As I have written before, the old school on Lime Grove has been considered by the Conservative council as a site for a wet-house.

For all the time that the site was the leading contender for a homeless hostel, suitable for alcohol consumption, the plans were kept secret and only leaked out when the cabinet member accidentally referred to them in a council meeting. Currently, the planned location is by Kingsmead Square - although this is also hotly contested.

My ward colleague in Kingsmead has asked for the documentation about the decision and was only able to force access using the Freedom of Information act. This shows that Lime Grove was considered by the experts as the best site, although the cabinet eventually chose Kingsmead because they thought that there would be less public resistance.

Given that the Kingsmead site is also controversial, I asked the Conservative in charge about the Lime Grove proposals. The written quetion and answer are here - scroll to question 6 on page 6. He says that the Kingsmead site decision will not be re-visited and that he has no hold on the Lime Grove site. However, he did not answer my points about the secrecy and lack of consultation surrounding the process.

I have checked with the council’s property team and they are preparing to re-market the site for commercial purchase (you may remember the aborted student housing bid of last year). All indications are that the Lime Grove site will not be used for a wet-house.

The only question remaining - can you trust a Tory?!

This evening’s snow made Bathwick Hill impassible for many drivers including the 18 bus.

The road is normally gritted but the afternoon snowfall resulted in a wet and slippery surface, worst uphill of Cleveland Walk. Many drivers parked where they could and walked home as fellow motorists slid in the slush.

First were also compelled to leave their bus parked on the hill as it could not drive up safely. Passengers had to walk the rest of the journey as the snow continued falling. The bus was rescued an hour later, being gently slid backwards down the hill to turn around at Cleveland Walk.

The ‘Big Freeze Update’ from the council is abridged below for public information purposes. Whether the ‘big’ refers to the length of the update or the severity of the freeze is not made clear.

• it is cold and will remain such for some considerable time; it has and will snow, road and pavement conditions are described as extremely hazardous
• grit was delivered to the council on Friday; it will be used sparingly on major routes and in grit bins, not on residential roads or pavements as per this map
• most schools will be open on Monday, though Bathwick St Mary’s is currently unsure; updates on the council website
• there will be no waste collections on Monday; none was collected on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday so this should be brought back indoors. The Christmas trees left in the street are quite festive though

Quarry Rock Gardens has been in the news a little lately, first in the Chronicle and then on BBC Points West.

The static home caravan site houses 90 residents aged 50+ at the top of Widcombe Hill. Being a privately run site it is not eligible for council gritting (not that many other residential roads have been gritted either!), but the owner of the site has not made any provision for snow and ice. Consequently many residents are housebound and have been for the past week.

I went up to Quarry Rock this morning to check that residents were alright and was pleased to see that most were able to drive out or walk to the bus stop - carefully - and that neighbours were looking out for each other.

However, I was not alone - the fire brigade had also come up to help! With few fire to attend in the cold and wet, Bath Blue Watch drove two of their rescue tenders up to Quarry Rock to dig the residents out. I explained some of the problems to the crew then picked up a broom to help out.

Suitably inspired, my flatmate and I spend another hour that afternoon clearing the pavement outside our home on Bathwick Hill.

As the cold snap continues, here’s a public service announcement relayed from BathNES council:

• schools are closed
• main routes (Bathwick Hill, Claverton Down and North Road) will be gritted, roads not gritted now will not be in future
• there are NO rubbish or recycling today; please take the waste (and christmas trees) back in

information and updates are at http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/bathnes, but this has crashed a few times.

Happy New Year

Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, is in Bath this week for a free public meeting. The town hall style event is open to anyone to turn up and ask a question.

Having seen Nick at conference, I know that he is a very impressive public speaker. What’s more, having done almost one hundred town hall meetings since becoming leader, he’s pretty good at them.

The meeting is at St Michael’s, Broad Street (by Waitrose) starting at 6:30pm this Thursday 7th Jan. You can turn up on the night, but seats are being booked fast; you can reserve for you and your friends at http://www.nickclegg.com/2009/12/meets-bath/ for free.

Whether you are an instinctive liberal democrat or a floating voter, he’s well worth a listen.

Continuing my occassional series of cheery photos, I present the moon, rising above Widcombe.

This one is taken from my flat, as this week I have been at home with mumps.

A government inspector today announced an additional investigation into the Claverton Down to Combe Down footpath.

Earlier this year a public enquiry was held to determine the legal width of footpath AQ78. The contested section is the fenced part by Quarry Farm at the Widcombe Hill end. Then the Inspector that the footpath was 5m, in some cases 7m wide. This was even more than the case made by the council; the difference was advertised for renewed consultation.

In a letter, the Planning Inspectorate announced that objections have again been recieved, which an inspector wil need to consider and then re-rule. Another public enquiry may be needed, but an exchange of letters is more likely.

Bathwick’s beat police officers hold a PaCT meeting every six months to “give you the opportunity to influence what happens in your neighbourhood”. A panel of police and council staff, plus me, is chaired by Rev Prothero of Bathwick St Mary’s. This month we were out of his parish in the Claverton Down Community Hall.

The three priorities of the previous meeting were reviewed, the first two mostly pertaining to the police. Their patrols in Sydney Gardens have been regular and productive. Noise complaints are down and, after one successful confrontation, graffitti attacks are also much reduced. However, it is acknowledged that all uses of the park reduce seasonally due to the cold weather and dark nights. Regarding speeding, the police run an hour or so of speed checks from their van at different points around the ward every month.

The final priority, to install a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill near Tesco, was a council issue. Unfortunately no member of council staff was at the meeting, but I was able to report the success of our petition with the crossing allocated funding for this financial year (ie before April next year).

Following discussion, the three new priorities are (also shown on the police website):

1. to investigate road safety on Sham Castle Lane, looking at speeding, signage and closure
2. to continue to enforce speed limits on Claverton Down Road and to accelerate the provision on double yellow lines
3. to provide a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill, monitored by the police for its first few days.

