Thursday, 27 November 2008
Westmoreland PACT tonight
Please remember to come along to the first Westmoreland Pact meeting tonight at Oldfield Park Baptist Church at 7.30 pm and be part of a decision making process for our area.
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Wellsway Garage Lower Bristol Road
We have two planning applications in Westmoreland this month and both relate to the Wellsway Garage on the Lower Bristol Road.
The first application is for the display of 1 no internally illuminated fascia sign and 1 no MINI letters, 4 illuminated flagpoles, one internally and externally illuminated pylon and 2 no non illuminated free standing offer signs at Wellsway Mini Wellsway Garage Lower Bristol Road.
The date the application was first registered was 18th November 2008 and has a decision date of 13th January 2009. The application reference number is 08/04142/AR and you can view the application by following the link on the application number.
The Second application is for the display of internally illuminated free standing signs at Wellsway BMW Wellsway Garage Lower Bristol Road
This application was first registered on 18th November 2008 and has a decision date of 13th January 2009. The application reference number is 08/04254/AR and you can view the application 08/04254/AR.
Any representations on these applications should be made in writing to Development Control, Trimbridge House, Trim Street, Bath BA1 2DP. Alternatively representations can be made using the Planning Service pages of the Council’s website www.bathnes.gov.uk. All representation must arrive no later than the 20th December 2008.
Monday, 24 November 2008
Twenty is Plenty coming to a street near you
Westmoreland Liberal Democrats have launched their Twenty is plenty campaign across the whole of Westmoreland and over the coming months we will be bring our campaign to all Streets in Westmoreland and will be letting you our residents know how you can become involved.
Want to know more then go to the following links.
www.readmyday.co.uk/sharonball
or sign our petition at
http://ourcampaign.org.uk/twentyisplenty
Want to know more then go to the following links.
www.readmyday.co.uk/sharonball
or sign our petition at
http://ourcampaign.org.uk/twentyisplenty
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Plea to New Housing Minister on ‘Studentification’
A Bath Liberal Democrat Councillor has written to Margaret Beckett MP, the new Minister for Housing, calling on her to carry on the work of her predecessor to give local authorities powers to tackle ‘studentification’.
In September the Government had announced a Green Paper which was a step towards finally giving Councils the planning powers to dilute high concentrations of student houses or ‘Houses in Multiple Occupation” (HMOs) in specific areas of their authorities.
Bath Liberal Democrat Councillors have been campaigning on this issue for a long time.
We were delighted when we heard in September that the Government was finally beginning to make moves on the ‘studentification’ issue. However a Government reshuffle followed and there is always the risk that the initiatives of the previous incumbent may be quietly dropped.
Councils need the substantive tools to address the development and growth of large clusters of student houses in University towns and cities – as in Oldfield Park in Bath for example – through the planning system. The Government’s suggestion of allowing local Councils to use planning restraint policies and ‘Use Class Orders’ to control concentrations of student houses and to help create more balanced, sustainable communities was therefore most welcome and when implemented will help improve the availability of affordable housing.
In writing to the new Housing Minister, to call on her to carry on the work on the draft Green Paper on neighbourhood studentification, We hope to get a commitment to this initiative and to the previously proposed timetable. Local Councils have been waiting for the powers to act on ‘studentification’ for a long time.
Friday, 14 November 2008
Number 5 Bus Twerton
Many residents complain about the delay concerning this bus and many suggestions have been made on how to improve its running time including a new traffic light system at Mill lane and The Lower Bristol Road although this may resolve some of the problem the issue is much deeper than this.
We have made some suggestions to the Councils Conservative executive member that we hope will improve the situation and we know that we have the support of other Councillors in Twerton & Southdown with regards to these issues.
The area of Wedgwood Road in Twerton is often a bottle neck and a bus can be delayed at this point for long periods of time the road needs to be cleared of parked cars and the parking spaces introduced in the grass area that Twerton Councillors have previously asked for.
Haycombe Drive is another area where the bus is often delayed and parking restrictions need to be made on parts of this route to enable the bus to pass more freely.
We have requested that these measures are carried out without further delay as they have been previously promised.
We have made some suggestions to the Councils Conservative executive member that we hope will improve the situation and we know that we have the support of other Councillors in Twerton & Southdown with regards to these issues.
The area of Wedgwood Road in Twerton is often a bottle neck and a bus can be delayed at this point for long periods of time the road needs to be cleared of parked cars and the parking spaces introduced in the grass area that Twerton Councillors have previously asked for.
Haycombe Drive is another area where the bus is often delayed and parking restrictions need to be made on parts of this route to enable the bus to pass more freely.
We have requested that these measures are carried out without further delay as they have been previously promised.
Tuesday, 04 November 2008
Linear Way Dartmouth Avenue
The site on Dartmouth Avenue, commonly known as Linear Way, has been completely refurbished. It was officially opened on Thursday, 30 October. The Council owns the site, and has rented approx two-thirds of it to Bath Spa University, while retaining the remaining third. The old buildings were in need of modernisation. Work to bring them up to date has also provided space for offices that will be used by the Council's cleaning and engineering staff. The refurbishment has been paid for through the rent income from the University.
Bath Spa University will be using the other buildings for teaching art and design students.
The buildings were formerly used by Linear Way Industries - a furniture and IT recycling scheme for disabled people that was run by the Council. Print Services is one of the Council's highest employers of disabled people, approximately one third of the staff employed have disabilities. The new buildings are fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act requirements.
Bath Spa University will be using the other buildings for teaching art and design students.
The buildings were formerly used by Linear Way Industries - a furniture and IT recycling scheme for disabled people that was run by the Council. Print Services is one of the Council's highest employers of disabled people, approximately one third of the staff employed have disabilities. The new buildings are fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act requirements.
