Filtonvoice January 2021

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filtonvoice January 2021 Issue 111

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H M Out of control? SPECIAL REPORTS: Local people say enough is enough after explosion in numbers of Houses of Multiple Occupancy - Pages 3-9 including map of all large HMOs

42%

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Nearly half Amount over of ALL HMOs asking price in South Glos some landlords are in Filton willing to pay

171 Number of 'large' HMOs in Filton

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Contacts Richard Coulter Editor and publisher

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newlandconstruction70@outlook.com COMPLAINTS If you have a complaint about anything in the Filtonvoice, contact the Editor using the details below. We take complaints seriously and aspire to follow the Code of Conduct of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), which holds journalists to a high standard of behaviour. Further details of the complaints process can be found on the Voice website www.localvoicenetwork.co.uk, or can be obtained by contacting the publisher, above. EDITOR’S NOTE: Filtonvoice is independent. We cannot take responsibility for content or accuracy of adverts, and it is advertisers’ responsibility to conform to all relevant legislation. We cannot vouch for any services offered although we have used some of the services. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor. Filtonvoice is distributed each month to all Filton residents. If for some reason you do not get a copy, please get in touch or collect one from Filton Library. Feedback is welcomed, call editor Richard Coulter on 0777 555 0607 or richard@filtonvoice.co.uk.

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Special report - HMOs

Landlords queuing up for more HMOs by Shane Gibson and Rich Coulter Investors are lining up to buy homes in Filton which have potential to become Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) - in some cases paying cash up to £15,000 above the asking price. One Filton estate agent who spoke to Filton Voice said that in some locations, they can expect upwards of 10 investors ready to buy immediately even before the house goes on the market. An HMO is typically a family home which has been converted into five or more separate bedrooms, often for students or single professionals. One HMO in Filton has 11 bedrooms and many have six or more, having undergone conversion work. Local people say that while they understand the need for a housing mix, the concentration

of HMOs, especially in Northville and Conygre, in some cases has a detrimental effect on the area. They say landlords do not ensure tenants keep the properties tidy and multiple bedrooms often means extra cars which affects parking. Students and those living in HMOs say they are a part of the community and high house prices mean they have little option other than to rent in an HMO. South Glos Council is now undertaking a review of HMOs and looking into whether they need to tighten up regulations "where (HMOs are) concentrated within a small geographical area". A current application for an eight-bedroom HMO in Northville Road, which has yet to be decided by councillors, has attracted more than 50 objections from residents,

including Filton Town Council and former South Glos councillor Roger Hutchinson. Many of the objectors cited parking issues and one resident accused South Glos Council of 'destroying' the community by allowing so many HMOs. In Filton, there are 171 HMOs, the vast majority five and six-bedroom but some have up to 10 and 11 bedrooms. This means Filton has 42% of the total of 409 large HMOs in South Glos. Filton, with UWE on the doorstep and SGS College, has a higher than average student population as well as professionals working in our high tech industries and the MoD. Planning rules mean that councillors have very little scope to stop HMOs. Rejecting an application simply because there is public concern would likely end up in a costly legal appeal by

the landlord which the council would likely lose. Cllr Chris Wood has told Filton Town Council that one avenue which IS open to the council - objecting on the basis of available car parking spaces - is often not used by South Glos. Filtonvoice spoke with one local estate agent. He said: “Filton is still extremely popular. Just recently we sold a property on Charborough Road for £15,000 more than the asking price.” He said that he was unaware that there were any public objections to the HMOs on Northville Road. “Northville Road is very sought after. If we were to advertise any property on Northville Road as available to purchase, we would immediately Turn to Page 4

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Special report - HMOs From Page 3 have at least 10 investors ready to buy.” he said. He went on to explain that there were two types of sellers. “Some are happy to allow an investor to come in and pick up the property at the asking price. "However others, who have normally built-up relationships with their neighbours, sometimes over 20 years, prefer to only allow their properties go to families,” he said. South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Environment and Strategic Infrastructure, Cllr Steve Reade said: “We were very pleased to receive representations from Cllr Chris Wood on this important local issue and Cabinet were therefore supportive of allocating additional resources to progress a fresh new planning approach to dealing with HMOs.” A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said: “HMOs (Homes in Multiple Occupation) provide a vital housing option for lots of people in South Gloucestershire and as an authority with a university within our area, we also have a number of students with HMOs providing an essential accommodation choice for them, as well as young professionals and people on lower incomes who can’t afford to rent more than a room in a shared house. “We regularly review the situation and appreciate that where this use is concentrated within a small geographical area, some challenges can arise such as pressure on local parking availability and waste management issues. "As a result of this, we are again considering whether there is a case to introduce one or more Article 4 Directions to give us some additional control over the number of HMOs in certain areas using the planning process and a HMO Supplementary Planning Document to support that. “We encourage people to report any problems relating to the condition of HMOs to us at psechousing@southglos.gov.uk or by calling 01454 868001. "Issues relating to waste storage and presentation should be reported to streetcare@ southglos.gov.uk or by calling 01454 868000.”

