SouthdownBath

We met with our Highway Engineer today and covered many issues.

Marsden Road - we walked the road and highlighted the poor state of the pavement and have requested a tarmac slurry seal for the whole pavement for the road. We have requested that the parking bay around 68 - 78 be re-tarmaced. We have again raised the issue of the poor state of the pavement at the entrance from Englishcombe Lane.

Englishcombe Lane - we have asked that the bus stop just by Kingsway be looked at. It is on a slope and would be safer if it were moved a few yards further along the road. We looked at the junction with Southdown Road and have been told that when the research work that is being done on The Whiteway Road is complete this junction will be looked at in more detail. We discussed several ideas for making this junction safer. We discussed the need for a pedestrian crossing somewhere in the area because of the increased number of pedestrian journeys across the road with the Tesco Express and the growing popularity of clubs such as the toddlers at Sladebrook Evangelical Church.

Southdown Road - we raised the idea from a resident about getting a weight limit on the road to reduce the number of lorries. This is possible but it does not prevent trips for access and can only be considered following a wide consultation. Whilst in the area we observed the slowdown speed sign for a few minutes and noted that 25% of the cars exceeded 30mph.  We stopped at the Jones store and discussed the possibility of a pedestrian crossing in this area of Southdown Road.

MotorBike gates - It has been agreed that a gate restricting illegal bike access will be placed in the footpath connecting Sladebrook Road and Parry Close. However for the time being one will not be put in the link between Langdon and Hollow. This is because this is being studied further as a cycle route.

Whiteway Road - the safety engineer has nearly finished all the traffic counts he needs to evaluate the stretch of road from The Globe pub upto the Clerks site and will then be putting some ideas forward to slow traffic down and nmake this road safer. We discussed option for the Englishcombe Lane Junction. At the Haycombe Cemetry junction we again discussed the need for a pedestrian crossing. We are encouraging highways to look at some cheaper ideas than always putting in expensive electronic pelican crossings and have suggested using some of the new solar powered belesha beacon style crossings.

Mount Road  - we let him know that we are getting very angry about the amount of time it is taking the Council to progress on the shopper parking zone at the shops. However on a good note the white lines for the junction with Roundhill Park and Sladebrook Road have been ordered. Once white lines are in and established it becomes much easier to request yellow lines in the future. The yellow bus bays for the stops by the YMCA and the Junior school field have been ordered. 

If anyone has comments they can place them on the planning website or let us know.

Ward: Southdown App Ref: 09/01565/FUL

Registered: 12th June 2009 Expiry Date: 7th August 2009

Location: 87 Southdown Road Southdown Bath BA2 1HL

Proposal: Erection of a rear conservatory

An application for two houses for this plot of land is currently with the Council. This is the plot owned by an energy company and has in recent times been a vegitable garden and an area where young people have congregated.

Many residents have already objected to the application. We are both against this application on the grounds of highway access and overdevelopment. We have put in a request that should the application be recommended for approval that it should be considered in public so that we and others can make our case in public.

We would be interested in hearing your views about what should happen to this small plot of land. Would people be interested in developing it as a community garden, allotment or wildlie haven?  If so we would need to approach the owners and lobby hard to convince them of the need of community over commercial profit.

We met with Haycombe Cemetry management to discuss progress towards keeping our green flag status. The extension work is progressing and the cemetry has many diferent sections catering for different wishes. The Green Flag is looking for increased community involvement but modern cemetries do not seem to attract Friends groups as they do not have historical monuments. However we are increasing community activity by extending the range of services. Sunday June 28th is an open day with a community service at 3.15pm. The Remembrance day service is going from strength to strength and the new service started two years ago for a Christmas service is being repeated again on 13 December.

We are confident of retaining our Green Flag.

We also updated them on our talks with Highways about the need for traffic lights at the cemetry gates.

Minutes to follow later but in the meantime

Martin reported that The Healthy Living Week had been a great success, Two Tunnels open day on 27 June, an update on the Bath City FC Community Fund

Laura gave an update from the City Farm. EDF are sponsoring solar panels to create the farms own electricty, Green Skills employment course to start, Keeping Chickens course, report on the Flower Show and advertise the Big Farm Day on July 5

Eleanor report that First Steps will be holding their Big Lunch on Saturday July 18 instead of Sunday 19

Alison gave an update from Job Centre Plus

Kat - police update and report on the number of warrants issued recently and the good news on recovered stolen goods returned to owners. Also the PCSO team will be working with the Children's Society over the summer holidyas on projects for 13-17 year olds.

Jo from the PCT reported on the success of the new initiative called Health Trainers - a proactive approach to improving health and fitness.

Jan from Culverhay talked about Bath ARea Play Project at the school over the summer, tree planting in the autumn and the school radio.

Jane from the Church talked about the community weekend on June 27/28

We updated the meeting with information about ReGenerate project, Deep Clean Keep Clean, Play areas and the Friends of the Roundhill progress.

We have now had our meeting with the Council's environmental officer to explore what a Friends group can and cannot do. We have examples of constitutions from Carrs Wood and Manor Road groups and we will now get the committee to meet up and decide on structures and workplans.

The Roundhill has not had a new management plan for many years and so there many things to consider.

The Council has offered to let us use all the many photos they have from a photographic project about 5 years ago so when we launch the web site we will immediately have a good photographic section.

We have also arranged for a Bat Walk in late September.

More details on all this to follow......

The Eden Project in Cornwall is organising a nationwide picnic on July 19 called The Big Lunch . A group of residents around the Roundhill are planning to join in and have a family picnic on the field.

A flier will be circulated soon.

This morning on my way to St Barnabus for the golden jubillee service i was really sadened to see that someone had tipped a dog bin contents out on the street by the bus stop at the YMCA in  Mount Road. I talked to some residents and they said a group of youngsters had been messing about on Saturday evening and this mess was there on Sunday morning. It was not there at 9.30 Saturday evening.

We have reported this to the Council and asked for an emergency clean up first thing tomorrow morning because of the heat and smell and becuase it is on the route to school for so many children.

We have reported it to the police and asked that they try and find who did this.

In the meantime if you have any information please let us know.

This is completely unnacceptable anti-social behaviour and we need to find out who did it and why.

WHO DID THIS ON SATURDAY NIGHT?