Bathwick is the most dissatisfied ward in the whole of Bath & North East Somerset according to council internal research.
While average satisfaction with council services is now above 50%, only 46% of Bathwick residents were content. Does this mean that our area is subject to substandard service, or do we just hold the council to higher standards? There is also a strong likelihood that it is statistically meaningless to analyse the figures to this depth given the level of participation. The happiest BathNES residents were in North Keynsham and Saltford, whereas Bathavon West and Peasedown shared our concerns.
Let me know what you think, as ever please get in touch if there is a specific problem which we can tackle.

Bath and North East Somerset Council met last night to discuss issues relating to the forthcoming review of secondary school provision. The Cabinet will have to make a decision on schools in May, and last night’s meeting was a chance for issues to be aired and discussed in public by parents/school governors and Councillors. However, as was made clear at the start of the meeting, no decision was taken at this Council meeting.

The motion which was voted upon was not the one published in the Council papers on 17 March, and the unanimous adoption of the motion did not represent a specific endorsement of any particular strategy or plan for secondary school provision in Bath and North East Somerset. The vote served to officially thank the O&S panel for the preparatory work which had already been done and to formally request that Cabinet take account of the points of view raised at Council when making its decision.

A number of Liberal Democrat Councillors spoke to raise issues which should be considered by the Cabinet. Several spoke of the importance of ensuring the consultation on changes was honest, open and thorough.

Councillor Marian McNeir called for the consultations to be done “in a sensitive way”. Councillor Nigel Roberts called on the Cabinet to make an effort to contact groups “we don’t traditionally get in touch with” and to consider co-location of community facilities, such as libraries, in new schools.

Councillor David Dixon has been involved in a campaign run by parents for better travel to school provision in the area. He spoke of the need to consider transport and that schools provision should be “underpinned by a sound, effective school transport system”.

Councillor Andy Furse focussed on the issue of co-educational schools in Bath, and welcomed an expression of willingness on the part of Oldfield school to go co-ed given that co-ed schools are preferred by 60% of families. He called on the Cabinet to “reconsider its view on Oldfield school in light of the commitment on co-ed given tonight [by the Chair of Governors]”.

Councillor Caroline Roberts also spoke about Oldfield school and the dozens of communications she, and Councillor Loraine Brinkhurst, had received from parents who were worried and confused about the decision making process. She said “many parents feel the decision has already been made and they have missed their chance to speak out”; she also called on the Cabinet to reach out to parents during the consultations and “don’t just expect them to come to you”.

Co-ed is also an important issue for Culverhay school and this was brought to the Cabinet’s attention by Councillor Gerry Curran, who spoke of the length of time for which this had been an aspiration for the school. He asked the Cabinet to “bring forward a package of support for the school to enable a smooth transition to co-ed status”.

Speaking after the Council meeting, Councillor Paul Crossley said: “I was very pleased that the Cabinet member for children gave a commitment to go over the recording of the meeting and ensure that all the points which had been raised will be dealt with. We will be looking closely at the forthcoming consultation and decision process to ensure this is the case”.

Bathwick councillors Nicholas Coombes and Armand Edwards have launched a petition for the speedy installation of a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill.

Planners recently backed local residents and councillors to prevent Tesco from opening before minimal work has been undertaken to make the surrounding roads safer. However, this will not include a zebra crossing which is what most locals want. 

Tesco were ordered to pay BathNES council £20,000 towards the work, but this will only cover the first phase which is due to start within weeks. Throughout the design process Cllr Coombes has been working with the Highways department to ensure that a zebra crossing can be installed later.

This next phase must be funded by the council, but already the Conservatives have scrapped or delayed road projects across the city. The Liberal Democrat petition will show the strong level of demand locally, increasing the chances of a swift resolution.

Already one pedestrian has been killed at this location and Armand and Nicholas know that it is the main concern of most nearby residents. However, in a time of budget cuts they need this petition to put a strong argument when they lobby for funding.

For a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill please visit www.ourcampaign.org.uk/bathwickcrossing to register your support.

Full Council passed the first Conservative budget of service cuts and price increases with a narrow majority. The minority administration, supported by the Independants, rejected the Liberal Democrat ammendment and forced through the Conservatve Cabinet’s proposals.

The headline Council tax rise of 3.95% disguises the above inflation charge increases which make the real increase above 7.5%. The service cuts and price rises are most damaging to the elderly and vulnerable, including cuts to the Youth Service budget and a 70% increase in home care charges. The elderly are also hit by a £1.20 rise to the cost of every Meal of Wheels, while the state pension only rises by £1 per week. A number of community groups, including the Bathwick History Society have their funding cut, while council projects, including the Lib Dem planned kitchen waste collections are delayed.

