Bath Echo - Issue 060 - 12/09/2023

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Tuesday 12th September - Monday 25th September 2023

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Issue No. 060

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Weeds could become “insurmountable problem” P2

CAR PARKING PRICE INCREASE

Air quality continues to improve following CAZ introduction P4

Those with most polluting vehicles to pay more - P3

CITY CENTRE SECURITY WORKS CONTINUE - P2

Homeowners offered chance to save money on bills with solar panels P6

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Next phase of security works to get underway

In this issue...

Top Stories

Tuesday 12th September - Monday 25th September 2023

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Pictures from the Past

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Crossword

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What's On

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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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MONTHS of work are due to begin at Upper Borough Walls in Bath as part of ongoing security improvements in the city centre.

A closure of the street, for advance works ahead of the installation of permanent security bollards, will start on 26th September.

The initial work is expected to be completed in November ahead of the Christmas embargo, prior to commencing the main project in January, which is expected to take another five months to complete.

The road will be closed between Union Street and Northgate Street, however Blue Badge holders and other exempt vehicles will still be able to access and park in the secure zone between 10am and 6pm.

Pedestrian access will be maintained for people who are walking or wheeling, and the works in footways will be subject to pedestrian controls.

The construction works are not expected to prevent traders, or their customers, from accessing premises.

In advance of the works, trial hole investigations, to inform the scheme design, have begun and will continue for two weeks.

The work will be carried out within the Union Street footway only and will not affect vehicular access along Upper Borough Walls.

How the new bollards are expected to look | Image courtesy of B&NES Council

Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for Highways, said: “There is still access using the diversion route and we will do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum.

“The way the works are progressing are complex and this means some arrangements may change so we will endeavour to keep everyone informed as much as we can.

“I’d urge all those businesses, residents and Blue Badge holders who will be affected by the closure of Upper Borough Walls to come along and talk to the project team and discuss any concerns they

may have at the drop-in session.”

During the works, diversions will be signposted and marshals will be available at Westgate Buildings.

Entry to Westgate Street, Saw Close and Upper Borough Walls will be via a temporary entrance at the junction of Westgate Street and Westgate Street Buildings, with the exit via Barton Street/ Wood Street/Quiet Street and New Bond Street.

Drivers must exit New Bond Street to the left to avoid the bus gate between 10am and 6pm.

Deliveries and waste collections will still be possible before

10am and after 6pm initially via Westgate Buildings, with alternative parking and loading available nearby on the High Street and New Bond Street.

Once the new automated sliding bollard at Cheap Street is operational, entry will then resume at the entrance of Cheap Street at its junction with the High Street, this date will be confirmed closer to the time.

The council has carried out investigative works but until contractors get on site the construction timeline is estimated and completion dates cannot be guaranteed.

Weeds could become “insurmountable problem” John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

WEEDS in Bath’s Georgian pavements could become an “insurmountable problem” without council action, one local has warned.

Janice Legge said that a Bath & North East Somerset Council policy against the use of weed killer meant that any measures to remove weeds were leaving their deep and extensive roots intact, and causing them to become a recurring issue for the city.

She said: “This is an urgent and serious problem. Once these weeds take hold — especially the Erigeron daisies, the buddleias,

and the bindweed — they are almost impossible to remove without serious intervention and they spread like wildfire.”

The council previously used the weed killer glyphosate, but this was stopped after it declared a climate and ecological emergency.

Ms Legge said: “I’ve been weeding large areas of Camden Crescent and Camden Row for the last 3 years.

“I didn’t retire to take up a new job weeding the streets for the council, to whom I’m sure we pay council tax for this service.”

When she recently contacted the council about the weeds, she said that they came with a strimmer which left all the roots intact.

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Weeds on Morford Street in Bath Photo courtesy of Janice Legge

On a previous occasion, she said that they hoed the weeds out from between the Georgian paving slabs but this led to the pavements becoming uneven once it rained.

She added that heat treatment could be an alternative to weed

killer. Under this process, heat is applied to weeds to damage the plant cells and cause them to die back without the need for chemicals.

Ms Legge warned: “If nothing is done quickly, our streets will become jungles of weeds forever.”

Bath and North East Somerset Council’s website states: “As part of our response to the climate and ecological emergencies, we have stopped using the chemical weed killer glyphosate for our regular maintenance of street plants and weeds.

“We are investing in additional staff and equipment to carry out the more labour-intensive manual and mechanical weed removal.”

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Issue 060

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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

Emissions-based parking charges introduced THE cost to park in Bath is now based on vehicle emissions as part of a new charging structure introduced at council-owned car parks in the city.

The new variable pricing affects motorists with more polluting vehicles, though the council has said “many drivers” will not see any change in how much they pay.

The price of parking will depend on vehicle emissions, in line with the bands used for DVLA vehicle excise duty.

Drivers of non-diesel vehicles with emissions below 131g/km will not see prices increase.

More polluting vehicles, like diesel vehicles, will now pay a higher rate.

Motorists can check their vehicle’s emissions on the Government’s website, but do not need to know their vehicle emissions or engine size when paying for their stay.

The new charges aim to incentivise motorists with more polluting vehicles to use more sustainable alternatives when visiting the city centre, like one of the Park & Ride sites, and encourage a shift to public transport, walking, wheeling and cycling.

Emission-based parking charges have been introduced at numerous local authorities throughout the country, however Bath & North East Somerset Council are the only local authority continuing to offer

The most polluting vehicles will see drivers pay up to £2.80 more to park

its customers a cash payment option.

The council is replacing all of its existing car park parking payment terminals in Bath, and customers will have the choice to pay via MiPermit, cash or card.

People will need to input the details of their vehicle registration plate so their charge can be automatically calculated.

The council is replacing signage in its car parks to reflect the new charging structure and is advising customers to check this signage when paying for their stays.

In a recent public consultation carried out by the council, more than half of the 1,692 responses voiced concerns about air quality and felt the council should do

more to tackle air pollution.

Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for Transport said: “Prices won’t change for a lot of drivers, these new charges will only affect people bringing more polluting vehicles into our city.

“This approach is being adopted across the country but we’re the only council remaining committed to offering cash payments for customers. We see it as really important to protect this.

“Our overall aim is to improve public safety by improving air quality and reducing congestion and I’d like to thank all that took part in the consultation and shared their views with us.

“Air pollution currently causes

up to 36,000 deaths in the UK each year and the consultation responses show residents are concerned about the air quality in Bath, which these changes will help improve.

“Introducing these new charges will also support our Journey to Net Zero ambitions, builds on the progress made by the Clean Air Zone.”

The emission-based charging structure will also be applied to car park season tickets, however existing season ticket holders will not see an increase in price for a 12-month period.

Parking at the city’s three Park & Ride sites will remain free for those using the bus service.

Group discounts and concessions are available.

Foreign registered, or vehicles not registered with the DVLA, will be charged the highest price for the chosen duration.

This is to encourage visitors to use sustainable alternatives such as the Park and Ride sites, and those with unregistered vehicles to adhere to the legal requirements.

Emission-based parking charges will be introduced at the following car parks: • Avon Street • Bath Sports & Leisure Centre • Cattlemarket • Charlotte Street • Claverton Street • Green Park Road • Kingsmead Square • Manvers Street

Notices Seeking a lost friend I would like to locate Alexis Hewitt (formerly Edmonds) previously of 13 Hardens Close, she was a hairdresser in Milsoms, Chippenham.

Married Antony Hewitt.

Please contact or text Mikel on 07957361503

News in Brief River death not being treated as suspicious Avon & Somerset Police say they have concluded their enquiries following the death of a man found in the River Avon near Green Park Road in Bath, at around 8.45am on Tuesday 22nd August. The death of the 59-year-old from Wiltshire is not being treated as suspicious and the matter has now been passed to the coroner. Officers have thanked those who contacted them with information following an earlier appeal to establish what happened.

Cow rescued from river near Newbridge Fire crews were called to a cow stuck in the River Avon on Saturday 2nd September. It was lifted onto a boat and taken to the water's edge, where it was reunited with its owner.

Misconduct reforms will turn hearings into ‘kangaroo courts’ Adam Postans

Local Democracy Reporter

A BIG shake-up in police misconduct hearings will turn them into “kangaroo courts” with chief constables made judge and jury with the power to sack officers “on a whim”, it is feared.

The Government recently announced major reforms to the system in a bid to root out rogue and dangerous cops.

Chief constables or their deputies will replace independent lawyers chairing misconduct panels, which hear allegations of wrongdoing by officers.

Anyone found to have committed gross misconduct will be sacked automatically – at present they could be dismissed, demoted or given a written warning – and new regulations will see police and staff fired if they fail revetting checks, which are being beefed up.

Former Avon & Somerset chief constable Andy Marsh, now the College of Policing chief executive, welcomed the changes, saying they would give senior officers the power to swiftly remove officers who fell far short of acceptable standards.

But Mark Loker, chairman of the force’s Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, criticised the reforms, saying they would “do nothing to shore up public confidence in policing”.

In a post on Facebook, he said: “I can assure you that none of us want the worst of us serving the best of us, but what these new foundations lay is the ability to get rid of anyone on a whim.

“This is a retrograde step to a legal process that has never been designed to retain the services of officers who should not be wearing the same uniform as the vast majority of our exemplary colleagues.”

Mr Loker said the current system that has misconduct panels chaired by lawyers called Legally Qualified Chairs (LQCs) was “a fair, transparent judicial scrutiny of behaviour on a case-by-case basis that removes emotion or pressure from ideology that is fashionable at that time and where Chief Constables believe they have to react to”.

He said: “These reforms have the potential to be nothing more than ‘kangaroo courts’.