I hope that in future BathNES council staff will also be able to attaned these meetings. I am a representative to the council, not of the council; I am as unable to understand or explain the many failings of the organisation as any other member of the public!

The latest Police and Communities Together meeting is tomorrow (Tuesday 8th December) at 6:30pm in the Clavteron Down Community Hall.

This is the first time that the PaCT meeting will be held on Claverton Down, so a new audience is welcomed. Residents are invited to the open meeting to share their views about policing, council services and local issues. To close the meeting, a public vote of the issues raised will decide the top priorities.

Cllr Nicholas Coombes will be sitting on the panel, as ever, joined by representatives from the police and council.

Two cars crashed while avoiding a badly parked lorry on Bathwick Hill near Tesco.

The accident happened at around 18:30 today (3rd Dec) causing damage to the front of both cars. The occupants are not thought to be seriously injured. The cars collided outside Miles House, just uphill from the canal and Tesco store.

According to the police officer on the scene, a lorry parked on the South (downhill) side of the road stuck out into the carriageway causing drivers to pull out around it. One such driver passing the lorry was struck by another heading uphill. Both cars came to rest on the uphill carriageway and the lorry drove off.

While the exact circumstances are unclear, this accident will have reinforced the fears of residents about this stretch of road. Following the death of a pedestrian in September 2006, Tesco opened an express store on the site against the wishes of the council concerned about traffic safety. While deliveries to the store continue to cause problems, the key issue remains parking.

Bathwick Lib Dem councillors Nicholas Coombes and Armand Edwards have raised the issue of illegal parking in the vicinity of Tesco three times with the Conservative cabinet this year, most recently yesterday. The same question, “how many parking tickets have been issued; is this satisfactory?” has now been asked three times. In May, the answer was “five tickets”. In November, the answer was “we don’t count tickets in this area”. When attention was drawn to this discrepancy in December, the answer was “we still don’t count tickets in this area”.

At no point has the cabinet member answered the question whether the level of parking enforcement was suitable to address the problem of dangerour parking in the area.

Local residents and councillors have recently heard that their petition for a zebra crossing at the site has been successful; the work is due to begin shortly. Speaking with Cllr Coombes at the scene of the accident, the attending police officer welcomed this development as it would slow traffic speed on this part of the hill.

The council must get on with painting the promised zebra crossing and make sure that the existing parking restrictions are enforced.

A zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill is now being officially promoted by the council.

A ‘traffic regulation order’ is now being advertised by the council to show the new crossing. If there are no objections, then the order will be confirmed and the crossing painted.

Bathwick’s Lib Dem councillors have been campaigning for a zebra crossing here for several years, including petitions to council, questions to the Conservative cabinet and organising a demonstration with Ziggy, the zebra.

Lime Grove School was seriously considered as a suitable location for a ‘wet house’ - a hostel in which homeless alcoholics may continue to drink.

The Conservative cabinet member for community safety let slip that Lime Grove was his second choice location during a council meeting last week.

Following outrage in Kingsmead, he has now agreed to re-consider his first choice of James Street West. The Chronicle has the story here.

While Cllr Vic Pritchard was considering using the old school building as a home for alcoholics, no local people were consulted and neither Bathwick or Widcombe councillors were involved. His accidental statement in council was the first public acknowledgement of the plan.

Bathwick councillor Nicholas Coombes has now submitted a written question to the cabinet member asking for clarification of the situation, now that his prefered hostel location is under review. Cllr Coombes has requested that local people be kept fully informed this time if the Lime Grove site is to be reconsidered as a ‘wet house’.

Armand and I are working to improve the children’s  play equipment in Sydney Gardens.

The park is due major work to improve its layout and facilities which is to be funded by a lottery bid. This plan was drawn up in 1992 though, 17 years ago, so progress has been slow. Until this happens, the children’s play area in particular needs a re-fresh.

A few residents have suggested that the redundant equipment at the old Lime Grove School be used. Cllr Armand Edwards has pursued this idea as the equipment is in good order. However, the council is reluctant citing concerns about EU safety guidelines.

There is better news with the roundabout, pictured, which was merely taken away from Sydney Gardens for maintenance.

Normal service resumes with this pennant stone report:

Bathwick Hill has always had some uneven paving slabs because of its pennant slabs. The Conservative council provides enough budget to the street repairs department to replace pavements every 70 years on average. However, this applies to normal pavements; the real stone used in Bathwick is much more expensive.

The maintenance problem was obvious on Bathwick Hill this afternoon when I walked past this popped paving slab opposite the care homes. I’ve reported this to the council and hope that no one trips in the mean-time.

Since passing my test years ago I have never owned a car; I’ve never really needed one, they are very expensive to run and there’s a huge environmental cost. However, I accept that there are a few occassions when it is very hard to get by without.

I’ve been tempted by the car club idea for a while. Members of the club are able to book one of a fleet for a few hours or days and pay a standard rental charge (about £5/hr or £50/day) including petrol and insurance. However, until recently there have only been a few cars in Bath, in inconvenient (for me) places. What changed this is discovering a new car parked right outside my office this week, in its own designated bay.

I also know of plans to hugely extend the fleet across the city next year; I hope to see a bay opposite my flat on Bathwick Hill in a few months. Bathwick should also have club cars on Sydney Buildings and in the Sydney Place area in the future. From their website and my own customer service so far I would strongly recommend joining.

While I’m giving free adverts, I’d like to write that the Wessex Connect (U18, blue buses) drivers are far friendlier than their First counterparts, plus the service is considerably better value for money. I’d also like to plug the Phone Co-op, a co-operative telecoms provider. Aside from brilliant customer service and being considerably cheaper than their rivals, their phone purchasing policy is very considerate.

For those of you who tire of exhautively detailed pothole reports, we have an attractive picture of Bathwick in the evening.

Living halfway up Bathwick Hill, I have the perfect combination of a good view but without too far to walk when I head into town. Thus, every morning on my way to work I have the city spread before me. Previously it has been lit with newly risen sunlight, but recently I find myself at work before the sun has cleared Claverton Down.

