Bath Echo - Issue 046 - 28/02/2023

"PUT AN ABATTOIR ON THERE"

Council leader apologises for Entry Hill remark - P2

Charity set to provide school meals for children

BATH-BASED charity St John’s Foundation has launched a scheme to ensure children across the local area who are not entitled to free school meals are able to receive them.

St John’s Foundation, the South West’s oldest charity, will be working with seven schools in the region that have identified over 700 pupils who will benefit from having hot school meals every day until the end of July 2024.

New parking zones go live across Bath

Permits now needed to park vehicles in five areas P3

According to official figures published by B&NES Council, as many as 1 in 5 children within the district currently live in “absolute” poverty.

St John’s Foundation is working with seven primary schools where the number of children experiencing food inequality is at “unacceptably high” levels.

Despite the financial difficulties being faced by families whose children attend these seven

schools, some are ineligible for government-funded free school meals.

David Hobdey, Chief Executive of the St John’s Foundation, said: “The cost of living crisis is beginning to take its toll on families throughout the city region, with many parents struggling to cover the cost of a basic breakfast and lunch for their children.

“What we are seeing locally is reflected nationally, too. In Eng-

land and Wales, the figure for those known to be living in poverty but are not registered for free school meals is 1.6 million.

“These numbers are worrying to say the least, which is why St John’s Foundation has resolved to tackle the problem head on. “But they also hide a bigger issue that is often overlooked – the long-term impact of food poverty.

Continued on page 2

Cost of “ring of steel” security measures more than doubles P8

Curo staff raise more than £10,000 for Bath City Farm P8

Locals encouraged to start planning for Coronation events P10

Fundraiser launched to help save Georgian pumping station P11

Christmas Market brings in half-a-million visitors to city P14

Bespoke virtual administration services for your business

Images © B&NES Council

In this issue...

Crossword P7

Community P10

Health P12

Education P13

Business P14

Politics P15

In Other News P16

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Council leader “sorry" for Entry Hill comment

A COMMENT made during a Bath & North East Somerset Council meeting at the Guildhall in Bath has led to the leader of the local authority apologising to a member of the public.

Councillor Kevin Guy said he was “sorry” after making the comment regarding the Entry Hill site, in which he joked “we should put an abattoir on there”.

Councillor Guy was speaking to his deputy Councillor Sarah Warren, during the Budget and Council Tax meeting.

At the meeting, members of the public were given the opportunity to speak, which is when local resident Louisa McFarland spoke about the redevelopment of the former Entry Hill golf course.

There is concern over the potential issues that could arise from the future development of the site, as the golf course is a former landfill, previously known as Lower Barrack Farm.

For many years, the Entry Hill landfill accepted industrial, household, commercial and liquid waste.

Louisa McFarland spoke about a report that was released in December 2022 on the contamination of the land, and the potential that there could be an increase in the risk to public health from development.

Bath & North East Somerset

Council announced on 1st December 2022 that its controversial plans to create a mountain bike and activity park at Entry Hill would not proceed due to an increase in costs.

Following the public statement from Ms McFarland, Councillor Guy was heard on the live webcast of the meeting speaking to his deputy, saying: “Maybe we should put an abattoir on there, it used to be a tip didn’t it?”

Deputy leader Councillor Sarah Warren can be heard laughing. Later in the meeting, Bathwick councillor Dr. Yukteshwar Kumar raised the statement made by the council leader.

Councillor Guy then replied, saying: “I made a private comment to Councillor Warren, I fully apologise for that … I will happily speak to the individual and apologise in person to her for my comments.”

Posting on Twitter after the meeting, Conservative councillor for Midsomer Norton Chris Watt, who was sitting nearby, said: “Sitting 1 metre away and couldn’t believe my ears, his colleague Cllr Warren laughing at his pathetic joke.

“The demonstrable level of distain [sic] shown for residents is clear.”

Councillor Guy also posted an apology on Twitter, saying: I

made a comment to a colleague which I shouldn’t have at tonight’s meeting, and I apologise unreservedly. I will reach out to the person speaking at the time, and offer my apologies. No excuses, no wasting of councils [sic] resource on an investigation. I’m sorry.”

Councillor Joanna Wright, who defected from the Liberal Democrats to the Green Party in 2021, said: “As revealed at the B&NES Full Council last night & the social media posts around it, there is a common practice of sharing derogatory & offensive comments within the chamber and on electronic devises [sic] during the meeting itself.”

A statement later released by Councillor Guy said: “I apologised last night for my comment I made during the brief recess. It was said to a colleague during a break as an off the cuff attempt at humour. “I fully intend to talk to the Conservative Party Candidate who had just spoken, and apologise directly.

“I trust this 20 second exchange isn’t what is taken from a 4 hour meeting where the LibDem’s presented a fully costed, ambitious, and deliverable budget for next year, whereas the Tories presented nothing positive, only vague, uncosted threats to rip out everything we were elected to do in 2019.”

Year-round free school meals thanks to charity

Continued from page 1

“Every young person has the potential to do well at school, but we know that a lack of nutritious food inhibits brain development. This in turn affects both their long-term health and life chances.”

“Plans are also underway to work with partners to ensure meals are available for children attending these schools over weekends and school holidays, to help parents cope with the rising cost of bills and to support the development of their children.

“Since the launch of our Foundation Fund in 2020, it has been working with partners and organisations to help eradicate the need for emergency food provision and address the inequalities

in educational attainment across Bath and North East Somerset.”

“This funding support is another step towards making this a reality. It’s important to remember that behind every statistic is a hungry child in our community that requires our help.”

Head Teacher, Clare Greene, from St Michael’s Junior Church School, said: “Some of our parents were not sure if it was real and sent their children in with packed lunches just in case.

“There were some very happy children today and lots of them had seconds! I sat and ate with them as usual but there was just so much joy and lots of full stomachs – thank you St John’s.”

One parent commented: “I just wanted to say a huge thank you

The charity will fund hot school meals until July 2024

to St John’s. I’m starting a new job tomorrow and I’ve gone to pay for my daughter’s school meals to find out that St John’s is providing them for all the children at Roundhill Primary School who are not

eligible for free school meals. “This gesture alone has taken a lot of weight off my shoulders, and I am ever so grateful for all the hard work and generosity of St John’s.”

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Cllr Kevin Guy has been leader of B&NES Council since 2021

Five new residents’ parking zones go live across Bath

FIVE new residents’ parking zones have gone live in Bath, with residents and visitors needing to purchase permits to park their vehicles in specific areas.

Dual use and limited waiting bays have also been introduced, and residents will also be able to purchase digital permits for visitors and tradespeople.

The residents’ parking zones (RPZs) and single yellow lines will operate between 8am to 6pm, 7 days a week, not including bank holidays. Double yellow and disabled parking bays will operate at all times unless a sign indicates otherwise.

Blue badge holders in Bath and North East Somerset can park in any RPZ across the area provided they display their badge. However, the council has also worked closely with residents to maintain Blue Badge advisory bays and plated bays outside homes where required.

Trades, medical and social care as well as businesses can apply for trade and commercial parking permits in the zones, to avoid parking fines.

Resident and visitor permits are digital, so people don’t need to display permits in their vehicles.

B&NES Council says the aim of the zones is to reduce pressure on parking where commuter parking is an issue and give priority to residents so they can park near their homes.

By reducing the number of vehicles coming into the area, they also tackle anti-social

driving and parking, including pavement parking, to create a safer, healthier residential environment.

The five new zones are in the following areas:

• St John’s Road, St Michael’s Road and Hungerford Road

• Chelsea Road and Foxcombe Road

• Sion Hill and Summerhill Road

• Entry Hill

• Lyme Gardens and Charmouth Road

The larger Walcot, Snow Hill and Claremont Road RPZ and the Oldfield Park and Westmoreland area RPZ will be installed later in the year as their size and complexity is better suited to installation during the summer

months.

Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for Transport, said: “I’d like to thank residents for their cooperation and patience during the installation of the zones, which involved temporary road closures and parking suspensions. While letters and advice have been sent to residents and businesses in all five areas anyone who wants advice about the scheme in their area can call 01225 394 025 or visit www. bathnes.gov.uk/LNRPZ for more information.

“The seven zones were proposed by ward councillors on behalf of their communities followed by extensive consultation.

“We heard from many residents

that struggled to find parking near their homes, and also from local businesses who were keen to see more dual-use and limited waiting bays available near their shops.

“We have therefore worked hard to strike a balance between the needs of residents and local businesses.

“We know the zones may have an impact on other areas and again I want to remind people that they can request their own RPZs, via ward councillors, if there is a significant and lasting displacement of vehicles into neighbouring areas as a result of the new zones.”

Residents were initially invited to share their views on the

proposals during an informal public consultation in May 2022. There was further opportunity to comment on plans revised in the light of that feedback during a formal consultation in October 2022.

After considering the submissions made, the revised plans included reductions in the size of some of the proposed zones, improvements to signage and road marking proposals, installing more dual-use bays to support local businesses, and additional tailored amends to ensure the proposals work as well as possible for everyone in the community.

Under the new RPZ policy, the annual permit costs vary depending on vehicle’s emissions but, as a guide, a permit for an average eight-year-old 1.6L petrol or diesel family car would normally cost in the range of £100 to £125 per year.

Permits for smaller, newer cars would typically be less. Residents can also purchase visitor permits regardless of whether they own a permit themselves. To help manage the costs of permits, and to ensure that money is not wasted when permits are not required, permits can now be purchased in durations of 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Permits are limited to two permits per property. Properties with one offstreet parking space are limited to one permit, and properties with two off-street spaces are not eligible for permits.

Councillors approve budget despite Guildhall protests

John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

BATH and North East Somerset Council voted to pass their budget, while four different protests went on outside.

The budget was agreed in a three hour meeting of the full council held in the council chamber in Bath’s Guildhall on 21st February.

Councillors arriving at the meeting were met with four different protests on the steps of the Guildhall, as people from across the city and district turned out to make their voices heard.

Regular users of the 82 bus came from Paulton to ask the council to save their bus and the other local government-supported buses in North East Somerset which are being cut in April and June.

Tom Churchill drives the 82 and brought the group to Bath to protest the cutting of the bus. He said “It’s going to leave people isolated. We are going to fight for it.”

Regular passenger Marion Harrington, 89, added: “And he’s a wonderful driver.”

She gets the 82 three or four times a week and said: “It’s my lifeline to get out, and my independence.”

Paulton Labour councillor Liz Hardman added that the cuts

affected more than just Paulton. She said: “It’s ranging from the Chew Valley to across North East Somerset.”

Meanwhile, some people from Bath came to protest against the city centre security scheme — dubbed the “ring of steel” — and accessibility for people with disabilities.

Mark Stricklin said: “The Conservatives are protesting … the ring of steel and the ridiculous £7.4m, which could pay for a citywide school bus network.”

Two more groups of protesters gathered outside the Guildhall to say no — and yes — to low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs).

Many of the protesters against LTNs waved the “Take Back Democracy” placards that were handed out at the campaign meeting against LTNs hosted by the Together Declaration organisation on 2nd February.

Caroline Horsford, a Bath local campaigning against LTNs, said that more and more people were opposed to them, of all politics. She said: “It’s also cutting across class. I know people on the Royal Crescent who are fed up with this.”

But the group’s chants turned into a few shouts of “Scab!” and “Antifa!” when a small group turned up with a large banner

reading: “Bath residents support LTNs.”

Holding one end of the banner was Dave Ware, who said: “I just wanted to show the council that some people do support [LTNs] and their view isn’t the only view in Bath.” Although the two groups disagreed with each other, they were able to keep in time with their opposing chants of “Say no to LTNs” and “Say yes to LTNs” — until chants of “Save our buses!” took over.

Inside the Guildhall, councillors voted to pass the budget in a three hour meeting.

Council cabinet member for resources Richard Samuel told the council: “Each and every year since 2019 we have balanced the books and invested soundly in the services that residents told us they valued the most. ”

In a vote that went straight down party lines, the budget passed with a block vote of approval from Liberal Democrat councillors. But all other parties voted against, with the Labour group voting against, rather than their usual practice of abstaining, in protest over the bus cuts.

The budget will see council tax go up by the maximum amount local councils can raise it without holding a referendum: a rise of 4.99%, of which two percentage

points are ring fenced for spending on adult social care.

Alison Born, the council’s cabinet member for adult services, said they had “no choice” but to apply the precept. She said: “The additional 61p per week per household that is generated by the precept will help to provide the funding we need to maintain services, to invest in our staff and to meet the increasingly complex needs of many of our clients.”

Mr Samuel said it was sad to have to raise council tax, but with inflation over 10% this was “real-terms cut in the value of the income we receive.”

He added that the council had supported over 9,000 people with council tax support in the current year, and would be expanding the eligibility criteria to support more people.

But leader of the Conservative group on the council Vic Pritchard criticised the Liberal Democrat’s handling of the council’s finances, in particular the spending on the city centre security measures and the decision to give Bathampton Meadows to the National Trust for free.

He said: “The National Trust were very keen to acquire this, so I ask you: Why was it not used as a negotiating tool to increase the leasehold on the costume

museum?”

The Fashion Museum was forced to leave its home in the Assembly Rooms in October after the National Trust, who own the building, activated the break clause in the lease.

Mr Pritchard added: “There was an opportunity there that was missed.”

Spokesperson for the independents on the council, Karen Walker, said: “We believe that, as a council, we need to get the right balance between climate emergency, business, and jobs, and communities. We do not believe this budget does this.”

Labour group leader Robin Moss criticised the Conservative government for the financial positions of local councils but hit out at the council too.

He said: “The cut in bus services in rural [North East Somerset] and being transferred to Bath drives a coach and horses through any pretensions that this council has to be a leader on climate change.”

He added: “In previous years the Labour group has tended to abstain on the budget. I am afraid this year we will be voting against the budget with fairly heavy hearts because of the lack of funding for bus services in North East Somerset.”

Chelsea Road is one of the areas that has had an RPZ introduced

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Pictures from the Past: Bath, City of Views

Grosvenor from Taylor’s Field

Kirsten Elliott Akeman Press

FOR readers who are wondering where Taylor’s Field is, it must be explained that much of it disappeared beneath the Admiralty buildings which stood until recently at Warminster Road. Even more has disappeared under Holburne Park, partly depriving residents and visitors of one of the spectacular panoramas of the city along the river valley. But the view in this picture is still accessible. At first glance, very little seems to have changed, apart from more houses in and around Larkhall. Certainly Grosvenor Place has hardly changed at all, apart from those houses which have been cleaned since this photograph

was taken. But it is the middle ground, between the canal towpath and the Georgian terrace, which makes this so interesting. Just above the towpath is the Great Western Railway, with a steam train heading towards London. Just to the right of the engine, on the embankment is a small hut where, if the maps are to be believed, there is still a railway structure. Just to the right of that can be seen a long roof, which covered the shelters in the gardens of the Folly Pub – or Cremorne Gardens, as they were known in the late 19th century. Hiding part of the garden is a large tree, to the right of which is a glimpse of the Folly and its brewery. By the time this photograph was taken, both were owned by the GWR, which had restored the name of the Folly. On the other side of the track from the Folly is a lane which leads to Grosvenor

Suspension Bridge, erected in 1830 by the landowner, Thomas Shew. The cottages on the left of the track before the bridge were called Walton Cottages, and were fronted by a little brook. There are still fragmentary remains of the small bridges across it to their front doors. The tollhouse for the bridge, however, was on the Grosvenor side and can be seen on the extreme edge of the picture. Where the houses of Ringswell Gardens now stand was mostly nurseries and gardens, along with the nurserymen’s cottages. The largest, Chestnut Cottage, was in the centre, its southern façade just hidden by trees. This area was where Grosvenor Gardens was laid out in 1793, with a labyrinth, swings, greenhouses and even a bathing pool. Today there are no relics of it, but when this photograph was taken, there was just one.