“These reforms will make a Chief Constable judge and jury – and we will be susceptible to their opinion, potential lack of

objectivity, and most certainly not allowing for fair process in what is easily one of the most difficult times in any police officer’s career.

“Not every police officer who is investigated following a complaint or report of gross misconduct is corrupt or deserving to be dismissed simply because they are investigated.

“We need the professional standards department’s assessment on conduct to reflect as such, otherwise this will not address behaviour – it will only promote fear and a lack of contrition for fear of dismissal.

“The regulations introduced in 2020 were designed with learning at their core because it was recognised that simply dismissing ‘issues’ isn’t the answer – it does nothing to address the behaviour and promote public confidence in our service.

“Panels are directed to consider less severe outcomes before more severe.

“The framework is sound and it works – Legally Qualified Chairs are doing their jobs.”

LQCs will be retained under the changes but only in an advisory or supporting role to senior officers on panels.

The reforms follow a series

of tragedies and scandals including the murder of Sarah Everard by Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens and the conviction and jailing of another Met PC, serial rapist David Carrick.

Mr Marsh said: “There is no place in policing for anyone who behaves in a way that damages the public’s trust in us to keep them safe.

“I welcome [the] announcement which means chiefs officers can swiftly root out those who are damaging policing and falling far short of our commitment to public service.

“I was a chief constable in two police forces and I know firsthand the frustration of having to keep officers that I would have otherwise sacked.

“Last year I began asking for this change to take place and it means chief officers will be in control of who walks the streets in their uniform.

“I know from more than 30 years in policing that the vast majority of officers are dedicated public servants who work hard every day to keep people safe.

“They do not wish to work alongside officers who commit crimes or impact the trust people have in us.

Avon & Somerset Police Federation chairman Mark Loker | Photo © Avon & Somerset Police Federation

“The process will be fair but those who commit serious misconduct can expect to be sacked.”

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “Corrupt police officers and those who behave poorly or fail vetting must be kicked out of our forces.

“For too long our police chiefs have not had the powers they need to root out those who have no place wearing the uniform.

“Now they can take swift and robust action to sack officers who should not be serving our communities.”

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Tuesday 12th September - Monday 25th September 2023

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Air quality continues to improve following CAZ introduction AIR quality in Bath is continuing to improve with levels of nitrogen dioxide on a decreasing trend, new data released by Bath & North East Somerset Council shows.

The 2022 Annual CAZ report published by the local authority says that compared with 2019, there has been a 26% reduction in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) within the Clean Air Zone (CAZ), representing an average reduction of 8.5 micrograms per cubic metre.

In the urban area outside the zone, there has been a 27% reduction in annual mean NO2 concentrations, with nine fewer sites exceeding the legal limit of 40 micrograms per cubic metre, falling from 10 sites in 2019 to one site in 2022.

The figures also show an additional reduction of 6% in annual mean NO2 concentrations in 2022 compared with 2021, as well as a reduction of 7% within the air zone boundary.

Compliance for vehicles driving into the zone has also improved, with 71% fewer polluting vehicles driving in by the end of December 2022, an average of 497 vehicles per day, compared with an average of 1,742 vehicles in the first week the CAZ launched in March 2021.

The report also notes the impacts of Covid-19 and the partial closure of Cleveland Bridge from October 2021 to October 2022 on the volume and direction of traffic through the city, meaning that clear conclusions on traffic displacement in 2022 cannot be drawn.

The council has submitted its air quality data to the government’s Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) which is due to publish a progress report later this year.

The council has also published its Air Quality Annual Status report for 2023, which shows that from NO2 monitoring at four continuous analysers in 2022, all results were below the annual average objective.

There was one exceedance of the 1-hour objective at the Bath A4 site, however, 18 exceedances are allowed.

Councillor Sarah Warren, deputy Leader and cabinet member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travel, said: “It’s heartening to see the clear indications in this report that the clean air zone is working to improve air quality across the area, not just within the zone.

“Air pollution is a significant risk to people’s health, which is why the Government directed us to implement the CAZ. “The partial closure of Cleveland Bridge and the impact of the Covid-pandemic on traffic flow means that we cannot draw clear conclusions on the impact of the zone on traffic displacement in 2022, however we await the government’s review of our data to confirm whether the CAZ has achieved success.

“The upturn in compliance demonstrates support from the public which should be applauded, but we recognise that there is still more to do to drive down pollution at all locations in Bath.

“Looking ahead, we’ll pay

Bath's Clean Air Zone was introduced in March 2021, and costs up to £100 per day to enter

particular attention to sites that continue to exceed legal limits and find specific solutions to combat this.

“We will also continue to promote sustainable travel alternatives to the car which will increasingly enable people to walk, cycle or wheel for healthier short journeys around the city, reducing both pollution and carbon emissions from transport.”

The council’s £9.4m financial assistance scheme to help local businesses and individuals replace or upgrade polluting vehicles with cleaner, compliant

ones saw owners of more than 1,500 vehicles apply for support.

938 polluting vehicles were replaced or upgraded through the scheme by the end of 2022.

Bath’s CAZ was launched on 15th March 2021 to tackle harmful levels of air pollution caused by the most polluting taxis, vans, buses and larger commercial vehicles regularly driving in the city.

It was the first to be launched outside London and works to reduce pollution in Bath by levying a £9 or £100 a day charge on anyone driving a

higher emission vehicle in the zone. This excludes private cars and motorcycles which are not charged.

The charges are designed to deter higher polluting vehicles from entering the zone, while also speeding up the natural replacement rate of polluting vehicles in exchange for cleaner ones.

Revenue over and above the operating cost is to be spent on supporting sustainable transport projects or schemes that contribute towards improvements to air quality.

Residents hoping to secure future of People urged to buy their local park second-hand clothes John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

A GROUP of Bath locals are hoping the council will help them secure the future of their local park.

Newbridge Park is one of only a few public open spaces in the Newbridge area of Bath, and the only one in the vicinity for recreation.

Andrew Tapper of Friends of Newbridge Park said: “It’s very well used. I went down there yesterday. There were about a dozen dog walkers with their kids.

And people come from quite far away because it’s the only secure park in Bath.

“Our bit of space is only determined to be an open space.

It’s not classified as a park.”

Over the last few years, proposals from the neighbouring caravan site and marina to expand into part of the park were both shelved after the response from local people, Mr Tapper said.

He added there was nothing currently preventing anyone from applying to build on the park as it

A view across Newbridge Park | Photo courtesy of Friends of Newbridge Park

stands, due to the current type of open space designation it has.

Friends of Newbridge Park has applied to Bath and North East Somerset Council to change the park’s designation and protect it from any chance of future development.

Mr Tapper said: “We have done some careful research and were very surprised to find that there is precious little permanent safeguarding in place to protect this much needed and cared for local resource.

“This is surprising because the Newbridge area is deficient in local open spaces with safe play areas that we can afford to lose.

“We need something that will

ensure effective long-term protection of Newbridge Park not only for today but also for future generations. “[Friends of Newbridge Park] are applying to the council to have the park designated as an open space thereby safeguarding the park’s long term future”.

The group was set up in 2022 in order to have a greater say in decisions around the park and has already renovated the park benches, installed a picnic bench in the children’s play area and renovated the children’s swings.

The group has also planted 2,000 bulbs, sponsored by Total Bathrooms, as well as carrying out maintenance at the park.

THE West of England Metro Mayor is urging residents in Bath to buy second-hand clothing to help save money and the planet.

Dan Norris, who leads the West of England Combined Authority, is backing second-hand September, the national fast-fashion-fighting effort led by the charity Oxfam.

The campaign encourages people to shop pre-loved and donate what they no longer need or wear.

Marking the annual campaign, the Mayor said that only 10% of the average Bath and North East Somerset resident’s wardrobe in the city is second-hand.

New research shows that if every single person in Bath and North East Somerset, and across the country, bought half of their wardrobe second-hand, it could prevent emissions equivalent to 261,000 flights to Greece entering into the atmosphere.

Buying and donating secondhand clothes gives them a longer life and helps to slow down fast fashion.

Mr Norris said: “It is time to

move away from the ‘buying for buying’s sake’ mentality.

“A focus on second-hand would also help Bath and North East Somerset locals with the rising cost of living.”

Mayor Norris, who will tour the Oxfam store on Argyle Street in Bath next week, said: “I’ve always said the cost-of-living and climate crises are two sides of the same coin.

“Choosing second-hand is one way we can all leave a lighter footprint on the planet while saving some cash during this really difficult time for so many at the same time. Plus, when you shop at second-hand stores, like Oxfam, you’re raising really important pots of cash for the brilliant charities we have in this country which do so much for so many. That’s frankly a brilliant place for Bath and North East Somerset locals to put their cash.

“I urge everyone in Bath and North East Somerset to make the most powerful fashion statement they can and pick old over new this September – and beyond.”

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Tuesday 12th September - Monday 25th September 2023

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Ponds to undergo £75,000 restoration

Homeowners offered chance to save money on bills with solar panels

Silt will be removed from the ponds as part of efforts to improve water quality

WORKS to restore the duck ponds in Royal Victoria Park in Bath are to get underway later this year as part of a £75,000 project.

A contractor has been appointed

by Bath & North East Somerset Council to remove silt from the ponds, and improve the quality of the water.

The works, which are needed to preserve the ecology of wildlife and plant species living in and around the ponds, are scheduled to begin at the end of October.

An aquatics specialist will net the remaining fish in the ponds and relocate them, ahead of an ecological survey.

The silt will then be removed to another location within the park where it will be fenced and

allowed to settle, before being seeded with grass and landscaped into part of the public park.

