Covered seating for the Sandpits?

It’s great that the new play equipment is being installed this month, but there is now the opportunity for some new covered seating to be provided too!

We’ve done some initial consultation (with some park users and local residents) and there is a generally positive response, but a few people have raised concerns about any potential misuse of the community seating area. As a result Will and Shaun have got the local Police on the case along with Sam, the Council’s Outreach Youth Worker and the Parks Department.

So far we have spoken with over 40 adults and young people but we’re adding some consultation to the start of the Oldfield / Moorfields PACT public meeting this coming Wednesday. We don’t know exactly what the seating area will look like yet or where it will be, but it could look like any of these:

three-pics-of-covered-seating.jpg

The doors open at 6pm to get your views about where seating could be put and what it could look like. The main PACT Meeting starts at 6:30 on Wednesday 10th March at Moorland s Infants. This is not part of the consultation, but to find out more about the regular PACT public meeting click here.

If you can’t make the meeting, please let us know your views (good or bad) about what the seating could look like and where it could be. Please email: oldfieldbath@googlemail.com

Secondary School proposals go out to consultation

Following a review of all secondary schools in the local authority, a secondary school strategy was unanimously agreed by Full Council and Cabinet in 2008. The strategy identifies Keynsham and Bath as the areas where changes need to take place. The Council is consulting on these proposals, and will make a final decision on changes in July.

The public has already told the Council they want more co-education places and improved facilities. Although we already have some of best Schools in the country, we must continue to improve of school buildings and give our young people the best possible environment in which to learn.

What this means for Bath(proposals for Keynsham are at the end of this post)
In Bath, the proposal is to further raise standards and improve the quality of schools buildings, reduce the number of schools with surplus places and create the right size schools which are educationally and financially viable. The proposal will increase the number of co-educational places available. Steps will also be taken to make sure there are sufficient church school places and that parents still have the option to send their child to a single sex school.

No changes are proposed to Beechen Cliff and Hayesfield Schools which will provide the choice of single sex boys and girls places for parents. No changes are proposed to Ralph Allen and St Gregory’s Catholic College.

To achieve the overall strategy for Bath, Oldfield, Culverhay and St Mark’s will be closed and two new schools will be opened.

Information on the counsultation process can be found below:
Read the rest of this entry.

Guildhall welcomes Olympic champion – Amy Williams

Amy Williams with the Mayor and Chair

The Chairman of the Council and the Mayor of Bath welcomed Winter Olympic champion Amy Williams to the Guildhall after her open top bus tour organised by the Bath Chronicle and BBC.  Thousands of people from across the area gathered on the streets of Bath to  celebrate her achievement. The event was supported by the Council whose highways, buildings, and health and safety staff worked extremely hard to make the day possible alongside Avon & Somerset Police. Councillor Bryan Chalker, Chairman of Council, said,

The achievement by Amy Williams is truly exceptional and it’s great for the whole district to have an Olympic champion born and bred here. Bath & North East Somerset Council was delighted to play a significant part in supporting the Bath Chronicle and BBC to help organise the event.

Read the rest of this entry.

Next PACT meeting – 10th March 2010

Partners and Communities Together (PACT) gives you a chance to meet the local Police team, your local councillors, Will and Shaun, and influence priorities in our neighbourhood.

It will be held at Moorlands Infants School, Moorfields Road, and start at 6.30pm. Please come along to discuss any issues of concern you may have in your community.

Current public priorities were established on 4th November 2010:

1. Problems with residents of the flats on Poplar Close and Monksdale Road;
2. Street Cleansing, state of the pavements;
3. Speeding on First, Second and Third Avenues, Oldfield Lane, and King Edward Road. Potential implementation of a One Way system?

If you are untable to attend, but want to voice your local priorities or issues, please email us at: oldfieldbath@googlemail.com

MoD could sever all ties with Bath after 80 years

Bath MP Don Foster can reveal that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is considering leaving all of their premises in Bath. Previously, the MoD had admitted that it was planning to move Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) services out of sites in Foxhill and Warminster Road, but it was assumed MoD staff would remain at Ensleigh. Now the MoD is studying the possibility of moving Ensleigh staff to the new site in Abbey Wood.

Bath MP Don Foster has written to the Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Defence, Kevan Jones MP, asking for further information and to secure a meeting to discuss the subject. Don said,

This announcement is worrying, as it could see further jobs leaving Bath. Ensleigh has just had a major IT infrastructure upgrade, so I believe it makes sense to keep MoD jobs at the site. Any move would also increase congestion in the area, as Bath-based staff would have to make their way to Abbey Wood.

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Englishcombe Lane – Theft of motorbike

Between 9pm on Friday February the 26th and 9.20am the following morning, unknown person(s) have removed a motor vehicle from the front of a residence. The motorbike in question is a black Kawasaki Z1000 with the registration number WX06DYO.

If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the Police on 0845 456 7000. Alternatively you could contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Decision due on Bristol airport expansion

A North Somerset Council South Area Committee is set to decide on the controversial expansion of Bristol International Airport at a meeting this Wednesday [3rd March]. Officers at North Somerset Council have recommended the expansion be approved.

The plans involve the expansion of the terminal building and an increase in flight numbers. Environmental groups across the region are campaigning against this expansion, which will lead to a massive rise in carbon emissions.

Bath’s Lib Dem MP Don Foster joined other Lib Dem MPs across the region asking for the planning decision to be called in by the government. Don said,

The expansion plans for Bristol International Airport are clearly of a regional importance, and therefore should be called-in for the government to determine. What we need to see is real investment in high-speed rail links, not an increasing number of internal flights which will be highly damaging to the environment. The last major planning application for the airport, in 1991, was called-in, and I believe there is every reason for this application to be heard by the Planning Inspectorate.

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Amy Williams – Open Bus Tour Celebration Wednesday 3rd March

To recognise and celebrate Amy William’s achievement of Olympic Gold, the BBC and The Bath Chronicle are organising an Open Bus Tour on Wednesday 3rd March. The planned route is as follows:

1pm – 1.30pm: Meet and greet at Hayesfield Upper School, Upper Oldfield Park.

1.30pm – 2.15pm: Tour of Bath: Lower Oldfield Park-Brougham Hayes-Pinesway -Midland Bridge Road-Charles Street-Chapel Row-Queen Square (entire loop)-Gay Street-George Street -Milsom Street -New Bond Street -Northgate Street -Bridge Street , Grand Parade- Orange Grove-High Street-Guildhall.

2.30pm: The Chairman of Council will be holding a small private reception for Amy and her immediate family in the Guildhall.