Over to the right of the gardens, near a wall, you can see what looks like a triumphal arch.

It was all that was left of the saloon, from where, on wet days, you could watch firework displays in the dry.

To see this view today, you need to head along the Warminster Road past Holburne Park until you see a footpath and a kissing gate on your left, leading down through the field.

The official path goes steeply down, but as you descend, look out on your left for a clear track running diagonally across the field, created by walkers wishing to avoid the steepest part of this slope by zigzagging down the hillside instead. If you stop just before this track gets to a clear edge and turns back to the right, you will be more or less where the photographer stood to take this picture.

Care home residents enjoy special visit from pair of alpacas

RESIDENTS at a care home in Bath were joined by some unusual visitors during a special afternoon of animal fun.

Residents at Care UK’s Rush Hill Mews, on Clarks Way, gathered to welcome two alpacas, Caramac and Guinness, in the home’s lounge where they received plenty of attention.

As part of the animal therapy

session, residents learnt about the history and characteristics of alpacas, as well as other interesting facts about the calming animals.

Commenting on the visit, 88-year-old resident, Sue Parker, said: “I really enjoyed the alpaca coming along to visit. It was nice to have something different and has certainly been a good

conversation starter with my family and friends.”

Caroline Carter, General Manager at Rush Hill Mews, said: “We had a wonderful afternoon welcoming our very special guests, Caramac and Guinness, to Rush Hill Mews.

“We are always looking for new and exciting activities for residents to enjoy that offer a memorable experience, likely not

enjoyed before.

“Animal therapy has proven to be incredibly beneficial for older people, as it can be calming, prompt conversations, and put a smile on everyone’s faces.

“Alpacas are known for being gentle animals, which makes them perfect for care home visits.

“It was lovely to welcome Caramac and Guinness into

the home, and we look forward to welcoming them and other animals, big or small, to Rush Hill Mews in the future!”

You can find the answers to last issue's crossword on page 16. Congratulations to James Matthews for winning £20!

Crossword Competition!

For your chance to win £20, submit your full name, postal address and answers by email to puzzles@bathecho.co.uk and we'll enter you into our draw.

The winner will be the first randomly opened entry with the correct answers on 09/03/2023. Please note: We will not accept crossword entries to our postal address. The winner will be notified by the email address they use to enter this competition.

Cost of city centre “ring of steel” more than doubles to £7.4 million

John Wimperis Local Democracy Reporter

THE cost of Bath’s counterterrorism measures has more than doubled to over £7 million. Plans in Bath and North East Somerset Council’s budget to funnel an additional £4.4 million into the city centre security zone, also known as “the ring of steel”, will more than double the total cost of the security measures.

In November, the council drew down more funding to install bollards on York Street, which took the total cost past £3 million.

The rising cost was slammed at the time as “completely unnecessary and deeply flawed” by the leader of the council’s Conservative opposition Vic Pritchard. The scheme now has a total price tag of over £7.4 million.

The security zone is intended to prevent vehicle-based terror attacks in the centre of Bath after a National Counter Terrorism Security Office recommended improving security around crowded areas in the city. Bollards able to stop a 7.5-tonne lorry travelling at 50mph are being installed on York Street, Cheap Street, Upper Borough

Walls, Lower Borough Walls, and Hot Bath Street.

But the council ran into trouble installing these with pipes and cables “in the ‘wrong’ place” and issues with the ownership of the vaults under the roads.

The council’s cabinet member for transport Manda Rigby insisted the high price tag of the scheme was partly the cost of keeping the city centre accessible. She said: “When the estimates were done in 2019, it was on the basis there would be a blanket ban on vehicles during

Family pays tribute to woman killed in crash

hours of operation. I changed that in order to allow vehicular access for deliveries and blue badge holders at all times at considerable expense.

“The costs of doing any major works has exploded in the interim, both from goods inflation and labour shortages, and – in Bath –until you start digging, you never know that services aren’t where expected and need moving.” People can get a free permit from the council if they need to take a vehicle into the zone for certain reasons.

THE family of a woman who was killed in a collision near Peasedown St John on Monday 13th February have paid tribute to a “beautiful daughter and sister”.

While formal identification has yet to take place, the family of Jade Randall, from Paulton, are being supported by a speciallytrained police officer.

Issuing a photograph of Jade, the family said: “We have lost our beautiful daughter and sister, taken far too soon.

“She was the most fiercely loyal friend who will continue to be loved by so many. Goodnight Jade. We will love and miss you for the rest of our lives.”

The investigation into the single-

vehicle collision on Wellow Road is continuing.

Jade’s silver VW Polo left the road sometime after 10.45pm on Monday 13th February. A witness reported coming across the collision at around 7.45am on Tuesday 14th February. Officers want to hear from anyone who has dashcam or CCTV footage which could help their enquiries. If you can help, call 101 and give the reference 5223035947. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously by calling 0800 555 111, or online at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/ give-information.

Curo staff raise more than £10,000 for Bath City Farm

STAFF at housing association and house-builder Curo have raised more than £10,000 for Bath City Farm after it was chosen as their Charity of the Year. Each year, Curo employees choose a local charity to support, and for the past year, they’ve given their time and effort to support the farm, based near Curo’s offices in Twerton.

Victor da Cunha, Curo’s Chief Executive, said: “As a social landlord with a charitable purpose, Curo knows just how important funding is to fuel the great work done every day. It’s been a real privilege to work with the farm’s wonderful team who do so much for our community, and we look forward to seeing their impact grow further in the future.”

Curo staff raised money for the charity through a variety of fundraising activities, including the Bath Half Marathon, the Three Peaks Challenge and a raffle. Alison Howell, Communications Lead at Bath City Farm, said that the money raised will have a tremendous impact. The fundraising will help pay for food, bedding, shelter and vet bills for the farm’s animals, which include Shetland

ponies, pigs, goats and chickens.

Alison said: “It will positively touch the lives of our team, volunteers and visitors in so many ways.”

“The animals are much loved by families and visitors, delighting and educating children and adults alike. They also play a vital role in our therapeutic work with participants of our health and wellbeing programmes. For many, the farm is a place to recover from acute mental distress and rebuild a healthier lifestyle, connecting with nature and each other.”

The farm offers people who are having issues with their mental health the chance to volunteer. Medical professionals can refer volunteers or they can refer themselves.

Alison added: “There are 60 volunteers on our books and on Mondays and Wednesdays they help out, planting veg and tending to animals.”

In June 2022, a Curo team fitted a new kitchen in the farm’s volunteer cabin.

Alison said: “This is now a bright, clean and welcoming space where volunteers can enjoy a welcome cup of tea and conversation between working on the farm.”

Curo Chief Executive Victor da Cunha presents Bath City Farm with a fundraising cheque

30-year-old Jade Randall | Photo courtesy of Jade’s family

York Street, Bath | Photo © John Wimperis

What's On

Noughts And Crosses

Theatre Royal

28th February – 4th March

Sephy is a Cross and Callum is a Nought. Between Noughts and Crosses there are racial and social divides. A segregated society teeters on a volatile knife edge.

Building Aquae Sulis

The Roman Baths (Online)

2nd March, 7pm

Owen Kearn will discuss the chronology and building materials at the Roman Baths in this online talk. He will investigate the agencies, and even individuals, that may have contributed.

The Big Bath Sleep-Out

Alice Park

3rd March, 8pm

Join the Julian House team and hundreds of others in Alice Park in Bath connected by one aim – to raise vital funds to provide safe shelter and support for people forced to sleep outside.

The Deer's Cry

Prior Park College Chapel

11th March, 7.30pm

The Handful performs The Deer's Cry - a concert of modern and romantic choral music from Central and Eastern Europe, spotlighting Rheinberger's Mass in E flat for double choir.

