Tim Ball

The Zero Waste Week challenge is to see how little residents can throw away in their rubbish bins over the course of one week by aiming to recycle and compost as much as possible as well as trying to reuse things, like shopping bags, and avoid or reduce disposable items when possible.  This year the Zero Waste Week is taking place from Monday 29^th September to Sunday 5^th October To find out more information and register residents can visit the Council website: LINK or call Council Connect 01225 394041.

This year the four former Avon authorities have joined together to promote Zero Waste Week, making it the biggest yet. The four authorities are organising a range of events including activities with schools and community groups, displays, talks and road shows.

Prime minister Gordon Brown is "set to usher in a new era of council housing", according to the front page of the Times.

The paper says local authorities will be given money and new powers to offer struggling borrowers financial help in return for a stake in their home or outright ownership.

Town halls could also offer first-time buyers help with deposits in return for a small equity stake, a strategy which property editor Anne Ashworth says shows the increasing influence of Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman Vince Cable.

The papers all report on news of a property slump, with the CBI and the Nationwide building society both predicting no let-up in the fall in prices after they dropped for a tenth month.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne said: "What began as a fall in prices is fast becoming a housing crash. The government's public dithering over whether to offer a stamp duty holiday is making a bad problem worse."

Meanwhile a YouGov poll in the Telegraph found that 71 per cent of people think they will be worse off in the year ahead.

Double Beijing gold medallist Rebecca Adlington  officially opened a prestigious sports competition in Bath tonight (28 August). The Olympic swimmer, who has become a household name in recent days,  declared open the UK School Games. Adlington, 19, from Mansfield was in attendance at the Recreation Ground in Bath to start the three day event.

The 19-year-old  joined Bath Bullet Jason Gardener at the event at the Rec, which heralds three days of games involving 1,500 elite young athletes. Adlington has won gold in China for the 800 metres and 400 metres freestyle and is the current world record holder at 800-metre freestyle.

The games - a Government initiative in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics - will see around 1,500 athletes compete across nine sports within Bristol and Bath, including the University of Bath, between tomorrow and Sunday. Sports included will be hockey, badminton, judo, volleyball, athletics, fencing, gymnastics, swimming and table tennis, with disability events in athletics, swimming and table tennis.

The UK School Games will be from the 28-31 August. No tickets are required for the games themselves - just turn up. For schedule and venues visit the UK School Games website.

Bath & North East Somerset Council and Avon and Somerset Police have carried out a successful safety check on taxis and private hire vehicles in Bath.

During the operation, on Wednesday 20 August, 45 vehicles were stopped at random by the Police and then checked for compliance with licensing laws by the Council’s Licensing Team.  Mechanical Safety was checked by the Vehicle Operators Service Agency (VOSA) and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) also collected drivers’ details to check for any possible benefit fraud.

I am pleased to hear from Council officers that the vehicles and drivers were a credit to themselves and Bath & North East Somerset Council.“The drivers were 100% behind the checks and some drivers even attended the operation voluntarily without being stopped by the Police. 

Disruption to the drivers was kept to a minimum and all drivers were a pleasure to deal with and the operation was carried out with good humour from all. The Council’s Licensing Team would like to thank all drivers and vehicle owners who were involved.

We have received only one planning application that we need to let you know about this week and that is for a change of use from dwelling house to no 2 self contained residential flats at 19 Poolemead Road Whiteway Bath BA2 1QW.

The application was first registered on 7th August 2008 and has a decision date of 2nd October 2008.

The application reference number is 08/02996/FUL and if you wish to view the application then follow the link on the application number.

Any representations on this application should be made in writing to Development Control, Trimbridge House, Trim Street, Bath BA1 2DP.  Alternatively representations can be made using the Planning Service pages of the Council’s website www.bathnes.gov.uk.  All representations must arrive no later than the 14th September 2008.