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Special report - HMOs

Opinion by Shane Gibson Northville Road currently has four licensed HMOs with two more currently awaiting planning approval. Whilst at the time of writing planning has yet to be approved, construction started on 64 Northville Road in early November. 58 Northville Road has also had a planning applications submitted, to be converted into an HMO. Residents as well as Filton Town Council, have raised objections to the applications with South Gloucestershire Council with more than 50 objections for number 64 and a further 20 for number 58. Filtonvoice met with some of the residents. Darren and Urszula Stainer, 44 and 42 respectively, have a three-year-old son. They are worried what the future will be like on Northville Road and the surrounding area if the trend of converting family homes into HMOs continues. “We chose to live in a nice area with nice family homes and children that our son can grow up with. We do not want the anti-social activities that can come with HMOs filled with students,” said Urszula Road safety is paramount for Darren. “Often this road is practically gridlocked. There are no zebra crossings, and we are going to have to walk with a small child across stretches of road with cars hurrying to squeeze through gaps. I don’t want to think about this road with even more cars on it," he said. Like many streets across Filton, Northville Road has its own distinct look, with large houses at either end, but a long stretch in the middle made up of bungalows. “One of the things I brought up in our objection to the council was the aesthetics," said Darren “Part of the feature of Northville Road is the bungalows. These changes are taking homes built for families and changing them into

January, 2021

eight-bedroom monstrosities that can never go back to being bungalows, yet are in the middle of the remaining bungalows, looking out of place." “Where are our ageing population going to live if we lose the bungalows?” asked Urszula. Clare Farthing, a great grandmother aged 73 has a different perspective. “I am not against HMOs for single people and as small units they work well, but it has to be the right neighbourhood, and this is not it.” Said Clare: “I know that some of my more elderly neighbours are so anxious and worried about it, they just aren’t sleeping. Yet (landlords) identify Northville Road as a business opportunity. “Whilst I can see that it would be tempting to sell, particularly if a family member has just died, it really is up to us to stop it. The councils certainly don’t seem to be able.” Natasha Diment and Chris Lawrence, both 29, are a young couple, also on Northville Road. Natasha said: “I’m not against HMOs, nor am I against people making money. But already there are not enough parking spaces, there cannot be room for more. "The first I knew of what was happening was when the scaffolding appeared around number 64.” Some of the residents feel the problem is not the introduction of another HMO, but the choice of building to convert. Chris explained his feelings. “If it were a 5-bed house no one would have been any the wiser. Add another 2 bedrooms upstairs and it’s probably no different to other houses on this road.” Filtonvoice attempted to speak to the owners of properties in Northville Road but were unable to do so.

Location of large HMOs in Filton, December 2020 A house in multiple occupation (HMO) is a property rented out by at least three people who are not from one ‘household’ (e.g. one family), but share facilities like the kitchen and bathroom. These are sometimes called ‘shared houses’. You must have a licence if you are renting out a large HMO. This is called a mandatory HMO licence. Since October 2018, HMOs that are occupied by five or more people with any number of storeys have been licensable.

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'HMOs have their place' On the Filton News and Views Facebook page, some users have said HMOs are often a good thing. I don't think people are against them completely. Just keeping the number under control. Filton has a really high number of them and some streets have loads. There is obviously a need for this type of housing for students and individual adults who need cheaper housing and don't require a full house to themselves."

"

"

The issue isn't the tenants as much as it is the landlords. We've had some great students live in our street who have been a value to the community but equally, when they're troublesome and the landlord doesn't intercede, it turns people against the idea of HMOs. Also, some streets aren't really built for them and the large number of people and vehicles crammed into a small street can be detrimental."

Number of bedrooms Licensed HMO but fewer than 5 bedrooms

Local councillor says colleagues must declare interests, Page 7 > Got a story or any other inquiry? Call Richard on 0777 555 0607 or email richard@filtonvoice.co.uk

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Special report - HMOs Telling the difference between a House of Multiple Occupancy and an unlicensed let for students or professionals can be confusing. Filtonvoice reached out to Ami Fowler, director of Really Lovely Rooms, to ask her about their experiences in obtaining local properties Filtonvoice: Can you clarify what an HMO is and why licences are required? Ami: In recent years HMO properties only used to need a licence if they were 5 beds or more, set over 3 floors. This was because these types of property had the highest health and safety risks. Now, the regulations have changed and anything that is 5 beds or more and over two floors must have an HMO Licence. The council's main criteria when issuing a licence is fire safety and general good management of a property. There are a lot of bad landlords that supply properties in poor conditions, with overcrowding and no safety procedures in place. The licensing scheme is attempting to battle that problem. Properties are inspected every five years by the council. If the inspections are passed, a new licence is issued. I think there is a difference

between student HMOs and professional HMOs. There are also differences between Room by Room lets and whole house lets. The term HMO covers all houses in multiple occupancy, so there are lots of avenues you can delve into there with regards to effects it has on local areas, depending on the type of HMO. Are there any differences between Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council regarding the issuing of a licence? There are some differences. Bristol City Council charge more for an HMO Licence. I feel that South Gloucestershire Council are generally much more on the ball with getting their licensing sorted. Bristol City Council have a huge number of HMO properties and so they got quite behind with their applications and renewal process.

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How do you view the current debate about HMOs in Filton and in particular Northville Road? The demand for HMOs in the Filton area seems to have remained strong. Northville Road is close to Southmead Hospital, MOD, Airbus and UWE so it is quite a thriving area. Of course, it is quite a bit cheaper than central locations, but still with the added benefit of the shops and cafes of Gloucester Road nearby. Do you have intentions to obtain more properties in Filton? We personally would like to take on more HMO properties. Rent prices of flats or houses for a single person are quite expensive so shared accommodation is a good alternative. *Really Lovely Rooms specialise in short- and long-term room lets in locations across South Gloucestershire and Bristol.

