Same Day Waste Collection is coming

Refuse lorryOver the years as the Council has introduced different recycling and collection schemes we have ended up with a system where you put one box out one day another on another day and your garden waste on a third. In certain areas different boxes were also put out in differing locations.

The first step was to get all residents to put all collections out to the same spot. The next step was to have been to move to same day collection in the autumn of 2007. However the current Conservative administration put that back a year and a half and it will now be happening this summer, from the 8th June 2009 – although the cardbaord / green waste service will remain fortnightly.

This is good news for us all as we now have all collections done on the same day. As a bonus this step also has the side effect of increasing recycling rates by about 6%. More information on this move can be found at here.

We will keep you regularly updated on this important change.

Progress on Use Classes Order to help tackle ‘Studentification’

Progress on the consultation on the Use Classes Order is frustratingly slow.  However, it has not entirely ground to a halt, as the following two emails indicate (I have added the emphasis); what ‘soon’ means remains unclear!  Thanks to local resident groups in Southampton and in Newcastle for forwarding these.
 
(1) From: Cheryl Storrar, Office of John Denham MP [Secretary of State, DIUS]
Sent: 19 February 2009
To: Jerry Gillen, Highfields RA, Southampton
Subject: from John Denham MP
 
Thank you for your recent email.  Mr Denham recently met with Margaret Beckett [Secretary of State, CLG] to discuss the case for changes to the use classes order.  This is something that Mr Denham supported as a backbench MP for many years.  Mr Denham understands that there has been some delay in issuing the consultation.  This is due to some unrelated issues, it should however be forthcoming soon.
 
(2) Department for Communities and Local Government
Eland House Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU
Tel: 020 7944 3040 Fax: 020 7944 5891, E-Mail: iain.wright@communities.gsi.gov.uk
www.communities.gov.uk
 
Our Ref: WRNVR/000393/09
 
23 February 2009
Dear Councillor Armstrong [Newcastle City Council]
THE USE CLASSES ORDER AND HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION
Thank you for your e-mail of 7 January [ 2009 ] which outlined Newcastle City Council’s views about changes to the Use Classes Order (UCO) in relation to houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and asked what the Government’s intentions with respect to HMOs and the UCO were.
We have recently published research work which looked at the issue of the UCO and HMOs. The research work was commissioned to identify good practice in areas that manage to cope relatively well with high concentrations of HMOs, to test whether these ideas could have a wider application in those areas which have difficulty with such issues and to determine whether, and if so what, planning policy is a suitable lever to tackle these problems.
The report can be found at http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/evidencegatheringresearch
Once we have finished considering the report’s recommendations we will consult on possible options for change. I anticipate that this will be soon.
I hope this is useful.
(signed )
IAIN WRIGHT [Planning Minister]

Social housing rents to go up by almost 7.5%

With 28% of Somer tenants in arrears on their rent, Bath MP Don Foster has expressed concern that the planned average rent increase of nearly 7.5% (7.34%) could lead to a further steep rise in tenants in financial difficulty.

At a meeting on Monday with Angela Gascoigne, Managing Director at Somer Housing, Don recommended that Somer investigated ways of phasing the rent increase over two years.

Don said, “Many tenants will find it hard to cope, especially in the current climate, with such a huge rent rise. I understand that rents have to go up above inflation to meet government targets. But with inflation now falling, spreading the increase over two years should enable Somer to meet its targets and make it easier for tenants. 

Of course this is a tough decision with lots of conditions that need to be factored in, but it is my belief that a two year plan of manageable rises is much more appropriate than a huge hike this year.

Council’s rent hikes will turn Bath into ghost town

Despite the current economic climate, the Conservative Council is seeking to impose 40% rent rises on some local businesses.  “Short ‘n Curlys” hairdresser on Lower Borough Walls and neighbour Bath Pet Centre were both informed their rent would be going up massively. 

Thanks to intervention from the Lib Dems, Short ‘n Curlys were able to negotiate a rent increase of only 5% instead. 

After meeting with local business owners in January, Bath MP Don Foster proposed an 8-point plan to boost the local economy based on what business owners said they needed. The plan included asking the Council to conduct appropriate rent reviews.  Don said, “It is quite simply outrageous that the Council is asking local businesses to fork out an extra 40% for rent at this time. 

“Such a rise could well force many businesses to close their doors for good, and leave Bath with a number of empty units.  The Council has to realise that keeping a customer is easier than finding a new one.  They must conduct sensible rent reviews unless they want to turn Bath into a ghost town.” 

Lib Dem Councillor Will Sandry helped challenge the rent increase and made sure that B&NES talked to the business.  He said, “I find it quite bizarre that the Council is demanding these staggeringly high rent increases, but then is prepared to negotiate to a substantially lower level. ”

The Council risks putting a number of local shop outs of business if it continues on like this.  They must follow the suggestion put forward by Don, and conduct sensible reviews.  How many businesses will know they can negotiate down their rent in this way?

