Linear Park Tree Removal

Will Sandry and Linear Park trees

During the summer, a number of trees are due to be cut down on the Linear Park around Monkesdale Road and Millmead Road.

This is so that the new bridges and access ramps can be installed over those roads.

Cllr Will Sandry said: “Volunteers from the Two Tunnels Project have marked the trees that will be cut down with yellow crosses so that local residents are not surprised when these tress are removed.

Sustrans who are managing the project have promised us that they will replant at least as many new trees as are cut down.

It’s disappointing to lose trees, but I’m happy that the new bridges and ramps will improve the accessibility of the Park for everyone, and with the replacemnt planting, enhance our environment”

Sand Pits get a lick of paint

Last Thursday, staff volunteers from Bath and North East Somerset Council, and local students through the Student Community Partnership came together to give the older play equipment in the Sand Pits a much needed coat of paint.

Will and David at the Sand Pits

The old play equipment had been looking a bit drab since last summer when new equipment was installed beside it. Cllr David Dixon said: “Play areas are vitally important to our communities in Bath and North East Somerset. The Sand Pits will never compete with the size of the Victoria Park play area, but I want the Sand Pits to be the most loved play area in Bath.”

David wants the Sandpits to be the most loved play area in Bath

Cllr Will Sandry said: ” I was delighted that Council Staff and the Student Community Partnership came together to arrange this painting session. It was great that passing members of the community pitched in and lent a hand on the day.”

Students moving out

Moving out leaflet 2011

Moving out leaflet 2011

The Student Community Partnership has launched its summer 2011 campaign to advise students in our community about  managing their waste before they leave for the summer.

Leaflets are being delivered door to door and information is also available on line. This is a great initiative because it helps students get their deposits back and means that there is a lower likelihood of gardens being left full of rubbish after students have moved out.

Follow this link to the Student Community Partnership Moving out information.

Hide your bike!

We have received two Police reports of pedal cycles being reported stolen from the front gardens of properties in Oldfield Ward in the past month. The bikes were locked and chained, none the less they were still taken.

Please try to keep your bike out of sight in your house or in a shed. Make sure you follow the advice from Avon and Somerset Police for storing your bicycle and consider registering it (and your other possessions) with the Immobilise website.

Lib Dems in Control of B&NES

B&NES Lib Dem Group

The Lib Dem Group is now in minority control of Bath and North East Somerset Council. Work is now underway to reverse the closure of Culverhay School and to scrap the BRT.

David Dixon will undertake the role of Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, whilst Will Sandry will remain on the back benches, but will represent the Council on Avon Fire Authority.

The photograph shows the Lib Dem Group just before the meeting of Full Council last Thursday. We won’t be at the Guildhall all the time – we will be out and about listening, and responding to our community.

12 Bus service safe

Faresaver will withdraw their  Service 12 that operates between Haycombe Cemetery and Bath city centre on Mondays to Fridays; and terminate the contract they operate on behalf of the Council for the Saturday service on the route.

The Council has made emergency arrangements for Bugler Coaches to operate Service 12 on Mondays to Saturdays from 2 June 2011 until March 2012.

On Mondays to Saturdays, Service 12 will operate every 40 minutes from 0900 to 1500, with a break at lunchtime. On Saturdays, buses will run later until 1620. All buses will operate via Dartmouth Avenue in both directions (as currently happens on Saturdays and Sundays). On Sundays & Bank Holidays, Service 12 will continue to be operated by First and there will be no change to the timetable.

New timetable leaflets are being produced and they will be distributed in the week before the changes take place. Timetable information for all local bus services is available from Traveline at www.traveline.info or telephone 0871 200 2233 (calls cost 10p per minute plus network charges).

Today is Polling Day

Thursday 5th May is Polling Day

Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm. Your votes only count when your ballot paper is in the ballot box. If you have a postal vote and have not yet completed and returned it, you can still take your ballot paper in person to the polling station today.
We have had a great reception over the past weeks on the doorstep and we are grateful to all those who have told us that they would like us to continue working as your local Councillors for the next four years.

Residents in Oldfield should have received our leaflet detailing our achievements and what we want to achieve if elected. A reminder of that document can be found here.

Will and David are both committed to listening to, and representing the residents and community of Oldfield Park, the Moorfields Estate and Englishcombe Park for the next four years.

Our top level priorities for the ward are:

1. Improve Housing and Sense of Community.

2. Work to improve Transport, Parking and Environment.

3. Maintain Moorland Road as the heart of the South of Bath.

4. Tackle Crime and Anti Social Behaviour.

Last week of Campaigning

Our Facebook advert

It’s the last few days of the election campaign. Will and David have been out and about and listing to our community. We’ve almost managed to knock all the 2,400 doors in Oldfield Ward in the past few weeks, but were not done yet!

Our website QR Code

During this campaign we have been reaching out to the community in new ways. We have used Facebook advertising to get our messages to different and younger members of the community. Some of our literature has carried a QR code so people with mobile devices can access our website directly by just scanning the code.

As we have relied more on electronic communication, this is one of our greenest ever campaigns. We have used far fewer paper leaflets than in previous years. We would love to stop using paper all together, but we know that not all members of our community are computer users at the moment.

As we enter the final week, please don’t forget that your vote won’t count unless your ballot paper gets in the Ballot Box. If you have a postal vote and have not yet completed and returned it, you can still take the ballot paper in person to the polling station on Thursday. Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm.

No Coalition in Bath!


On the doorsteps we’ve met a few people unhappy with the Liberal Democrats because we are in coalition with the Tories in Westminster. There is no coalition in Bath.

  • Unlike the Tories, Local Lib Dems don’t want to close Culverhay School. Instead we want a community co-educational school on the site. Something the community has been asking for for many years.
  • Unlike the Tories, Local Lib Dems don’t want a bus road through people’s back gardens in Newbridge. Instead we want bus lanes on the Upper and Lower Bristol Roads and to work with all schools to improve the home to school transport options to help cut congestion.
  • Unlike the Tories we don’t want to spend £37million of Council Tax payers’ money on new Council Offices in Keynsham. Instead we want to secure private sector investment to regenerate Keynsham, as we did with the rebuilding of Southgate.

Despite some difficult times, and being the junior partner in the Westminster coalition, Liberal Democrat MPs are delivering on many our 2010 manifesto pledges. Click here to see the full list of their achievements.