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Special report - HMOs

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In Bristol, enforcing HMOs rules is not easy, next page >

Filton town councillor Andy Robinson says all councillors need to declare if they rent property

A

couple of weeks ago I was asked by a local resident to sign a petition regarding the ever increasing number of Houses of Multiple Occupation commonly known as HMOs in Filton. I did sign, stating a national strategy and local control was needed. All HMOs of five bedrooms and over need planning permission from South Gloucestershire Council ... four bedrooms and under don’t need any planning permission. HMOs are a very emotive subject and can change communities beyond all recognition. Not knowing who or how many neighbours you have and the transient nature of a multiple occupied property can be disconcerting. The vast majority of houses in Filton are semi-detached or terraced and were designed as family homes, not HMOs. With a growing population, high house prices and demand out stripping supply, it is likely

there will be an ever increasing number of HMOs due to their affordability for tenants and probability for the landlord. To maximise the landlord's investment they will maximise the number of bedrooms in the property and at circa £500 per room, per month, that’s £6,000 annually per room, hence the reason we are now seeing the creation of larger and larger HMOs. The only saving grace in this matter is that five or more bedroomed HMOs need planning permission and here is where I feel the need to speak up. Filton Town Council review all planning applications for their local area and give a recommendation to South Gloucestershire Council. They in turn review the application and make the final decision. At the beginning of the meeting councillors must declare a declaration of interest. I have sat on the FTC planning meeting for the past 18 months and not once

has a councillor stated they were a landlord or had businesses relating to rented properties or HMOs. So it came as a surprise when a resident informed me a councillor was renting out a five bedroomed property. I raised a motion at the planning meeting to ask that all councillors declare it they rent property or have HMOs in Filton. For the motion to go to the vote it needed to be seconded by another councillor. I was surprised that no other councillor supported the motion. Even if the councillor believes they are not biased about the subject, there must be an element on unconscious bias. What I find difficult to comprehend is that there are members of the council who have business interests and collect rents from residents. These business interests can affect our community. For every HMO created it is one less family home.

If the property is a student HMO then no precept (council tax) can be collected, increasing the charge on fewer family homes and lastly the councillor's business interest can affect the people they are supposed to represent. FTC has two council meetings per month where you can raise issues. You can also approach any local councillor who can raise an issue on your behalf. We also have two paid district South Glos councillors who represent Filton. I implore you to use these opportunities to raise questions and concerns about our community. Andy Robinson (independent) Editor's note: The Filton Town Councillors' Register of Interests can be found at https://council. southglos.gov.uk/ecCatDisplay. aspx?sch=doc&cat= 13176&path=0 Although some councillors rent property, including HMOs, none currently has HMOs in Filton.

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Special report - HMOs

'TOOTHLESS'

Next-door Horfield has 41 per cent HMOs but Bristol City councillors say rules aimed at keeping them in check are not fit for purpose and in many cases unenforceable by Adam Postans, BBC LDRS reporter for Filtonvoice Rules that are supposed to crack down on rogue landlords and problem tenants in bedsits cannot be enforced, a Bristol City Council meeting heard. A web of laws governing homes in multiple occupation (HMOs) that local authority housing, planning and environmental health departments can use is too complex and needs to be “simplified dramatically”, scrutiny councillors were told. And City Hall’s neighbourhood enforcement team is too small to combat any but the most serious breaches despite hundreds of homes in the city being identified as hazardous or in disrepair, officers admit. It means countless residents’ complaints about noise, rubbish and parking are not dealt with satisfactorily. A report to communities scrutiny commission members said there were now almost 14,000 HMOs in Bristol, a rise of about 4,000 in the last nine years, and they would continue to grow as the universities expanded. It said: “In some wards the concentration of HMOs in the private rented sector is much higher than the citywide average – Bishopston & Ashley Down 44 per cent, Horfield 41 per cent,

Cotham 38 per cent, Lockleaze 33 per cent, Clifton Down 31 per cent, Ashley 30 per cent. “In four wards there are estimated to be over 1,000 HMOs – Ashley (1,098), Central

(1,200), Clifton Down (1,042) and Cotham (1,046).” The report said about one in eight shared houses in Bristol contained a hazard that was classed an immediate and serious

risk to safety, which could be anything from cold rooms and poor lighting to dangerous heating systems, water contamination and the likelihood of falls on surfaces, baths and stairs causing broken bones. It said the council took enforcement action via a number of routes, including prosecutions and civil penalty notices, including one recent case where a landlord was fined £6,000 for letting an attic room to tenants who could only access or escape using a ladder. The report said another method was rent repayment orders where a tribunal orders the owner to repay up to 12 months’ rent for failing to meet management standards. “So far in 2020, three rent repayment orders resulted in £31,000 being repaid to tenants where their landlords have been found to have not complied with offences related to HMO regulations or licensing requirements,” the report said. It said proceedings were under way to revoke and refuse about 20 licences to “portfolio landlords believed not to be fit and proper partly due to them failing to meet their obligations to manage their property”. But the report sparked a huge debate about how toothless the rules actually are in most cases. Commission chairman Cllr

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Special report - HMOs Anthony Negus said property regulation breaches were tolerated much more than a youngster committing a minor offence in the street and that “every possible mitigation and ways out are given to landlords”. City council private housing and accessible homes manager Tom Gilchrist replied: “The reality is within the housing function we have to focus resources at the worst offenders. “Landlords who don’t submit property licensing by deadlines are followed up. “We regularly take landlords to court. We have a number of enforcement opportunities available and we had an HMO in Sea Mills that was fined more than £60,000. “But the reality is that taking a landlord to court, using the complex legislation that housing is, takes officers out from doing what property licensing is which is around improving standards. “Property licensing is about improving conditions for tenants, it’s not just about the

big stick approach of prosecuting landlords.” Last month, the council’s cabinet approved a new planning policy restricting the number of HMOs following a surge in conversions of family homes, not least to accommodate students. It means properties in areas of high concentration of bedsits will be refused planning permission where there are already more than 10 per cent in a neighbourhood. But Cllr Carla Denyer told the commission meeting on Monday, December 7, that because the policy and many laws on HMOs were lengthy processes and could not be enacted retrospectively, more focus should be placed on enforcement. Neighbourhood enforcement team leader Chris Swinscoe said the team was small and they had to concentrate on where they could have the most impact. “I know there are some frustrations with residents to do with [having to keep 14-day noise] diaries, but a lot of our

focus is on what we can legally do. There are a number of people who complain about noise, but our legal duty is around statutory nuisance. “So while the resident may be disturbed by noise as a one-off incident, statutory nuisance is an ongoing behavior. “While local residents are being distubred by noisy parties, there isn’t actually any action that can be taken.” Mr Gilchrist said: “The existing legislative framework needs to be simplified dramatically to enable us to easily take action against somebody quickly. “At the moment the legislative framework is really complicated, it’s difficult to pinpoint responsibility for certain overarching offences and then having sufficient power to ensure the person who is causing the problem is taken to court and properly punished. “At the moment that is quite difficult to do across all of our workstreams.”

