SouthdownBath

The Golden Oldies has had a phenominal first year. It started at the beginning of the year with the first group being launched at Blagdon Park Community centre. It finished the year with a big Christmas Carol service at Bathwick St Mary's with groups attending from all over Bath and beyond.

The service made the Christmas edition front page of the Chronicle. Click on this link for more detail.

A number of residents from Blagdon Park had bussed over to take part.We all enjoyed the service and sang lots of favourite Carols.

It was a moving service. One of the readings was a letter from the front at the magical Christmas truce in the First World War. It was very moving. The guy I was standing next to told me his Grandfather was there. Both my grandfathers served in the WW1 trenches. It was a deep moment of reflection. Sadly we do not seem to learn from the past. 

However the Goldies success has really shown the pwer of song and bring communities together to share in activities and fun. The weekly singing sessions have improved the lives of many older residents in our area. Well done to all involved in this charity.

The Whitway Road is one of the busiest in Southdown. Last week I met with highway engineers and local resident Mr Harndedn for a breakfast discussion of the problem and the chance to observe from his front oom the issue. There are several different problems along the stretch and a range of diferent solutions will be needed. The basic problem is speed though. It is interesting to see that there are now proposals to limit car speeds to that allowed using new technology and GPS systems. I think that is a good idea.

The chronicle came along to photo us and the article they produced can be seen at this LINK.

Thursday 18 December

Started the day with a breakfast meeting in a resident's house joined by two traffic engineers to watch the traffic from 815 to 915 over tea and toast.   We discussed the remorseless growt of traffic, ideas that had been tried in recent years their success or otherwise and ideas for the future.

The basic need is to slow traffic down. From an earlier meeting we are already looking at providing a traffic light crossing at the Haycombe cemtry entrance. We discussed some other ideas such as signage and cameras. The main debate was around the Englishcombe Lane and Whiteway Road junction. After debate about several options the engineers are going to have a think about a roundabout solution at the junction.

Two great results today - Wednesday 17 Dec.

Dine and I have been working with the YMCA and the Council for three years now about a solution to transfer the old Roundhill building to the YMCA and also the old and much misused toilet block by its side. This would enable the YMCA to invest a substantial amount of money and provide a really exciting upgrade to the building and facilities offered. For a variety of reasons this has proved a longer task than expected but it now looks like the last of the details are resolved and we can proceed to the next stage of fundraisng for the development and getting a planning application in for consideration.

Mount Road has now beaten off 4 mobile mast applications. This time the objections registered were less than previous times. But this masks a weariness of residents rather than a change of heart. People do not understand why they have to keep repeating their objections time after time. The Labour Government certainly set the process up to favour the Mobile operators when they extracted their billions for the licences. At the planning committee today I presented the case for the residents at this application and convinced the committee to reject the application by a vote of 6 - 5. Great News. Now we have to wait and see if te operator appeals.

Today has been a varied day

Started with a meeting of the fundraising team of BANES Credit Union met to discuss a bid to the Council for a service level agreement to provide financial support and education to residents. In some communities we have the door step lenders lending cash to families in need who then get charged 184% interest on the loan. Gordon Brown thinks these companies are a good thing. I think they are a disgrace. Instead of ploughing billions into banks without adressing their greed was a lost opportunity to really put some of that money into Credit Unions around the country and provide some real assitance to the families in most need.

Then onto Southdown Infant School where I am also on the finance committee to sign a form on the competancies I have to be on the finance committee.

Visits to several residents to discuss a range of issues ranging from speeding and parking to litter and anti social behaviour.

In the evening attended the Culverhay Secondary School Christmas Carol concert at the Abbey. It was great to see so many pupils involved in making music and performing. It was also good to see so many parents and family members present and perhaps attending their only religious service of the year. The Abbey is a fabulous building of God and spirituality.  After the service talked to several parents who were really proud of their childrens performance to so many people in such a prestigous surroundings.

Radio 4 'Today in Parliament' currently discussing the economic debate. Again the Labour Darling poor, the Conservative Osbourne pathetic and Vince Cable standing head and shoulders above them all as has been the situation for so many months now. 

The Re:Generate Trust have been working in the Whiteway for a month now and time for the first monthly steering group meeting. The amount of work that has been done and the number of meetings with residents was very impressive. Also many contacts made with agencies and organisations serving a variety of needs and issues in the area from the churches to schools to sports clubs.

