Bath Echo - Issue 038 - 01/11/2022

Tuesday 1st November - Monday 14th November 2022

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New carts to support smaller businesses at Christmas market P2

WARNING OVER CANDLE "HACKS"

Cheapest housing “unaffordable" for first time buyers P4

Residents being urged to take care at home - P3

Thousands of runners join this year's Bath Half Marathon P7 Five people arrested as part of county lines drugs investigation P7

Proposals to create new Lidl store revealed PROPOSALS to build a new Lidl store in Bath, located at Lambridge, have been revealed following the sale of land owned

by Bath Rugby to the German supermarket chain.

Bath Rugby has exchanged contracts on part of the land they own at Lambridge with Lidl GB to create a new food store alongside Bath RFC’s existing training facilities.

At the same time, Bath Rugby

have also permanently transferred the training pitches and clubhouse at the site to Bath RFC, securing the amateur club’s longterm future there.

The facilities, which are currently run by Bath RFC, are used by Bath RFC Juniors, Bath Rugby Ladies 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams, Bath Ladies Trojans mixed ability team and other organisations including Bath Rugby Foundation and local schools.

Tarquin McDonald, Chief Executive of Bath Rugby said: “Since emerging from the pandemic we have undertaken a review of all our assets, including Lambridge.

“This land transaction unlocks the potential of land directly adjacent to the amateur club’s training facilities, and will provide investment in the amateur club.

“This will create funding opportunities for the amateur club, helping the facilities at Lambridge to

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“This will also enable Bath Rugby to invest in our wider community rugby programmes, and the women’s pathway and professional team, assisting amateur rugby to grow and thrive in the long term.

“We were impressed by Lidl GB’s commitment to deliver a high-quality sensitive design, with consideration to the local ...

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New Lidl store planned at rugby training site

In this issue...

Top Stories

Tuesday 1st November - Monday 14th November 2022

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Crossword

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Community

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Health

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Education

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Business

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Politics

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In Other News

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Continued from page 1 ... setting and sustainable features, such as proposing to incorporate local Bath stone, natural timber cladding, air source heat pumps, a green roof and electric vehicle rapid charging facilities.”

Danny Sacco, the President of Bath RFC said, “The relationship between the amateur and professional clubs has never been stronger.

“Our long-term future at Lambridge is now secure and we can invest in the next generation of rugby players.”

Glen Stidever, Regional Head of Property at Lidl GB said: “We are delighted to have exchanged contracts with Bath Rugby to acquire vacant land adjoining the Lambridge training ground.

“A new Lidl store at Lambridge would enhance access to Lidl’s high quality and affordable produce for local residents, on the Eastern side of Bath and outlying villages.

How the new store could look | Images © Mitchell Eley Gould

“We are committed to working with Bath Rugby, the local community, and the Local Authority to deliver an exceptional store, in keeping with our company’s wid-

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local planning authority before submitting a full planning application next year.”

Plans and initial proposals will be shared with the public and local businesses in due course ahead of any planning application being submitted to B&NES Council.

People asked to reduce Carts to support smaller impact of fireworks businesses at the Bath Christmas Market

Bath Echo, PO Box 5395, Bath, BA1 0YA

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er commitments to sustainability and that which is befitting of this location in Bath.

“We now look forward to developing our plans further through extensive public and pre-application consultation with the local community, local traders, and

PEOPLE are being urged to consider reducing the impact of fireworks this year to avoid scaring animals and vulnerable residents.

B&NES Council is highlighting the RSPCA’s concerns about the effect of fireworks on animals and is raising awareness of its campaign #BangOutOfOrder, which aims to minimise the effects of fireworks on animal welfare.

Unpredictable, loud noises can cause fear and distress to animals and debris from fireworks can also pose a hazard to horses and livestock when left on the ground.

Fireworks can also affect older people, children with autism and people with conditions such as PTSD. The local authority passed a motion in 2021 that recommends that all public firework displays within the area are advertised in advance so that people can take precautions for themselves and their animals.

As a result of the motion, the council is raising awareness of the impact of fireworks on animals and people and is asking residents to choose less noisy fireworks when buying ahead of

Bonfire Night.

The council also resolved to write to the Local Government Association to lobby for a limit to the maximum noise level of fireworks to 90dB for those sold to the public for private displays.

The council’s trading standards team is also advising retailers of the risks by sharing information when they inspect premises.

Councillor Tim Ball, cabinet member for Planning and Licensing, said: “We are not trying to spoil anyone’s fun, but the fear and distress that fireworks can cause for people and animals is a significant concern.

“The RSPCA believes there is a real need to raise awareness among owners of animals about phobia of fireworks and as a council we wholeheartedly support this. We are also pressing the Government to better regulate fireworks by limiting the noise level for those used in public displays to 90dB. “It’s also not to be underestimated how much anxiety fireworks can cause for vulnerable people in our community who are sensitive to loud and unexpected sounds.

If you are buying fireworks, consider the type that are designed to be less noisy.”

SMALLER businesses are to be given the chance to trade at the Bath Christmas Market this year thanks to the introduction of Christmas Carts.

Twenty local micro-businesses will be at the market for three or four days at a time.

For many of the smaller traders, it will be a chance to launch their fledgling businesses.

This year’s Bath Christmas Market, which attracts thousands of visitors, launches on Thursday 24th November and celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Over 18 days, a range of stall holders will fill the city’s streets, with the Christmas Carts situated in Green Street.

Phillippa Crowther, who owns Twerton-based jewellery brand Bramble Design, said: “As someone who has been visiting the Christmas Market in Bath for years to do my Christmas shopping, I am now so excited to be a part of it by selling my handmade jewellery in one of the Christmas Carts.

“I love face-to-face sales, meeting new people and soaking up the atmosphere and Bath is my absolute favourite place so I am hoping to expand my customer base and just enjoy my time there.”

Councillor Kevin Guy, council leader, said: “This year we will have more than 170 chalets with traders selling a remarkable range of Christmas gifts as well as fantastic local hospitality.

“The Christmas Carts are a great way to support fledgling local

businesses giving local traders the chance to showcase their goods to thousands of visitors who come to our wonderful city, which becomes extra special over the festive period.”

There will be 20 different businesses featuring throughout the whole market, all of whom are first time traders at the market.

Sustainability is important to the market, which has an emphasis on local artisan, locally produced food and good quality products.

Single-use plastics are not permitted and all stallholders must use environmentallyfriendly biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastic products such as product packaging, bags, bottles, straws, containers, cups and cutlery.

Bath Christmas Market will run from Thursday 24th November until Sunday 11th December.

The pop-up Christmas Carts will be open from Friday 25th November until Sunday 11th December.

Bath Christmas Market has been ranked in the top 10 in Europe and attracts 400,000 visitors per year, with an estimated spend in the city of £32.5 million in 2019.

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Your City, Your News | Bath Echo

Issue 038

Dangerous candle “life hacks" putting residents at risk PEOPLE across Bath are being warned about the dangers of candles, with Avon Fire & Rescue Service sharing important safety advice as they mark Candle Safety Week.

As winter approaches and cold nights draw in, many are opting to light candles.

Whether it be for an autumnal ambience, or to keep cosy and warm, candles can provide a seasonal glow and help decorate homes. However, social media platforms such as TikTok and Pinterest have become increasingly full of ‘life hacks’ which are encouraging people to use candles dangerously or leave them unattended.

Over the weekend of 22nd-23rd October, firefighters from the Kingswood and Hicks Gate fire stations attended a fire which is thought to have been caused by

unattended candles.

Ben Thompson, who is Temporary Group Manager for Risk Reduction at AF&RS, said: “This was an unfortunate incident which thankfully ended with minimal harm to the occupants of the property.

“Social media and so-called ‘life hacks’ are encouraging people to create heating devices using household items such as plant pots and candles.

“These are dangerous, unregulated, and are liable to cause damage and injury.

“Candles should only be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions and using them in different ways can result in nasty accidents.