Turkish Makam Ensemble

Michael Tippett Centre

1st March, 7pm

This concert of classical Turkish makam (modal) music features instruments which first appeared in the Ottoman court in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Tickets: £8 | Concessions: £5.

World Book Day in Bath

Waterstones

2nd – 5th March

Join the fun events in the kid's section taking place all weekend. Storytime, fancy dress, scavenger hunts, design your own book cover, writing workshops and more. Don't forget your vouchers.

The Saviours Collective

The Chapel Arts Centre

4th March, 8pm

The Saviours Collective brings an evening of well-known R&B/soul hits to the Chapel Arts Centre to dance the night away and celebrate the joy of live performance.

Scandinavian Spring Concert

Roper Theatre

11th March, 7.30pm

The orchestra look north with their programme of music by Scandinavian composers. They will be performing Karelia Suite and Symphony No. 1 by Sibelius and Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 by Grieg.

Levellers

The Forum

1st March, 7.30pm

Five years after they set out on their 2018 Acoustic Tour, and released its companion album We The Collective, The Levellers will embark upon a brand new Acoustic Tour in 2023.

The Visit by Friedrich Dürrenmatt

The Mission Theatre

2nd – 4th March, 7.30pm

The Visit, originally Der Besuch der alten Dame is a classic Swiss tragicomedy following the fallibility of post-WWII humanity.

Tickets: £8 | Concessions: £5.

Peter Frankopan

Christ Church, Julian Road

7th March, 7.30pm

Peter Frankopan is Professor of Global History at Oxford University & Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford. Go along to hear about his new book, The Earth Transformed.

Jodie Mitchell and Helen Bauer

Komedia

12th March, 7.30pm

An evening featuring Jodie Mitchell, writer on Sex Education, and Helen Bauer, as seen on Live at The Apollo, who will present a work in progress show of her new thoughts and feelings.

I Want My Hat Back Trilogy

The Egg

1st – 5th March, Various Times

Jon Klassen’s beloved books, I Want My Hat Back, This is Not My Hat and We Found A Hat, have found a new life of their own, live on stage.

Tickets: £10

Eshaan Akbar: The Pretender

The Rondo Theatre

3rd March, 8pm

As seen on Mock The Week, QI, on podcasts Have A Word, Ninetwentynine, and Spitting Image, as well as LBC, Times Radio, and Radio 4. Eshaan Akbar brings us his debut tour, The Pretender.

Bath Decorative Antiques Fair

The Pavilion

10th- 11th March, 11am-5pm

After 33 years, the Bath Decorative Antiques Fair is still the leading regional event to beat, with a vibrant mix of exhibitors from across the UK. Visit the fair's website to claim free tickets for 2.

Anniversary of Uranus’ Discovery

Herschel Museum of Astronomy

13th March, 7pm-9pm

Join stargazing with the Bath Astronomers on the anniversary of the discovery of the Planet Uranus, from the very garden it was discovered from by William Herschel in 1781.

Locals encouraged to start planning for Coronation events

THOSE wanting to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty

The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort in May are being encouraged to begin planning now.

Bath & North East Somerset Council has put together a toolkit to help people plan their local celebrations and is asking residents to get in touch with its events team this month.

The Coronation of Charles III and Camilla will take place on Saturday 6th May with a bank holiday in its honour on Monday 8th May. The local authority says it is expecting a large volume of enquiries and applications for events to celebrate the occasion and needs to be notified of people’s plans by the end of February.

This will allow time for further advice and guidance to be given in time for residents to apply for road closures, licences or other permissions as required, including road closures for street parties.

Communities planning to hold an event are asked to email the Events team at event@

Three firefighters set to join Bath station following graduation

bathnes.gov.uk with an outline of their plans, together with any questions.

Councillor Dine Romero, cabinet member for Children and Young People, and Communities, said:

“The Coronation is going to be a fabulous occasion and holding neighbourhood events is a great way to get into the community spirit.

“We are asking anyone planning an event to get in touch with us at the earliest opportunity, so we can help you make it a great success and avoid any pitfalls along the way.

“We hope that as many neighbourhoods as possible will take the opportunity to join in this international celebration and we hope to hear about all your exciting plans soon.”

If events are deemed large enough by the Events team to need an application via the council’s EventApp, full documentation, including risk assessments and event management plans need to be returned eight weeks in advance, which is 6th March 2023 at the latest, for events taking place over the Coronation weekend.

THREE new on-call recruits for Avon Fire & Rescue Service are set to join Bath’s Fire Station after celebrating their graduation earlier this month following the completion of a training course.

James Huntington, Ellie Workman and Kirsty Torrance graduated in an official ceremony alongside fellow recruits from Avon Fire & Rescue and Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service.

James, who has always wanted to help people, said: “I have always believed that becoming a firefighter is something that I can be truly passionate about and proud of, and now I have the opportunity to make it happen.”

The course that the recruits have completed provides new oncall firefighters with specialist knowledge and a wide range of practical skills including tactical firefighting, pitching ladders, breathing apparatus, road traffic collision safety and water safety and rescue.

Having worked in marketing for eight years, Ellie knew that she wanted a change. She said: “I wanted a job that I could be proud of and would give me a purpose. This experience has challenged me more than I could imagine but I’ve loved every minute.”

James, Ellie and Kirsty were presented with their completion certificates at the ceremony and

will now go on to serve their community in Bath as part of the on-call response crew. Kirsty has wanted to be a firefighter since she was a small child. She said: “When I found out about being on call, getting the chance to continue working whilst fighting fires and serving the community, I couldn’t sign up fast enough!”

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Steve Imire added: “Congratulations to our new on-call firefighters, James, Ellie and Kirsty, who officially graduated the training course. I wish them the best of luck as they respond to incidents and help their communities in Bath.”

Hour-long

sunrise tours to be offered at the Roman Baths

NEW “Sunrise Tours” are to be offered at the historic Roman Baths, giving people the opportunity to visit the site outside of the normal opening hours.

The tours, available for an exclusive number of people, will give participants the opportunity to find out about the history of the site from an expert guide. The hour-long tours will cover the history of the Roman Baths, revealing how they were used by the Romans, and how they were discovered and excavated in the 1800s.

Visitors will explore the Roman Baths museum with some of the most experienced staff and get to talk to them about the unique artefacts on display, including the gilt bronze head of the goddess Sulis Minerva and the Gorgon’s Head.

After the tour, visitors will be free to carry on exploring the site at their leisure, though after 10am the site will also open to the general public.

Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “This new experience provides visitors to the Roman Baths with an exciting chance to explore the historic monument away from the busiest times of day, and discover more about the history of this fascinating site from our expert staff.

“Sunrise Tours are perfect for those looking for a quieter, more intimate, experience when visiting one of the finest historic sites in the world.”

RUH charity invites people to join Night Glow fundraiser

Tours will begin at 9am on Mondays and Fridays, from February to June 2023, excluding school holidays and Bank Holidays.

Pre-booking is essential, as tickets will not be available to purchase on the day, and tickets will be limited to a maximum of 60 people per session. Tickets cost £60 per person, with group discounts available. For more info, or to book a Sunrise Tour, visit www.romanbaths. co.uk/event/sunrise-tour.

RUHX, the official charity of the Royal United Hospital in Bath, is set to hold another cold water dip fundraising event, this time with a twist. Taking place on Thursday 6th April, the Night Glow is a swim after dark, under the rising full ‘pink’ moon. With lit floats and buoys, the lake at West Country Water Park will be transformed into a spectacle of twinkling lights as brave fundraisers enter the water.

Ellie Wilkinson, Events and Community Officer, RUHX said: “The Night Glow is a fun and beginner friendly event, fully supported by lifeguards, for everyone to experience the benefits of cold water dipping. “It’s going to be a magical night with dippers lighting up the lake for Royal United Hospitals Bath. This is a chance do something

truly unique to raise funds for our patients and staff.”

The West Country Water Park has indoor changing rooms and toilets, including accessible facilities, providing a warm space to stay safe after exposure to the elements.