This will help to reduce the carbon footprint of transporting large volumes of waste elsewhere.

Councillor Tim Ball, cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “We are pleased that we have been able to appoint a contractor for this project, which has taken a number of years due to the specialist nature of the work needed to preserve the ponds’ ecology.

“For many years the ponds have been a much-loved part of this beautifully landscaped park and it’s great news that they will be restored to their former glory for visitors of all ages to enjoy.”

HOMEOWNERS across Bath are being given the chance to save money on their energy bills by joining a regional group-buying scheme for solar panels.

‘Solar Together West of England’ launched last year to help residents reduce their bills, while playing their part in slashing emissions It has now opened for a second round of registrations from West of England residents and businesses.

The scheme from Metro Mayor Dan Norris’s West of England Combined Authority allows homeowners to band together to access comprehensive installation deals on a fully installed Solar PV system.

There is also an option to have electric vehicle charging points fitted, as well as retrofit battery storage for locals who have already invested in solar panels and want to become less dependent on electricity from the grid.

More than 900 homeowners across the West of England took up the offer in the first round, with 842 installing solar panels and 640 adding batteries, making savings on around 18,000 tonnes over the 25-year lifespan of the solar panels.

Dan Norris said: “Many residents

know solar panels have the potential to save them cash and cut those emissions at the same time, but sometimes there’s a fear that the whole process can be daunting and confusing which can put people off.

“This scheme makes that process much easier, and that’s borne out by all its achieved so far – hundreds of solar panels and the batteries that come with them already installed, and hundreds more on the way.

“I’m delighted more locals will have the opportunity to make the switch to clean energy, start to bring down those sky-high bills, and play an important part in the West’s collective efforts to cut harmful carbon emissions and reach our ambitious net-zero targets locally.”

The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) said it wants to make the transition to clean energy simple and hassle-free for residents. Solar Together West of England is being delivered in partnership with local authorities.

Councillor Sarah Warren deputy leader, and cabinet member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travel, added: “The first phase of the Solar Together scheme proved very popular with B&NES residents, and we hope

Photo © Freia Turland

that many more will sign up for this second phase.

“Because of the way the scheme works, the more people that participate, the better the price that Solar Together can secure and the more renewable energy will be generated.

“Homeowners who take part will be able to make the switch to renewable energy, while supporting our region’s shared ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030.”

It is free to register and there is no obligation to go ahead with an installation.

Homeowners, renters with permission from their landlord, and companies from across the West of England can take part by visiting www.solartogether. co.uk/west-of-england.

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Appointment of an Independent Member to our Audit Committee Following a recent governance review, and to act in line with guidance issued by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting (CIPFA), Avon Fire Authority is seeking to appoint initially one independent member onto its Audit, Governance and Oversight Committee (AGOC), as a non-voting expert advisor.

The Committee provides assurance and high-level focus on the work of internal and external audit, governance and risk management, the Authority’s accounts, assesses the performance of Avon Fire & Rescue Service and oversees matters relating to the Members’ Code of Conduct.

You will be the first independent member to be appointed to the Audit Committee, with an initial term to be agreed of 2 or 4 years, which, subject to approval of the Fire Authority, may be renewed up to a maximum of 2 terms (maximum of 8 years).

You will receive a fixed fee of £210 for your work considering papers and attending Committee each meeting. In addition, you will be entitled to claim reasonable travelling expenses in accordance with the Members’ Allowances Scheme.

As an Independent Member you will be required to sign an undertaking to abide by the Members’ Code of Conduct, which sets out standards of behaviour expected from all Members. Additionally, you will be required to complete a Register of Interests form on an annual basis.

The estimated time commitment required to undertake the role will vary; on average it will involve a half day reading papers and in-person attendance at quarterly day-time meetings (lasting up to 4 hours). On occasion, you may be invited to attend other on-line, or in-person events/training organised for elected Members.

More details on the role, including eligibility and person specification is available at https://yesyoucan.careers/node/442 For more information, please contact Emma Bowen Emma.bowen@avonfire.gov.uk (Democratic Services Assistant).

For an informal chat about the role please contact Amanda Brown (Clerk/Monitoring Officer) Amanda.brown@avonfire.gov.uk After short-listing, interviews are likely to take place on the week commencing 9th October 2023.

APPLY NOW

Appointment of an Independent Member to our Audit Committee Open until Monday 2nd October 2023

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Issue 060

P7

Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

MP hears from unpaid carers during Proposals to provide 22 homes for refugees to visit to charity's headquarters be considered

BATH MP Wera Hobhouse recently visited local charity The Carers’ Centre, hearing more about the support being offered to unpaid carers in the area.

The Carers’ Centre is an independent charity that provides advice and support to over 5,000 unpaid carers across Bath and North East Somerset.

The charity helps adults and children as young as five years old who have caring responsibilities for their family members and friends.

Looking after someone with a long-term illness or disability comes with many challenges.

The Carers’ Centre provides lifechanging services to support the physical and mental wellbeing of unpaid carers, primarily by providing emotional support, financial guidance and free wellbeing activities, as well as a Freephone Support Line.

The MP visited the charity to hear directly from unpaid carers and to find out how she could support the organisation.

The Young Carers Council, a group of young people with caring roles discussed the various challenges young carers face in school and the importance of educational professionals being aware of their carer status.

Charlotte, who is 14 years old and cares for her mum who has a disability, said: “Around 1 in 5 children are young carers, but I think loads don’t even know that they are a young carer and if the schools themselves don’t know, they can’t support them.”

Mrs Hobhouse also attended a dementia carer café during her visit, a space specifically designed for those who care for someone

MP Wera Hobhouse during the visit | Photo © The Carers’ Centre

with the syndrome.

It gives carers access to crucial peer support and a chance to decompress, with the comfort of knowing their loved ones are enjoying games, singalongs and wellbeing activities in the next room with an experienced facilitator.

A carer described the importance of the service for carers, saying: “There are many carers out there that don’t know they are a carer.

It’s a very lonely experience.

“After my first visit to the dementia carer café, I felt a huge sense of relief. It was a great comfort.”

The visit was a valuable experience for the Bath MP, who recounted her family’s experience of unpaid care.

Mrs Hobhouse said: “My visit to The Carers’ Centre gave me a wonderful opportunity to meet with service users of all ages, from young carers to carers looking after loved ones in the later years of their life and those with dementia.

“My mother cared for my father;

my visit to The Carers’ Centre gave me fresh insights into the challenges our local carers face today.

“The Carers’ Centre does incredibly important work.

I was very impressed by the compassion and dedication of its staff and volunteers, and I am grateful for all they do for our community.”

CEO of The Carers’ Centre, Jacqui Orchard said: “We are incredibly thankful for Mrs Hobhouse meeting with our community of carers, and to the young and adult carers who have taken the time to share their experiences.

“As Mrs Hobhouse has seen today, caring touches so many lives regardless of age or situation.

Yet, recognition and awareness of unpaid carers remains low.

“If you look after a loved one, please know that you are not alone. The Carers’ Centre is here for you, whether you have just started looking after someone or have been providing care over many years.”

PROPOSALS to provide more than twenty local homes for Afghan and Ukraine refugees and then safeguard the properties for future affordable housing are set to be considered.

Last November, the Government announced a Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) to ensure Afghan and Ukrainian households who have arrived in the UK through specified resettlement and relocation schemes are provided with safe and suitable long-term accommodation.

At March’s Full Bath & North East Somerset Council meeting, councillors agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLHUC), to provide 22 units of accommodation in return for £3.04m of funding.

A Single Member Decision report recommending approval to secure the 22 units has now gone before Councillor Matt McCabe, the Cabinet Member for Built Environment and Sustainable Development.

If approved, the properties would be provided through a combination of repurposing and refurbishment of existing stock and the open market acquisition of suitable properties.

The properties would be delivered in partnership with Aequus, the council’s whollyowned development company at cost and would be safeguarded using a restrictive covenant requiring that the council hold the properties in future solely for affordable housing.

Councillor McCabe said: “There is a very big need for affordable housing in Bath and North East Somerset. Following the agreement in March to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with DLUHC, we are now in a position to secure these muchneeded affordable homes.

“The intention of accepting the government funding is to provide short-term accommodation for families displaced by war but also provide a long-term legacy of more affordable housing in Bath and North East Somerset.

“I’ll be considering this report carefully before making a decision.”

The report says the Government funding aims to support areas which have generously welcomed substantial numbers of Ukrainian refugees, so that they are not disadvantaged by increased pressures from these arrivals on the existing housing systems.

The central government funding aims to mitigate the expected increased pressures on local authority homelessness and social housing resources as sponsorship, family placements and bridging accommodation arrangements come to an end.

This would also create accommodation that as far as possible allows for the future conversion of housing units to support wider local authority housing and homelessness responsibilities to UK nationals.

It the proposal is approved, the properties would be let by Aequus on Assured Shorthold Tenancies for a minimum duration of six months per tenancy.

Terrace extension approved despite neighbour concerns John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

A BATH couple will be able to build an extension onto their house, despite objections from the rest of the terrace.

Tim and Karen Kidd applied to Bath & North East Somerset Council for planning permission to build an extension to their home on a modern terrace of five Georgian-style houses.

Planners recommended that the permission be granted, but the proposals were sent to the council’s planning committee on 23rd August after the rest of the terrace lodged objections.

Speaking on behalf of the terrace, former councillor Bob Goodman told the planning committee that the extension would “overshadow” the existing smaller extension of a house on one side, and “tower above the

garden” of the neighbours on the other side.

He said: “In my opinion, the extension will take up so much space that, if approved with others in the future, it may well cause harm to the outstanding universal nature of the wider world heritage status.