“If you’re lighting candles at home, fill out our free Home Fire Safety Checker tool to get personalised safety advice.”

Advice from Avon Fire & Rescue on lighting candles at home includes: • Never leave burning candles unattended.

• Place your candles carefully.

• Make sure they are on a stable surface, out of the reach of pets and children, and keep them away from flammable objects like curtains, furniture, bedding and books.

• Don’t move candles once they are lit.

• Do not burn several candles close together as this might cause the flame to flare.

• Burn candles in a well-ventilated room, out of draughts, vents or air currents. This will help prevent rapid or uneven burning, soot, and dripping.

• Always put scented candles in a heat-resistant holder. These candles are designed to liquefy

when heated to maximise fragrance.

• Fit a smoke alarm and test it regularly. A working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get

out, stay out and call 999.

• Make sure that everyone in your home knows what to do if a fire occurs – practise your escape route.

Council briefings set to focus on the Community leaders cost-of-living crisis urge men to talk about their mental health

Gavin Heathcote, Benice Hampton and Cllr Karen Walker

The Guildhall entrance in Bath | Photo © chrisdorney / Shutterstock.com

TWO online briefings are to be held by Bath & North East Somerset Council to discuss how residents are being affected by the cost-of-living crisis and the impact on its finances.

The briefings will be held on Zoom at 6pm on Wednesday 2nd November and Thursday 3rd November.

Updates on the current financial situation will be provided by Cllr Richard Samuel, deputy Leader of the council and cabinet member for Resources, Will Godfrey, Chief Executive, and Andy Rothery, the Chief Finance Officer.

Cllr Samuel said: “Spiralling energy costs and rising inflation are affecting us all. Many people are finding it difficult to pay fuel bills and businesses are struggling to balance their books.

“More and more people need our support, but in common

with many other councils we face significant financial challenges too.

“In the coming year we will need to prioritise our spending and, together with our partners, respond to the needs of the most vulnerable and those facing financial hardship.

“However, given the economic climate, we must also support business and the local economy to ensure our area attracts investment and supports highquality jobs. This balancing act won’t be easy and it’s clear we will need to make difficult decisions.

“The Medium Term Financial Strategy, which sets out the strategic direction and priorities for the council as well outlining the financial context and challenges the council faces over the next five years will come to cabinet on 10 November.

“It will help to inform and shape our spending plans, which will be finalised by Council in February.

“This on-line briefing will also provide an opportunity to share information on the current position and the challenges we face. I urge people to sign up and get involved.”

People who want to take part in the online briefings are requested to register in advance via the following links: Wednesday 2nd November – https://bathecho.uk/3zr4sPT Thursday 3rd November – https://bathecho.uk/3SEqLbG The council and its partners are providing support through the Community Wellbeing Hub on 0300 247 0050 and have set up a dedicated website providing advice and information on food support, energy, money matters and wellbeing services.

COMMUNITY leaders in the village of Peasedown St John near Bath are encouraging men to talk more about their mental health.

In the UK, 3 out of 4 deaths by suicide are men. In England and Wales, suicide is the leading cause of death among men aged 20–34.

Gavin Heathcote, Chairman of the Peasedown Community Trust, said: “The statistics around men’s mental health are deeply worrying.

“As a society we really need to move away from this traditional view than men shouldn’t express their feelings or show emotions – they definitely should, it’s good to talk!

“As part of the Community Trust’s annual campaign in support of ‘Movember’, the month of November which is dedicated to raising awareness of men’s physical and mental health, we’re reminding villagers about the mental health support services we’re providing in partnership with MIND at the Peasedown Community Library.”

Every Tuesday at the library, MIND, the area’s mental health support charity, runs counselling sessions for any member of the public to sign up for. No referral is

needed, although appointments need to be booked in advance.

Cllr Karen Walker, the Library’s Operations Manager, commented: “We launched our brand-new counselling service in partnership with MIND earlier in the Spring, thanks to funding provided by the Peasedown Community Trust.

“The initiative sees a counsellor based at the community library every Tuesday where people can receive support, advice and guidance.

“In England, 1 in 4 people will struggle with their mental health during their lifetime which is why it’s important that initiatives like this happen, especially in rural communities.”

Peasedown Community Trust and Bath Mind’s new affordable counselling is open to all residents of Peasedown St John and Somer Valley, aged 16 and over, by appointment.

During the month of November, men are being particularly encouraged to sign up for a session. They are held every Tuesday at Peasedown Community Library which is located at The Hive Community Centre on Bath Road. To find out more and book, email counselling@bathmind.org.uk.

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Housing in Bath “unaffordable" for 78% of first time buyers John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

EVEN the cheapest house prices in Bath could be more than 18 times the average salary, a local housing official has warned.

Graham Sabourn, Bath and North East Somerset Council’s head of housing, said that the cheapest quarter of homes on the market in the district cost more than 12 times what the average person makes in a year.

He added that this figure was for the council area as a whole and that for the city of Bath itself, where houses were more expensive, prices would probably be 18 to 20 times higher than the average salary.

This puts even the cheapest houses out of the reach of many first-time buyers. Mr Sabourn said: “78 per cent cannot afford to buy a two bed terraced property in the district, which is quite an eye-opener.”

He told the council: “Affordability is continuing to get worse in the district.”

According to the latest national figures for 2021, the English national average was for the cheapest quarter of houses to cost 8 times the average salary, although the figure for the house prices in the South West was higher at 9.9 times salary.

Mr Sabourn also highlighted that the average market rent for a two-bed flat was just under £1,200, but that people on housing benefit only receive £847 a month.

He said: “This effectively means, if you’re on housing benefit, forget trying to rent an average two-bed property in the district because you can’t do it.”

Designated affordable housing, where homes are sold or rented at a set amount below market rate, is being built in Bath and North East Somerset through a combination of affordable housing commissioned by the council and affordable housing being built as a requirement in

larger housing developments.

This has seen 1,848 affordable homes built in the district over the last ten years, three quarters of which have been to rent and the rest for sale.

The housing head revealed these figures in a meeting of the council’s scrutiny panel where he was explaining the council’s aim to build council housing.

Approximately 6,000 people are on the waiting list for social housing in Bath and North East Somerset but only 500600 social properties become available each year. Last year, this dropped to only 479.

The council believes delivering its own council housing will help solve this crisis and has plans to construct almost 200 general needs council housing. Work has only begun on seven homes to date, which are almost complete and expected to welcome their first tenants this winter.

Tuesday 1st November - Monday 14th November 2022

MP invites children to design Christmas card

MP Wera Hobhouse is inviting primary school children across Bath to submit their designs for her Christmas card competition.

The winning artwork will grace the MP’s Christmas card. This year’s theme is “Christmas in Bath”.

The revival of the competition gives local primary school-aged children a platform from which they can share their artistic abilities.

Wera said: “Everyone is creative and I love seeing how talented our youngsters are here in Bath.

“I hope that the theme ‘Christmas in Bath’ sparks their imagination.

I look forward to receiving the youngsters’ artwork and will announce the winner at the end of November.

“The winning artwork will be part of my Christmas greeting.”

Entries can be submitted in A4 or A5 size to competition@ werahobhouse.co.uk with the subject title “Christmas in Bath”, or by post/hand to Office of Wera Hobhouse MP, 31 James Street West, Bath BA1 2BT. The deadline for entries is Thursday 17th November.

Care home residents hold ceremony to mark love of learning RESIDENTS at a care home in Bath have been recognised for their varied achievements over the past year at a celebratory graduation ceremony.

Pensioners at Ivybank House Care Home have added a number of skills to their list of talents by studying new languages, joining live tours of far-flung places, taking dancing and singing classes, enjoying photography courses and have even tried out graffiti spray painting.

The ‘Love Learning’ event is running in all of the Brighterkind care homes across the UK, with family, friends and members of the local community invited to

the graduation ceremonies to see residents showcase some of their accomplishments and be presented with their certificates of lifelong learning.