This morning was particularly picturesque, however, with the mist hanging in the bowl of the city. In the foreground St Mary’s tower was set against the vapour which hid Camden and lower Lansdown, while in the background Lansdown and St Stephens were above the cloud level.

I understand that today was a fine Autumn day, but working 9-6 I never actually saw the sun. Walking home it had recently set, resulting in the pink and purple clouds pictured. Clearly the scene photographed was not that of walking up the hill, but arriving home I brought out my camera to look back and illustrate this evening’s article.

If you visited this website hoping for street furniture surveys, but instead found the dull half of a romantic novel, normal service will be resumed shortly.

In my defence, writing about potholes seems to maintain an audience of over 2,500 visits each month and that in addition to “remorselessly cataloguing in exhaustive detail every minor ailment” I do get a lot of them fixed. Nonetheless, well done glumcouncillors, I have been caught and will try to be more cheerful in future.

A government inspector has ruled that the footpath from Claverton Down to Combe Down is legally 5m wide.

This confirms the case made by local residents and the council, that footpath AQ78 is a historic vehicle track over which the public has full access. The Inspector concludes:

“the right of way subsists over the full width of the way between the [historic] boundaries.”

When I sat on the council’s footpath committee I proposed that the footpath be recorded at this full width, resulting in the public enquiry to determine this. At the public enquiry the evidence was presented fairly, but overwhelmingly showed that the footpath should be between 5 and 7m wide.

This is great news for Bathwick and Claverton; I look forward to the wooden fence being taken down.

The long Summer break is over; the undergraduates are returning to Bath University.

While the campus has been busy all Summer with researchers, postgraduates and visitors, from next week we will notice the recommencement of undergraduate courses. New first year students move into halls of residence on campus this weekend, so expect extra traffic on Saturday and Sunday. However, this is the first year in which the move is at the weekend, so traffic in town will not be as bad as in previous years.

Between now and 5th October is the Freshers’ induction week. If you are unduly disturbed by noise or anti-social behaviour, you can report this to the action line on 396996.

To all new students beginning this weekend, welcome to Bath.

A Horse Chestnut in Cleveland Walk has been given an extra few months thanks to a bird’s nest in the trunk.

The council decided to take down the tree after judging that it was in a dangerously poor state. The branches were removed in August, minumising the risk.

However, the tree surgeon discovered a bird’s nest in a hollow at the top of the main stem. The Arboricultural Officer (tree expert) decided to leave the trunk intact until the eggs have hatched and the chicks flown the nest. She expects the remainder to be felled in October.

Replacement trees will be planted this winter along the verge of Cleveland Walk.

On Wednesday afternoon I was asked to judge an application for the expansion of Bristol airport, in which CO2 emissions would more than double.

I will be 64 in 2050; I won’t have reached retirement age. Within my working life, my generation must cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90%, while aviation remains as it is. If we can meet this daunting challenge, then the earth will ‘only’ warm by 2 degrees. Climate will change, but we will be able to cope. If say, we don’t manage to make 90% cuts, or if aircraft emissions rise, then temperature will rise by above 2 degrees, the ice-caps will begin to melt and the planet will be locked into a reinforcing pattern of catastrohpic change.

To save the planet in this model, all airports need to do is not expand. The irresponsibility of Bristol International Airport management is incomprehensible.

The BIA planning application will be decided by North Somerset council, but Bristol City and BathNES Councils have been asked to make recommendations. The expansions plans are to double the size of the airport terminal building, to provide 16,000 car parking spaces and build capacity for 10,000,000 passengers per year. This would result in CO2 emissions of 948,680 tonnes per year; an increase of 125% on current levels. The entire of Bath and North East Somerset is responsible for 1,072,000 tonnes per year. Bristol airport wishes to expand to a level at which it will emit almost as much CO2 as 170,000 people in 72,000 homes; 77,000 cars on 690 miles of road; 7,400 businesses and 220 sq miles of land.

At the planning committee meeting, I moved that: “Bath and North East Somerset considers the causes and effects of climate change to be the principal consideration in a development of this nature and recommends that North Somerset refuse the application on these grounds.”

Those who have watched me will know that I am a vigorous public speaker; I’m rather gratified by this review: “I just wanted to write personally to congratulate you on your speech on climate change at yesterday’s DCC meeting. It as good to hear a graduate of this University express himself so well and so much to the point. It set the tone for the debate at a level from which it hardly ever slipped.”

All Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors voted with me, as did two Conservatives, to prevent the expansion of the airport. The motion was passed 8 to 4; the objection of BathNES council will be sent to North Somerset.

However, with the Conservatives running BathNES council, it is very worrying that the majority of Tory councillors voted against the motion, for airport expansion. Conservative policy on airport expansion is ‘mixed’ at best. While the party leadership claims to be against a third runway at Heathrow, the Telegraph quotes a Conservative shadow cabinet member who expects the policy to be “revisited” after the general election. As is often the case, Cameron and the PR people say one thing, but Conservative MPs and councillors (such as ours in BathNES) do another.

As reported in the Bath Chronicle, the airport bosses are not pleased: “The discussion at the B&NES council meeting centred on emotional arguments relating to aviation’s contribution to climate change… We are confident that North Somerset will put much more weight on the employment, economic and tourism benefits generated by the airport.”

In response, I would argue that climate change is the greatest long-term challenge facing the world today (as does the UK government) and it was quite right that the debate centred on this; that’s why I wrote the motion as I did. Naturally, the potential destruction of our civilization within my lifetime does give rise to some emotional arguments, but these are no less compelling than the warnings presented by the world’s scientists. Suggesting that climate change is an emotional issue rather than a matter of science fact is not something I can agree with.

Then there are the percieved short-term employment, economic and tourism benefits of the airport. So far as jobs go, there is direct employment for cleaners, car park attendants, baggage handlers, shop assistants, caterers… the list of badly paid, low skilled jobs at anti-social hours is varied, but, given the shift to budget airlines, quite short. We are told that during the recession, the airport will keep Bath in business, but the development won’t be ready for several years and actually, Bath is doing quite well in this recession.

