We need real action on keeping HGVs out of city

Bath MP Don Foster is calling for real action in keeping HGVs and through traffic out of Bath, by researching a scheme that sees alternative recommended routes sent to Sat Nav mapping companies. Earlier this month Lib Dem research revealed that Bath and North East Somerset Council officers had not been attending meetings of the South West Regional Freight Forum, where the scheme has been discussed and actively piloted by Somerset County Council. 

Don has now written to the Chief Executive of Somerset County Council to find out more. Don said, “This is a sensible, practical way of reducing the number of HGVs getting stuck on inappropriate routes in our city, and can also help to reduce through traffic.  It is pleasing that these companies are willing to work with local communities to improve the service they provide.” 

We need to find out more about this scheme and start playing catch up so that we can work with Somerset County Council in producing effective alternative routes.  It is time that there was real action on this issue. One of our Lib Dem Councillor colleagues, Ian Gilchrist, asked a question on the issue at a recent Full Council meeting.  He said, “The Tories have talked and talked and talked.  They keep claiming that they are working to stop HGVs using Bath as a through route, but the reality is that they are doing very little.” 

If this was really a priority, as they claim it is, then they would have made sure officers were attending these meetings and that our Council was pioneering this scheme.  Instead we are sadly lagging behind.

So important that student housing should count

In the lead up to the Lib Dem organised public meeting on the Regional Spatial Strategy, Bath MP Don Foster has stressed how important it is that purpose built student housing should count towards the Government imposed target.

Don said, “I have been informed that there are at least 1500 properties within the Bath constituency that are exempt from Council Tax because they are lived in by students.  This is the same number as the Bath urban expansion that was agreed by the Council, although the Government has since put this up to 2000.  If we could free up these properties by moving students into purpose built blocks, then we could almost negate the need to build an urban extension to Bath.  Of course, it isn’t that simple, but these figures clearly illustrate the point that Liberal Democrats in Bath have been making.

Commenting, Don said, “Residents need a chance to have their say on all aspects of the RSS – from where they feel houses should or shouldn’t be built, to what added infrastructure they think will be needed, to what they believe a realistic target actually is.  After all, we do need new affordable homes in Bath. Don will be taking the views of all residents forward to his meeting with Regional Minister Ben Bradshaw MP at the beginning of October.

Lib Dems welcome Council response to government housing targets

Liberal Democrats have given their support to a strongly worded response to the government on the hotly debated issue of the housing requirements within the regional spatial strategy. A government which doesn’t listen to people will eventually get told where to go, and sooner rather than later.  We will be submitting our own response to the government to raise issues, such as the need for student housing to be taken into account in the housing numbers, and we will be calling on residents to do the same. 

We need to get more people on board to influence the government – members of the Council need to go out there and tell their residents what is happening. 

It must be common sense that purpose-built student accommodation blocks should count towards RSS housing targets and could therefore help protect against building on green field sites and our green belt.  It is crazy that new halls of residence for students do not count in the RSS figures. 

The government cannot be trusted in relation to the regional spatial strategy.  The government cannot be trusted in relation to the green belt. These housing requirement figures are not based on evidence.  The response before us tonight was formed by the enterprise and economic development overview and scrutiny panel and is not the product of one political party.  The response reflects the concerns on the changed economic climate, along with the basis upon which these figures have been calculated.

Backing the British Legion

Bath and North East Somerset Council on the 11st September 2008 adopted a Liberal Democrat-led motion calling for the Council to support The Royal British Legion’s “Honour the Covenant” campaign.

We were delighted to see this motion carried unanimously and that it received such overwhelming support from all sides.

We were particularly glad that the Labour Group was able to support the motion and we hope the message will get through to Government.  The fact that The Royal British Legion has had to mount this campaign is an indictment of the Government which has clearly fallen down in its duty of care; both for the serving personnel in the forces – in the cutbacks in recent years of battalions and the supporting arms for troops on tours at a crucial time of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan – but most importantly in its treatment of wounded ex-service personnel and bereaved families.