The care home’s manager, Marta Szemborska, said: “Continuing to learn in older age has many benefits. As well as keeping our brains healthy, acquiring new knowledge gives a real sense of purpose and achievement.

“Our Magic Moments activities programme includes lots of opportunities to get involved, learn new things and above all have great fun together.”

Resident, Margaret Gimson, aged 74, said: “I can’t say I was

that keen on school when I was younger but I’ve loved learning lots of new things and feel really proud of myself.

“My favourite activity has been the dancing sessions; I reckon I’d give those professionals on Strictly a run for their money!”

86-year-old resident, Joseph Russell, said: “They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but I’ve learnt so many new things this year.

“I can now speak a bit of Spanish and French, know how to keep fit by exercising in my chair and I even learnt how to make the best pizza in the world from a chef in Rome.”

Joseph Russell with team member Heather | Photo © Insight Photography

COLUMN | Dan Norris, Labour Mayor of the West of England

A

USTERITY 2.0 - there is no alternative? Bunk. The West of England needs a fresh start.

Mr Sunak’s “tough economic times” must not prove tough for our key workers who kept Bath and NE Somerset moving during Covid - nor for Bathonians who are poorer, older, coping with disability or have caring responsibilities for others.

The grafters and strivers on low and middle incomes, now making the agonising choice between heating and eating, and our small business superheroes struggling to make ends meet, must also be spared.

I suspect we all know that what the latest unelected Conservative Prime Minister calls “difficult decisions” actually means difficult

decisions for West of England workers, families and firms.

Having trashed the public finances, the Government now want to impose another round of austerity. The £40bn “black hole” they have made so much worse means big public spending cuts are on the way.

We cannot balance the books on the backs of the poorest - those with the broadest shoulders will have to pay their full part. The proposed tax cuts for the very richest caused the Government serious problems. It will be interesting to see if that lesson has been learnt.

Mr Sunak has been part of the problem - remember, he’s got form, as they say. I recall, as Chancellor, he axed a lifeline £20

weekly Universal Credit award to six million families. His new favourite word, ‘compassion’, was not in his thoughts back then - a cold-hearted move casting a chill about what austerity 2.0 will look like.

Everyone talks of “hard choices”.

But remember they are choices. This threatened programme of yet more austerity, therefore, is a political choice. It is disastrous for Bathonians who have no more to give.

The last round of austerity left our area with many excess deaths.

And it snuffed out a proper economic recovery, squeezed wages and sunk the NHS to its knees too.

If we get Austerity 2.0, our public services will fail completely.

Health and social care already faces “intense” pressure, say the Bath and NE Somerset Integrated Care Board. I know this too from my direct experience of St Martin’s and the RUH. 96% of dentists across our area are not accepting more patients, say the British Dental Association.

But it seems “get used to it” is the refrain from our new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt - who remember was someone who egged on George Osborne to slash spending last time around.

Compassionate conservativism is somewhat illusionary.

So - what’s the alternative?

Well, for one thing. Soaring debt

requires calm heads - not rash decision making.

It requires support for working people not bonus caps for the wealthy.

It needs investment in the future - not “trimming” non-existent fat.

The recent failures are plain to see. Pay stagnating and living standards plummeting - we face recession once again.

Given the chaos, Bathonians rightly want a democratic choice between “eye-watering” cuts or my Labour Party’s carefully costed plan to sort out the awful mess and build a fairer, greener future.

The West of England deserves a fresh start. General election now.

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Tuesday 1st November - Monday 14th November 2022

Pictures from the Past: Sense of Place Stall Street in the early 20th century Kirsten Elliott Akeman Press

MANY Bathonians deplore the changes there have been to Bath in recent years, saying things were much better in the past.

There is no denying there have

been some calamitous changes.

The worst are at the bottom of Southgate Street, where very old buildings were replaced with an ultra modern shopping centre by the ever controversial Owen Luder, only to be replaced again by a development in a debased Georgian style, in defiance of Unicef’s plea for no more pastiche

in the World Heritage City.

However, those with a nostalgic yearning for the past should remember the old saying ‘Be careful what you wish for.’ Until Mowbray Green published The Eighteenth Century Architecture of Bath in 1904, the Georgian style was despised and ignored. This is demonstrated in these views of

Worse still, the quadrants at the east end of Bath Street are both smothered in painted signs – even the frieze in the entablature above the ionic columns was not safe.

Photos © Akeman Press

Stall Street from the early 20th century. Looking up the street from the south, it can be seen that there are advertising signs protruding from many shops, of a size and style which would cause modern conservation planning officers to have a heart attack, the power cables for the trams dangle across the street, and many

buildings have painted surfaces.

Akeman Press kindly provides archive images both here in our newspaper, and in our email newsletter, the Bath Echo Weekly.

Subscribe today by visiting www.bathecho.co.uk/subscribe

The walls of the elegant buildings at the entrance to Abbey Church Yard and designed by Thomas Baldwin in the 1780s were not spared this indignity.

Today, despite the loss of some old buildings replaced by bland but unintrusive pastiche, Stall Street, stripped of paint, adverts, and tram paraphernalia is a better place than it was just over 100 years ago.

COLUMN | Mark Shelford, Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner

A

S October ends Autumn festivities are in full swing with both Halloween passing and Bonfire Night on the horizon.

While I can’t wait to see everyone celebrate and have a fantastic time, I would also like to remind everyone to be safe and considerate and to take caution, particularly on Bonfire Night. While fires and fireworks are central to the fun, they can be very dangerous. Of course, it’s important to put safety first, but I hope that those celebrating have a wonderful time.

Moving on, these Autumn events

are not the only cause for excitement this month. I’ve spent this week looking forward to the first of our series of councillor forums where I am meeting councillors from Bath and North East Somerset to discuss local police and crime concerns.

This is the first of nine councillor forums which will run across Avon and Somerset between now and February. They will provide a good opportunity for me to understand the issues faced in each area and provide a chance for councillors to ask questions and raise any issues they are aware of

with your local neighbourhood police team commanders. By the time you read this, the first event will have happened in Bath and I will update you on the progress of those events.

In other news, this Wednesday 2nd November, I will be hosting another Performance and Accountability Board meeting which is broadcast live. This is a particularly important part of my role as in these meetings I am able to hold Chief Constable Sarah Crew to account for delivering policing that is efficient and effective. I invite anyone interest-

ed in the key issues faced by Avon and Somerset to watch the meeting which will be streamed live on our website from 1.00pm.

However, do not worry if you are not available as you will be able to watch the meeting back online on our YouTube channel.

Finally, while there many things to look forward to, I would like to tell you a little bit about what I’ve been up to this past week in and around Bath. Last Friday, I enjoyed an engagement day in the city. Not only was it an hon-

our to be hosted by Radio Bath, but it was a great pleasure meeting key members of this city’s community.

Indeed, I spent the morning visiting Swallows Café in Radstock, which is a community run café that employs young people with learning disabilities.

I then had two very insightful discussions; one with Age UK about fraud and another with the chairs of the Lansdown Association and the Circus Association about anti-social behaviour (ASB).

Until next time, fare thee well.

7

Your City, Your News | Bath Echo

Issue 038

Thousands of runners join this year's Bath Half Marathon THE popular Bath Half Marathon returned on Sunday 16th October, with 7,000 runners taking to the streets across the city.

This year’s race marked the 40th anniversary of the event, which was first staged in 1982, returning after a two-year break.

A new race village was created in Royal Victoria Park, and the start was moved from Great Pulteney Street to Queen Square.

Andrew Taylor, the Race Director, said: “After all the problems in the last couple of years, we are glad to be back!

“This year we introduced a number of changes to the event to reduce congestion, improve the runner experience and enhance the facilities of charity partners, including a new race village in Royal Victoria Park, wave starts and a re-configured course route, which appears to have been positively received.

“The larger venue gave us the opportunity to stage a smaller community event on Saturday, including our Family Fun Run, wheelchair, walking frame races and other taster sessions from local charities and groups, followed by a free-cycle event around the perimeter of the park

Five people arrested as part of county lines drugs investigation

Photo courtesy of Running High Events / Bath Half Marathon

in the afternoon.