Later in the evening other Liberal Democrat proposals were successful. The council should not only use tap water rather than bottled water for refreshments, saving the environmental costs of transporting water and the energy costs of the plastic bottles. Tap water is also 500 times cheaper than bottled water. The Conservatives voted against this motion, but for the first time Labour and the Independants supported Lib Dem proposals to defeat the administration.

Our motion on Post Office Closures was also successful, opposing the closure of any more post offices in BathNES. The Post Office on Bathwick Hill closed several years ago, but the latest round proposes to close four more in Bath. Nationally the Lib Dems have been fighting post office closures as the offer a community resource which often exceeds the commercial return. Please sign the petition at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/savebathspostoffices

Our Big Energy Challenge was launched in 2006 under Lib Dem leadership to reduce the carbon footprint of BathNES. The council and their partner groups, including the hospital and universities will also save public money by cutting energy use.

Already big savings have been made, with current plans due to cut energy usage by 7.5% through relatively simple steps. Everyone can do their bit at home or at work by switching off unnecessary appliances and only using the energy they need. Already the larger institutions have saved thousands of pounds and individuals can save too.

Already Nicholas uses energy efficient light bulbs and turns off unused electrical applicances, but the progress report gave some very useful hints at persuading other people and organisations to follow suit. Please visit www.ourenergychallenge.org for practical advice on saving energy, saving money, reducing pollution and reducing global warming.

Avon & Somerset Police held the second PaCT meeting in Bathwick this evening at St Mary’s Primary School. Our beat manager, PC Parker, and I gave an update on the previous priorities. Anti-social behaviour in Sydney Gardens is the top priority, which our PC and PCSO are regularly patroling. I hope to join them for an evening beat soon to see exactly what they tackle and how they deal with it.

Traffic work, promised some years ago by Elgar Jenkins, formed the other priorities; traffic calming on Sydney Road and a new pedestrian crossing between the school and the park. Unfortunately our investigations show that there is no money in the budget set aside for this work and that none is likely in the near future. Last year the Conservatives actually cut a number of road schemes; I signed a Liberal Democrat call-in to ask the cabinet member to reconsider, but the cuts continue regardless. This means that existing funded schemes are being delayed and new schemes like this and the Bathwick Hill crossing are even more difficult.

With a mainly different audience in attendence a new set of similar issues were raised, including parking problems on Darlington Road and Cleveland Walk relating to the schools; and the issue of HGVs through the city. Unfortunately the Conservatives have already dropped their election promise of an HGV ban saying that it now unworkable. However, before the election they ran Transport, so must have had some idea of feasibility. I found this out only by asking the Conservative cabinet member responsible at a meeting last month, whether any progress had been made on the issue.

The new top three priorities though, voted by the public, are thus:

1. Speeding, specifically on Bathwick Hill and Sydney Road but a concern throughout the area. The police are the main agency for this, who have recently launched a ’speedwatch’ campiagn further up the A36.

2. The provision of a safe crossing on Bathwick Hill. This is my main area to tackle, which I am currently doing (see other posts!)

3. Anti-social behaviour in Sydney Gardens and environs. Another policing issue, although I will try to ensure that the new park scheme is safer by design.

Finally, just to note that a representative from Tesco did not turn up despite their promises and that I got the only clap of the evening; something about community empowerment at Sham Castle…

Council leaders have insisted that their Partnership meetings with Bath and Bath Spa Universities be kept secret, despite repeated requests from a local councillor. Conservative Leader of the Council, Francine Haeberling, says “The Student Community Partnership meetings are held in private. The terms of reference provide for an annual public meeting”

Bathwick ward councillor, Nicholas Coombes, thinks that he has a lot to offer the talks though: “Armand Edwards and I are very visible ward councillors; we know what the problems are, both for local residents and the students, who we also represent. It doesn’t make sense not to include local people in these meetings; this is a typical example of the retreat to the Guildhall we have seen in this administration.”

Both Cllrs Coombes and Edwards are also students at the University of Bath, which is within their Bathwick ward. Cllr Haeberling represents Saltford, near Keynsham, with a minimal student population.

The new Conservative council provoked anger from the universities, colleges and students when they closed the successful Student Liaison Committee without warning on their opening night in power. Its replacement, the Student Community Partnership includes only two members of the council, the other being Chris Watt, failed parliamentary candidate for Wansdyke. To the annoyance of many mature students, university issues are covered in his ‘Childrens’ Services’ portfolio.