The supposed benefits to tourism are the real irony here, with over 80% of all BIA flights taking UK residents on holiday away from the region. The residents of Biarritz, Kefalonia, Venice, Faro and Tenerife do not welcome direct flights so that they can visit Bristol. Each of the airport’s 16,000 car park spaces represents a family leaving the South West to spend their money elsewhere.

Interestingly, there are some attempts to mitigate the environmental impact of the airport. BIA will attempt to double the proportion of passengers using public transport to reach the airport, from 8% now to 15% in 2019. In the best case scenario 8,500,000 people would drive to the airport each year. 12 wind turbines would be erected which would resuce the airports CO2 emissions by 48,000 tonnes, leaving only to 948,680 tonnes emitted per year. Finally, there is a suggestion that expanding Bristol will reduce the demand on other airports. This doesn’t really work considering that Heathrow are planning a third runway anyhow.

In conclusion, this is my website and I can write a long rant if I want to. Climate change is the most serious problem facing our civilization; it angers me when airport bosses and Conservative councillors place economic gain ahead of “emotional arguments” about the environment. I am proud of the Development Control committee this week; we have taken positive action now to reduce climate change.

I trust that when Bathwick elected a Liberal Democrat they knew that they were getting an environmentalist!

Police and parking wardens are patrolling schools across Bath as the new school year begins.

Bathwick residents and councillors have long urged action against poor parking at our local schools, St Mary’s and King Edward’s. Both have been inluded in a list of twenty four across BathNES targeted for attention. Aside from the frustration caused to neighbours, inconsiderate parking near schools is often of danger to the pupils attending.

At King Edward’s School on North Road, I’ve been part of the school travel plan group looking at bus, cycle and car share schemes as well as parking outside the school. While the current parking arrangements on North Road and Cleveland Walk should be improved, parked parents who break the rules should expect a ticket. This especially includes the four wheel drive which parks on the corner of the juntion every afternoon - you know who you are!

I’ve also joined the Sustainable Routes to School project at Bathwick St Mary’s which promotes alternatives to driving. Key to this is the set of crossings around the Warminster and Sydney Road junction which I have raised with the council highways department several times.

Hopefully pupils and parents can take the opportunity of a new school year with (so far) reasonable weather to explore walking, biking or busing to school. If not, watch out for the parking inspectors!

The loading bay outside Tesco has been there for most of a year, and has the words “LOADING BAY” in yellow captials written on the road. However, as I discovered in May the loading bay was not properly marked and was difficult to enforce. Indeed, only five parking tickets had been issued in the previous six months.

Four months later, the Conservative council’s contractors have managed to put up a little plaque reading “Goods vehicles loading only”. I am promised by the traffic wardens that this will make the bay a lot easier to keep clear! I’m not sure I believe it but there are no excuses left.

A government inspector presided over a crowded public inquiry to determine the status of a popular local path.

Bathwick councillor Nicholas Coombes (Lib Dem) joined local residents in making the case to legally record the wide footpath between Claverton and Combe Down. The exact width of the path is disputed by the landowner who believes it is much narrow than claimed by path users and the council.

The council’s footpath records officer presented evidence including hundred year old Ordnance Survey Maps, city maintenance records from the 1960s and recorded eye-witness statements from the 1930s to the present day. These backed the claim that where the path passes between a retaining wall and woodland fence, the entire 7m width between the boundary can be, and has been, regarded as a right of way.

The landowner argued that while the entire area was open, only a thin strip at the edge was ever used as a footpath. The remainder has been variously obstructed by mud, vegetation, gates, rubble and an embankment. He thus believes that only 1.5m can be considered a right of way, and has erected a wooden fence to restrict walkers to this section.

When a member of the council’s footpath committee, Cllr Nicholas Coombes proposed that the footpath be recorded at its full historic width, thus leading the decision by public enquiry. After the meeting he said:

“It was good to see so many local people at the enquiry today; it shows that the people of Bathwick and Claverton Down really do miss the full use of this footpath. I am convinced by the historic evidence and personal accounts, I hope that the inspector was too. The path now is narrow, muddy, dark and some people find it dangerous. I will keep fighting to have it restored to its former self.”

The government inspector will make her judgement in the next few weeks and issue her conclusions in a printed report.

Miles House, on Bathwick Hill by the canal, has finally been sold by the Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Trust and bought by a childcare nursery chain.

Chris Dawson at the Bathwick Hill site got the scoop, although in my defence I had found out through Freedom of Information requests but was then not allowed to publish! Now there’s a big banner out the front and an advert at Bath Spa station, the cat is probably out tof the bag.

In planning terms, some minor altertaions are being made, but it is unlikely that any change of use application is needed. Buildings are classified within ‘use class orders’ allowing for changes within the class. Mile House has historically beeen ‘D1 Health Care’; child care is also classified as D1.

To conclude, we welcome Childbase to Bathwick and expect them to act as good neighbours.

The graffiti tag on the Pulteney Road rail bridge has finally been painted out by network rail.

Bathwick councillor Nicholas Coombes was joined by neighbouring Widcombe Lib Dem councillor, Ian Gilchrist, in chasing Network Rail to get the mess cleaned. What seems to have finally pushed the balance was a third member, Neil Butters (LD, Bathavon South) who works in the rail industry, getting involved.

Let’s hope that the bridge stays clean longer this time.

A long running footpath dispute will be settled by public enquiry next month.

A government inspector has been appointed to rule on the width of AQ78 - the footpath from Combe Down to the top of Widcombe Hill. Local councillor Nicholas Coombes pushed the issue at the B&NES footpath committee, proposing that the full width be enforced.

A fence has been erected in recent years reducing the width of the footpath, leaving a dark and narrow muddy track alongside the fence.

“It is important that the original width be reinstated,” says local resident Dr David Martin. “At full width this could also be a safe and convenient cycle route for pupils at Ralph Allen school and Bath University students.”