Cllr Negus said: “You’ve given us a lot of detail about legal judgements, counsel advice, we’ve also got the mayor’s principal policy of Clean Streets which is meant to transcend anything but it’s very clear we don’t have the power to deliver any of this. “We have a policy in Bristol to do something but what is happening is the national policy and our resources make it impossible to deliver. “This is a nonsense. “We are desperate to do this and at every turn we are being told it cannot be done. “It’s exasperating. This is a major problem in the city. “We are increasingly opening up places in the city that do not pay council tax. “We are increasingly promoting more problems and inability for this city to deal with the problem we’re creating. “This is madness. "This is something out of Jonathan Swift. It cannot go on like this.”

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News

Green light for Filton Travelodge and Greggs plan by BBC LDRS staff for Filtonvoice Plans for a Travelodge and a Greggs drive-through at Abbey Wood Retail Park have been approved despite fears they will create a traffic “nightmare”. Stoke Gifford Parish Council and 14 residents objected on the grounds that not enough car parking spaces would be provided and the proposals would exacerbate congestion around the MoD roundabout. But South Gloucestershire Council development management committee granted permission by 7 votes to one after hearing planning policies weighed heavily in favour of economic development at such sites. The four-storey, 85-bedroom hotel and separate takeaway on the A4174 will share 46 car parking spaces, with shoppers’ spaces used as overspill and access via the existing road into McDonald’s.

Councillors heard the application by the retail park’s owners would create 25 jobs and help accommodate visitors when YTL’s Bristol Arena opens at Filton Airfield. But Cllr Ernie Brown told the meeting on Thursday, December 10, that it was not needed and neighbours’ concerns were being

ignored. He said: “We should be looking at the residents’ point of view, not the developers’. “Parking is a real issue for this car park. “To say hotels can use this space is completely wrong. That car park, the A38, the MoD roundabout and the ring road are

completely chockablock and that is a major concern. “To say it’s easy access is absolute nonsense. This is going to be a nightmare of an access. “We already have four hotels within a mile of this area. We don’t need any more hotels. We don’t need any more takeaways.” A highways officer told members that traffic was heavy but the development would not generate enough extra vehicles to have a significant impact. He said hotel guests tended to arrive after rush hour and that empty shoppers’ car parking spaces would be available if those proposed were full. A report to members said: “Officers conclude that the proposed development would result in significant enhancements to the local economy, delivering a number of socio-economic benefits whilst creating a greater diversity

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News of uses across both the Stoke Gifford District Centre and the Abbey Wood Retail Park.” Cllr Brian Hopkinson said the plans, submitted by Greenspruce GP and Invesco Real Estate, created a good balance of commercial enterprises in the area ahead of the arena opening. “I cannot see any valid reason why it cannot go ahead,” he said. “I really like this site. There is viability and parking is not a

problem. We’ve got a problem with HMOs (houses in multiple occupation) in the area. “A hotel will provide accommodation for people coming to the arena. "What are we going to do – have people going into Airbnbs everywhere? “We need hotel rooms and this is a good location for it.” Cllr Judy Adams said: “This hotel would be a great asset.”

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January, 2021

Fighting crime in Filton

We must work together to beat the criminals Police in Filton say they are determined to work with residents after a series of thefts, acts of vandalism and car crime were highlighted on social media in the lead-up to Christmas. But officers, speaking exclusively to Filtonvoice, say using Facebook is only of use if the incident is followed up by an official report to police. They say new crime fighting software means that a series of seemingly small incidents can be like pieces of a jigsaw and the more incidents they are made aware of, the more likely it is they can identify the perpetrators. They say they now want to improve this further by working closer with residents' groups, Filtonvoice and the town council to coordinate the circulation of vital information. Since November, residents have been using the Filton News and Views Facebook platform to tell others about crime.

Filton Neighbourhood Policing Team, left to right, Neighbourhood Constable Rick Woodland, PCSO Georgia Bush, PCSO Soandro and Neighbourhood Sergeant Steve Ives

A feature last month was several incidents of outdoor Christmas decorations being damaged or stolen, which police

say is a relatively new type of crime in Filton. Now a Facebook Filton Neighbourhood Watch group has

been set up, with the organisers hoping to work together with others to reduce crime. Sergeant Steve Ives said he

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Burglaries - how the Beat team reacted and his Beat team wanted to work with groups like this to make information appeals. He said: "We need the community to be our eyes and ears but if we don't know about crimes, we cannot build up pictures about patterns of offending and the possible perpetrators. "We now have IT systems which pull together information and give us the most up-to-date interpretations of what is going on in Filton. "By doing this, we are able to identify certain groups or individuals and we can 'put the squeeze' on them which makes them aware we are watching them. "What we can do is assure residents that we monitor every log which comes in and this helps us build a picture." Sgt Ives said that one concern from residents was the perception of a lack of Beat officers. He said that policing in our area is effectively split. Beat officers are on duty in shifts from 7am-11pm. He said these officers use their time to not only be a presence but also to build up relationships in the community to help officers understand patterns of problems. The second group is response officers who are available 24/7. They work with the Beat teams which allows them to understand some of the issues which go on late at night and to focus on possible offenders. Sgt Ives said officers also carry out plain clothes duties in Filton. He said: "There is always police cover for Filton." Other residents have complained about activity in and around Millennium Green, especially fireworks exploding in bins, drug dealing, youngsters on mopeds and drunkenness. Some local people say there is a need to bring back the CCTV cameras which used to be in the area. One Northville Road resident said: "As a resident living close to Millennium Green field entrance, I would like to bring to the attention of Filton Voice and Filton Town Council the increase in crime and anti social behaviour in Filton. "This has been from drug