After the dip, those taking part will be able to celebrate with a hot drink in the café, with the opportunity to meet like-minded people.

The Night Glow event is open to those 16 and over, costs £15 to register and participants are asked to raise a minimum of £75. In return, RUHX will provide dippers with a branded swimming cap, t-shirt, a hot drink and fundraising support. You can register for your place at https://ruhx.org.uk/events/ night-glow/.

Recruits Dan Harvey, Joseph Cox, Cameron John, Ellie Workman, Kirsty Torrance & James Huntington | Photo © AF&RS

Touring the Roman Baths | Photo © B&NES Council

Fundraiser launched to help save Georgian pumping station

AN urgent fundraising appeal has been launched to help save Bath’s original Georgian pumping station with a 200-year-old waterwheel. The Claverton Pumping Station is at risk of never running again unless major repairs can be funded.

A JustGiving fundraising page has been launched in the hope that the important part of Bath’s history can be saved.

Situated two miles from the city centre on the Kennet and Avon Canal, Claverton Pumping Station is home to a 7-metrewide waterwheel, built in 1813 to ensure the canal didn’t run dry. The wheel was used to power a beam engine capable of pumping over 2 million gallons of water into the canal each day. This water kept the canal functioning as a transport highway from Bristol and Bath to London during the Industrial Revolution. Whilst an electric pump does the work today, the original waterwheel and pumping station is open as an attraction with hundreds of visitors each year. A team of twenty volunteers

maintain the site and help give guided tours. Architectural students also travel to witness its engineering heritage first-hand. Earlier this year, cracks started to form on the cast iron frame, threatening its future.

Julian Stirling, Trustee of Claverton Pumping Station Trust CIO said: “Cracks in cast iron are very serious, and very hard to mend. If the damage gets any worse it could be catastrophic.

“We can’t run the waterwheel again unless we find a way to fund the repairs.

“Inspecting and repairing the cracks will cost £10,000. That is an enormous sum for a volunteerrun museum.”

Claverton Pumping Station has launched a fundraiser to raise the £10,000 needed to repair the machinery.

Neil Butters, BANES Councillor for Bathavon South, has endorsed the efforts to repair the Grade I listed pumping station.

He said: “Claverton Pumping Station is a key piece of local industrial archaeology, wellknown throughout the country.

“It provides an invaluable, operational example of how

engineering challenges were successfully tackled centuries ago – and is kept alive by a dedicated band of volunteers.

“Its educational value will continue to increase with every year that passes. We really must save it for future generations.”

It is hoped if the funding is raised, then the waterwheel could be

Man dies in collision on A4 bypass

A MAN has died following a collision involving a lorry and a pedestrian on the A4 Batheaston bypass on Saturday 18th February.

Emergency services were called to the scene just before 8.45am. The eastbound side of the bypass was closed between the London Road and the A363 Bradford Road at Bathford.

Traffic was temporarily stopped on the westbound carriageway. Mill Lane, between Bathampton and London Road West, was also closed while collision investigators carried out an examination of the scene. The roads reopened at around 2.30pm.

Avon & Somerset Police said the man’s next of kin had been contacted following the incident. If you were travelling along the bypass at the time and have any dashcam footage or information which could help the investigation, call 101 and give the reference 5223039616.

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restored and run as early as 2024. In the meantime, the pumping station will remain open to visitors throughout the summer from April onwards, on the second Saturday and Tuesday of each month, as well as the early May bank holiday.

Julian added: “It’s incredible that we could run the pump last

year, 209 years after it started operation.

“It would be a tragedy if that was the last time.

“We really hope people will donate on our Just Giving page and help us pass on a piece of Bath’s engineering heritage.”

To support the campaign, visit: http://bit.ly/3EmbYxM

MP visits Wessex Water sewage treatment plant

BATH’S MP Wera Hobhouse was given a tour of the Wessex Water sewage pumping station and treatment centre which serves the city during a visit on Thursday, 16th February.

Mrs Hobhouse found out more about how the operation works and learned more about the problems water companies face in preventing discharges.

The MP for Bath commented: “It was fascinating to get insights into how our sewage is dealt with and why there are currently so many issues relating to overflows and discharges.

every day.

“There has to be a focus on separating our rain water and sewage at source if we are going to generate a truly long-term fix to this ongoing mess.

The Pavilion, North Parade Road, Bath BA2 4EU

Upcoming Talks are:

2nd March 2023

SPACE EXPLORATION – OUR PLACE IN SPACE by Jo Richardson

6 April 2023

THE ART OF DECEPTION - FAKES AND FORGERIES by Marilyn Bishop

4 May 2023

DROPPING THE HABIT - A NUN’S STORY by Marion Dante

“I know this is a topic that many of my constituents follow closely so going to the heart of the matter and getting a better understanding of the problem is very important to me.

“Protecting river health so that our natural ecosystems can flourish needs to be at the centre of any solutions put forward.

“At the different facilities I learnt about the inadequacies of our sewage infrastructure in dealing with the vast amounts of rain water and sewage that move through the systems

“The Government has failed in this regard so far. Not only have they ignored infrastructure issues, they have also made it harder to measure water health by removing vital indicators. This has to change so we can reassure the public that their rivers are safe.

“I witnessed first hand the vast scale of operation needed to deal with our sewage. We need a sensible, constructive dialogue with all parties if we are going to overcome the problems my constituents are rightly so concerned about.

“My visit to the Wessex Water treatment plant was part of this. I will continue to engage with all sides and push for solutions that can provide my constituents with the healthy environment they deserve.”

The historic Claverton Pumping Station | Photo © Claverton Pumping Station

MP Wera Hobhouse at the Wessex Water treatment site

Health Mental health charity working with NHS to improve services

John Wimperis Local Democracy Reporter

A MENTAL health charity is working with the NHS to transform how people access mental health support in Bath and North East Somerset. Mental health services in the area had been criticised as “insufficient” in a recent report into how people accessed services during the pandemic. The healthcare watchdog Healthwatch identified the difficulty in getting seen by services, and how poorly joined up they could be, as key issues raised by people seeking support for their mental health. But a local charity said it has been working with the NHS over the last 10 months and the picture is already changing. Now anyone needing support with their mental health can contact Bath Mind’s “front door” on 08081 751 369. Calls are free and the phone line is available seven days a week, from 9am to 11pm.

Bath Mind CEO Kate Morton said: “Anybody can ring that number if they’ve got concerns about themselves or a loved one and they can just talk it through with a wellbeing practitioner. “And it might be that we can support them directly; it might be that we can then provide a more relevant service that they can get in contact with and we’ll help them do that.

“We don’t just leave them to do it. Or we can then escalate to our NHS partners if the severity of illness is something we can’t deal with.”

Bath Mind is an independent mental health charity serving the whole of Bath and North East Somerset.

The charity also now has a team of practitioners based in the emergency department at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, working with people who come in due to mental health reasons

and referring them to Bath Mind, rather than NHS services. Although people were positive about Bath Mind in the Healthwatch report, an issue was raised about how long it could take to be referred to them after going to hospital. Now Ms Morton hopes this will speed up the referral process. She said: “We just need to work with them to get them into some safety plan and think about what next and how we can help.”

RUH Chief Medical Officer

Andrew Hollowood said: “One of our goals is to work with our community partners to create one of the healthiest places to live and work, and so we’re delighted to be working in partnership with Bath Mind on this fantastic initiative.

“This is helping people to get the care they need in the right place and we’re already getting really positive feedback from both Emergency Department staff and patients.”

A spokesperson from Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust added:

“We are pleased to be working closely with Bath Mind to support the collaboration working with vulnerable service users in Royal United Hospital Bath”.

Bath Mind is not an NHS registered provider itself and prides itself on providing care in a non-medical sense.

Ms Morton said: “We are non-clinical providers in the community. That isn’t to say that we don’t have registered people working for us — mental health nurses, […] counsellors — but we pride ourselves on offering that alternative to the healthcare system.”