Clive Walden, owner of ‘Short ‘n Curlys’ said, “If my rent had gone up by 40% I think that might have been the end of my business.  That kind of rise is not realistic at this time.  The Council needs to realise the true value of local businesses.”

Meeting about the future of the Englishcombe Inn

Following a request by Cllr Will Sandry to Cedar Care, the company will stage a public meeting to give local residents the opportunity to voice any concerns and issues they may have about the proposed redevelopment of the Englishcombe Inn to a residential home.

Basic details of the planning application and links to the full details can be found on the right-hand column of this website, in the section entiled, “What’s Inside > Recent Planning Applications”.

The Meeting will take place at 4pm on Tuesday 24th February at the Englishcombe Inn.

All local residents are welcome.

Scrap the RSS Housing Targets

Our MP Don Foster has been campaigning against the Whitehall imposed targets that will see Bath and North East Somerset forced to build over 21,000 homes within the next 20 years.  The rate of new home building has slowed significantly, and this target is unachievable as well as unwanted. 

There should be new affordable housing, but it should be local residents and the local Council who are best placed to decide how many homes are appropriate, not the Government.  Liberal Democrats have always believed in letting local people have the final say on local issues.

Don has signed a petition calling on the Prime Minster to scrap the centrally imposed RSS targets.  We hope many local residents would also be interested in signing up to oppose this scheme.  The link is: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/SuspendRSS/

Make Small Business Rate Relief automatic

Our local Bath MP, Don Foster, has become a signatory to a Parliamentary Bill that would see Small Business Rate Relief paid automatically to those businesses that qualify.   The Small Business Rate Relief (Automatic Payment) Bill is supported by the Federation of Small Businesses as well as a host of other organisations, including: 

  • National Federation of Sub Post Masters
  • Local Government Association
  • Association of Convenience Stores
  • National Federation of Retail Newsagents
  • Campaign for Real Ale

Small businesses are an important part of the economy.  We are lucky in Bath to have a number of independent businesses, such as many of those on Moorland Road, which adds to the unique flavour of the city.

This relief on business rates could make a massive difference to a number of small businesses, yet we know that in Bath and North East Somerset there is currently £1million of rate relief unclaimed.  This Bill will ensure that small businesses receive the money that is earmarked for them, and we are delighted that Don Foster supports it.

In the meantime we hope that the Council will continue to promote this rate relief to small businesses and ensure the maximum possible take up.

Consultation meetings on the future of the Herman Miller site, Lower Bristol Road

We have recently recieved a letter, from Lidl UK, inviting local residents and businesses to a couple of consultation meetings about the future of the Herman Miller site on the Lower Bristol Road.

You can view the proposals at either of their ‘Open Days’:

  • Thursday 19th Feb 2009 – 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. – Twerton Village Hall, Landseer Road, Twerton.
  • Wednesday 25th Feb 2009 – 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. 0 Guildhall, High Street.

Doubts about B&NES Council office plan

The Conservative-run Cabinet of Bath and North East Somerset Council has adopted a report outlining plans for the Council’s future office arrangements – including the redevelopment of Keynsham Town Hall and the removal of most Council offices from Bath.

Liberal Democrats have opposed previous Conservative plans to build a brand-new Council office on a single site because:

1.      of the enormous costs involved;

2.      centralisation does not favour delivery of local services at a local level;

3.      a new Council office it’s not our residents’ top priority for Council spending in the current economic downturn.

Now the Conservative Cabinet is looking at ‘new’ proposals which are clearly intended to bring in a single office by the back door. The Cabinet is considering an almost total withdrawal of Council departments from Bath and the creation of a shiny new building on the site of Keynsham Town Hall – to be partly funded by the sale of vacated offices in Bath, leaving the Cabinet open to accusations of selling off the family silver.

If the Cabinet is serious about regeneration then it needs to look for ways to support existing businesses and create new jobs right across the district. Moving staff around like ‘chess pieces’ is of benefit to no-one, particularly not those members of staff whose jobs will be disrupted.

We are also concerned that the Cabinet has approved a budget of £0.8M for a 9-month ‘viability appraisal’ – that works out at nearly £90,000 per month! Is this the right message to be sending at a time when businesses across the district are struggling to survive?

Don signs EDM backing ‘Challenge 25’

Bath MP Don Foster has signed an Early Day Motion backing the Retail of Alcohol Standards Group for their ‘Challenge 25’ policy.

Challenge 25 will require all those over 18 but under 25 to carry photo ID if they wish to purchase alcohol.  The new threshold is also designed to assist efforts to combat proxy purchase – where young adults purchase alcohol on behalf of underage friends.

Don said, “The major retailers that are part of this group should be praised for continuing to step up the battle against under-age drinking.  We know that front-line staff want to be able to challenge customers more widely and this scheme will ensure that all those under 25 will expect to be challenged when purchasing alcohol.
 

It is good to see retailers taking a responsible and proactive attitude to this problem.  I know one chain of stores in Bath have run a ‘Challenge 30’ scheme in the past, which proved to be very popular with residents. We hope to see the ‘Challenge 25’ branding displayed widely across Bath in the near future.