“Make no mistake, other large extension applications will follow that will cause issues with the world heritage site.”

He added: “The suggestion that it is in keeping to have a fourbedroom house all with en suites and a small garden which you cannot swing a cat in, is in my opinion, disingenuous.”

Karen Kidd said she was “saddened” by the opposition they had faced from their neighbours, telling the committee: “We were careful to design something that fitted in with the neighbouring houses and the surrounding area and limited the impact on our

neighbours.

“We also involved our neighbours in the process so we were saddened to read their objections, which we hope we have responded to.”

She said: “Like a number of our neighbours, we now feel our home could be better designed to suit our needs. The proposed extension would give us the best configured living and sleeping space for family and friends in years to come.”

The extension would take up about half of the garden and cover the full width of the house, and would accommodate more living and dining space.

A representative for the Kidds told the meeting: “The extension has been designed to maximise the internal accommodation whilst being very careful to limit the impact on neighbours and the surrounding area.”

Widcombe and Lyncombe

councillors Alison Born and Deborah Collins, in whose ward the terrace lies, visited the neighbours’ gardens.

Ms Born said: “We found that the plans and drawings alone do not give a full impression of how overbearing the extension would be for the neighbours and would urge the committee not to grant approval without having visited the site themselves.”

But a motion to defer the decision on whether to grant planning permission and to go on a site visit was voted down.

At 3.8 metres long, the extension is only 80 centimetres longer than can legally be built under permitted development rights without needing planning permission.

Councillor Tim Warren told the council: “The reality is, if you can build it anyway or build very close to it anyway, I’d have a job to refuse it.”

The new extension will take up half of the property's garden

But councillor Lucy Hodge argued: “I think even a point eight of a metre makes quite a difference in terms of impact on the neighbours.”

A motion to refuse planning permission was also voted down, and the committee then voted to grant planning permission.

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Tuesday 12th September - Monday 25th September 2023

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Pictures from the Past Bath at Work Brewing beer Kirsten Elliott Akeman Press

WHEN people write about Jane Austen’s Bath, one feature of the city they never mention is that pervading it was the rich aroma of brewing.

In the 18th century – and indeed earlier – the most popular drink was beer. It was a healthier option than water, given the unreliability of water supplies. So to accommodate thirsty visitors, Bath brewed vast quantities of beer, an industry that carried on into the Victorian age.

At first, most pubs had their

own breweries. Even the Old Green Tree in Green Street had a brewery in what is now the back room. Here we see the Beefsteak Tavern, which stood at the back of the Guildhall, advertising its home-brewed beer.

This picture was supplied to us

by Richard Lovett, a descendant of Richard Miles Lovett, who can be seen holding the pub cat. Standing beside him is his son William, who ran the Turks Head in Broad Street, now part of Mandarin Stone, which also had its own brewery in the 19th century.

However, to supply so much beer, it wasn’t long before dedicated

breweries were springing up right across Bath. This one – Pointing’s – was in Trafalgar Road in Weston.

Today, the word Brewery can still just be made out on the side of the building but the sign on the cornice across the front has virtually vanished.

There was another brewery – Weston Brewery – directly opposite, the façade of whose front office can be seen jutting forwards on the right of the picture.

To brew beer, you need malt.

This is created from barley in malthouses – which had a distressing tendency to catch fire. This makes it all the sadder

that the remarkable survivor at Combe Down was wantonly demolished in 2012, despite strong objections from English Heritage and from the expert on malthouses, Amber Patrick.

Some of the biggest malthouses were on Broad Quay, as you can see in this picture from Beechen Cliff, though these too have all gone. However, Baird’s Maltings in Sydney Buildings can still be seen from Sydney Wharf on the Kennet& Avon Canal.

In the 19th century the largest brewery in the West of England was in Bath – the Northgate Brewery. It opened around 1770 behind an inn called the

Unicorn on Northgate Street and brewed porter. Due to a combination of good luck and astute management it grew rapidly. When it outgrew the site, it expanded across the river to Grove Street, and the two sites were linked by a tramway.

Despite closing in 1868 when two of the partners died, it was sold off in sections, some remaining as a brewery. We can see the various buildings, including several malthouses on the Northgate side in this photograph.

Today, all that remains are the malthouses in Grove Street, now converted to flats and called Northanger Court.

Left: The Beefsteak Tavern | Above: Pointing's Brewery in Trafalgar Road, Weston

Above: Looking out at malthouses from Beechen Cliff | Below: Pulteney Bridge & the brewery beyond

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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

What's On

Tuesday 12th September - Monday 25th September 2023 Alive and Brel

Oliver!

The Jane Austen Festival

The Annie Keating Band

Theatre Royal 12th - 16th September Bath Light Operatic Group returns to the Main House this Autumn with their new production of one of the best loved musicals of all time, Lionel Bart’s Oliver!

Tickets from £18

The Mission Theatre 13th - 16th September Bath’s biggest historical festival is back for another year of regency delights.

Come and take a look at all the Jane Austen Festival has to offer here at The Mission Theatre.

Chapel Arts Centre 14th September, 8pm Plus support, Steady Habits. A staple of the contemporary Americana scene, Annie Keating writes and sings like a woman who knows deep down that heartache is the price of hope.

Burdall’s Yard 16th September, 7.30pm The finest songs from the iconic master of the modern chanson, Jacques Brel, return when this trio of singers perform their cabaret revue, ‘Alive and Brel’ in the intimate setting of Burdall’s Yard.

Bitton At War – 1940s Weekend

Nest

Andy Hague Quartet

Treasuring Creation Festival

Avon Valley Railway 16th & 17th September There will be re-enactors portraying life during the period and vintage vehicles on display. You’ll get the chance to meet ‘Winston Churchill’ and enjoy acclaimed singer Jayne Darling.

The Egg 16th - 18th September Take a bird’s eye view of the humans in a brand-new family show from M6 Theatre. Filled with clowning, original song and beautiful shadow play, this highly physical show uses minimal language.

American Museum & Gardens 17th September, 3pm Join an afternoon performance featuring the best in local jazz. Andy Hague, trumpeter, drummer, bandleader, composer, arranger and educator, is one of the gems of the South West.

Bath Abbey 18th September – 29th October Bringing together a full and varied programme of events for the duration of Gaia’s installation. Events include tours, concerts, an art exhibition, teaching series and more.

Loose Women Live

Purple Zeppelin

The Great Bath Feast

Candace Bahouth Exhibition Tour

The Forum 21st September, 7.30pm Swapping the studio for the stage, join the award-winning panel as they prepare to hit the road for the very first time. Enjoy an evening filled with laughter, games & backstage secrets.

Komedia 22nd September, 7pm The Ultimate Rock Tribute Show. As featured in the BBC TV documentary “The Joy of the Guitar Riff”, Purple Zeppelin are proud to pay tribute to Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin.

Milsom Street 22nd – 24th September The gastronomic festival celebrates the best food and drink in the South West, as well as taste-sensations from further afield, appealing to culinary connoisseurs everywhere.

Victoria Art Gallery 23rd September, 2-3pm Meet the artist – the wonderful Candace Bahouth will be at the Gallery to show visitors her vibrant and inventive works in her current exhibition Enchanted Visions.

Family Fun

European Folk Day

Circuit of Bath Walk

The Bath Dragon Boat Race

Bathampton Meadows 23rd September, 2-4pm This autumn adventure will give families a chance to connect with nature by gathering some leaves and flowers, spotting local wildlife and having a go at some art with clay, words or pencils.

Widcombe Social Club 23rd September, 7.30pm A Folk Music Special with Jim Causley and John Kirkpatrick. Across the continent of Europe musicians, audiences will celebrate the first ever pan-European Folk Day.

Newbridge Park And Ride 24th September, 7.30am-7pm An important event for Julian House and suitable for people of all ages. Now in its 22nd year, the 20-mile challenge across the outskirts of Bath has seen thousands of people explore stunning countryside.

The Boathouse Pub 24th September, 11am-5pm Support local charities and get involved in this year's Bath Dragon Boat Race.

The fundraising event will see teams go head to head in a series of heats to see who will be crowned top dragons.

Venues across Bath open their doors TEDxBath announces for heritage celebration inspiring speakers RESIDENTS are being invited to explore the area’s hidden places and try out new experiences during this year’s Heritage Open Days, taking place until 17th September.

Local venues will open their doors for a nationwide celebration of history and culture.

Councillor Paul Roper, Cabinet Member for Economic & Cultural Sustainable Development, said: “Heritage Open Days are a brilliant opportunity to explore the history and heritage on our doorstep, and see inside fascinating places that are normally closed to the public.

“There will be open days, guided tours and activities happening all across Bath & North East Somerset, with something for all ages and interests.”

Among the places opening up for Heritage Open Days this year are: • Local History Store Lansdown­ : Explore weird and wonderful objects, from Victorian spa equipment to Georgian furniture.

• Victoria Art Gallery: Go behind the scenes on a tour of the Gallery stores.

• Bath Record Office: Discover how Bath’s Guildhall was designed and built, and take a tour of the basement stores.

• Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre: Explore the new Learning Centre with its

Exploring Saltford Brass Mill | Photo courtesy of B&NES Council

underground Investigation Zone.

• Cleveland Pools: Swim in the newly restored Cleveland Pools, Britain’s oldest lido.

• Somerset and Dorset Railway: Visit the station, buffet, shop and museum and enjoy a train ride.

• Keynsham Makespace: Hear fascinating stories from Keynsham’s past and see exquisite artefacts from the medieval abbey, on show in Keynsham for the first time.

• Saltford Brassmill: Explore the

story of the brass industry, from smelting to export, and discover equipment that sparked the Industrial Revolution.