“We’d like to thank our runners, spectators, local community volunteers, medical team, charity partners and all other staff involved for helping deliver this weekend’s events, and we’re grateful for the continuing support of Bath & North East Somerset Council and other key stakeholders.”

The men’s race was won by Kadar Omar in a time of 1 hour 5 minutes and 3 seconds.

The women’s race was won by Atsede Gidey in a time of 1 hour

11 minutes and 53 seconds.

Organisers have reported that over £1 million pounds had already been raised on JustGiving before race day, with significant further funds to follow in the next few weeks and on other fundraising platforms.

Seventy-one people were treated by the event’s medical team, though none were believed to be serious.

Entries for next year’s race on 15th October 2023 are already on sale on the event website at www.bathhalf.co.uk.

FIVE people have been charged as part of an investigation into a county lines drug network after warrants were simultaneously carried out at addresses in Bath and Keynsham.

Avon & Somerset Police took part in the early-morning operation on Wednesday 19th October.

Courtney Tanner-Mulholland, 18, of Keynsham, has been charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine, as well as with requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour, arranging or facilitating travel of another with a view to exploitation and two counts of acquire/use/possession criminal property.

Jamaal Newman, 18, of Keynsham, has been charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine and two counts of acquire/use/ possess criminal property.

Sylvia Bearman, 37, of Twerton, Bath, has been charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.

Saskia Tanner, 35, of Keynsham, has been charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin

Photo © Avon & Somerset Police

and crack cocaine and two counts of acquire/use/possess criminal property.

A 17-year-old male, who as a juvenile cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour, arranging or facilitating travel of another with a view to exploitation and two counts of acquire/use/possession criminal property.

All have been released on conditional bail ahead of their next hearing, with the exception of Courtney Tanner-Mulholland, who was remanded in custody.

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used in the UK.

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10

www.bathecho.co.uk

Tuesday 1st November - Monday 14th November 2022

Fire service's strength Bath City Farm launches £30,000 test changed after error fundraiser in bid to meet demand John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

A NUMBER of firefighters across Somerset and Bristol may have failed a fitness test to be eligible to join the fire service after an error in stating the correct weight of their ladders.

Avon Fire & Rescue is amending the strength test in their recruitment process after discovering their ladders are 17kg lighter than thought.

In the strength test, prospective firefighters must successfully shoulder press 35kg before they can join the service. This has been a barrier to some female candidates.

HR manager Karen Shiel stated that even when a high proportion of applicants were female, many would go on to fail the 35kg shoulder press.

Since discovering their ladders actually weigh 96kg, not 113kg as previously stated by their supplier, the fire service is changing the strength test to a 30kg shoulder press with immediate effect.

Ms Shiel said: “The ladder lift is carried out by four firefighters and they need to be able to lift the ladder above their heads to stow it onto the top of the fire appliance.

“The shoulder press test used within the selection process is designed to replicate this lift to ensure the candidate can safely

Photo © Avon Fire & Rescue Service

lift the weight required.

“There are additional factors which are taken into account, including the potential for firefighters to be fatigued at the end of an operational incident and allowance for the different heights of each of the Firefighters conducting the lift, as this affects the even weight distribution of the ladder when it is lifted.

“Following extensive research it has been agreed that the weight within the selection tests can be reduced from 35kg to 30kg with immediate effect. The same test is applied to all candidates.”

Ms Shiel told the Avon Fire Authority’s People and Culture Committee: “It is not about lowering standards, it is making sure that we’ve got a good valid occupational test.”

She added that the fire service worked with people who had failed in previous recruitment campaigns to help them meet the standard for the next campaign, and that they would be looking at contacting female candidates who had previously failed the strength test.

BATH City Farm has launched a fundraising campaign to raise £30,000 to ensure it can cover running costs and meet increased demand.

The farm, which is located in the Whiteway area of Bath, is asking the public to help it raise muchneeded funds.

The charity is finding that demand for its services has never been higher since the Covid-19 pandemic, and it needs to raise money to cover costs, maintain and grow services and keep the site free at the point of access.

The money raised would pay for core costs such as staff to manage the farm site, rising energy costs, animal care costs such as bedding, food and vet bills and maintaining the site for the 42,000 people who visit each year.

The animals play a vital role in the targeted therapeutic work with participants of the farm’s health and wellbeing programmes.

For many, the site is a place to recover from acute mental distress and rebuild a healthier lifestyle, connecting with nature and each other.

Bath City Farm is a free resource for many families on a low income to spend a day out with children, to experience and meet farm animals and access vital green space.

Visitors can also enjoy the nature trails around the 37-acre site, ponds, and children’s play areas, all of which cost money to

Photo © Jennifer Kelly Photography

maintain, for example upkeeping safe pathways and maintaining the grounds and flower beds.

Bath City Farm is currently growing its services. It recently launched a new Roots to Work programme, providing work experience opportunities for people needing support to enter the jobs market to help them to build skills and confidence.

It is also looking to increase the amount of food grown on-site to be sold in its new café and farm shop. The farm has recently launched a new free under 5s group for local families and a programme for young people who require an alternative to mainstream education.

Farm Director Brendan Tate Wistreich said: “It is vital that we raise this £30,000 to care for our animals and maintain the Farm

site over the next year.

“The money will cover vet bills, animal food, bedding and shelter as well as rising energy costs and funding the staff who make this place possible.

“Our beautiful site attracts around 42,000 people each year and they can visit the Farm free of charge with no admission fee, your support makes this possible.

“This is a tough time for charities and many others, but we ask for those that can, to reach into your pockets and support us through this challenging time so that we can continue to be able to support those most affected by the current crises and keep this beautiful place open for those from Bath and beyond.”

To support Bath City Farm, visit https://crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ bathcityfarm.

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11

Your City, Your News | Bath Echo

Issue 038

Community Parents of SEND children invited to Police & Crime attend drop-in support session Commissioner visits B&NES communities

PARENTS and carers of youngsters with special educational needs and disabilities are being invited to attend a support drop-in session in Keynsham next month.

Bath & North East Somerset Council is holding a two-hour session, which includes a series of workshops, on Friday 4th November from 10am-12 noon, at the Community Space, above Keynsham Library and Information Service.

A range of professionals from different support services will be at the event for parents and carers to talk to.

These include Educational Psychology, Sendias, Speech & Language Therapy, B&NES Carers’ Centre, Bath and North East Somerset Community Health and Care Services Autism Service (HCRG) and Attendance & Welfare Support Service.

Other organisations taking part include the Education Inclusion Service, Off The Record – Shout Out advocacy, Bath Rugby Foundation, Fosseway School – Project Search internship programme at the RUH, the Library Service, Mentoring Plus,

Bath College, B&NES Parent Carer Forum, Specialist Autism Support Service (SASS) @ Fosseway School and Live Well B&NES. There will be a timetable of workshops for people to take part in if they want to and details will be shared on www.facebook. com/livewellbathnes.

There is no need to book, just go along on the day.

Councillor Dine Romero, B&NES Council's cabinet member for

Children, Young People and Communities, said: “We want to raise awareness of this event and reach as many parent carers as we can.

“It is a drop-in session and anyone who comes along will have the chance to talk to a large range of support services for advice on the issues they might be dealing with as a parent carer of a child or young person with special educational needs and/or disabilities.”

FRIDAY 21st October saw Avon & Somerset’s Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford meet with community groups in Bath and North East Somerset.

The PCC started his day meeting Swallow Charity at one of their community cafés in Radstock.

The charity supports teenagers and adults with learning disabilities and provides them with the opportunity to gain useful work experience and catering skills in the café’s kitchen and front of house.

The café also runs a regular youth group every Friday evening, and everyone who helps with the running of this group are volunteers.

PCC Mark Shelford then met with B&NES Age UK to discuss his role as the national APCC lead for Economic and Cybercrime, as well as how his team and the organisation can work together to prevent older and vulnerable people becoming victims of fraud.