dealing, theft,vandalism and blowing up the field's bins with fireworks. "What sort of place are we living in when people are stealing Christmas decorations as mine were. I think it is about time the council took positive, proactive action and returned the CCTV camera at the entrance to Millennium Green and in addition, security lighting I would also like to know why the camera was removed in the first place?" Sgt Ives said CCTV was a local authority matter but Filton councillor Adam Monk said the CCTV was originally removed because local people had complained about privacy, with the camera pointing to their gardens. Another issue for Filton residents is the impact of ungated lanes in the area which gives burglars easier access to properties. At the December full Filton Town Council meeting, the beat Team reported that they did recognise this issue. In a report to councillors, officers said: " We will be conducting high visibility patrols in hotspot areas and rear lanes. "We will also be asking residents who have CCTV to assist in our enquiries. It is also important that residents call in as soon as possible. If the incident is in progress to call 999 and if already happened to call on 101. "As discussed in a previous meeting it is vital that residents make us aware of crime/issues in the community. "This helps us to collate information to be able to deploy resources to relevant and hotspot areas meaning we can try to tackle issues and reduce crime. "We understand that Facebook is a great platform for residents to make others aware of issues within the community, however again we ask that this is done so after it has been reported to the Police so that a crime reference or log number can be included in the post. "We are also in the process of setting up a South Gloucestershire Neighbourhood Policing Facebook page which residents can view to see an up to date insight in the work we are doing locally."

PC Rick Woodland says: "In November we had 22 break-ins within a 28 day period. As the Beat Team we created a Problem Solving Plan (PSP), which is basically an incident record that we raise within our crime recording system, recognising that there is a crime trend emerging and to capture all incidents, suspects, partner agencies to combat the problem in one record instead of having lots of different crimes with no co-ordination. This PSP will then be treated as a priority. "In relation to this PSP, we monitored and analysed every log of this nature and any suspicious logs in the area, this enabled us to establish crime trends/hotspots and times to enable targeted patrols through intelligence led Policing. We spoke to members of the public and victims, we used the local Beat Team knowledge to map crime trends and hotspot times/area/suspect, and we created a briefing slide for all Response Officers to see before their shift to make them aware of the issue, and to patrol in any downtime between jobs. "We performed operations as a Beat Team, bringing in other Beat Officers from different areas of South Gloucestershire to conduct plain clothes patrols. One tactic we also utilised was speaking to ‘likely suspects’, albeit having very little evidence we would be able to put in front of a court. We then targeted these people who were ‘likely suspects’ by making home visits to make them aware of ‘hearsay’ evidence that has come to our attention. All of this pressure and hard work seems to have paid off and in December, at time of going to print, we have had only one attempted non-dwelling burglary reported, where screws had been taken out of an external door, but nothing stolen. "I would like to just emphasis again the importance of reporting incidents through the official channels, and if people are going to circulate their incident on social media then this should be followed with their crime reference number so people can contact the Police if they have information regarding that incident so we can make follow-up enquiries."

Residents' views on Facebook

"T

he type of policing we have in the evenings, mainly with police confined to vehicles rather than foot patrols, makes it harder to spot the perpetrators. Whilst posting on (Facebook) alerts people to what is going on, the time lag between posting and being accepted on the Facebook page means we are not working in real time. Would Neighbourhood Watch WhatsApp group be a way getting information and alerts out in real time, thereby putting people on notice?"

"T

here have been so many reports of thefts in the last few weeks. I just wanted to say that if you haven't already reported what you have had taken, it is worth doing so. This evening the police were able to return my stolen bikes based on the description in the report I made, and I nearly didn't bother because I didn't think anyone would ever look into my report. The officer said they really need all the break ins reported, even if nothing was taken, so that those higher up will see the need for a greater police presence in the area."

"W "S

e had two men in a van trying to steal ours and our neighbour's front gates. When I asked what they were doing I got told where to go and they left, but without the gate."

ome scumbag has stolen my brother's decorations on Northville last night around 8pm. Please be on look out for anyone that offers to sell any of these. They cut the wires. If anyone saw it or knows the culprit, please message me."

Filton crime figures * Crime type Oct Nov Dec Arson & Criminal Damage 13 5 8 Burglary (dwelling & non-dwelling) 4 23 6 Drug offences 0 0 0 Public Order 16 10 5 Theft 24 23 7 Vehicle Offences 7 6 8 Violence against the person 36 21 20 *Note: includes part of Little Stoke due to a mapping issue

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News

A tree-mendous effort!

Pupils at Filton Hill School have been planting trees and learning about biodiversity as part of National Tree Planting Week, One of the school governors, Lee Kelford, applied for 315 native hedgerow saplings to improve the look and feel of our school grounds. The plan is to provide a more secluded open area that will attract more wildlife onto the school property from the neighbouring railway scrubland and increase the biodiversity

within the grounds. It could also be used for outdoor lessons, forest school or a gardening club. Mr Kelford was joined by caretaker, Steve Holmes and chair of governors, Mike Fry, who planted the first tree. Headteacher Kirsten Lemming said: "Lee, Steve and Mike turned up with spades and wellies and did a fantastic job." As part of the Year 3 Environment topic, the pupils planted a section of the hedgerow.