They presented us with an excellant monthly report in a great format. They are obviously going to be first rate to work with and monitor progress against targets.

The shortage of social and affordable housing in Bath is only going to get worse over the coming months. I am currently helping several families with overcrowding issues and there just isnt the housing available to meet need. The Government would have been better advised to buy land for social housing rather than give us a VAT reduction. People need houses they can afford not a fiver of a  new plasma TV.

The new Tesco store on Englishcombe Lane is being well used but at the start all the delivery vehicles were arriving together causing traffic chaos. Discussed this with the deputy manager and the three main daily deliveries are now to be staggered with hour intervals. So the delivery problem should be sorted from now on.

The leaflet, e-alert and blog entry ensured we had 37 residents come along to the meeting to discuss parking issues arising from the successful introduction of the Bath Spa University PGCE courses at the Culverhay Annexe.

Every one had their say on how the problem was affecting them and several issues were raised. Then Stuart from the University gave a presentation on what they had done over the three years the course had been running.

These actions included - advice leaflet to students, start of course briefing on the issues, agreement with Jubillee for 12 spaces, spreading the courses more evenly over the week and if repeated offences were caused the ability to discipline students.

Several other questions were raised during the course of the evening including planning permissions, the future of the Jubillee Pub, the need for yellow lines and also the idea was floated of a residents parking zone. We also discussed the future changes to Culverhay which hopefully will be getting Building SChools for the Future money for a major rework, going co-ed and formalising its partnership with the University. 

The Bath Spa University annex at Culverhay has been very successful for the University but has generated parking problems for residents. Over the last three years several measures have been tried. Now we are having a public meeting to bring the university and residents together. If you are affected please come along. The following email was sent to a number of residents by email and over 100 fliers were put through local letterboxes.

Dear Resident affected by Bath Spa Annex parking

in recent times the success of the Bath Spa University annex at Culverhay has had a knock on impact on residents in terms of parking. Dine and I have met several times with the university and several measures and steps have been taken including * student travel guides * parking agreed at the Jubillee * spreading lectures over the week * encouraging students to lift share * extra white and yellow lines However residents are still being affected.

You are invited to a meeting at the Bath Spa annex at Culverhay school this coming

Thursday 4 December at 6.30pm

to discuss the issues, problems and possible solutions with the University. 

The Golden Oldies singing session was packed to overflowing this morning. It has been great to see how singing has made such an improvement in the lives of so many elderly residents. The session gets people not just singing but also dancing and moving. Today was also special for the Blagdon group as the Mayor of Bath Cllr Tim Ball also attended. He has lived in the area most of his life and so knew lots of the singers.

The founder Grenville Jones was leading the session again today. This new Charity started at Blagdon Park Community Centre. As the new Charity goes into its second year lets hope that the original sponsors stick with this charity. Somer Community Housing have signed up for year two. Tesco are a key sponsor and others are being sought out.

I will be seeking a meeting with the Council Cabinet member responsible for Culture and also adult services to see if we can get some Council funding in as well.

After the singing came the work. At present I am helping three families who are suffering overcrowding in their housing. The waiting list is growing and there is not much spare housing around. The Chancellor would have been better of buying land to build social housing and affordable rent housing rather than his gimmicky VAT reduction. Better to keep building and builders going and provide much needed family housing rather than reduce a wide screen TV by a fiver I think.

In the morning joined the congregation at St Barnabus for the first Sunday in Advent celebration and then straight on down to Stothert and Pitt Rugby pitch to watch the new youth team under 17 section which has started this season and is going really well. It is organised by a Southdown resident and they played well.

In the evening at St Michaels several of the local churches got together for a shared service to welcome Advent. It was really good to share the start of the advent season with so many people from across the SW of Bath. Before and after the service had plenty of time to talk with residents on a variety of issues.

Here in the Whiteway area of Bath we have just started a major piece of community cohesion work using the Re-Generate Trust. It is a project that is jointly funded by all the major public service partners in the LSP. The Trust worker has already been out talking to many households and so I got a lot of feedback on how the process has staarted off.

This is not like a usual Council consultation where a hall is booked, a small numebr of residents turn up and a load of post-its are stuck up with a wish list created which then goes no-where. This new process is based on 'listening matters' and solutions come out of the process of building community cohesion and engagement. One of the key targets for the whole process is to reduce fly-tipping which is a continuing problem locally.