To find out about all the local venues taking part, visit www.heritageopendays.org. uk or download the Heritage Open Days in Bath & North East Somerset leaflet at https://bit.ly/45SkqQI. Advance booking is required for some venues across the area – you can check details on the website or in the leaflet to avoid disappointment.

TEDXBATH is set to return to The Forum in Bath this October, featuring a range of diverse speakers and exhibitions under the theme of ‘Unlimited’.

The event will host “ideas worth sharing” to an audience of 1,600 people of all ages.

TEDxBath’s speakers are set to explore and share ideas that could enrich lives, and help build stronger, thriving communities.

Organisers are inviting people to hear from leading change-makers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and activists to make positive change, define new possibilities, and seek a better future world.

Tickets cost £20 and are available through Bath Box Office or via tedxbath.co.uk.

This year’s TEDxBath 2023 speakers include: • Eric Ngalle Charles – a Cameroonian writer, poet, playwright, and human rights activist based in Wales.

• Julia Samuel MBE – a leading psychotherapist and author.

• Dr Mhairi Aitken – a leading Sociologist with specialist expertise in AI and digital innovation.

• Charles Sabine OBE – an Emmy Award-winning television journalist who worked for the US Network NBC News for twenty-six years.

• Jenny Tough – an endurance

athlete best known for running and cycling in some of world’s most challenging events.

• Rory Stewart OBE – a British academic, diplomat, author, broadcaster, former soldier and former politician.

• Sahra Ahmed Kulmiya – who is currently researching Quantum Technologies at the University of Sussex.

• Erinch Sahan – a business strategist and economist.

• Kudzai Matsvai – an Architectural Designer and EDI activist with a passion for progressive change for underrepresented communities.

TEDxBath Curation Lead Geoff Rich said: “We’re so thrilled to be bringing another amazing lineup of TEDx speakers and acts to the largest venue in our home city.”

Lead Organiser Rhodora Baguilat added: “We are building TEDxBath as a fully inclusive community. We are looking forward to our event on 14th October and to welcoming people from all backgrounds, ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, and people with visible and invisible disabilities.

We are passionate and proud to reflect diversity in our audiences, our city, and on our stage.”

TEDxBath is run by a group of volunteers, who come together each year to make the event happen.

P14

www.bathecho.co.uk

Tuesday 12th September - Monday 25th September 2023

Community

Share your news with us Email: news@bathecho.co.uk

Schoolboy raises more than £1,000 for Bath charity Julian House A SCHOOLBOY from Bath has raised more than £1,000 for charity over the summer holidays during a special walking challenge which also saw him litter picking.

When Eddie Lynn decided he wanted to get fit, he thought he would try and do something good for his community at the same time.

What started as a 5k walking challenge, whilst litter picking streets where he lives in Fox Hill, ended 30 days later with a community event with friends and family members and over £1,000 raised for Julian House.

Eddie set himself the target of walking every day for 30 days and with the help of his mum Rose, he set up a JustGiving page with a target of raising £50.

Walking 5k for Eddie is a real challenge. He has undergone multiple surgeries recently to realign his knees, a hereditary condition both he and his sister have endured since birth.

With the goal of being able to walk to school in September, he set off with a litter picker in hand, borrowed from Bath & North East Somerset Council, and a bin bag.

His fundraising target was soon smashed and very quickly he

Revised development plans made public John Wimperis

Local Democracy Reporter

Picking litter with Eddie (2nd from the left) | Photo © Julian House / Rachel Avent

was walking further every day and picking up bags of litter as he went.

Eddie said: “There were days I didn’t feel I could do it, but I thought about all the people supporting me, and all the people it will help. I remember once at Christmas, we gave our loose change to one homeless person, but along the road there was another and we didn’t have any more money to give them.

“It’s not fair that some people have nowhere to go, everyone deserves and needs a place to feel safe.”

Rachel Avent from Julian House said: “When I first heard of Eddie’s mission, I was so impressed by his resilience and commitment to raising money at the same time.

“I don’t think he knew at the time just how far it would take him over the summer. I was thrilled to be able to join him on day 30 when, surrounded by his best mates and family, he was able to walk the route he will take to school in September. He is such an inspiration! The fact he also raised over £1000 for Julian House and made the streets of Fox Hill cleaner, was a real bonus.

“All the money he raised will be going directly to support the Julian House hostel on Manvers Street who have been hit hard by the cost-of-living crisis this year.”

Eddie’s fundraising page will remain open until the end of September. You can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/ page/litterpickandwalk5keddie

A MAJOR development in Bath, which it was feared could cost the city its UNESCO status because of its “excessive height”, will now be at least partially built to a lower height.

St William Homes is revising its plans for their Bath Gasworks development.

The company is planning a major residential development on 3.33 acres of the former gas storage facility, with the other 1.71 acres owned by Bath and North East Somerset Council who are planning their own development.

The developer’s plans for 616 homes on the site were submitted to the council for planning permission in August last year but came under fire from the Bath Preservation Trust, who warned that the “excessive height” of the buildings would contribute to “cumulative harm” to the World Heritage Site and could see Bath lose its UNESCO status.

Now St William is submitting revised plans which will include reductions in the heights of buildings and slightly scaling

How the completed development may look | Image © St William Homes

back the number of homes.

Modifications to the building materials and design of the development are also planned, along with “enhancements” to landscaping and public spaces.

A spokesperson said: “The revised proposals include 611 high quality new homes, a children’s nursery, restaurant, café, cycle hub, a new ecological riverside park, sustainable transport route, net biodiversity gain and many other public benefits.”

All updated information is available to view online at: http:// www.bathgasworks.com

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£165,000 investment to help improve parks and green spaces IMPROVEMENTS to natural habitats and efforts to increase biodiversity in eighteen parks and green spaces across Bath will benefit from a £165,000 investment, it has been announced.

As part of a commitment to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies and improve people’s health and wellbeing, Bath & North East Somerset Council has awarded £90,000 to local charity Your Park Bristol & Bath for their Bath Activator Programme, developed to improve the city’s green infrastructure.

The funding comes from the Bath Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charges imposed on developers.

An additional £75,000 to support the work has also been secured from the West of England Combined Authority’s Pollinator Fund.

The money will be used by the charity to reintroduce sustainable natural habitats to the city’s community-managed green spaces and encourage people to get into nature to improve their health, wellbeing, and quality of life.

Councillor Tim Ball, cabinet

member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “Over the past thirty years, insect populations have declined by more than 30% due to habitat loss.

“Insect species matter to us all, with pollinators crucial to our food supply, so it’s imperative we reverse the decline.

“By reintroducing sustainable natural habitats into Bath’s green spaces at scale we’ll boost the city’s biodiversity.

“We also know that spending time in nature has a positive impact on people’s mental and physical health and wellbeing, so this investment will not only benefit insects and wildlife but residents and visitors as well.”

Your Park Bristol & Bath is set to consult with local residents, organisations and volunteers who know their local area best to decide exactly what’s needed.

The work will include the creation of new meadows and ponds and the planting of new trees and hedgerows.

Dan Norris, Metro Mayor, added: “Pollinators matter – in terms of helping flowers grow, but also in ensuring we can have the delicious West of England produce we’re renowned for year-round and keeping our

precious countryside and green spaces maintained and cared for.

“That’s why I’m proud my Mayoral Combined Authority is investing in projects supporting our region’s pollinator friends like this one to improve not one, not two but 18 green spaces in the city – good news for Bathonians, and even better news for its bees.

“This will go a long way to make our amazing city an even better place for locals and pollinators alike to call home and help my Mayoral Combined Authority in our ambition to make the West the bee and pollinator capital of the whole country.”

To help ensure more people enjoy the benefits of their green spaces, regular community gardening sessions will be arranged in parks

without their own ‘Friends of’ volunteer groups, whilst those with active ‘Friends of’ volunteer groups will be supported to help enhance and maintain the spaces.

Charlee Bennett, CEO of Your Park Bristol and Bath, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded this funding for our Bath Activator Programme.

“The two-year programme will help to improve the city’s green infrastructure, contributing to cleaner air and improved carbon absorption and providing vital, free spaces for people to go for their physical and mental wellbeing.

“We know that everybody has a connection to their local green space. Involving local people is

core to the programme, whether that’s choosing which flowers are planted or getting involved in planting them, it all builds on that sense of ownership and means that people are more likely to stay engaged, use and look after the space.”

All the parks and green spaces in the programme are close to new developments or are destination parks that new residents in the Bath Enterprise Zone and Warminster Road developments will travel to use, such as Alexandra Park and Sydney Gardens.

They also contribute to the city’s Nature Recovery Network.

Founded in February 2019 as part of the national Rethinking Parks programme, Your Park Bristol & Bath is only the second parks foundation charity created in the UK, designed to reimagine how local communities can benefit from and support their parks and green spaces.

It works closely with the two local authorities, Bristol City Council and Bath & North East Somerset Council, who are responsible for the upkeep of the 2,000+ hectares of local parks and green spaces but operate completely independently in their parks.

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Have Your Say...

Opinions & Letters

Help fund life-saving breast cancer research Breast Cancer Awareness Month is fast-approaching this October, which means the return of wear it pink - Breast Cancer Now’s biggest and brightest fundraising event on Friday 20th October.

Every 10 minutes, someone in the UK hears the words “you have breast cancer”.

As a specialist breast cancer nurse, I’ve spent 12 years speaking to the people affected; hearing women and men talk through the devastating diagnosis we all dread but they received.

I’ve also spoken to the friends and family swept up in cancer’s

dizzying vortex.

I’ve answered questions, been the listening ear to someone’s darkest fears, and allayed allconsuming worries.