In the afternoon, PCC Mark Shelford met with the Chair of the

Lansdown Crescent Association and Chair of Circus Residents’ Association to listen to their concerns regarding anti-social behaviour in Kingsmead Square.

The PCC encouraged residents to always report any incidents to help inform preventive work by the police and multi agencies and discussed CCTV and ongoing communication with the Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Finally, the PCC was interviewed by local radio station Radio Bath to discuss the ongoing work happening to deliver Police and Crime Plan priorities.

Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford: “I thoroughly enjoyed my most recent engagement day in Bath and North East Somerset and it was great meeting such a varied group of community groups and local residents.

“I was particular impressed with the work of Swallows Charity, both in terms of the opportunity they provide to local residents and the work the volunteers do with young people in the area.”

New two-year lease awarded for historic Fairfield House A NEW lease has been agreed upon for the historic Fairfield House in Bath to help protect and enhance the former home of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.

The not-for-profit Fairfield House Bath Community Interest Company has been awarded a two-year lease by Bath & North East Somerset Council, which will enable the site to continue being used as a community hub, daycare centre for the elderly and heritage attraction for visitors worldwide.

The lease means the CIC can continue to deliver its business plan on a sound legal basis and also work to secure further grants.

The intention is then to apply for community asset transfer or a new longer lease in two years’ time.

The Fairfield House site comprises two buildings, an ‘Italianate’ 19th century, Grade II listed villa at 2 Kelston Road and a post-war residential detached bungalow at 27 Burleigh Gardens.

From 1936 to 1941, the villa was the residence of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, who gifted the property to the Bath Corporation, a forerunner of Bath & North East Somerset Council, in 1959 as a home for the aged in gratitude for the warm welcome he received from the

citizens of Bath. The bungalow was built to provide caretaker accommodation.

Fairfield House was used as a residential care home until 1993, when new room size requirements made it unsuitable.

Since then it has been used as a day centre by a number of groups including, since 1993, by the charity Bath Ethnic Minority Senior Citizens’ Association (BEMSCA).

Fairfield House is also a community hub and place of pilgrimage for the people of Bath, for Rastafari, Ethiopians, and the worldwide African diaspora.

Fairfield House Bath CIC was established to preserve and celebrate Emperor Haile Selassie’s unique legacy, a personal gift to the city in appreciation of the warm welcome and hospitality he had received from the people of Bath when he was in exile, campaigning and preparing to fight to get his country back. As part of the new short-term lease agreement, the council will also carry out repairs to the properties to preserve their integrity.

Councillor Tom Davies, cabinet member for Adult Services and Council House Building, said: “I recognise how much this building, its history and its current contribution to community life means to so many people, in Bath and across the world.

Pauline Swaby Wallace, Princess Esther Sellassie Antohin, Prof. Shawn Naphtali Sobers and Cllr Kevin Guy

“I am very proud of this key part of our cultural heritage and history. I want to see Fairfield House flourish and thrive into the future, with even more links with our diverse local communities.

“The new lease will pave the way for the CIC to work with

local communities, funders and others on long-term plans for this historic site.”

Professor Shawn Sobers, said: “We can finally put HIM’s legacy and the vibrant life of Fairfield House on a firm legal footing.

“We now look forward to working

closely with Bath and North East Somerset Council to secure the long-term future of HIM’s legacy.

“We invite people to visit Fairfield House where we now offer guided tours every Sunday. Come and learn about this remarkable piece of Bath’s history.”

12

www.bathecho.co.uk

Tuesday 1st November - Monday 14th November 2022

Health Temporary hospital ward opened to Residents encouraged free up beds over the winter to keep up personal hygiene measures

A TEMPORARY ward has been opened in Bath to support people who are well enough to leave hospital but are not yet ready to go home.

The ward, at St Martin’s Hospital, will help relieve pressure on local hospitals and free up beds for the illest patients.

The community ward, which also opened to help provide extra capacity to the local health and care system last winter, has twenty-three beds and offers a peaceful and relaxed environment in which patients can take time to recover before being discharged to home or to a care home.

The beds are only offered to patients who no longer require urgent care, but who need a few extra days of therapeutic or nursing support or who are waiting to receive a care package or reablement assistance before they can return home.

The initiatives have been put in place by the Royal United Hospital, HCRG Care Group, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board and other partners including the third sector to tackle high demand for hospital beds now and to help add extra capacity during the coming winter which is expected to be extremely busy.

Gill May, Chief Nurse at Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board said: “The additional beds we are opening at St Martin’s are specifically for patients who don’t need to be in hospital but are either unable to go straight home

or just need some continued support.

“They will help to ensure our services operate as efficiently as possible over the coming winter months.

“The pressures on our hospital services are expected to be intense over the winter months and the public can play their part by using our health and care services appropriately at the right time and help our emergency services be there for the people who really need them.

“People should only go to A&E in the case of genuine emergency, such as loss of consciousness, fits that are not stopping, persistent, severe chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding that cannot be stopped, severe allergic reactions and severe burns or scalds.”

Simon Sethi, Chief Operating Officer, Royal United Hospitals

Bath NHS Foundation Trust said: “This is a great way to provide care for patients who are well enough to leave hospital but still need some extra support.

“Opening up extra capacity at St Martin’s means we can support patients’ ongoing recovery in a more appropriate environment and ensures hospital beds are there for people with acute medical needs.”

Val Scrase, Regional Director at HCRG Care Group said: “Putting in place the extra capacity offered at St Martin’s hospital to support services this winter has been a real team effort. It shows how we and the wider health and care system across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire are working together to deliver the best care for local people while ensuring our acute hospitals have capacity to help those in need of urgent care.”

PEOPLE in Bath are being encouraged to continue their personal hygiene measures from the pandemic as part of efforts to keep seasonal illnesses at bay this winter.

Hand-washing, mask-wearing in crowded public spaces and avoiding friends and family when feeling unwell became part of everyday life at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and were among the interventions that helped turn the tide on the virus.

Now, with the cold winter months just around the corner, health and care professionals are asking members of the public to re-adopt these behaviours to help limit the spread of common seasonal illnesses, such as flu, Covid-19 and norovirus.

Dr Amanda Webb, Chief Medical Officer, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, we had all become experts at keeping ourselves and our loved-ones safe.

“Although the threat of coronavirus is no longer as severe as it once was, the virus is still present, and when flu, norovirus and other seasonal illnesses are thrown in the mix, it’s likely to make this winter a real challenge.

“It’s never too early to get winter-ready, and by simply remembering how we all acted during the pandemic, and reintroducing those simple yet effective safety measures back into our daily routines, we can

give ourselves the best chance of staying fit and healthy throughout the coming months.”

Cases of Covid-19 have been rising across the region in recent weeks and, as a result, rules around mask-wearing have been once again stood up at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon.

Similar rules on face coverings are also in place for certain clinical areas at the Royal United Hospital in Bath and Salisbury District Hospital.

Along with good personal hygiene and a pragmatic approach to social distancing, people are also advised to avoid visiting friends and family in hospital when showing symptoms of contagious illnesses, such as Covid-19, flu and norovirus.

Entering a health and care setting when feeling unwell has the potential to spread viruses among already-poorly patients, and the frontline staff who are working to provide those who are unwell with much-needed care.

Vaccinations can also play a major role in reducing winter illnesses, and all those eligible for the Covid-19 autumn booster and the winter flu jab are being encouraged to book their vaccines as soon as they are invited to do so.

Both vaccines are being offered to all adults over the age of 50, as well as to specific groups of more vulnerable people, including pregnant women, those with weakened immune systems, carers and care home residents.

Volunteers sought for study on newborn baby infections SCIENTISTS at the University of Bath are seeking volunteers to help them develop a new test that could prevent dangerous bacterial infections in newborn babies.

Between 20-40 per cent of women carry a bacterium called Group B Streptococcus (GBS), which currently kills one baby every week in the UK. This normally does not cause harm, but during pregnancy, it can be passed onto the baby, which sometimes causes lifethreatening infections and can result in life-long disabilities or death.