Conservatives refuse Bath Package debate

At a meeting of B&NES Council on the 11th September 2008 Liberal Democrats called for an ad hoc debate on the Cabinet’s treatment of residents during last week’s Cabinet meeting, using the 10-minute debate rule in the Council’s constitution.

The Conservative Group however refused to allow the debate to take place.

Dozens of residents made a particular effort to attend last week’s Cabinet meeting to protest against the Cabinet’s adoption of compulsory purchase powers for the Bus Rapid Transit route; however the Leader of Council refused to allow a proper debate and prevented ward councillors and residents from speaking.

Once again the Conservatives have shown they are frightened of debate – what have they got to hide?

This Cabinet meeting was another bad day for democracy locally. In our view it put this Council and therefore all of us as members in a bad light.  The Cabinet should make a public apology to residents, and should convene a Cabinet debate to allow open debate, rather than hiding behind the O&S process.

With the reduced numbers of meetings there are now fewer opportunities for us to represent our residents.  The Leader of Council seems to change the rules on who may and may not speak at Cabinet according to her whim.

The Cabinet meeting at which Cllr Caroline Roberts (Lib Dem, Newbridge) was prevented from speaking and at which no debate took place, was completed in just over one hour.  When this issue is debated at overview and scrutiny on September 25th residents and councillors will give this subject the debate and time it deserves even though, as the decision makers, this should be the duty of the Cabinet.

One might wonder whether Councillors and residents should waste their time attending Cabinet meetings in the future if it is only to watch the Cabinet rubber stamp decisions.

Lib Dems say “No Way to 21k”

Liberal Democrat Councillors in Bath are opposing the Government’s proposed requirement that over 21,000 homes should be built in the district by 2026. The Council needs to make a very robust response to the Government, explicitly calling for the original numbers to be reinstated.

Liberal Democrats are saying “No Way” to the new target of over 21,000; these requirements are based on hopelessly exaggerated economic and jobs predictions.

We have always said that there should be no building on green belt land except as an absolute last resort when all possible brownfield sites have been developed.  The proposed rate of construction is also hopelessly optimistic – three times the current rate! We recognised that the original number of 15,500 would deliver much needed housing so that so that our children and grandchildren have a chance to live in the area and not be forced out.  But with an increase of almost 40% in the new requirement the Conservatives are allowing green belt to be built on which will see villages disappear and Keynsham to be subsumed into Bristol.

We are also backing local MP Don Foster’s campaign that student housing should count towards the housing requirement.  In Oldfield Park and across other parts of Bath a lot of potential family homes are unavailable due to multiple student lets, but purpose-built student accommodation – which would free up some of these homes – doesn’t count towards the housing numbers.

This is crazy and we will be responding to the Government consultation to point this out.

Safer Speeds for Residential Streets – Foster

Bath MP Don Foster is continuing his call for 20mph zones to be implemented in the city’s most residential streets.  Liberal Democrats across Bath have been pushing for safer speeds on these roads to provide safer communities.  Residents have also been calling for these limits, as evidenced by recent campaigns in across the city.  Don Foster said,

“Residents across Bath know that their streets are unsafe at current speeds and are joining our ‘Twenty is Plenty’ campaign. 

Don was delighted that three Liberal Democrat Councillors visited Portsmouth, where this scheme has been implemented.  They have found out valuable information, and perhaps most importantly, that the scheme is so popular – people want it. Parents no longer feel safe letting their children out to play, and residents are increasingly sick of ‘rat run’ drivers.  The Council needs to understand that these zones aren’t just needed next to schools; they need to be across the majority of our residential roads.  Currently it seems as though there needs be a serious accident before the Conservative Council is prepared to even look at the issue.  We deserve better than that.  The Liberal Democrats have been campaigning on this for our area and so far we have met with a stone wall from the Conservatives.  What Portsmouth has shown that this is easy to implement and is popular.  While the narrow Victorian streets of Portsmouth lend themselves particularly well to the lower limit, there are still numerous roads in our authority where 20mph limits would be sensible.