I’ve seen the many ways this relentless disease can turn someone’s life upside down, which is why I’m calling on you to help raise the funds that will enable Breast Cancer Now to achieve its vision that by 2050 everyone with breast cancer will live and be supported to live well.

By taking part in wear it pink, you could help fund a life-saving research breakthrough.

You could give someone information they can rely on when they need it most.

Or drive forward vital campaigning, to make sure everyone living with breast cancer gets the best possible treatment and care.

Together, we’ve been wearing it pink for over 20 years.

We’ve dressed up, baked, quizzed and pulled off all kinds of incredible sponsored challenges.

We’ve had a lot of fun and raised over £39 million in the process.

We’re so proud of what we’ve achieved together, but we can’t

Marie Curie support on energy bills The news that energy prices will drop from October will be good news for many.

But for your readers who are living with a terminal illness, we know that many will still be worried about how they will pay their bills.

Dying people have been experiencing a cost of living crisis long before the energy price cap skyrocketed.

They typically need to keep their houses warmer than average and run vital medical equipment that reduces their pain, keeps

them comfortable, and in some instances, alive.

My colleagues are constantly supporting people living with a terminal illness, or their families, who are worrying about how to pay their latest gas or electric bill.

In partnership with the UK Gas Distribution Networks – SGN, Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, and Wales & West Utilities – we have now recruited two Energy Support Officers, who are waiting on the end of a telephone to provide support and information around energy bills and the cost

of living, including information on benefits, supplier-specific support, grants, and energy efficiency updates. Nobody should spend the end of their life worried about the cost of energy.

If your readers need help, then please ask them to call the Marie Curie Support Line, for free, on 0800 090 2309 and ask to speak to our Energy Support Officers.

Matt Williams Marie Curie Associate Director of Information and Support

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People affected by breast cancer need us – and they need you too.

However you decide to fundraise, you will help make sure that our vital support services and worldclass research continues.

So, on Friday 20th October wear it pink, raise money and help us fund life-changing breast cancer research and support.

Join us and sign up today at wearitpink.org.

Addie Mitchell Clinical Nurse Specialist at Breast Cancer Now

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How to get involved To submit your letter, you can either email it to us via letters@bathecho.co.uk or pop it in the post to: Letters, Bath Echo, PO Box 5395, Bath, BA1 0YA. We will endeavour to publish your letter in the next issue after it's received, however this may not always be possible.

Depending on the content, we may also publish your letter on our website.

Please consider limiting your letter to around 400 words or less, or we may have to edit it if necessary.

We require a name and address to be supplied with letters, however please indicate if you would like your submission to be published anonymously.

Publication of letters does not mean we share the views of the writer, and submissions/content may not be shared without our written permission.

If you have any questions regarding the submission of a letter for publication, please email our editor via editor@bathecho.co.uk.

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Tuesday 12th September - Monday 25th September 2023

Health Views being sought on process of leaving hospital

Gold standard for work experience at the RUH

PEOPLE in Bath who have recently had a stay in hospital are being asked to share their views on how their journey from the ward to being at home was managed.

Health leaders from BSW Together, which is the integrated care system that covers NHS services in the region, will use the feedback to make improvements that will benefit future patients.

Any person who has recently been cared for at the Royal United Hospital, along with their family members and carers, is asked to share their views.

Feedback will be collected in person through a series of faceto-face focus groups, as well as online via a short survey.

Gill May, Chief Nurse, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “Getting people back home from hospital, or to another setting, such as a care home, safely and in a way that is planned, with the input of both the patient and their family, is a

THE RUH has been given a gold award for the inspiring work experience opportunities it provides to young people.

So far this year, nearly 50 youngsters from local schools and colleges have been hosted at the hospital for a taste of the varied careers on offer.

The work experience programme has been recognised under the Work Experience Quality Standard, a national accreditation run by NHS England.

The RUH was particularly praised for the induction and welcome it offers, and for the workbook that was devised to encourage students to apply what they learn on work experience to their future career aspirations.

Apprenticeship and Career Engagement Lead Hugh McKinney said: “Work experience is an opportunity for the RUH to showcase what we do for young people in our communities, to give them a wider aspect of the healthcare we provide.

“The offer is really broad from

priority for all our health and care providers.

“We want to ensure that the voices of patients, carers and the public are at the heart of our work, and ultimately influence the design and delivery of the care they receive.”

While hospital is the best place to be for people needing urgent medical intervention or regular monitoring, experts have found that recovery from illness or injury is more suited to a home

environment.

This is why the process of helping people home from hospital is an important element of a person’s overall recovery programme, as it supports them to get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

People who are interested in leaving feedback on their experiences, or who would like to understand more about how and where their views will be used, should visit https://bit.ly/481oEHB.

clinical to non-clinical roles, which helps young people to make that decision about what’s next for them and what their aspirations are.

“We’re all proud and privileged to be awarded the gold standard, which showcases the work that goes on behind the scenes to make this happen. This is also an award for our placement supervisors, who welcome students into their teams.”

Placement areas include medicine, pharmacy, research and development, IT, and the hospital’s press office. There will be further opportunities advertised in the new year for nursing and other areas.

There are more than 350 different NHS careers and work experience gives students a taste of many of these. A short placement can help with decisions about further study.

In addition to work experience placements, the RUH also offers a wide range of other opportunities to support people into work.

Student creates ball designed to support mental health A COMPUTER science student at the University of Bath has invented a special soft ball designed to support mental health by ‘personifying’ breath.

The ball, which expands and contracts in sync with a person’s inhalations and exhalations, has been invented by PhD student Alexz Farrall.

It is designed to support mental health, giving users a tangible representation of their breath to keep them focused and to help them regulate their emotions.

Alexz said: “By giving breath physical form, the ball enhances self-awareness and engagement, fostering positive mental health outcomes.”

Generally, breathing is an ignored activity, yet when done deeply and with focus, it’s known to alleviate anxiety and foster wellbeing.

Measured breathing is highly rated by mental health practitioners both for its ability to lower the temperature in emotionally charged situations and to increase a person’s receptivity to more demanding mental-health interventions.

Disciplines that frequently include mindful breathing include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction (MBSR), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and trauma-focused therapies.

Most people, however, struggle to sustain attention on their breathing. Once disengaged from the process, they are likely

to return to thinking mode and be less receptive to mentalhealth interventions that require concentration.

Mr Farrall added: “I hope this device will be part of the solution for many people with problems relating to their mental wellbeing.”

Recent research led by Mr Farrall shows a significant improvement in people’s ability to focus on their breathing when they use his shape-shifting ball.

With their attention heightened, study participants were then able to pay closer attention to a guided audio recording from a meditation app.

Among those who used the ball, there was an average 75% reduction in anxiety and a 56% increase in protection against worry-induced thoughts.

In contrast, those relying only on the audio recordings experienced a 31% reduction in anxiety, recording 44% more anxiety than their counterparts.

Additionally, those accessing the ball alongside audio guidance showed significantly higher Heart Rate Variability (indicative of better stress resilience and emotional regulation) than those using only audio, demonstrating the superior calming effect of a combined ball and audio approach.

The study’s results were presented earlier this year at the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems – the premier international conference of human-computer interaction.

Explaining how the device supports a user, Mr Farrall said: “When an individual holds the ball, their breath becomes a physical thing between their hands. They can feel and see the flow of air as the object expands and contracts. This allows them to become more aware of their own internal sensations and more receptive to psychological change. It gives a personalised and engaging experience, and is accessible to everyone.”

Mental health issues cost the NHS around £118 billion annually, yet the demand for services significantly exceeds supply, leaving many unable to access mental health support.

While digital technologies like apps have emerged to bridge this gap, many people don’t use them for long enough to enjoy the promised benefits, with one study showing that only 3.9% of users stick with an app programme over a 15-day period.

Mr Farrall’s interactive ball, named the Physical Artefact for Well-being Support (PAWS), offers a potential solution by giving people an extra incentive to actively participate in managing their mental health.

In time, Mr Farrall hopes the ball will be a tool used both by mental-health professionals and private individuals.

“I want this device to be a genuine catalyst for mental health improvement, not just in clinical settings but also for home users,” he said.

Professor Jason Alexander,

Alexz Farrall holding the PAWS ball Photo © Vittoria D’Alessio, University of Bath

who supervises Mr Farrall’s project from the Department of Computer Science at Bath, said: “The beauty of PAWS is that the concept is so simple – letting someone ‘feel’ their breath – yet it has the potential to revolutionise the delivery and outcomes of mental health support not only in the UK but worldwide.”

The ball works through haptic feedback, where sensors attached to the user’s body transmit data about their respiration patterns to the ball via a computer.

In the study, the PAWS prototype

used an electronic and pneumatic circuit to convert pulmonary activity to pneumatic activation.

Future versions will leverage Bluetooth technology and smart geometric structures to eliminate the need for wires, and make the device easier and more comfortable to use.

Plans for a larger study are underway to delve deeper into the potential benefits of PAWS. This next study will incorporate insights from mental health experts and people who have spent time using the device.

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Your City, Your News - Bath Echo

Education

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Youngsters urged to ensure they've had their vaccinations YOUNG people across the South West are being urged to ensure they are vaccinated against meningitis and other diseases before the start of the academic year.

Almost 26% of youngsters are at risk from potentially lifethreatening and life-changing infections, due to a 73.9% vaccine uptake.

The NHS schools MenACWY immunisation programme is offered to all pupils in years 9 and 10.

UKHSA vaccine coverage data shows around 1 in 8 new students nationally going to college and university this year remain unprotected against these four strains of meningococcal bacteria, which can cause longterm disability, serious health complications and can be lifethreatening.