The enquiry will be on 25th August from 10am in the Claverton Down Community Hall. Cllr Coombes would like to hear from any long term residents who remember using the path before the dence was erected, or have other evidence of its original width. Already one resident has come forward who remembers walking the path, four alongside, with his family in the 1930s!

A council engineer has checked the Bathwick Hill canal bridge at Cllr Coombes’ request, following the concerns of local residents.

The crumbling stonework on the parapet was raised by the local residents’ association, but the structural engineer says this is (so far) only a cosmetic concern. Dust and grit swept by passing traffic scours the parapet causing erosion of the stone, leaving a flaking appearance. Structurally this is not of concern as there is plenty of stone left; historically the Grade II bridge is diminished by the pollution.

On inspecting the bridge, the engineer noticed unreported damage to the North-East (uphill, upstream) end of the parapet wall. This was probably caused by a collision knocking the ashlar blocks out of place. This and other minor issues are of concern and the engineer has made recommendations for repair.

The bridge is the responsibility of British Waterways, who own and manage the canals. They have been informed of the council’s concerns and your Liberal Democrat councillors will be following the matter up.

Network Rail are seeking to fenmce the high speed line through Sydney Gardens.

Netwrok Rail, who own the line, have been instructed by the Rail Regulator that the railway line must be made safe against trespass and vandalism. At a consultation in February, 90% of people agreed that something should be done to improve safety.

The revised plan is for a tall iron railing, one metre back from the low stone wall. The little-used track-side path to the North would be closed entirely. Network Rail also suggests a gate in the fence, so that they can organise track-side steam train viewing.

The plans will still need permission from the council, who own the park, and from the planning committee as the gardens are protected.

As of today, I live at the junction of Cleveland Walk and Bathwick Hill. We shall be moving in over the coming week. The new postal address is:

8 Cleveland Court, Bathwick Hill, Bath BA2 6JY

No need for a welcome visit though - during the day I am at work and in the evenings I will be at meetings! You will know that I’m in if, on a warm day with the windows open, you hear Beethoven sonatas. I tend to tire after an hour of playing though, so you won’t have to endure them for long.

The meeting is at 5:30pm on Thursday 18th on campus. The agenda includes news on building works on campus, the new bus service, an update on the masterplan and a list of forthcoming large events on the campus.

Please RSVP to W.J.Marsh@bath.ac.uk or 386285 and refreshments will be prepared for you!

It was a wonderful day on Bathwick Hill yesterday with Summer fetes, open gardens and tea & cakes from St Mary’s all the way up to the Youth Hostel. In warm and sunny weather, the Church Fete and Bathwick Hill Residents’ Assoc Garden Party coincided.

The five residents’ associations within Bathwick do an excellent job of looking after their members and the Bathwick Hill RA is especially good at social events and community building. From next month, I shall be able to become a full member of the association when I move onto the hill.

Many areas of Bathwick do not have a formal association, but get by with Neighbourhood Watch fora and general neighbourliness. Some grants are available from the council towards setting up a Residents’ Association, though, and I would be happy to help a committed group of people to establish an organisation.

Normally I try to keep this blog to mostly interesting local news items, with occasional mention mentions of council meetings - the Regulatory (Access) Committee is as fun as it sounds. To test this , I have set up a running poll to the left hand side of this page, just below the links. Kindly vote for ‘more’ or fewer’ committee stories, so that I don’t waste anyone’s time with long meeting minutes in the future.

However, last month’s planning meeting has spilt considerably into the news realm, with accusations of coersion, dishonesty and impropriety over the park and ride applications.

I voted to support two park and ride proposals, at Lansdown and Odd Down (although I am quite proud to have voted against this at a previous meeting). However, I could not support the third - an application to concrete over the river-side meadow at Bathampton for a 1,400 space car park (yes, I do know the Joni Mitchell song; by apparent co-incidence I returned home after the seven hour planning meeting to hear Big Yellow Taxi on the sterio). Given the level of congestion on the London Road and suppressed demand, the traffic report showed that the scheme would allow 1,400 extra car drivers into the city centre, without any reduction in congestion or pollution. This I assessed as particularly small gain, far outweighed by the huge inherent cost of paving an alluvial meadow in such an idyllic spot.

However, others did not agree with me, indeed two Liberal Democrats voted for the scheme, demonstrating an entirely split party vote. However, all six of the Conservative panel members backed the Conservative Cabinet’s scheme. Quasi-judicial committees such as planning should not operate a party whip system. It is entirely possible that the Conservative members, all being men of similar ages and backgrounds, chose by chance to vote in the same manner. I trust that this will be investigated by the standards board in course. However, the Liberal Democrats do not operate a party whip system on planning, or indeed any other meeting. At council meetings, we tend to vote together because we agree with each other!

The Newbridge Park and Ride and associated bus road application was not determined by the planning committee. Instead, the committee deferred the application as it felt that not enough evidence had been provided to support the scheme. Certainly, I felt the the transport justification was insubstantial, and voted to wait until more information was provided.

A government minister has now suspended the planning application while he decides whether to let the council decide it, or whether he will send it to a government inspector to decide. If it does come back to BathNES, it will come before my committee again, so at this point -to avoid impropriety - I should stop typing.

From this week, household waste and recycling is being collected on the same day. If you haven’t yet discovered your day, visit the council website to find out.

I think that these are beneficial changes which reduce the frequency of waste on the streets and makes recycling more practical. I was elected on a manifesto of introducing same day waste collections, so I am glad that the council have introduced this, even if it is much later than I would have liked.

Incidentally, I hear that even David Cameron’s own Conservative council now collect rubbish from his back garden only once a fortnight…

On 4th June the European Elections co-incided with local elections in most rural areas of the country.

As an active Liberal Democrat supporter, I have been campaigning for my party in these elections, in Bath for the European elections, but mostly in Bristol where we stood a good chance of winning control of the council.