The charity is keen to keep people out of hospital where possible.

Ms Morton said: “They are not great places for people.”

Bath Mind runs a range of services from community groups, counselling, and benefits advice to a registered care home and training for organisations. They support people from the higher end of need, to people dealing with loneliness and anxiety.

Ms Morton said: “We are able to work with somebody on that pathway – on their journey –so we can see them all the way through. We don’t just hand them over to somebody else.”

Every evening, the charity runs an in-person “breathing space” in the centre of Bath, where people can work with trained staff to have some “time and support,” and to develop a plan for what they need and want. People can get access to the space by calling the “front door” number.

Ms Morton said: “Mental health often falls into those wider social determinants, where people don’t have warm dry affordable housing, they have relationship

breakdown, they may be in debt and have financial crisis. So we provide support around all those issues.

“We don’t just do the one issue; we don’t just deal with your mental health issue. We deal with all those other factors which could be affecting your mental health.”

Bath Mind currently runs 17 groups but Ms Morton said there was demand for three times as many. The Covid pandemic brought with it an increase in people seeking support for their mental health, with Bath Mind seeing a fourfold increase in people getting in touch.

Ms Morton said: “There isn’t enough care because there isn’t enough money, and demand is outstripping supply.

“What I would say though is it might be that care in a clinical medical sense isn’t always needed, and what’s really exciting about this transformation model that we are just launching is that we are looking at a way of doing this differently.

“By Bath Mind being the front door to all services, we can then work with somebody to assess whether it is care as such they need, or whether the care can come from a non-medical practitioner in terms of more supportive, self-care, resilient strategies to stay well.”

Anyone in need of support with their mental health can contact Bath Mind’s “front door”, whatever their level of need.

Ms Morton said: “We never take risks. We are trained to know that if somebody is very very unwell and needs immediate attention, then we have access to all the right organisations to contact.” She added: “We will make sure that we never leave someone stranded if they are very unwell.”

The rollout of the “front door” over the last 10 months has been a “soft launch.” Bath Mind plans to extend the service to GP surgeries in the near future. You can contact Bath Mind’s “front door” on freephone 08081 751 369 from 9am to 11pm, seven days a week.

Drop in number of GPs across region sees MP call for action

THE number of patients being cared for per GP has increased by 12% across the region in the past six years, new research has shown.

There are now 220 more patients per fully qualified GP in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire than there were in 2016.

The research by the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, showed that the number of fully qualified GPs in the area’s Integrated Care Board (ICB) fell between December

2016 and December 2022 to 472, down from 488.

Nationally, the number of fully qualified GPs fell by 2,000 to just over 27,000.

The demand for GPs has also grown from 2016, putting more pressure on a service which is losing staff. The number of registered patients in the area has grown from 920,000 to nearly 1 million in the past 6 years. There are now 2,100 patients per fully qualified GP, an increase of 12% on the 2016 figure.

The Liberal Democrats have called for 8,000 new GPs to be

recruited nationally.

Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath, commented: “All of my constituents should have the ability to see their GP when they need to. But because this Conservative Government has abandoned our relentlessly hardworking GPs, this is not always possible.

“The work our brilliant doctors do in the community has gone completely unrewarded by the Conservatives. They have subjected GPs to intolerable stress and burnout. It is no wonder so many are leaving the

profession.

“People are fed up with this Government failing to deliver on the basics as our local health services are driven into the ground. We Liberal Democrats

would not just pledge to recruit more GPs as the Conservatives have, we would actually do it. It is the very least that the people of Bath and our hardworking medical professionals deserve.”

Above: Bath Mind’s Access Community Mental Health Team | Inset: Bath Mind now has practitioners in A&E at the RUH emergency department | Photos © Bath Mind

University receives hedgehog award

BATH Spa University has been awarded a Gold Accreditation from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society for being a “Hedgehog Friendly Campus”, just a year after achieving silver. Hedgehogs are considered as vulnerable under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and their numbers have declined by up to 50% since 2000. The Gold Accreditation is recognition for staff and students who have worked to make the university’s campuses safe for the creatures, as well as raise awareness of their decline.

In the past year, students and staff at Bath Spa have:

• Established a student Hedgehog Society

• Run a hedgehog-themed reusable cup design competition

• Produced a campaign video highlighting the work being done

• Worked with the local community, such as conducting hedgehog surveys at Corston Community Orchard

• Provided watering and food

stations during last year’s drought to help hedgehogs prepare for hibernation

• Offered special training to the Grounds’ Team, to ensure they work in a hog-safe manner and can provide the correct help if a hedgehog is found.

In addition, over 25 students signed up to become Hedgehog Champions with Hedgehog Street.

Julian Greaves, Sustainability Manager at Bath Spa University said: “The Hedgehog Friendly Campus Award has been the best nature-focused engagement activity we’ve ever done and we’re extremely proud to have attained this Gold Award.

Pupils compose positive pop songs

“The Award has generated an overwhelming level of interest among staff and students, not only in hedgehogs, but in biodiversity more broadly.

“I would like to thank all the students that have given their time to the project, our Grounds Manager, Penny Snowden and our very own Sustainability Coordinator, Emma Jakins, for all the work they’ve put in over the last couple of years.

“Our campus is now truly hedgehog friendly and we plan to keep it that way!”

This year, 92 institutions submitted applications to become a Hedgehog Friendly Campus.

YEAR 6 pupils from the Royal High School in Bath have used their state-of-the-art music studio to record their own pop songs, based around Children’s Mental Health Week. All of the songs were about positivity, featuring uplifting lyrics such as “I am a picture perfect painting with imperfections, I am standing here and I see, I am beautiful as me”, “If you don’t like the road you are walking on, start paving another one” and “Sometimes you forget you are awesome, so this is your reminder”.

Over four weeks, the schoolchildren worked in groups with Mrs Millard, Head of Performing Arts at Royal High Prep School, to compose the lyrics and melodies for their songs. They took inspiration from famous motivational quotes, a favourite was Oscar Wilde’s “Be

yourself; everyone else is taken”, and came up with ideas before deciding what key words and phrases to include. Each group wrote out the lyrics in full and composed their melody. They then worked with Mrs Millard to notate the melody and add the accompaniment.

Mrs Millard said:

“We have an amazing culture of music here at Royal High School Bath, supported by the most fantastic facilities and resources.

“The girls absolutely loved the experience of being in the recording studio and I really could not be prouder of them.

“Each group worked so well together; every person contributed something and although each song was so different, they all had such lovely positive and encouraging messages to share.

“It was the perfect activity for Children’s Mental Health Week.”

Hedgehogs are vulnerable and their numbers have halved since 2000

Business

Christmas Market brings in half-a-million visitors to city

AROUND half a million visitors came to Bath to enjoy the annual Christmas Market, initial figures have revealed, giving the local economy a boost and making it one of the best in its 20-year history. The return of the market in 2022 was also hailed a resounding success by visitors and stallholders.

After a two-year break because of the coronavirus pandemic, the market welcomed an estimated half a million people over eighteen days between 24th November and 8th December 2022.

Bath & North East Somerset Council, which took over the running of the event in 2020, made a number of changes to the 20th-anniversary event. The layout of the 178 chalets was altered to reduce overcrowding in areas of high footfall, and for the first time, carts were introduced, to enable more micro-businesses to sell their wares at a reduced rate.

Feedback from both visitors and stallholders was positive, with 94% of stallholders reporting a successful market and 95% of visitors saying they’d now consider returning to Bath at another point in the year.

Councillor Kevin Guy, council leader, said: “Bath’s Christmas Market has been consistently ranked in the top 10 in Europe for a number of years and for many people it’s a highlight of their festive calendar.

“After a two-year break because of Covid, it was wonderful to dust off the chalets and welcome back the stallholders and visitors.

“Running the market for the first time as part of ‘Bath at Christmas’ worked incredibly well, the illuminations added to the festive atmosphere created by the market and after the dark days of the pandemic the city really felt alive again.