The latest 2021-2022 MenACWY coverage data shows the vaccination rate has fallen to 79.6% for England, which means that the figure will rise to around one in five pupils being unprotected when they start college or university in a few years’ time if they don’t catch-up with their vaccinations.

All first-year students starting college or university this September and returning students who are not up to date with all their childhood and adolescent vaccines are at increased risk of serious diseases such as meningitis, septicaemia, and measles as they mix with large numbers of other students from around the country and overseas.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging all students and young people to ensure

they are up to date with all free routine NHS vaccines and to know the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia as it could help save a life.

The three vaccines students should be up to date with before starting university or college include: • MenACWY – which protects against four common strains causing meningitis and septicaemia • MMR – which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella • HPV – which protects against human papillomavirus (HPV) related cancers such as cervical cancer and other cancers of the head, neck and genital areas, and genital warts.

In recent years, the number of children vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella has fallen. Uptake for the first dose of the MMR vaccine in 2-year-olds in the South West is 93.2%, and uptake of two MMR doses at 5 years is 90.6%, below the 95% target set by the World Health Organization (WHO) which is necessary to achieve and maintain elimination.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, uptake for routine childhood immunisations fell globally, leaving many children unprotected from serious infections and countries at increased risk of outbreaks.

Measles is now circulating in many countries around the world and the WHO has warned that Europe is likely to see a resurgence unless countries catch-up children who missed out. HPV vaccine uptake is also “concerning” in the South West, with around 33% of female pupils not fully protected, and almost

38% of male students not fully vaccinated.

The NHS South West Vaccination and Screening team will be visiting Fresher’s Fairs at universities and colleges across the South West in September to encourage students to check their vaccine records and book appointments too.

Dr Julie Yates, Consultant in Public Health at UKHSA South West said: “Every year we see new and returning students get seriously ill, with some tragically dying, from what are preventable diseases.

“With large numbers of students coming together from around the country and overseas for the first time, and closely mixing, infection can spread easily.

“Ensuring you are protected against these deadly bugs is vital.

If you’ve missed out on your Meningitis (MenACWY), HPV or MMR jabs then contacting your GP for the vaccine should be top of your list of urgent things to do before starting college or university.”

Claire Wright, Head of Insights and Policy at Meningitis Research Foundation, said: “Meningitis can kill healthy people within hours and in the early stages is difficult to distinguish from a bad hangover or more common milder illnesses.

“By taking up the free MenACWY vaccine, students are not only protecting themselves but also protecting others by stopping the bacteria from being passed on “For young people who have already been vaccinated it remains important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis because the free vaccine does not protect

against MenB, which is the most common cause of lifethreatening meningitis amongst this age group.”

The MenACWY vaccine is routinely offered to those in school years 9 and 10 but anyone who has missed out can still get a free jab with their GP until their 25th birthday.

The vaccine provides high protection against four common strains that cause meningococcal disease (meningitis and septicaemia) – MenA, MenC, MenW and MenY – but does not protect against all strains, like MenB, which is often common among students.

Meningitis and septicaemia can develop suddenly. Symptoms include a blotchy rash that doesn’t fade when a glass is rolled over it, fever, headache, aching muscles and joints and a stiff neck.

The MenW strain can also cause vomiting and diarrhoea in teenagers and young adults.

Urgent antibiotic treatment and hospitalisation is critical. If you have concerns for yourself or a friend don’t hesitate to seek urgent medical help.

Meningitis Now Chief Executive, Dr Tom Nutt, said: “We know

vaccination is the best way to protect against the devastation that meningitis can cause.

“Over many years the NHS’s vaccination programme has resulted in a steady drop in the number of cases of the disease, with countless lives saved as a result. But more needs to be done.

“We estimate that up to half a million young people currently aged between 18 to 24 years old may have missed their MenACWY vaccine at school.

“In addition, we are growing increasingly concerned about the recent rise in meningitis cases across the UK. “While the number of cases is still below those recorded prepandemic, any increase in the disease is worrying.

“As part of the ‘Tackle Meningitis’ campaign we’re calling on everyone to take advantage of the MenACWY vaccination when it is offered, and please do check your vaccine status with your GP. “And with no vaccine available to protect against all types of meningitis, we’re also urging everyone to learn the signs and symptoms and to seek urgent medical attention if meningitis is suspected.”

University set to sponsor Bath City FC Women’s team BATH Spa University is set to expand its partnership with Bath City Football Club by becoming sponsor of the Bath City Women’s team.

The sponsorship will see the university’s logo appear on the back of the teams’ shirts.

The latest partnership, for the 2023/24 season, comes after the football club secured backing from Novia to set up the newly formed Bath City Women’s team last year.

It is not the first time Bath City FC has had a women’s team, as in 1921 Bath Ladies FC played in front of 31,000 spectators at Old Trafford, at a time when women’s football gained a peak in popularity, while men were serving in the First World War. Just over a century later, the Bath Spa University logo will

Photo © Bath Spa University

be featured on the back of the new women’s team shirts in recognition of supporting the players with their efforts as the first team compete in the South West Regional Women’s Football League and the newly formed Development Team play in the newly formed Development Team play in the Somerset Women’s County League.

Lizzie Powell, Sports Media

Production Course Leader at Bath Spa University said: “Universities are more than just about teaching and learning they’re also about reflecting the changing landscape of the world.

“For us to be able to be partnered with Bath City Women’s football teams like this is a really exciting opportunity.

“It’s about showing change, reflecting that it can happen, it should happen, and continuing that fight for equality, for our students to take advantage of that is really exciting.

“We can’t wait for the season to start; we’ve got their back – literally!

“Everyone on this team is a changemaker they’re making history here at Bath City but also for us as an institution and for our students. We want them to drive

change.

“We want them to go into the industry as innovators, as the new creators, and this gives us a perfect opportunity to do that.”

Jane Jones, Bath City FC Community Director, added: “We are determined to make a statement about women’s football and how it should be treated equally with the men’s game.

“Both Bath City FC and Bath Spa University are community focused, and I know how committed Bath Spa is to improving things in the city, not just to integrate the students, but also to contribute to the life of the city, and we have that same passion and ambition here at the Club. I’m excited about this partnership for two reasons: One is that the women’s team

presents a fantastic opportunity for students to come along and get some practical experience and as we grow and become more professional, there will be lots of opportunities for them to get involved.

“From social media to videoing and programme writing, students can come along and get some practical experience and help us on match days too.

“The second reason I’m excited is because Bath Spa has a lot of talented students, so we hope that, for the women that come and study at Bath Spa and who want to carry on playing football, Bath City Women can provide an outlet for them to do just that.”

The women’s First Team season kicked off at home at Twerton Park on Sunday 3rd September against Weymouth Women.

Have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch with our news team - news@bathecho.co.uk

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Tuesday 12th September - Monday 25th September 2023

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Farmers celebrated for their efforts with Bee Bold award YOUNG farmers in Bath have been praised by Metro Mayor Dan Norris for their efforts to protect the city’s pollinators.

Middle Ground Growers, who provide seasonal veg boxes from their 16-acre farm on Broadmoor Lane for over 160 families every week, scooped one of Mr Norris’s 2023 Bee Bold Awards.

The awards celebrate those going above and beyond to help the region’s pollinators.

The farmers beat off competition from dozens of entries to win an award for their project to create a unique bee-friendly farming model, alongside volunteers, trainees and their team of growers.

The young farmers’ vision is to provide fresh food for the Bath community while supporting the area’s bees and other wildlife at the same time.

Mr Norris visited the site to find out more about the 16-acre farm, including the 800 fruit and nut trees and wildflower meadow.

The Mayor learnt how the farmers have taken steps to scrap singleuse plastic packaging and beeharming chemicals on site and in their supply chains.

They deliver their veg boxes to

Metro Mayor Dan Norris and co-founder Hamish Evans | Photo © WECA

the local community via e-cargo bikes charged from solar power generated on the farm.

Thanks to support from Mr Norris and the West of England Combined Authority, there are bigger and bolder plans to create more wildflowers, wetlands, and pollinator trails for the community to enjoy on site, as well as help to support other farms in the area to become pollinator paradises as part of the

radical ‘Pollinate Avon’ project.

Dan Norris said: “Bees and pollinators are amazing – their hard work means we have fresh fruit and veg to eat year-round, plus they keep our precious countryside looked after.

“It has been fantastic seeing the impact of projects like those led

by Middle Ground Growers – a really worthy winner in my Bee Bold Awards.

“This is a unique, and really quite

exciting project and organisation – feeding people across Bath and the wider region, but doing that in a way which supports bees and other pollinator superheroes at the same time.

“Plus, my Mayoral Combined Authority is going to help them with their big and bold plans for the future to create more pollinator paradise farms in the West of England.

“It just goes to show not only

that these awards will, I am sure, inspire others to take action, but that thanks to projects like this one, we are taking the steps necessary to make our amazing West of England the bee and pollinator capital of the whole country.”

Middle Ground Growers cofounder, Hamish Evans, added: “We’re really excited to witness the increasing biodiversity on this land as we move towards ecological food abundance on our farm – food for nature, for humans, for everyone.

“And we’re really buzzing to be working with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and the Pollinate Avon project to facilitate more wildlife abundance on our site whilst working with other amazing land stewards in the valley.

“Our four objectives as Middle Ground Growers are to: Cultivate, Regenerate, Educate and – last but not least – Pollinate.

“We can take inspiration from our flying friends, giving life with each of their actions, and choose to become a force for good in this bioregion, and make it the pollinator capital of the country together.”

