrating St George's Day Kingswood

Care home praisedby watchdog

Keynsham

Brownies open church centre extension

Fairview Court Care Home has received a glowing report from theindependent watchdog the Care Quality Commission.The home on Hill Street provides personal and nursing care for upto 49 people and specialises in the care of those living withdementia. The recently published report, which followed anunannounced inspection in February, rates the home as good inthe five key areas - safe, effective, caring, responsive to people'sneeds and well led.The inspectors' report included praise from relatives that theirloved ones were receiving the care and support they needed, andalso compliments from health and social care professionals.


Consultation is under way on a review of waitingrestrictions in Hanham.The aim is to restrict dangerous areas of parking whileensuring there is enough parking provision for residents andvisitors accessing local shops and businesses.South Gloucestershire Council is proposing to introduce no

waiting at any timerestrictions (double yellowlines) to cover junctionsand areas where trafficparking can reducevisibility and impact safety. The proposals also includechanging advisory keepclears to no waiting at anytime, the introduction ofsome limited waiting andchanges to the time limitsin off-street car parks atLaburnum Road andAbbots Road.At Laburnum Road,parking is currently limitedto two hours between 8amand 6pm, with no return

within one hour on any day other than a Sunday or bankholiday. The proposal is to change the restriction to a three-hour limit with no return within four hours.At Abbots Road, car parking is limited to 24 hours, with noreturn within one hour, other than on a Sunday or bankholiday. A two-hour parking limit is being proposed between8am and 6pm with no return within four hours on any dayother than Sundays and bank holidays.The closing date for comments is 7th April. Full details andmaps are available on the consultation section of thecouncil's website.Depending upon the results of the public consultation, thecouncil hopes the scheme will be implemented later thisyear.

South Gloucestershire Council highways officers have allocated£30,000 to tackle ongoing parking problems at the Siston Hillestate.Cllr Ian Adams, district councillor for Siston ward, who himselflives on the estate, said the design of it was flawed.The roads are narrow and there are 90 degree bends whichcause difficulties for waste lorries. The central play area is alsosurrounded by a road.

Cllr Adams said some waiting restrictions have already beenintroduced but there are problems with the positioning of someyellow lines and in some instances residents cannot get out oftheir driveways if cars are parked opposite.Council highways officers are planning to walk around of theestate with residents to understand the issues so their designscan incorporate potential remedies.

Hanham

Car parking shake-up£30k allocated totackle ongoing parkingproblems at Siston Hill


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These dramatic pictures were taken when an ambulancecaught fire at the top of Bath Hill earlier this month.Firefighters were quickly on the scene and extinguished theflames before moving equipment including oxygen cylindersfrom the vehicle. The area was sealed off for some time,causing traffic delays.No-one was hurt but there was extensive damage to theambulance.

Keynsham

Ambulance catchesfire in town centre

East Bristol

Campaign to getstation reopened

Bitton

Top marks

A campaign is under way to get St Anne's Park railway stationreopened.Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy recently held a community meetingwith local councillors, which was attended by about 70 people. Shesaid there was lot of enthusiasm for the idea of reopening thestation, which opened in 1898 and closed in 1970.She said: “Brislington is very poorly served by public transport links,with the only option for many people being unreliable bus serviceslike the No. 36. In general, east Bristol has benefited little fromrecent transport infrastructure investment, which has led to highlevels of private car use - and therefore congestion - in many areas.“In light of this, there is a strong traffic and environmental case forSt Anne's Park to be reopened, as well as ensuring areas likeBrislington and St George are properly connected to areas ofemployment.“At the meeting, there were some concerns raised about possibleparking problems if the proposals move forward. We will be keepingthese issues in mind in the future.”The next stage will be collecting the 3,500 signatures required tosecure a debate on St Anne's Park station at a full meeting of BristolCity Council. This will help to put the community and business caseto Network Rail for the station's reopening. The e-petition on thecouncil's website calls on the Mayor to work with the relevant railauthorities to ensure that the reopening of St Anne's Station isincluded as part of a sustainable, integrated transport policy.

Cherry Garden Out Of School Club has been rated as Outstandingin all areas by Ofsted following a recent inspection.The club opens each weekday during term time from 3.20pm until6pm and is based in a classroom at Cherry Garden Primary School.The inspector praised the children's behaviour and said they havean excellent range of activities and experiences. The managers andstaff are described as “excellent role models” who teach childrenrespect, tolerance and kindness for others.She added: “Parents commented that managers and staff have aclear devotion to the children in their care and that they feel that theclub is a wonderful place for children to be.”


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