Our Lib Dem MEP, Graham Watson, has been in Bath several times last month. I joined him leafleting in Lambridge, near his mother’s old house! I am proud that the Liberal Democrats campaigned for the European elections on European issues. In the last two months, we delivered three European themed leaflets to (nearly) every house in Bath - 100,000 items in all. It is disappointing that no other party took these elections seriously enough to campaign to this degree.

In the run up to the elections, with politics and the opinion polls in flux, the election was considered very unpredictable. The results, oddly, show very little change from five years ago. Nationally, the number of MEPs representing Britain to Brussels has reduced. Labour absorbed most of these losses; indeed here in the South West the allocation went down by one, and our Labour MEP lost his seat. Aside from that, there was no change in BathNES, in the South West or (to much extent) nationally. The only notable result in BathNES was the fall of the Labour vote and the comensurate growth of the Green and minor party vote. The Conservatives, Lib Dems and UKIP got largely the same result on the same turnout.

In Bristol, however, the local elections have brought about significant change. The Liberal Democrats won four extra councillors, giving them majority control of the city. Labour lost heavily in a once strong labour council. This fits a little noticed pattern of Liberal Democrat growth in urban areas. The Lib Dems now run Bristol, Cardiff, Sheffield, Liverpool, Newcastle and Edinburgh city councils among others. Nationwide, the Lib Dems came second in the popular vote - again ahead of Labour - and were the only party to increase their support from the previous election.

That’s why this website has been a little quiet recently - I have been developing a healthy suntan delivering leaflets to the suburban housing estates of Bristol. This isn’t just good exercise, Lib Dem control of Bristol city council has real benefits to us here in Bath. My primary concern was the proposed incinerator, which the fallen Labour council had been forcing through. This pollution and unsustainable project is now dead, just in time before a single chimney was built!

This was one of many council elderly people’s homes sold by BathNES a few years ago in order to fund the refurbishment of the rest. The site was bought by a local family business and has been thoroughly rennovated as a private care home. Their first clients are due to move in from Thursday.

There are still some outstanding planning problems with the landscape and garden, however; work has been halted while BathNES council investigates. The Bathwick Hill Residents’ Association and I are following this.

Notwithstanding, the home manager and company director are approachable and seem genuinely concerned to be good neighbours. Let me know if you experience otherwise…

It’s mid-way through a busy week in the council chamber.

On Thursday we had a meeting of the Full Council (ie, all 65 councillors). These are now quite rare under the Conservatives so there is generally an exciting (and long) agenda. This was also our AGM so we elected a new council chair and made changes to our panels and committees.

I have swapped one quasi-judicial panel for another; leaving Regulatory & Access to take up Development Control. That is, I have handed over the footpaths’ committee in exchange for planning. I have sat on the planning committee to fill in for missing members several times recently, so know how it works by now. I also have experience from the other side; I have an architecture degree and have worked for, and submitted applications with, a couple of Bath architecture practices. This does mean though, that I will have to be very careful giving planning advice to Bathwick residents. I will continue to explain the system to applicants and objectors, so that they can make best use of the opportunities available for them to put their case, but I can no longer speak for or against individual cases before the meeting.

On Thursday night, council had two named votes. Ordinarily, votes are taken by show of hands with only the numbers recorded. However, councillors can request a named vote be taken for the public record.

The first vote was after a debate about licensing a casino in Bath; a similar proposal was passed in principal last year. Now with applicants in mind, the cabinet brought the controversial plans back to council. While the Conservatives proposed the licence, they clearly want the political cover of a council resolution in case it gets unpopular! A free vote was held, in which I voted against. I appreciate the principal that responsible adults should be free to spend their money as they see fit, and that politicians ought not interfere, but in this case, I cannot see the social or economic benefits of a slot machine parlour outweighing the social and economic costs. Regardless, this was an unusually and genuinely interesting debate with a close result. The casino licence was granted.

The second named vote was altogether more odd. Bristol Airport wants to expand and is preparing a planning application to its local authority, North Somerset. The Liberal Democrats of Bristol City council recently passed a motion questioning the justificaion for expansion on both economic and environmental grounds. BathNES council has a similar motion on record from a few years ago, but the Lib Dems wanted to strengthen it. With the airport causing as much global warming as all the traffic in Bristol, the environmental cost of short haul air travel is obvious. However, less clear is the economic cost. Recent surveys by the South West regional assembly reveals that most business does not want or use a regional airport like Bristol. The airport is used mainly for tourists - leaving the UK. With convenience and cheap fares, British people spending weekends away are taking their money out of the UK, hurting tourism jobs. It should be fairly obvious that there are more Bristolians who holiday in rural Spain and Portugal, than Iberian farmers who take their holidays in Bristol. However, this section of the Liberal Democrat motion was deleted and exchanged by one praising the job creation potential of the airport expansion. The Conservative who proposed this not only sits on the Bristol airport consultation panel, but his ward is the most blighted by airport traffic and noise! With the motion thus wrecked, I was forced to vote against.

Finally, now that I am on the planning committee, I am one of those judging the park and ride and BRT proposals on Wednesday. I look forward to an exciting meeting with an open mind.

While I can’t resist a pun-headline, waste is an important issue.

Litter bins in particular are of concern to many up and down Bathwick Hill. Over the course of the last two years, Armand and I have had to harrass the council bin department about the replacement of three bins on the hill, at the canal bridge, opposite Cleveland Walk and at the top bus stop.

This month though, I have had the minor triumph of an all-new bin being installed at the very top of the hill. This is at the junction of Bathwick Hill, North Road, Copseland, Oakley and The Avenue - a rather busy pedestrian intersection, especially with the foot path access to the university. This is a prime location for students walking to and from campus, and also catches them leaving the bus here, as pointed out by members of the Beech Avenue Residents’ Association at their last AGM.

However, even the expension of our litter bin network is only maintenance; it does not develop our approach to waste. The Liberal Democrats have long argued for a ‘Zero Waste’ policy, which tackles the entire length of the waste chain. This is why, for example, we are opposed to the Bristol incinerator; provision of an easy ’solution’ does not encourage recycling or deter production (of excess packaging for example).