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Politics Combined Authority's Chief Executive leaves with £219k payoff Adam Postans

Local Democracy Reporter

THE West of England Combined Authority’s (WECA’s) top boss has left the organisation with a £219,000 golden handshake, it has been announced.

Chief executive Patricia Greer had been on sick leave since last November but officially parted company on Thursday 31st August.

Her departure comes two months after the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed that WECA was paying two chief execs at the same time for at least seven months.

Dr Greer remained on full salary while Richard Ennis received £124,467 as acting interim for the four months between 1st December last year and 31st March 2023, which is as far as the annual accounts go.

The payoff for Dr Greer, who earned £164,682 in 2022/23, plus £23,550 in employer’s pension contributions, equates to 16

The WECA offices | Photo © LDRS

months’ salary.

The announcement was made by the combined authority in a twoline press release.

It said: “The chief executive of the West of England Combined Authority, Dr Patricia Greer, will be leaving her role today.

“Dr Greer was instrumental in establishing the combined authority and in securing significant funding for the region, in excess of £2billion.

“Dr Greer is receiving a payment of £219,000.”

It is understood that Mr Ennis is continuing in the role on a temporary basis while the process to find a permanent replacement gets underway. Mr Ennis was paid a total of £268,410 for three

Households to face mortgage ‘bomb’

senior temporary roles he held at WECA from 1st April, last year, to 31st March 2023.

That figure is what he received and does not include the additional money WECA paid to a third party – likely to be a recruitment agency – for his services.

Councillors on the cross-party audit committee expressed concerns in July that the authority, which comprises Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset councils, had been paying two chief executives at the same time for the previous seven months, as confirmed by WECA in June.

Mr Ennis stepped up to Dr Greer’s position on an interim basis at the start of December from his previous role as interim director of investment and corporate services. As an agency worker or contractor, Mr Ennis does not receive pension contributions or pay for holiday or sick leave.

Dr Greer was appointed WECA’s first chief executive, the most senior officer, when the organisation was formed in 2017.

THOUSANDS of households across Bath and North East Somerset are set to face a mortgage ‘bomb’ next year, the West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris has warned.

Analysis by the region’s Combined Authority has shown that there are around 5,100 households in the district, and 26,000 overall in the region, who have fixed-term mortgages concluding in the next 12 months.

This is over 25% all homeowners in the local area.

Families coming off their lowrate fixed mortgage deals face a repayments rise of nearly £2,600, the analysis suggests, meaning a total ‘mortgage bomb’ hitting the region of around £67 million in the next year.

This comes as YouGov polling shows just under half of all homeowners with a mortgage say they will struggle to meet their payments in the next 12 months.

Mayor Norris, who has responsibility for regional economic development, is calling

on ministers to step in to ensure that rising mortgage costs don’t result in a wave of repossessions, including considering proposals like reinstating mortgage payment holidays for locals.

Mr Norris said: “Thousands more Bath and NE Somerset households will see their mortgages skyrocket this year and next despite so many already struggling to cope during this frightening cost-of-living crisis. This isn’t small beer here – we are talking serious sums. £200 less a month in your pocket, on top of everything else, will hit locals hard.

“And it will have a much wider impact when it comes to the economy too as people will be going out and treating themselves much less. This mortgage penalty is another bitter blow for Bath and NE Somerset families, which is why I’m calling on ministers to take urgent steps to protect homeowners in the West through this crisis – this year and next.”

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In Other News...

Misconduct cases at fire service ‘insufficiently investigated’ Adam Postans

Local Democracy Reporter

SOME recent cases of alleged bullying, harassment and discrimination by staff at Avon Fire & Rescue Service were not investigated properly, an independent review has found.

Decisions and sanctions in five disciplinary cases over the last two years are “at risk of challenge” because they did not meet the required standards, legal experts concluded.

Avon Fire & Rescue Service’s (AF&RS) Chief Fire Officer Simon Shilton commissioned the review in February as part of his drive to root out inappropriate behaviour by firefighters and other employees, and its findings have produced 13 recommendations, all of which have been accepted.

They include a new confidential whistleblowing hotline run by Crimestoppers where staff can raise concerns anonymously, which is due to go live in the next few days.

The review, carried out by lawyers from One Legal, which advises local government, reexamined 11 internal disciplinary hearings into alleged gross misconduct since 2021. The cases involved issues such as homophobia and sexism in the workplace, including fire stations, to consider if they were managed appropriately and the correct sanctions applied, such as suspensions.

Their report said: “The review did find in several cases that issues were investigated and considered in accordance with good practice and the outcomes and sanctions applied were within the scope of what a reasonable employer

would do.

“There were however five cases where there were examples of behaviour such as bullying, harassment and discrimination that were insufficiently investigated and/or not subject to a full and robust disciplinary hearing.

“This leaves those decisions and/or sanctions reached in those cases at risk of challenge and/ or have a potential impact on cultural improvements going forward if lessons [are] not learnt.”

A recent meeting of the Avon Fire Authority policy & resources committee, where the report was discussed, was told that work was well under way to implement the recommendations, including more training for staff on “the difference between ‘banter’ and bullying”.

More support will be given to those who raise complaints, the service’s disciplinary, grievance and complaints procedures are under review and independent external investigators will be drafted in to work on cases.

CFO Shilton told the meeting that the service had been on a “cultural journey” since 2018 when an independent inspection raised concerns about issues including misogyny and that steps to address these would be accelerated.

He said: “It’s important we maintain a focus on ongoing improvement and that we learn lessons from the past.”

CFO Shilton said that if staff experienced poor behaviour at

Inset: Chief Fire Officer Simon Shilton | Photos © Avon Fire & Rescue Service

work, they must have confidence that the organisation would take it seriously.

Councillors heard that none of the findings or recommendations were a surprise to senior leaders.

One Legal head of law Sarah Farooqi told members: “There were a number of cases, five in particular, where our conclusion was the service did not adopt best practice in terms of undertaking the investigation and then for the disciplinary findings.

“We are not saying if it had been done differently that you would have necessarily made a finding of gross misconduct and dismissal, we are saying you didn’t get it right in terms of practice there, so it’s difficult for us to conclude whether the findings were correct.

“One thing we picked up from the cases was where people said ‘Well, it was banter’.

“It’s about making sure your staff, managers and organisation understand what’s the difference between banter and bullying and where you overstep that line, and having clear policies and training may address some of the concerns in cases like that.”

She said two or three cases could have benefited from an independent investigator because of the complexity of the complaints and that managers did not necessarily have the correct skills to lead investigations.

Bristol City Councillor Richard Eddy (Conservative, Bishopsworth) said he had no issue with almost all of the recommendations because their aim was to improve the workplace and the employer.

But he said one of them, that AF&RS “should seek regular feedback from staff about values, culture, fairness and diversity”,

could be open to abuse.

Cllr Eddy said: “I don’t have a problem if it’s feedback but I’m a bit suspicious that there may be room in there for it to morph into people passing on information that could lead to disciplinary action against other people, somewhat akin to the former East German secret police.

“I would just caution that I hope it doesn’t develop from that.”

Head of Human Resources Karen Shiel said they were looking to introduce mini regular surveys of staff.

She said: “We want to make sure it’s confidential so that people can ‘t be identified but also that we gather enough information to identify whether there may be pockets of bad or inappropriate behaviour that need more focus.

“I do believe we have a positive culture in the vast majority of our workplaces.”

Call for rail fare freeze as locals set to spend hundreds more LIBERAL Democrats in Bath have called for a freeze on rail fares for the next five years, after it was predicted that prices could again increase by hundreds of pounds.

The Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation rate in July was 9%, the number normally used when increasing rail fares the following March.

The Government has said that rail fare increases next year will be below the RPI figure. Fares increased by 5.9% in March 2023, the highest rise in more than a decade.

The rise this year was based on

July 2022’s average earnings growth, which was 5.9%, compared to the RPI which was 12.3% in the same month.

According to analysis by the Liberal Democrats, the price of a season ticket for Bath to London Terminals could increase by more than £800.

Wera Hobhhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, said: “Liberal Democrats are fighting for a fair deal for Bath’s commuters and families who will be left forking out even more for train journeys in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

“Ministers cannot keep turning

MP Wera Hobhouse & Cllr Kevin Guy Photo © B&NES Lib Dems

a blind eye to these problems, especially given people are paying more for less on our rail network with more delays, cancellations and their failure to

deal with the strikes.

“If this Government had even a shred of decency, they would freeze rail fares immediately to help families struggling here in Bath, under the cost of living crisis the Conservatives created.

“We should be making clean forms of transport cheaper, yet this Conservative Government is determined to make rail more expensive than ever before.”

Cllr Kevin Guy, Liberal Democrat Leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, commented: “These rail fare increases are another blow to passengers, especially after the threat to close

Crossword answers - Issue 059 (29/08/23) Across: 9 Sloth, 10 Overrated, 11 Outer, 12 Adventure, 13 Dry, 14 Tulip, 15 Synagogue, 17 Burst, 19 Smoke, 22 Shipyards, 24 How do, 26 I-C U, 27 Underpaid, 29 Mines, 30 Grandiose, 31 Units.

Down: 1 Escorts, 2 Hostel, 3 Third party, 4 Forays, 5 Servings, 6 Grin, 7 Struggle, 8 Adhered, 16 Good humour, 17 Blind man, 18 Toreador, 20 Assuage, 21 Possess, 23 Sidney, 25 Win-win, 28 Rode.

station ticket offices.

“Local Lib Dems are speaking out against the proposal to move staff out of recognised points of sale, warning this will make it more difficult for passengers to find the best value fares – particularly for older and disabled people, visitors from overseas and those with fewer IT skills.”

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