GBS is currently the leading cause of neonatal infection. As well as killing around one newborn baby a week, it leaves another permanently disabled.

Professor Toby Jenkins, from the University of Bath’s Department of Chemistry, is leading a team to develop a new rapid detection

system that can test mothers for GBS during labour, identifying those at risk of infection so they can be treated with antibiotics and therefore reduce the risk of the baby becoming infected.

He said: “The current test is done at 36-38 weeks of pregnancy, but this may not reflect the situation during labour, resulting in either risk to the baby, or unnecessary antibiotic use by the mother.

“Our test aims to be much faster – with results in under 45 minutes – and can be done during established labour so the result is more accurate.

“If the mother is found to have GBS at this stage, antibiotics can be immediately offered, which is an effective way of preventing transmission.”

The test consists of a vaginal swab taken from the mother which is placed in a liquid that can detect GBS. Professor Jenkins added: “We

are now looking for participants to donate two vaginal swabs so we can determine the efficacy, sensitivity and specificity of the test to GBS. “Participants are completely anonymous, but would be hugely helpful to our research project.”

The team is looking for individuals born biologically female, who are over 18 years old, currently not pregnant and able to take their own samples to send anonymously to the lab.

Participation is entirely confidential: the team will not know the identity of donors.

If you are interested in helping, contact Emelie Alsheim on eeca20@bath.ac.uk for further information about the project.

The study has full ethics approval from REACH, is supported by the charity Group B Strep Support, and is funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 project STIMULUS.

13

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Issue 038

Education Higher Education graduates celebrated at college ceremony THE success of Higher Education graduates from Bath College was marked at a special Graduation Ceremony in the city earlier this month.

Students, dressed in mortar boards and gowns, gathered at The Assembly Rooms to collect their certificates.

The students have all completed degree-level and higher education courses, including programmes validated by the University of Bath and The University of Gloucestershire, amongst others.

The ceremony opened with a Civic Procession made up of the Senior Management Team of the College, Heads of Departments, academic staff, Governors, and The Mayor of Bath, Councillor Rob Appleyard, led by the City Sword-Bearer and two MaceBearers.

Once everyone was seated, guests were welcomed by Jayne Davis, Principal and Chief Executive of Bath College, and certificates were handed out to graduates from Professor Andy Salmon, the Chair of Governors at Bath College and Pro-Vice Chancellor

at Bath Spa University.

Keynote speaker, Joe McGrath, CEO of Rhotic Media and Bath College alumnus, said: “Remember that being a Bath College graduate gives you a highly transferable set of skills, relevant to the world of work.

“You leave here with a set of soft skills which will make your career journey all the smoother.

“Bath College embraces a catchment area that welcomes a hugely broad mix of people from all walks of life. You may not appreciate it yet, but that is a major advantage.

“Having the ability to be a social chameleon is a gift. Bath College gives you this gift. Embrace it.”

He continued: “Use these social skills. Work hard to develop your network.

“In the era of digital communications, it can be very tempting for business to become very transactional. But your contact network will become your catalyst. Your engine of growth.

“You are about to embark on an incredible professional journey.

For many of you, it will take you

Students celebrating their graduation | Photo © Bath College

beyond your wildest dreams.”

After the ceremony, the graduates gathered outside the Assembly Rooms and threw their hats in the air to the cheers of guests and passers-by.

A drinks and canapé reception

was held at the college’s studentled restaurant, The Willow Tree, where the graduates and their families continued their celebration.

Jayne Davis, Principal and Chief Executive of Bath College said:

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“We’re incredibly proud of our graduates. It has been a tough few years and our students have shown great resilience.

“I’m always proud to be Principal, but days like today are truly special.”

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www.bathecho.co.uk

Tuesday 1st November - Monday 14th November 2022

Business Community and arts space opened in Twerton's vacant shops TWO vacant shops in the Twerton area of Bath are set to become exhibition spaces for local artists as well as offering free art activities to the community.

The units at numbers 106 and 107 Twerton High Street, a former tattoo parlour and a laundry office, have been leased and will become affordable making and exhibition spaces for artists, including students and art graduates from local colleges and Bath Spa University.

The former shops are already welcoming the community to take part in a series of free creative activities including projections, robotics, coding, making and mending, art lunches and family craft sessions.

The shops are being brought back into use through a partnership between Bath and North East Somerset Council, Bath Spa University and Little Lost Robot Community Interest Company (CIC), with funding from the West of England Combined Authority.

The project aims to make the spaces more welcoming and attractive, and is being led by a local team including Twerton residents.

It is being funded by the West of England Combined Authority’s Love our High Streets Fund and the High Street Recovery Fund, with in-kind support from Bath Spa University.

Councillor Mark Roper, cabinet member for Economic Development, Regeneration & Growth, said: “The repurposing

of these two empty units as spaces to support local artists and encourage local residents to create their own art is the first step of our plans to improve Twerton High Street.

“The shops will also act as a base for further art activities for the community that will be part of the high street improvement project.

“Bringing vacant shops back into use will begin to boost the appearance of the High Street, bringing benefits to local retailers, businesses, residents and visitors alike.”

Twerton High Street is also among four high streets in Bath to have been awarded £488,000 funding for a Local High Street Improvement Project announced earlier this year.

Bath & North East Somerset Council ran a consultation on suggested improvements to the high street, including street furniture, cycle storage, art installations, planting and popup uses in vacant shops.

Ruby Sant, Director at Little Lost Robot, said: “We are excited to be working with people living in Twerton to collaboratively design an arts and community space that is welcoming, free to access and supports the needs of local residents.

“We will be combining arts, crafts and digital skills activities with a range of other free activities including a people’s front room, school uniform swap, a toy library and a free shared lunch on a Friday. Please do pop your head around the door if you are

Using the new community space in Twerton | Photo © B&NES Council

walking past, we are always happy to see you! We will be taking the boards off the windows as soon as we possibly can – so watch this space!”

Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: “Community spaces are so important not just in providing a safe and familiar place for local residents to support each other but in promoting a sense of pride among locals which enables neighbourhoods, like those in Twerton, to thrive and flourish.

“I’m pleased a £79,000 cash

injection from the West of England Combined Authority means the people of Twerton can enjoy not one but two brand-new spaces where everyone can pick up a brush and get creative!

“When it comes to supporting our high streets and town centres, the West of England Authority is delivering.”

The free creative activities all include free refreshments and run until the first week of December.

They are as follows:

• Make and Mend: Scrap to Sculpture – make art for fun and mindfulness, 10am to 12pm on Thursdays.

• Robot Your High Street – try out new skills including, mechanical design, robotics, animatronics and 3D printing, 3.30pm to 5pm on Thursdays.

• Art Lunch – try out t-shirt printing, portraiture, painting and more, 12pm to 2pm on Fridays.

Details can be found at https:// lostrobot.org/creativepeople/

Uber launches partnership with Bath taxi operator SWOOP

New Morrisons store opens in SouthGate

UBER has announced the launch of a new initiative in Bath, Local Cab, which will give users the option of booking trips with a local taxi operator via their app.

Anyone opening the Uber app in the city can now select the Local Cab option, alongside regular Uber-operated options such as UberX and UberXL. Local Cab trips will be passed to Bath operator SWOOP to fulfil, and all subsequent support will be provided by them.

The arrival of Local Cab in Bath follows previous launches in over 50 locations across the UK, including Bristol and Birmingham.

David Scaramanga, owner of SWOOP, which launched in Bath last month, said: “We’re proud to bring Local Cab to the people of Bath.

“This provides another way for customers to book with us – and for anyone visiting Bath that already uses the Uber app, Local

A NEW Market Kitchen food store has been opened in Bath by supermarket chain Morrisons, located in the SouthGate Bath shopping centre.

The new store, which opened on Thursday 27th October, is located in the space previously occupied

by New Look.

The opening has seen the creation of more than 100 jobs in full and part-time roles.