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News

Flying the flag for the UK A Filton flag and dance display team will be performing in a prestigious American circuit in 2021 - without travelling a single mile. North Bristol Independent Colour Guard, which was only formed in 2018, enjoyed a successful first season competing across the UK until lockdown in March. Since then the group, which rehearses in Filton and Patchway, has been working hard on skills through a combination of Zoom sessions and actual rehearsals since some sports centres have opened up for under 18s activities. Covid means the UK season will be 'virtual' this year, with performances streamed on the internet, but North Bristol has led the way for Britain by being the only group to date to sign up for the renowned Winterguard International Circuit which sees independent and high school groups from across the USA compete. North Bristol will join groups from Texas, Florida, Ohio, California and across the USA in a series of online showcases in the Spring. The group will record their performances which will be shown to the US audience as well as being judged by adjudicators. Their shows will also feature on the Winterguard UK circuit. North Bristol has two groups, one for under 11s and the other for over 11s, with 16 girls in total involved. Guard director Bridget Coulter said: "We are thrilled to be taking part in the

Winterguard International virtual season and as far as we know, we are the only British group signed up. "As a relatively new team, having our girls on the same circuit as the world's best will be incredibly motivating for them. It has been hard during Covid but we have been rehearsing almost every week - face to face (safely) when we can and Zoom during lockdown. Our experienced staff team of Carly Rogers, Kirsty Price and Adina Monk have worked them so hard and we have actually managed to gain new members despite being in the middle of a pandemic." North Bristol Independent

will be performing two shows in 2021 - the younger girls will be performing to selections from Wicked the musical while the older group are presenting A Midsummer Night's Dream

inspired by the soundtracks of Danny Elfman. For more information or to join, please call 07889 409012 or look the group up on their Facebook page.

What is Colour Guard and Winterguard International? Colour Guard is a combination of the use of flags and other equipment, as well as dance and other interpretive movement. Across the US, winter colour guards can be found in high schools, middle schools, universities, and other independent organisations. In the UK, all groups are independent. In both countries, the competitive season normally runs from January until April with regional competitions, culminating in national finals event in a large sporting arena, watched by hundreds of fans.

Got a story or any other inquiry? Call Richard on 0777 555 0607 or email richard@filtonvoice.co.uk

Filton Town Council

Filton Town Council

MUGA consultation The council had a fantastic response to the recent consultation on plans for a new Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) at Elm Park. More than 50 residents completed the survey, with a notable pattern that many would more likely use the facility if it was modernised and catered for more sports. A special council meeting addressed several issues including CCTV installation, the scope of warranties and possible issues around noise. Councillor Tom Mewies said it needed to be vandal proof and low maintenance as being designed to stop balls landing in surrounding areas. He added that he wanted to see the widest range of sports. However Cllr Chris Wood said too many sports could mean the line markings would be confusing. Cllr Wood said the fencing would need to be higher than 3m and nearer 5m/6m. He said this would be better for users as well as avoiding damage to cars and the community garden. Town clerk Lesley Reuben said CCTV would be essential. Community Garden chairman Dave Mikkelson said that a lot of the noise would be from people playing the games rather than the ball striking the fence. He said he agreed with Cllr Wood re the height of the fence. Mrs Reuben added that the consultants considering the future of the sports centre have said they are mainly concerned with the inside of the building and were fully aware of MUGA developments. The council has £140,000 for this project, from the community infrastructure levy and 106 money. No council tax will be spent. Councillors agreed to move forward with the project, with the design ideas by company Wicksteed preferred. However it was stressed that no manufacturer has been chosen and there will now be a tender process. l The winner of the £10 Amazon voucher on offer for those who completed the consultation was won by Amy Atkinson.

Comments

"

It is a great idea. The key for me is to allow multiple groups to play simultaneously without affecting each other. Otherwise one big group could intimidate otters from using it."

"

The main priorities are that they have a high enough fence to deflect balls from flying over, noise is reduced, that there is adequate lighting and the surface is drained."

"

I believe that one court should be 3G so that it can be rented out for use for local football teams. One court concrete so that it can be used for netball & tennis."

Council offices Filton Town Council office is now staffed 9am until 1pm Monday to Friday, but due to the current pandemic there is still NO public access. Access can only be by telephone appointment. Please contact us at office@ filtontowncouncil.gov.uk or by phone 01454866698 to arrange an appointment if necessary. Staff are working from home out of the above hours If you have an enquiry or wish to report a problem email office@ filtontowncouncil.gov.uk. l Physical council meetings are unable to take place so meetings are being held online via the Zoom platform, with details at www. filtontowncouncil.gov.uk l January 12th, Finance Committee, 7pm l January 26th, Full Council, 7pm

Ratepayers Pub Due to the changing situation regarding tiers and Covid, please see the town council website for updates on the Ratepayers.

Swimming at Filton Sports and Leisure Centre

Survey responses How much would you be willing to pay for a session on the court (per person) l Up to £7.50 2 l Up to £5 25 l Up to £2.50 15 l Not willing to pay 12 How often do you or your family use the outside courts, located beside the Community Garden at Elm Park? l Regularly (at least twice a month) 14 l Occasionally (once a month) 5 l Rarely (once or twice a year) 5 l Never 26 l I didn't know they were there 5

Would a modern, multi use sports court make you or your family more likely to use the facility?

l Yes l Maybe l No

43 8 4

Councillors and the public preferred this design from Wicksteed. However the council will now go out to tender with this as a guide to the preferred options Which sports would you or your family use it for? More than one answer was allowed l Basketball 16 l Tennis 18 l Football 26 l Netball 15 l Cricket 8 l Fitness 16 l Other 4

Family swimming Family swim time available! Every weekend - spaces and times are very limited and must be pre booked. We will be using our learner pool for under 8s and family and our main pool for over 8s and family. There will only be 6 slots available. To make a booking please call 01454 866686. We have all COVID guidelines and restrictions in place for your safety. Lane swimming We now have all 5 of our main pool lanes open for lane swimming only (limited spaces). All swimmers must be over the age of 16 years please. All swimming must be pre booked. For swim times please visit our website www. filtonleisurecentre.co.uk (Our learner pool is still closed for now for public use) Swimming lessons Jan 2021 We have opened up our swimming lessons for next Continued on next page