“The market really is a fantastic draw which boosts our local economy including hotels, pubs and restaurants. It’s also really encouraging to hear the majority of visitors enjoyed their time here so much they are considering coming back.

“We’re always looking to improve though and planning is already under way to make this year’s Christmas market even better.”

More than 200 traders and 36 charities took part in the market.

Zoe from Zoe Rose Art said: “As a local artist, having the opportunity to trade at Bath Christmas Market was a bucket

Councillor Kevin Guy with stallholders at the Bath Christmas Market list moment and the experience did not disappoint.

“The organisation, planning and support of the events team were second to none, every detail was thoroughly planned and executed.”

Initial data from an independent

MP Wera Hobhouse champions community energy projects

BATH MP Wera Hobhouse shared her support for community-owned and run energy projects during a parliament debate on Thursday 9th February.

The MP spoke during a debate on Chris Skidmore MP’s Net Zero review.

Ms Hobhouse is backing a proposed new law, the Local Electricity Bill, aiming to enable communities to power their homes and businesses with locally generated renewable energy, helping to retain the proceeds from energy bills in the local economy.

There are high hopes for community energy’s direct benefits, including new skilled jobs, reduced energy bills and more money for local projects. The campaign group Power for People thanked the MP for supporting the proposed new law.

Community energy, renewable energy generated by communityowned and run projects, accounts for less than 0.5% of total UK electricity generation capacity. According to the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee, the sector could grow 12-20 times by 2030 with the right Government support, powering

2.2 million homes and saving 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.

The recent Net Zero review, authored by Chris Skidmore MP and commissioned by the Government, affirmed “the community energy sector has been relatively neglected by government” with its leading recommendation to address this being that the “Government should commit to the Local Electricity Bill that would enable community energy projects to provide energy directly to local households and businesses”.

Ms Hobhouse raised the potential of Community Energy in the Net Zero review debate and was pleased to see it supported in Mr Skidmore’s review.

The MP for Bath, who is also the Liberal Democrat Climate and Energy spokesperson, is one of a cross-party group of 316 MPs supporting the Local Electricity Bill, along with over 100 national organisations including the National Trust, the RSPB, CPRE, WWF, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

Supportive MPs, including Mrs Hobhouse, as well as Lords and Baronesses in the House

of Lords, are encouraging the Government to include the sections of the Local Electricity Bill in the Government’s Energy Bill, which is the first major piece of energy legislation in almost 10 years and is expected to pass into law before the summer.

Wera commented: “I am pleased to support the Local Electricity Bill, which will empower and enable new community energy companies to sell energy they generate directly to local people, helping to strengthen our local economies.

“I call on the Government to support it too by including its measures in the Energy Bill that is currently progressing through Parliament.”

Power for People’s Director, Steve Shaw, said: “We thank Wera Hobhouse for supporting community energy and the Local Electricity Bill in Parliament.

“If made law, it would unleash the huge potential for new community-owned clean energy that would be cheaper, make our energy system more robust and bring knock-on local economic benefits to our towns, villages and cities.”

survey of visitors to the market commissioned by the council reveals almost half come every year.

The survey also found that:

• 75% who visited Bath over the period came solely because of the Christmas market.

• 37% stayed for an average of 2.4 nights.

• 74% shopped outside the market.

• 79% ate a meal in a local restaurant.

• 48% came on foot or used public transport.

City centre pub closes for £180,000 refurb

THE Trinity pub on James Street West has closed ahead of a £185,000 refurbishment scheme that will see it reopen under new management. The pub, which has been open under temporary management since last May, is having a complete revamp which will see it focus on sports and live entertainment.

New operators Tobias Goodnight and Tui Sancha are taking on The Trinity, with the couple having 12 years hospitality experience having worked on the south coast and running a gastro and live entertainment pub in Manchester.

The interior is being reconfigured to increase the seating from 34 to 62. The new layout will ensure fans can watch sport from anywhere inside the pub on one of the four new large televisions. Planned redecoration will give the pub a more contemporary look and feel with new pendant style lighting, high stools, upholstery and carpet. Outside, the exterior will be given a complete makeover with the stone cleaned and repointed, windows and roof renovated and the addition of blue and black signage and new lighting.

As part of the upgrade works,

the latest dispensing technology which improves the quality and consistency of draft beer and cider is being installed. The Smart Dispense System’s unique cooling technology and line insulation from keg to tap is 20% more energy efficient than standard systems, keeping cider and beer colder.

Tui said: “We are brimming full of ideas of events to put on at the pub, but first we want to settle in, get to know locals and find out the type of activity that would most appeal to them.”

Tobias added: “We are thrilled to be moving to Bath – especially as I am passionate about Georgian architecture – and look forward to enjoying the cultural highlights the city has to offer. We are also really looking forward to becoming part of the local community and making new friends. What better way to do this than running a pub in the heart of the city.”

Gavin Perkins, Area Manager for Star Pubs & Bars said: “We are delighted to be giving The Trinity a new lease of life, making it more appealing for the local community and a new generation of potential customers.

The Trinity is expected to reopen on Thursday 23rd March.

Politics

Council’s budget overspend lower than previously forecast

John Wimperis Local Democracy Reporter

BATH and North East Somerset Council is projected to overspend its budget by £1.5m, a reduction from the £4.5m overspend that had been previously predicted. The revised budget for 2022/23 was £126.37m and the council is currently forecast to spend £127.86m.

Richard Samuel, Bath and North East Somerset Council’s cabinet member for resources told the council’s cabinet on 9th February:

“I am confident this will reduce further this year, although I do not expect the budget to be in credit or in surplus at year-end. I think that would be too far a stretch but I think the position will improve.”

At the end of the second financial quarter, the council had been projected to overspend its budget by £4.5m. But now the position

at the end of the third financial quarter points to a £1.48m overspend.

Mr Samuel said: “From 2019 to 2022 this administration has kept to spending plans and not allowed expenditure to exceed income and therefore ensured that scarce council reserves are not used to balance the books year on year.

“When I reported on Quarter

Two back in November, it looked as if we might miss our target this financial year.”

He said that high energy costs, interest rates, and inflation had been compounded by significant increases in the cost of children’s safeguarding.

Mr Samuel said: “This threatened to blow the council’s entire budget off course.”

Children’s services is currently £6m over budget largely due to the demand on children’s social services.

Local authorities across the country have faced funding

challenges in this area, with a £1.6bn funding shortfall nationally.

The government is planning to invest £200m in children’s social care over the next two years, which Mr Samuel branded “a pathetic response.”

He added: “In [Bath and North East Somerset] I have asked the management team to begin work urgently to examine how we can better control costs and begin to return to the provision of early years services in the future as a key preventative measure.

“This will take up much of the next administration’s time and energy but is crucial as the overruns in children’s services are now an existential threat to the council’s financial stability and we have to do something whilst protecting the need and care of children at the same time.”

The council’s budget for 2023/24 was also agreed at the cabinet meeting on Thursday 9th February.

Families expected to see mortgage repayments rise

FAMILIES across Bath who are coming off their low-rate fixed mortgage deals could see repayments rise by nearly £4,000, analysis has revealed. Average annual mortgage repayments have increased by around £3,990 in the city because of rising interest rates which jumped following former Prime Minister Liz Truss’s mini-budget. The cost of a two-year fixed-rate mortgage now stands at 5.75%, compared to 3.95% in August, the month before the mini-budget.

Data from the West of England Combined Authority suggests there are around 5,300 households in Bath and North East Somerset who have fixed term mortgages concluding before the end of 2023.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris, who has responsibility for regional economic development, said: “We’re talking serious sums here.

£300 less a month in your pocket will hit people hard.

“It will undoubtedly have knock on effects on the wider economy too as it will mean people spending less on the shops and on leisure activities.

“This mortgage penalty is another bitter blow for Bath families who are paying the price of 13 years of Conservative economic mismanagement.