At the most recent council cabinet meeting, I asked the Conservatives about putting recycling bins on the street, alongside normal litter bins. I had first asked about this in November 2007. The answer, paraphrased, is that the trials of recycling bins in parks, that the inherited from the Liberal Democrat administration 2 years ago, are continuing successfully. No moves have been made to expand this into the street.

Somewhat disappointing.

At last week’s cabinet meeting, Bathwick Councillor Armand Edwards asked how many parking tickets had been issued outside Tesco. The answer? In the 6 months since the shop opened, only five tickets have been issued.

Given that I once saw seven simultaneous infringements, less than one parking ticket per month is embarrassingly low. The loading bay in-front of the shop is not for parking, it has double yellow lines. Likewise, parking is banned from either side of the bridge as the road narrows, turns a corner and crests the bridge.

As ever, I am harrying various organisations on behalf of Bathwck residents; the council, who have promised a new sign, the police who need to act against pavement parking and Tesco, which needs to manage its suppliers better.

Maps and prices are at http://uni-connect.co.uk/default.aspx, showing the new U18 service running up and down Bathwick Hill, but crossing the river at North Parade. There are stops in the city centre and then in Oldfield Park. The 20 will also be kept in its current route, both anti- (A) and clockwise (C) around the city. Bigger buses will be used than present, but ticket prices will rise slightly. In contrast, the U18 will be a little cheaper than the existing 18 operated by First.

 I think that this is excellent news and I look forward to trying out the new operator. Armand and I, with the University and Students’ Union, have long been campaigning for better and cheaper bus services and I hope that competition will bring it.

The 20A/C will transfer, and the U18 will commence, from the 11th May. Tickets are available on the bus.

Disappointingly I’ve been revisiting some old issues this week, fixed once, which need fixing again.

The railway bridge over Pulteney Road has been tagged again, this time with “MY TEAM”. This doesn’t make much more sense than the previous tag, “THICK”, but could take as long to clean off. See previous entries  here and here; it took the best part of a year to have the bridge re-painted last time. Again, Network Rail have confirmed to me that Pulteney Road will have to be closed for the tag to be painted out. A correspondant suggests “use the bridge space for a more useful and innovative purpose”. Does anyone else have any suggestions? A mural or a display board? As my photo shows, no matter how hard you try, anything looks nice on a sunny Spring day in Bath.

Also this week, the bollard on George Street (Bathwick Hill) at the junction with Darlington Street has come unstuck. I suspect that it will be repaired again, but I know a few people pushing for its removal.

Here in local government, the numbers are very small, yet some people still think that councillors are in it for the money! My annual allowances is about to be published; this is what they will show:

£7,956 Annual allowance (effectively a salary)

£41.10 Travel expenses (one train journey and a few buses I think)

I choose to work only four days per week at my ‘real job’, so my allowance compensates for lost earnings and pays for all the evenings and weekends I spend on council work. From it, I also pay for my laptop, letters and postage, plus all of those Focus leaflets we use to communicate with!

The allowances will also be published with an attendance list of meetings. In the last 12 months I have been to all four Full Council meetings and both of the Regulatory (Access) Committee meetings. In addition to my normal panels, I have also sat on five Planning Committees, three Corporate Audit panels and been to one meeting of the Enterprise & Economic Overview and Scrutiny panel.

A quick sum suggests a rate of £500 per meeting; I hope that you will have noticed that I do a bit more than that for the money!

Bathwick has been promised two new litter bins from BathNES council. One is to replace a missing bin on Bathwick Hill opposite Cleveland Walk, the other a completely new installation opposite Copseland on the top of the hill.

Cllr Coombes and the Bathwick Hill residents’ association have a long list of potential new bin sites, including the top of Madiera Walk and near King Edwards School. However, considering Tory budget cuts and the existing backlog at the bin department, two new bins is a minor success!

The new bin at the top of Bathwick Hill will coincide with the bus stop for the University footpath, just beyond the North Road junction. There has long been a need for a bin here, both for alighting bus passengers and walkers. Now that the request has been approved, this site is on the list for contractors to install.

Nicholas Coombes joined local volunteers and British Waterways to clear up the Kennet & Avon Canal in Bathwick.

The volunteers picked up 20 sacks of rubbish from the towpath and verges between the Bath Locks and Bathampton. Finds included a trolley and TV aerial both secreted in the vegetation below Sham Castle Lane. Marker posts and information boards were re-painted at the stretch opposite Sydney Buildings.

“Volunteering projects like this are really good,” said Cllr Coombes. “A few hours work for fifteen people has made a real difference to our area. It was warm and sunny which helped make for a fun, sociable morning.”

Thank you for your keeness to join in with Towpath Tidy 2009!

On;     Sunday 29^th March

Meeting at:    Towpath by Bathwick Hill

Time;    10am (until approx 1pm)

BW Activity Leader;  Steve Manzi/Alison Colebrook

Activities;   Litter picking, Vegetation Management, Painting, Sign Cleaning

Car Parking available at;  there is limited parking close to Bath centre.  Please contact me if you need more details on suitable places to park.

Please find attached a copy of our Volunteer Agreement form, which we require you to sign and return to me (by email is fine if you print your name and address or alternatively return it to me on the day).  If you will be bringing children to the event, it is fully your responsibility to supervise and ensure the welfare of the children during the event – British Waterways Activity Leader will of course support you with this where possible on the day.

What to expect

All Volunteers involved in Towpath Tidy activities will be met on site by a BW Activity Leader who will give a safety induction at the start of the day/activity, therefore it is important that all volunteers turn up at the meeting time in order to listen to this briefing for their own safety.  The leader will also require all volunteers to sign in so if they need to leave site at any time, they must let the leader know.  

I have enclosed a Safety Advice Sheet for volunteers, which I would be grateful if you could spend a couple of minutes to read.  This has some general safety advice that volunteers will need to be aware of on the day.  If you have a medical condition that they feel a leader should be aware of, e.g. asthma, hearing difficulties, please speak to the BW Activity Leader at the start of the day.