Filton Town Council Swimming at Filton Sports and Leisure Centre From previous page term. We were hoping that all lessons would be back to normal by now but unfortunately this is not the case. We are therefore running all lessons in the same way as we have done this term. There will be no parents allowed on poolside. Parents will be able to help children change for their class and to assist them to poolside, however, we then ask that you return to your car or wait outside until the lesson has finished. Children have 5 minutes to change before and after each class – however, we ask that you try to bring them “beach ready” and where possible take them home to shower. Cleaning We can assure you the centre is

currently being deep cleaned and disinfected at least 5 times per day. When lessons return there will be space for the staff to clean the changing rooms in between each block of lessons. If you have any questions or concerns or to book a slot please call us 01454 866686. Dinky dolphins We are back running our Dinky Dolphins sessions. They will be on a Monday 9.30 – 10.30am, Wednesday 9.30 – 10.30am and Friday 9.30 – 10.30am. These sessions will have a maximum of 8 adults and 8 children and must be pre booked and paid for. Please note that sessions will be different to usual with no singing activities. £5 per adult and under 3s go FREE! You can book these now, by calling reception on 01454 866686. NOTE: Information correct at time of going to press

5 leading operators in bid to run leisure centre National and local operators have expressed an interest in running the Filton Town Council leisure facilities at Elm Park. Filton Town Council's December meeting heard from Robin Thompson of RPT Consulting who has been working with the council to find an external provider to run the centre. He told councillors there had been five bids from a variety of organisations used to running similar facilities. All passed the criteria as being acceptable for a project such as this. Mr Thompson said it was not clear how much investment the council would need to put in but he said there was an expectation Filton Town Council, which would need to borrow to implement this plan, would get a return on the investment. He said: " The council should be pleased with this response from leading operators in market." The centre would be run through a charitable trust. Councillors voted to press on with the process by a majority. Cllr Brian Mead voted against moving forward.

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l ew Hygiene approved and l N New Hygiene systems systems l New technology including:approved and audited by means audited by NSF NSF means we we are are ready ready to touch screen ordering, welcome youyou back safely to your local tablet technology available to welcome back safely to your for customer use. McDonald's. local McDonald's l TTable service for your l able service available when current l convenience Table Service for all Dine In customers restrictions lifted l government McDelivery through l Bigger dinningnow areaavailable with are l M cDelivery available through more seating available. Uber Eats now Uber Eats Your local McDonald's restaurant at

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Health news

Cash injection to build new hospital theatres Staff, patients and visitors at Southmead Hospital will benefit from new or upgraded facilities and other significant improvements by the spring. The cash for Southmead, £1.5million, will help build replacement theatres.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has announced today that the government is investing £600million to tackle “crucial” maintenance work in hospitals across England which will “deliver immediate benefits”.

ALL GARDENS

The South West has been allocated £45.8million of this for 199 maintenance projects across 21 Trusts. A government spokesperson said: "The two main trusts based in Bristol and South Gloucestershire have been awarded £5.1million for 18 projects. "This includes £3.6million for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (17 projects) and £1.5million for North Bristol NHS Trust, which will go towards replacement theatres at Southmead Hospital. "Two trusts that provide services that span Bristol, South Gloucestershire and other counties have also secured

funding – South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (£925,000 for eight projects) and Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (£750,000 for nine projects). The projects are under way and will be completed by March 2021. They include new or refurbished buildings to deliver key services, replacing hospital lifts, upgrading electrical infrastructure, work to improve fire safety and enhancing ventilation systems. The investment is part of £1.5billion announced by the Prime Minister in the summer to level up hospital infrastructure across the NHS.

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Health news

Covid vaccine rollout begins at Southmead Local health and care leaders have praised the efforts of hardworking staff for making the roll out of a Covid-19 vaccine possible. Southmead Hospital is one of 50 hospital hubs to become operational across the country this week, with more to be announced in the coming weeks and months as the programme ramps up. Since the Pfizer vaccine got the green light from regulators last month, staff from across the area have been working around the clock to manage the large-scale logistical challenge of deploying the vaccine. Dr Tim Whittlestone, Clinical Director at North Bristol NHS Trust, said: “This is a historic moment for the country, and I want to thank staff across our health and care system who have worked incredibly hard to get us ready to deliver the vaccine locally. We are delighted to be able to begin vaccination in Bristol today – focusing on the over 80s, care home staff, and other health and care staff facing the highest risk from Covid-19. “We will continue to follow the national prioritisation guidance as the programme rolls out, and as the range of places in which people can receive the immunisation expands. “People will be invited to attend an appointment directly – there is no need to call us – and we ask everyone to continue to follow guidance including Hands Face Space and maintaining good hand hygiene to prevent the spread of the virus.”

Jack Vokes from Alveston, in South Gloucestershire, was the first person locally to receive the vaccine Ninety-eight-year-old Jack Vokes from Alveston was the first person locally to receive the vaccine. He said: “I hope I’ve helped by having this in advance. I live in hope that by the middle of next year we’ll hopefully be living a normal life.” People aged 80 and over as well as care home workers have been the first to receive the jab this week, along with NHS workers who are at higher risk. Staff at Southmead have begun inviting over 80s to receive the jab and, have been working closely with Local Authorities and care home providers to book their staff in to vaccination clinics. Any appointments not used for these most at-risk groups will be used for healthcare workers who are at highest risk of serious illness from covid. All those

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vaccinated will need a booster jab between 21 and 35 days later. NHS national medical director, Professor Stephen Powis has warned that the roll out of a vaccine will be a

marathon not a sprint. The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at -70C before being thawed out and can only be moved four times within that cold chain before being used.