Cllr Coombes (Lib Dem, Bathwick) will be sending written questions to both conservative cabinet members about the secret meetings this week. “Firstly, I want to know why these meetings are held in private; what is there to hide? More importantly, I want to know if the Student Community Partnership is functioning at all. I have heard that transport was discussed at the last meeting; with the new term about to start have they made any clear plans to tackle the problems? Students and locals have complained to me about the quality of the bus service; I use it myself, so I know that it’s unreliable, overcrowded and expensive. However, with these meetings in secret, I don’t even know if the council is taking it seriously.”

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The answer to my question was that the meetings will be in secret, but there haven’t yet been any. That’s nine months since the old SLC was scrapped without a single meeting between the council leadership and university executive.

The second Police and Communities Together meeting will take place in Bathwick St Mary’s Primary School on Wednesday 30th February from 7pm. Like the first public meeting, residents are invited to voice their concerns (or celebrations) about local matters related to the Police or BathNES Council. Cllr Nicholas Coombes and representative from the Police and council will attempt to find solutions or explanations.

In October the PaCT meeting agreed that their top priorities were the incomplete Sydney Road traffic scheme and anti-social behaviour in Sydney Gardens. This is your chance to vote for another set to be tackled.

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I met with our local policeman, PC Parker, to run through expected issues today. It’s rather odd reporting to a police station for a meeting; although I did once attend the Corporate Audit Committee (more exciting than you think) in a church crypt. Like me, he hopes that a representative from our new Tesco can explain their public safety plans to the audience.

In May 2007 Armand Edwards and I became the first Liberal Democrat councillors for Bathwick and the youngest members of BathNES council. May 3rd was a very long day for us, starting with leaflet delivering from 6am and ending the next morning after the results were announced just before midnight. However, election day activity is a very minority interest so here are some of the more interesting events of the year:

Pulteney Road crossing - this actually started in 2006 with our petition in August for a safer crossing over the A36 by the Bathwick roundabout. In January I sent a written question to the council requesting the crossing. The traffic lights were eventually installed after our election, the delay blamed on a “hold up at the traffic light factory”! Although there is still controversy over their positioning I think that the council traffic team got it right, they are in the right place to be useful and I have not noticed any unusual traffic delays on the roundabout - some drivers have even said that the box junction helps their progress! Success all round then.

Tesco win planning appeal - this doesn’t rank as a success, as Armand went to the public enquiry to argue against the shop opening, but it has certainly taken up a lot of our time. Planning permission for the shop was denied twice by the local council as the location thought to be too dangerous for cars to stop off and pedestrians cross. Indeed, a local man died crossing the road over the canal in September 2006. However, Tesco won their appeal to the government inspector despite local concerns. In the time since my attempts to contact and work with Tesco have been very difficult but we are still doing our best to mitigate the worst effects on the local community.

Madiera Walk resurfaced - not the most exciting piece of news, but this sort of work is very important to people. The footpath at the back of Bathwick Hill from the Youth Hostel leading over the canal is a typically rural muddy path, but the top part was particularly muddy, steep and dangerous. We worked with the National Trust to get this resurfaced and they did a very good job. I also managed to get the broken bench at the top replaced too, although that took a lot longer!

Bathwick Hill closure - for a week over the Summer, Bathwick Hill was closed and the 18 bus diverted as almost a complete surprise. Following my complaint to the council department the officer in charge admitted failures notifying passengers and residents and promised to rewrite the procedures.

PaCT begins - Police and Communities Together was set up to help the police target their local resources. Residents are invited to put their questions and complaints to a panel of the police, council representatives and me. It’s quite a scary process for the person sat at the front (remember, councillors are the only democratically accountable part of this set up!) but fortunately Armand and I have worked on enough of the issues already to have progress to report to the crowd.

University footbridge - again this is not so much an achievement as a long slog. Even the university management recognise that this missing bridge is a disproportionate stain on their reputation (I told them). Plans are advancing slowly and I have been putting pressure on the university at every possible stage, from the Regulatory & Access (footpaths) committee to my own meetings with the Vice-Chancellor; even the council Chief Executive has written to complain to them.

Minster Way - the residents’ parking scheme three years in the making has finally arrived. Following another burst of consultation the scheme was put to the council executive with our strong recommendation for speedy implementation. It should now be fully active from 1st March 2008 with no more stuck lorries.