The Market Kitchen concept allows customers to have their breakfast, lunch or evening meal cooked by chefs, at the same time as popping in for a pint of milk.

Food will also be delivered to customers’ doorsteps from the store via Deliveroo.

Customers will be able to choose to watch their meal being made to order by the chefs using seasonal ingredients or opt to pick up some of the freshly made ‘ready-to-go’ meals As well as the Market Kitchen counters, the store will sell a selection of freshly baked bread

Photo © nrqemi / Shutterstock.com

Cab will make it easy for them to book a ride with a local operator.”

Andrew Brem, General Manager at Uber UK, added: “The Local Cab rollout is proving a success for local operators, riders and local economies – helping to

maximise earnings opportunities for drivers while giving passengers more choice.

“We are excited to launch in Bath and to continue extending the product to more towns and cities across the UK.”

from the Morrisons Bakery and sweet treats from the Cake Shop.

Karl Money, Morrisons SouthGate Bath Store Manager, said: “The chefs in our Market Kitchen will create delicious seasonal meals for customers that are made to order.

“It means that customers can pop in and pick up their next meal while also buying the groceries they need for future meals.

“And, thanks to our partnership with Deliveroo, customers across Bath will be able to enjoy their favourite dishes from our menu without leaving their home.”

Guy Henderson, Centre Director at Southgate Bath, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Morrisons to Southgate Bath. We’re really pleased they have selected us as a Market Kitchen store and that they have a focus on selling locally sourced produce.

“The Market Kitchen will be a great addition to the options we have for shoppers to grab a bite to eat on the go.”

15

Your City, Your News | Bath Echo

Issue 038

Politics

Public Notices

Motion calls for more to be done to protect buses John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

CALLS have been made to do more to protect bus routes amid claims services in Bath are in a ‘sorry state’.

A Liberal Democrat motion at Bath and North East Somerset Council called on Dan Norris, the West of England Combined Authority Mayor, to continue negotiations with bus providers and bring forward solutions to protect bus routes.

It also called on the government to address the drivers shortage and to bring bus services back under public control.

Proposing the motion, Matt McCabe, councillor for Bathavon South, said: “Our local bus services are in a sorry state, and this just goes to show the failure of privatisation of public transport.

“This dogma has led to monopoly companies, high fares, unreliable services, and services that don’t meet the needs of residents.

“Ultimately, councils have very little say over bus services. We pay our transport levy contribution to Weca and then we have to lobby the Mayor to beg the bus companies not to axe this or that route.”

Moorlands councillor Jess David highlighted the impacts bus cuts are having in her ward, saying: “The number 8 service serves the Moorlands estate and connects residents with the Moorland Road shopping area and the city centre.

“I know numerous residents, many of them elderly, who use

this service and rely on it, and are seriously concerned about its future.

“Under the latest timetable this bus is now running only every 45 minutes with a reduced service in the evening and at weekends.

“I am very grateful that we still have this service, but with repeated cuts I am seriously concerned that it is effectively being salami sliced away and is not a reliable way for residents to get to work, to school, or into the city.”

Vic Pritchard, leader of the Conservative group on the council, said: “Reliable and effective bus services are vital to allow people to access amenities and use local businesses and tackle congestion and the climate emergency.

“The proposed cuts will affect disadvantaged communities and residents who do not have access to private transport.

“As the region’s transport authority, the West of England Combined Authority needs to prioritise these essential services and this administration must do more to put pressure on the Metro Mayor to ensure this happens.”

He added that the Conservatives would support the motion, despite disagreeing with restoring transport authorities’ abilities to bring buses under public control, warning that “the funds that would be required for this undertaking would be astronomical.”

Labour councillors tabled amendments to the motion which would have replaced criticism of Mr Norris for failing to protect

bus routes with recognition that he took part in meetings on the issue, and would have added calls for Liberal Democrat council leader Kevin Guy to support him in negotiations with bus companies.

They would have also added in notes highlighting that B&NES transport levy was cheaper than in other places and changed wording of statements to say gaps in service “could” put residents off public transport, rather than saying they will.

Introducing the amendment, Paulton councillor Liz Hardman said: “These are difficult times for bus services and let’s recognise what the combined authority has done, I believe, an excellent job in very difficult circumstances.

“We’ve heard some of these.

And its a process that is still not finished. We’ve heard of the many difficulties: drivers shortages, Brexit — remember those lovely Polish drivers, now mainly gone —, pay and conditions, falling passenger numbers, and rising costs.”

She added: “Thanks to the Metro Mayor’s hard work over half of the bus routes under threat of cuts have been saved.”

The amendments were slammed as “totally political” by councillor Joel Hirst. Council leader Kevin Guy said that he had worked with the leaders of South Gloucestershire and Bristol councils to find the money for transport when asked by Mr Norris, but that Mr Norris had not worked hard enough to protect bus routes.

Mr Guy said: “Unfortunately,

just because you’ve had the experience of Dan Norris being parachuted into your Labour wards and he’s fixed your one bus route, Dan Norris has not worked in any way near the capacity he could have done to save our buses.

“And unfortunately, when Lib Dem members mention him by name, they are not having a go at the Labour party locally, they are not having a go at the Labour party generally, but they are having a go at this man who has failed us in some of our most deprived areas.”

Joanna Wright, councillor for Lambridge, argued that the discussion had become too political. She said: “For many years, I have been fighting for buses across the local region and particularly on the east of Bath.

“It is clear that young people on the east of Bath have been failed repeatedly by the bus service, and that wasn’t in the last year or the last two years. That has been in the last 20 years. So essentially I feel we are using Dan Norris as a political football this evening to make this fight. Where, in fact, every one of us, whichever our political persuasion is, feels we need a better bus service.

“And what we have had for years is a deregulated market that hasn’t wanted to improve that bus service but has actually favoured the private vehicle over everything else.”

The motion was passed by the council with broad support, but with abstentions from the Labour group whose amendment did not pass.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PREMISES LICENCE UNDER THE LICENSING ACT 2003 The Gaff 2 Limited applied to Bath & North East Somerset Council on 27.10.21 for a licence to use the premises at The Gaff, Unit 29, Milsom Place, Bath, BA1 1BZ for supply of alcohol to be consumed on the premises.

Notification of the application made to the Licensing Authority is available on a register at www.bathnes.gov.uk/ licensing-register.

Representations should be made in writing to: Bath & North East Somerset Council Licensing Services Lewis House Manvers Street Bath BA1 1JG or by email to licensing@bathnes.gov.uk

by Wednesday 23rd November 2022.

Representations made will be disclosed in an open meeting should a hearing be necessary.

It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and is subject to a fine of any amount on summary conviction for the offence.

Dated 27.10.22

Report on friction between leaders “sat gathering dust" Adam Postans

Local Democracy Reporter

A REPORT by watchdogs investigating whether “frictions” among the region’s political leaders are jeopardising good use of public money has been “gathering dust” for four months, councillors claim.

External auditors Grant Thornton gave a draft version of their findings to West of England Combined Authority (WECA) bosses back in June but have still not shared it with the organisation’s cross-party audit committee, which is supposed to oversee governance and finance.

They launched the probe last December after identifying a “risk of significant weakness” in WECA’s value-for-money (VfM) arrangements because of the public spat between metro mayor Dan Norris, who leads the

regional body, and the elected heads of its three constituent councils.

At the height of the row last year, Labour’s Mr Norris branded fellow Labour mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees, South Gloucestershire Council leader Conservative Cllr Toby Savage and Bath & North East Somerset Council leader Lib Dem Cllr Kevin Guy the “Hokey Cokey Three”, while they boycotted a WECA committee where decisions involving millions of pounds should have been made.

Now, the audit committee has been told that Grant Thornton’s work, to determine whether the governance arrangements impacting the politicians’ relationships was putting effective use of taxpayers’ cash at risk, was “substantially complete”.

But despite the fact the finance firm’s initial findings were presented to a handful of top WECA officers on 20th June,

these were still “excluded” from a report to members at their latest meeting on Wednesday, 12th October.