You can join the Lib Dems calling for 20mph limits by visiting http://ourcampaign.org.uk/twentyisplenty

Twenty is Plenty: Lib Dems’ fact-finding mission

Liberal Democrats in Bath & North East Somerset are continuing their call for 20mph speed limits to apply on residential roads within the authority. As part of this campaign, three local Lib Dem Councillors visited the City of Portsmouth over the Summer, where 20mph limits have been introduced on almost all of the residential roads. They found that the 20mph scheme is popular and appreciated by the vast majority of residents – the Council said they had received only 7 objections to the policy. It is improving road safety; cycling and walking are increasing; and the environment has improved. 

The Liberal Democrats have been campaigning on this for our area and so far we have met with a stone wall from the Conservatives. What Portsmouth has shown that this is easy to implement and is popular. While the narrow Victorian streets of Portsmouth lend themselves particularly well to the lower limit, there are still numerous roads in our authority where 20mph limits would be sensible.

 

With the lower limit, pedestrians in particular feel safer.

 We know from speaking to residents just how many are concerned about the speed of traffic in their road – Portsmouth have shown that something can be done about it. We have to respond in a similar fashion to make our communities safer places to live.

We are pleased that some of the roads around local schools in the ward already have 20 mph limits. We also need to think carefully about the issue of enforcement, and self-enforcement.  

The safety aspect is crucial and is supported by the British Medical Association (BMA). A child hit at 30mph has an almost 50% chance of dying, at 20mph this drops to just 5%.

You can join the Liberal Democrats calling on the Council to implement 20mph limits on our most residential roads by signing the on-line petition at http://ourcampaign.org.uk/twentyisplenty 

New Student Action Line Number

As of Thursday 6th November, the new Student Action Line number (01225 396996) will be live.

Instead of an answer phone, callers will be connected straight to the Council Connect call centre.  This means a member of staff will be available to talk directly to residents, record their issues and report them to the relevant person to deal with at the Council as well as forwarding the details on to the University to deal with in line with their disciplinary procedures.

If the problem concerns any area within the Council’s remit, for example waste and recycling, the service area will also be notified, whether or not it is actually a student related issue. Ideally people calling in to report issues need to provide a full address or postcode that the problem relates to.

The Student Action Line was launched in 2004, when Cllr Shaun McGall persuded the Council to set up the Student Liaison Committee, to better integrate students into the communities where they rent accommodation and resolve any issues of concern. It was operated by a 24 hour answer phone, where residents would report any student related problems related to noise, poor refuse and recycling management, and general anti-social behaviour.

Conservative Cabinet Member Discriminating in Favour of Own Residents

Blue Badge

Bath MP Don Foster has reacted with complete disgust at the discrimination shown by Tory Cabinet Member Charles Gerrish in deciding not to implement Blue Badge Parking charges – in Keynsham alone.

Don said, “Months ago Liberal Democrats heavily criticized the Tory’s poor parking policy, and we called in the decision. The Cabinet Member finally agreed to look at the issue of evening parking charges in Bath, but weeks and weeks on he has still not made his mind up.

“Suddenly residents in Keynsham are unhappy with a policy, and he leaps to change it, but why only in his town? Why are the residents of Bath being treated as second class citizens by this Council? The Conservative Cabinet Member is a Keynsham Councillor. This is a blatant example of discrimination within the authority.

“Cllr Gerrish says there is not sufficient off-street parking in Keynsham – does he really think that there is in Bath? The decision just to remove the increased Blue Badge charges from Keynsham is a slap in the face to the people of Bath.

“I will be writing to Cllr Gerrish to question this decision.”

Cllr Andy Furse (Kingsmead, Lib Dem) commented, “This is yet another example of the Tories putting Bath residents second. While residents of Keynsham make savings, Bath residents will be expected to put proportionally more into Council coffers. When will this attitude towards the people of Bath change?”