yate&sodburyvoice www.yateandsodburyvoice.co.uk
March, 2017 Issue 25
FREE EVERY MONTH IN YATE, CHIPPING SODBURY & SURROUNDING VILLAGES
More part-time firefighters as fight to keep full-time crews at night is lost A RECRUITMENT campaign will be run to find more retained firefighters for Yate after a battle over full-time crews was lost. Under changes agreed by Avon Fire Authority, the town’s fire station will no longer have full-time crews on duty at night, using them only in the daytime. Cover in the evening and through the night will fall on part-time retained crews, who are brought in when needed to deal with incidents. Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) had opposed the change - one of the proposals put forward to save £5 million a year up to 2020. Town residents and civic leaders had also raised fears about the level of cover at night but in a compromise, the authority agreed to have two fire engines, rather than one, at Yate during the night shift. Gary Spindler, chairman of Avon FBU, said cuts overall in Avon Fire and Rescue Service included the loss of 51 firefighter posts. Full story page 8.
Fight continues for lost bus service
Campaigners vow to get last bus from hospital re-instated PAGE 3
Second appeal on Yate homes Developers try again in Cambrian Drive PAGE 6
It’s a family affair Yate teenager to run London Marathon in memory of grandmother and aunt PAGE7
Keep calm
Chipping Sodbury Rotary offer free blood pressure checks PAGE 13
Feeling blue
Paul Jones set to play Chipping Sodbury again PAGE 14
Tough going for Yate Town St Mary’s School headteacher Jon Bird has a go on the new trampoline, part of a playground re-vamp. Story page 16.
Club struggles for new year points PAGE 36