“I fear that many people already suffering in this unprecedented cost of living crisis will find the cost hikes a big shock when they come to renew their mortgages.”

Maintenance programme begins at Fairfield House

WORK is underway to maintain a historic property in Bath, once the home of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, and now a community base.

Bath & North East Somerset Council and Fairfield House Bath Community Interest Company (CIC) have started working in formal partnership and agreed to a significant maintenance programme for Fairfield House in Kelston Road.

Fairfield House Bath CIC was awarded a two-year lease by the local authority last October.

It will enable the historic site to continue being used as a lively community hub, daycare centre for the elderly and heritage attraction for visitors worldwide. The council will manage the maintenance programme with an immediate focus on roof guttering and drainage repairs. A new partnership board, independently chaired by Tom Boden, will meet monthly.

William Heath, Co-Chair of Fairfield House Bath CIC, said: “This is a very important building and we are pleased to have been able to agree the maintenance programme with the council to ensure its future. The urgency of the repair work was underlined by a significant collapse of decorative plasterwork in the hall in the early hours of Sunday 5th February when the house was empty.

“The ceiling will be fully restored by specialist contractors in coming weeks, who will carry out other safety checks.”

Councillor Tom Davies, cabinet member for Adult Services and Council House Building, said: “Fairfield House with its history and its contribution to community life means a great deal to so many peo-

ple so I am pleased that a maintenance plan has been agreed and that work will begin on the house to ensure its future.”

From 1936 to 1941, the villa was the residence of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, who gifted the property to 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 local people of Bath, for Rastafari, Ethiopians, and the worldwide African diaspora.

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.

Photo © B&NES Council

In Other News...

Work gets underway on new bridge for primary school after nine years

John Wimperis Local Democracy Reporter

A NEW footbridge to a primary school is finally being built, nine years after it was promised.

The bridge across a stream in Radstock links Nelson Ward Drive to St Nicholas’s CofE primary school, letting children from the new Heritage Park development and the Writhlington part of town walk to school more easily.

It is hoped that this will mean parents will stop blocking up the Meadow View cul-de-sac by the school while picking up children from school.

Eleanor Jackson, who represents Westfield on Bath and North East Somerset Council as well as sitting on the parish council, said: “At present parents jam Meadow View, obstructing driveways, parking on double yellow lines and polluting the atmosphere by letting their car engines run, often for as much as 45 minutes before the children leave school.”

The bridge across Kilmersdon stream has been nicknamed “the bridge over troubled waters” after the nine years of delays which

have held up construction. Radstock town councillor Gary Dando said: “We didn’t think it would ever get done.”

Developer Linden Homes agreed to pay the council £174,000 to build the bridge as a section 106 agreement, a condition of planning permission where a developer agrees to pay for some public infrastructure, when Bath and North Somerset Council granted permission for the building of the new homes in 2014.

But issues around the footbridge’s impact on ecology and

MP praises approach to community policing

BATH MP Wera Hobhouse recently joined two officers from Avon & Somerset Police for a ‘ridealong’ as they attended to their frontline duties in the city. The MP had the opportunity to acquire a first-hand understanding of police work and the challenges that officers face. She praised the police constables’ diligent and respectful approach to community policing.

“Our city’s police force is a shining example of what good community-based policing looks like. It was fascinating to view their approach first-hand and see how they interacted with the public in such a positive way.

construction issues contributed to delays which threatened to lead to the money being handed back to the developer. But now the bridge is finally going ahead, nine years after it was initially agreed. Ms Jackson said: “Is this a record?”

Work is now being carried out on the foundations, with the bridge expected to be craned into place. But Mr Dando questioned whether it would lead to more issues with cars if lots of people drop their children off on Nelson Ward Drive. He said: “My concern is the turning area.”

Wera Hobhouse said: “I was grateful to be able to accompany two of our city’s police officers for several hours to experience for myself the varied challenges they face. These included investigating a road traffic collision, interviewing a resident and visiting the Keynsham Police Station.

“The care the police officers took while interacting with a wide range of individuals about their issues and concerns was truly heartening. It was inspiring to see members of our local policing team taking such care and pride in protecting our community. I learned a lot about the rigours of police training and how this equips officers to do their jobs so effectively.

“My warmest thanks to the two officers for the time they spent with me which has further confirmed my very positive impression of our local Avon & Somerset Police force.

“We must continue to support our officers and their efforts to keep us safe. I saw them work diligently all afternoon to do just that and my constituents should feel confident that they are out there looking after all of us.”

BANES Area Commander Ronnie Lungu of Avon & Somerset Police commented:

“Our neighbourhood policing and response teams play a key role in ensuring the safety of our communities and providing reassurance to victims of crime.

“Ridealongs offer members of the public the opportunity to explore behind-the-scenes of our organisation, allowing people to see first-hand how officers respond to a range of incidents."

Two men jailed after admitting to supplying class A drugs

TWO men from Bath have been jailed after admitting to supplying class A drugs, with one of them also sentenced for modern-day slavery offences involving a 15-year-old boy.

23-year-old Solomon Brown, of Snow Hill in Bath, was sentenced on Friday 17th February at Bristol Crown Court for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, namely heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine and for acquiring and possessing criminal property.

Brown has additionally sentenced for two modern-day slavery offences of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour and arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with the view of exploitation.

He was also sentenced for possession with intent to supply cannabis and being in possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.

Brown was jailed for six-anda-half years and was handed a seven-year Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order (STPO).

The terms of the order include strict conditions on his access to a mobile phone, prevent him from arranging travel or accommodation for any person under the age of 18 except for immediate family members and bans him from having unsupervised contact with a juvenile.

A second man, Aaron Gardiner, 21, of The Oval in Bath, was also handed a custodial sentence of three years and four months to be served at a young persons’ institution for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, namely heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine and for acquiring and possessing criminal property.

The charges come after a series of simultaneous warrants

Crossword answers - Issue 045

carried out on Tuesday 15th November in Snow Hill. Several people, including Brown and Gardiner, were arrested as part of the warrant. Following the warrants, evidence was found that proved Brown had been exploiting others to deal drugs for him. This included a 15-year-old boy trafficked to Bath from elsewhere in the country. The victim was held in servitude to deal drugs for the drug line. The child was safeguarded and offered support throughout the investigation. Brown also had multiple weapons in his possession, including machetes and knuckle dusters. At Gardiner’s address, a large volume of cash and drugs were seized. In total, officers seized £1,020 of crack cocaine, £510 of heroin, £6,410 of cocaine and almost £10,000 in cash.

(14/02/23)

Five other individuals linked to the case were arrested and some remain under investigation. Officer in the case, PC Christopher Cook, said: “Exploiting children to sell drugs is disgraceful.

“We can never fully understand the significant impact these events have had on the young person. We welcome the court’s decision to impose the STPO on Brown and this will stop him from putting another child at risk to benefit his own agenda once he is released.

Across: 1 Material, 9 Yearning, 10 Retailer, 11 Envisage, 12 Nominee, 13 Unstable, 14 Reverses, 18 Electric, 22 Man-of-war, 23 Spartan, 24 Corridor, 26 Academia, 27 Arkansas, 28 Pinpoint.

Down: 2 Awesome, 3 Evasive, 4 Illness, 5 Lyre, 6 Harvest, 7 Unusual, 8 Snuggle, 13 Usher, 15 Masonry, 16 Doorway, 17 Swedish, 19 Explain, 20 Torpedo, 21 Iranian, 25 Rasp.

“The sentence handed to Brown and Gardiner reflects the magnitude of the crimes they have committed, and I would like to think the length of the sentences received will resonate with those involved or about to become involved in drug supply. I hope the community of Snow Hill see the impact of the action taken to tackle drug supply in the area.

“I would like to encourage the public to continue supplying the police with information to assist us in tackling county lines and drug supply within the other communities in Avon and Somerset.”

Work getting underway on the new bridge | Photo © Eleanor Jackson

Solomon Brown and Aaron Gardiner