We will provide any PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as gloves, lifejackets as appropriate to the task.  Please wear old, warm clothes that you won’t mind if they get dirty, and bring waterproofs if it looks like raining.  Due to the nature of the terrain along our waterways, please wear flat-soled, sturdy shoes or boots, (not open toed shoes or trainers which do not provide enough grip).

At the start of the day, all volunteers will be organised into groups, normally with a BW staff member working with them (for support as well as social reasons!).  Activity Leaders will give instruction on each activity and will be on site throughout the day, if you or your group have any queries or problems.

There will be welfare facilities (inc toilets) located at Sydney Gardens and handwipes on site for volunteers to use.  Refreshments will be provided

Attached is a map of the meeting point – if you require directions, please contact me and I will be able to send you more details.

If you have any problems on or before the day, please contact myself on 07917 373119.

Our ambition this year is to give all South West Waterways key visitor sites a big spring clean – A big challenge but together we can do it!!!!!

Reading Liberal Democrat Voice recently about the man arrested for taking photos of drain covers; I though that this is certainly an intrustion to civil liberty, but a very odd one. Who takes photos of drains? What makes them terrorist suspects?

However, visiting German at the weekend, I was struck by the above example of considered street scene. The drain cover is a carefully curved segment to fit into the cobble (technically ’setts’) pattern. Bath has a long way to go before it reaches Dusseldorf’s level of public-realm perfection. However, I did appreciate the quick and easy floral display on Blumenstasse, photographed below.

The 20, which has a circular route around the city, has long been the worst of all First’s services, operating small, old mini-buses at infrequent and unpredictable intervals. Despite this, the peak time buses are packed, providing the only service between Combe Down, Ralph Allen School and the University.

University and school students living in Combe Down will be furious at the withdrawal of the service, which is their only realisitic public transport route. Many University students currently live in Combe Down, and many more will have signed house contracts for the next academic year intending to use the 20 bus. With the service due to stop the week before the university exams, these students will be left stranded.

MP Don Foster and Lib Dem councillors across Bath say that the changes are unacceptable. Don has already booked a meeting with the regional director of First Bus and Bathwick Councillor Nicholas Coombes has been co-ordinating with the University and BathNES council. A protest website has been launched at http://ourcampaign.org.uk/onthebuses

Cllr Coombes was interviewed on BBC radio Bristol to explain how the loss of the service would affect University students, but it also serves Moorland Road, Twerton, Weston and the Royal United Hospital. Nearly all other bus services in Bath have had their frequencies reduced or early morning services cut. Across the South West, First have cut or reduced routes to protect their profits during the recession.

This week is the first Neighbours Forum for the University and its near neighbours to discuss issues of concern. The University is hosting on Thursday 5th at 5:30pm.

I have been working behind the scenes for almost a year to arrange this termly meeting, so I am very glad that we finally have a date set. These Fora give the university a chance to explain their future plans and upcoming events to their neighbours with a view to mitigation, and neighbours the opportunity to voice concerns (or praises) about the way the university operates.

The need for better communication came to my attention from a few specific examples. A University Open Day or the start of term massively increases vehicle traffic on specific roads; parents collecting children from Bathwick St Mary’s Primary can find themselves half an hour late to the school if they do not know to set off earlier. University planning applications can appear suddenly and be hugely divisive if simply sprung on th community as they have been in the past; an explanation of why a function is needed makes it easier for neighbours to suggest improvements.

The recent consultation over the University Masterplan has been very impressive and shows that good communications are to everyone’s advantage.

If you would like to attend this session please email Lynne Tremlett (lmt24@bath.ac.uk) for directions.

Bath and North East Somerset Council set it’s budget last week for the next year. The Conservatives increased tax by 3.5%, including £1million to prop up the council pension fund, and a further £800,000 to investigate building new offices. Despite being a potential beneficiary of both offices and generous pension fund, I did not vote in favour!

The Liberal Democrats instead proposed an alternative budget. Our fully costed plans cost less than the Conservatives, yet still managed to find £500,000 extra to spend on street cleaning, significant extra investment in the Youth Service (subject to Tory cuts), improved recycling services and £3million to fund a new school transport plan.

Instead of forcing a bus road through Newbridge, I supported a plan to get thousands more school children onto buses, reducing peak time congestion. The eventual plan is for ‘free’ bus travel for all children, as it currently is for older people. The concessionary fares scheme has been very successful at one end of the age range, we would like to start children on buses, so that they become public transport users for the rest of their lives.

As predicted, the Labour councillors abstained (hardly worth them travelling to the meeting) so the Conservatives were able to push through their budget. The Conservative deputy leader said that now was not the time for public spending, we needed to save for a rainly day. I would like to point out that it is currently raining and that public spending is exactly what is needed. Given that reduced access to finance is a contributor to this recession, increasing council tax and then squirrelling millions away in reserves and pension funds is not helping the situation. More money is taken away from taxpayers and even less comes out of the system than normal!

The closest vote of the night was unexpected and wonderfully dramatic. Normally most council meeting follow a predictable pattern, but here - almost uniquely - the debate changed the meeting.

Cllr Tim Ball (Lib Dem, Twerton) proposed a personal motion to set aside a little money to fund a creche in his ward. BathNES council plans to cut the creche’s funding, causing its closure. Single parents who leave their children at the creche in order to work, will no longer be able to do either. The debate followed predictable lines until a Conservative member made a more-than-usually offensive remark about the poverty trap, to shocked silence. In response, a rarely heard Liberal Democrat councillor gave an stunning unplanned speach about the purpose of our council; to help those in need. It was enough to turn both the Labour and Indepedent councillors to vote with the Liberal Democrats in favour of the creche. Two Conservatives were shamed into abstaining, but sadly the remainder chose to vote against the creche, meaning that the funding bid fell. I understand that behind the scenes negotiations are now underway.