Combined authority chiefs insisted they had “not been sitting on the report” since the start of summer and were legally bound by confidentiality not to share it, while Grant Thornton said what had happened was “standard procedure”.

Committee chairman Tory Cllr Geoff Gollop told the meeting: “I have no concern about the information presented, only about what is missing.

“I have expressed my concerns about governance, decision making, frictions within Weca and wider management issues.

“I believed that the VfM report was going to address these issues “However, meetings have been rearranged or cancelled and we are still no further forward.

“I was surprised to discover from the Grant Thornton report that

officers have had the report for almost four months but neither I nor the audit committee have seen the draft as presented then, or copies amended to show officer responses.

“Audit committee needs an explanation of why it still has not seen this report.

“If the report has significant implications, we need to know why it has taken so long and how improvements have been made and lessons learned.”

Fellow Bristol Conservative Cllr Steve Smith told members: “I was quite shocked reading this report.

“It put me in mind of Fawlty Towers – ‘Whatever you do, don’t mention the war!’.

“What’s in here is fine. But the point of an audit report isn’t to make us feel warm and fuzzy about the things that are working, it’s to alert us to the things that aren’t and what needs to be done about it.

“I was shocked this draft has been

out for four months.”

WECA interim director of law and democratic services Stephen Gerrard, one of the officers who was shown the report in June, said: “It’s important for members to realise that the audit report is the report of the auditor Grant Thornton.

“The confidentiality in that report is the confidentiality of the auditors.

“It’s not for officers to discuss that report, in fact we are legally restrained from doing so until we have been released from the confidentiality by the auditors.

“We have seen various drafts of the report but are yet to see the final report. To correct any misconceptions, we have not been sitting on the report, and it is for the auditor to decide when to share and release it.”

Grant Thornton partner Jon Roberts said their “deep dive” had been “exhaustive” and had inevitably led to delays publishing it.

16

www.bathecho.co.uk

Tuesday 1st November - Monday 14th November 2022

In Other News....

Sculpture for RUH's new Dyson Cancer Centre taking shape A COMMISSION by British wildlife sculptor Hamish Mackie will form part of the new Dyson Cancer Centre at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, it has been revealed.

Hamish Mackie has shared a glimpse into his workshop, where he is busy on the work which is entitled ‘Swifts’.

Representing a pair of swifts in flight, the sculpture will form part of the inpatient courtyard in the new centre.

A video, filmed in Hamish’s studio in Oxfordshire, shows the internationally renowned sculptor making the armature, a framework around which a sculpture is built.

The armature has been designed to come apart, allowing Hamish to work on the swifts individually from all angles.

The next stage will be to sculpt the original in plasticine and capture the aerodynamic and fast-moving nature of the birds.

The final larger than life sculpture will be cast into bronze and mounted on a limestone plinth where it will form a focal point for the open air first floor courtyard in the centre.

Hamish Mackie said: “Swifts have a well-deserved reputation for being aeronautical masters of speed and precision flying. A migratory bird, they cover huge distances every year of around 200,000km.

“They even sleep and mate on the wing, remaining in the air for many months at a time. Swifts are monogamous and visit the UK in summer to breed and then winter in Africa. They have long scytheshaped wings and a forked tail.

“With this sculpture I wanted to convey a sense of freedom, of thermals and high-speed flight paths. The understanding of their long journey to Britain every year and the happiness seeing them evokes, makes them the ultimate symbol of hope.

“They are the perfect bird to sculpt for the new Dyson Cancer Centre at the RUH.” The artwork has been made possible through a donation from a local individual who is a long term supporter of the Trust’s charity RUHX and wishes to remain anonymous.

The use of natural light, external spaces, greenery and artwork are all known to have a positive effect

Hamish Mackie working on the new sculpture | Photo courtesy of the RUH

on healing and overall patient experience and have been incorporated into the design of the centre, based around a land, water and sky theme.

The new Dyson Cancer Centre

will provide a cancer services hub for half a million people in the South West and remains on track to open for patients in autumn 2023.

The purpose-built centre will

bring together the majority of the RUH’s cancer services, including research, under one roof, providing oncology, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services and a 22-bed ward.

No.1 Royal Crescent to celebrate Christmas in true Georgian style

6,000-strong crowd for Anniversary Game win

VISITORS to No.1 Royal Crescent in Bath this December will be able to experience Christmas as it would have been celebrated over 200 years ago.

In 1644, Oliver Cromwell effectively banned Christmas, with festive get-togethers, and even the singing of carols, forbidden.

However, this was overturned by the Georgians, which saw Christmas celebrated in grand style, with balls, parties and feasting galore.

Revealing many of the sights, scents and other sensory delights of a Georgian Christmas, No.1 Royal Crescent will be authentically decorated with ‘greens’, or foliage such as bay, yew or even herbs, along with gilded fruits and foodstuffs.

The Christmas immersive experience will reveal 12 Tales of a Georgian Christmas, introducing how this season was celebrated and enjoyed through a series of stories and poems that come to life throughout the house.

Visitors will also see a table decoration – originally introduced

by King George III’s Germanborn wife, Queen Charlotte – that later became what we now know as the Christmas tree.

The festive decorations will extend outside the Georgian house to the locally sourced Christmas tree, which has been

NEARLY 6,000 people headed to the Rec to watch one of Team Bath’s best-ever BUCS Super Rugby performances against Durham in the Rengensponsored Anniversary Game.

The men’s 1st XV dominated for much of the 80 minutes, running in five tries through Ludo Kolade, Jasper Spandler, George Doel, Archie Griffin and Mackenzie Graham.

Sam Harris kicked three penalties and three conversions as Team Bath secured victory in the University of Bath’s studentsport showpiece for the third successive occasion.

Iestyn Lewis, CEO and founder of match sponsors Rengen, presented the winners’ trophy to co-captains Tom Williams and Alfie Garside in front of a packed Tribute Stand.

Tom Williams said: “We’re absolutely buzzing, the support tonight was incredible and we want to thank everyone for coming along.

“We put in a shift on the pitch and I can’t fault any of the boys’ efforts, it was outstanding.”

Alfie Garside added: “I honestly don’t think there is a better experience at the University of Bath than what has just happened tonight.

“It’s one of the best days I’ve had in my life and I’m sure it was for the other boys too.”

Christmas at No.1 Royal Crescent in Bath | Photo © BPT

sponsored this year by Hawker Joinery.

No.1 Royal Crescent will again be welcoming Santa, to delight children and grown-ups alike in his magical grotto. He’ll be in temporary residence at No.1 every Saturday and Sunday in December ahead of the big day.

Prior to the 19th-century, Father Christmas was an allegorical figure who embodied the festive season itself and was often depicted as a merry old soul, who presided over parties, rather than bringing presents to small children.

This was largely because it was adults who celebrated Christmas with copious amounts of alcohol, including wassail bowls of spiced cider, or punch made with wine infused with spices, sugar and

apple. From 26th November to 31st December, youngsters can find out what a family of mice is getting up to in each room, before creating a special Christmas decoration to take home.

Claire Dixon, Director of Bath Preservation Trust (BPT) Museums, said: “Christmas is a really special time at No. 1 Royal Crescent, and it is amazing to see the house transformed.

“It offers a completely different experience for visitors as the rooms are rich with greenery, floral arrangements and decoration.

“The house feels more intimate and cosier, and it is fascinating to discover the different ways in which the Georgians would have celebrated the season as wealthy residents or domestic servants.”

Aaron James, the Head of Rugby at the University of Bath, said: “I’d like to thank everyone for that win and that celebration.

“The work that [forwards coach] Mark Lilley and [backs coach] Ryan Davies did during the week was outstanding, and we’re pleased to get that kind of result in front of an amazing crowd on an amazing occasion.”

The 1st XV team will return to their regular home venue, the Sports Training Village at the University of Bath at Claverton, for their next match against old rivals Loughborough.

This is scheduled for Wednesday 2nd November, with a 6.30pm kick-off, and admission to the event is free.

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