Have you had the vaccine? Tell us your story by calling 0777 555 0607

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January, 2021

Arena for esports could be coming to Filton A new world class creative/ technology education faculty and esports arena is being proposed for SGS College's WISE Campus in Filton. NLA Europe Limited (NLAE) have been invited by South Gloucestershire & Stroud College (SGS) to bring forward proposals for a new creative technology and esports education centre of excellence for Bristol and the South West. NLAE will be submitting detailed proposals for the enhancement of the existing WISE campus, which could include a new education faculty of creative technology and esports education and student accommodation. This new faculty will work closely with the existing on-site Bristol Institute of Performing Arts, Bristol Academy of Media and the Bristol School of Art, and the other SGS Campuses.

What are esports?

Esports (also known as electronic sports, e-sports, or eSports) is a form of sport competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, individually or as teams. Although organized competitions have long been a part of video game culture, these were largely between amateurs until the late 2000s, when participation by professional gamers and spectator numbers in these events through live streaming saw a large surge in popularity. By the 2010s, esports was a significant factor in the video game industry, with many game developers actively designing and providing funding for tournaments and other events. Wikipedia The new faculty would include a circa 1,400-1,500 seat world class esports arena with a global digital streaming capability. This technology will be designed and delivered by NLAE’s partnership with the global cloud-based education and digital technology provider, Amazon Web Services & Education (AWS). AWS will also be designing and participating in the delivery

of the cloud-based education content to be provided by the new faculty. The technology provided by AWS will also allow SGS to deliver programmes remotely to classes at their other campus locations. Vital Energi, one of the UK’s largest independent renewable energy companies, will work with NLAE and SGS to deliver a zerocarbon energy solution for the

new development. NLAE recently announced their first multimillion-pound 4,000 seat esports arena and campus for the City of Dundee, in partnership with Abertay University and Dundee & Angus College, Amazon Web Services & Education and Dundee City Council.

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The Bristol project would be the next major education technology/esports project in NLAE’s expanding UK portfolio, and has a target opening date of September 2023. Bristol is already recognised as one of the UK’s leading cities for innovation and technology. NLAE’s proposed state of the art creative technology faculty and backers say an esports event arena will be a game changer for the City and surrounding region. The WISE Campus is already planning to open a new £7m Specialist Technology and Science building funded by the West of England Combined Authority in March 2021. This was the catalyst for NLAE’s interest in the site and it will provide much needed additional capacity in the area as the demand rises for digital technology. UKIE, the industry body for games and interactive entertainment in the UK, recently reported that esports currently contributes £111m to the British economy. Global esports revenues were US$1.1bn in 2020, with a global audience of 495 million. Global revenues are projected to reach US$1.5bn by 2023. The new development in Bristol represents a significant growth opportunity for employment and economic growth in the future.

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How the arena could look. Credit Glenn Howells Architects Limited Keith Hamblin, CEO of the SGS Group, said: “This announcement is the next step towards a development that would put creative technology and esports at the heart of Region. We have always prided ourselves on giving students education and training that meets the demands of the changing jobs market and as such, this investment with two leading organisations would put us at the forefront of one of the world’s fastest growing industries. This private sector investment in the skills Selected prices education of the West of England is a testament to the faith in the Ladies OAP Gentlemen future of the creative sector in Dry cut £11 £10 Dry cut £9 the south west as we emerge Blow dry £13 £12 Wet cut £11 from the pandemic.” Shampoo Wash, cut Chris Turner, CEO of NLAE & set £12 £11 & blow dry £16 said: “By working with SGS to Put ups Clippers £5 deliver world class, future proof & plaits from £20 digital education and esports training and events facilities, Tinting Extras the proposed WISE faculty from £29.50 £27.50 Conditioners, mousse, development will put Bristol setting lotion, gel/wax firmly on the global esports Perms Complimentary map. Having been born in South from £40.50 £38.50 Gloucestershire and graduated from Bristol University, it is a SENIOR CITIZENS’ PRICES: privilege for me to be leading a project that will deliver economic MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS ONLY and employment opportunities 702 Filton Avenue, Filton, Bristol BS34 7JX for socially disadvantaged school leavers and a major reskilling opportunity for Bristol’s existing workforce in the digital industries of the future.”

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New housing on Charborough Rd takes step closer

by Rich Coulter and BBC LDRS staff A site in Charborough Road likely to be the former Filton Park Preschool - and two former school sites are among six places earmarked for new housing by South Gloucestershire Council. The local authority hopes to build hundreds of new homes on the council-owned blocks of land in Frenchay, Harry Stoke, Emersons Green, Thornbury, Filton and Warmley. The closure earlier this year of the Charborough Rd Preschool, which had served the community for 60 years, was controversial, with the council accused of failing to maintain the building. The council said discussions had begun with the Olympus Academy Trust to create preschool places within the primary school. The potential pipeline of sites, selected from more than 100 parcels of council land, were

Quarry Court

revealed at December’s cabinet meeting. The council is also looking to set up a housing delivery partnership with a neighbouring local authority, it emerged. The possible partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council via its housing company,

Aequus Developments Ltd, is part of a new joint venture approach to housing delivery that the council is pursuing. Instead of setting up its own housing company, the council aims to work with like-minded developers, such as B&NES Council and housing

Adelaide Place, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2FX

associations, to provide “higher than market standard” housing where at least a third of the homes are affordable. One of the first sites in the potential development pipeline to come forward will be at Malmains Drive in Frenchay. Mulgrove Farm in Harry Stoke is likely to be next out of the starting blocks. Other sites named include: Vinney Green in Emersons Green; the Castle School Sixth Form site on Gloucester Road and 32 Gloucester Road in Thornbury; Charborough Road in Filton; and the former Grange School in Warmley. Cabinet members gave their approval for council officers to progress work on a joint venture with B&NES Council via Aequus. Council leader Toby Savage said the council plans to acquire more land, not just pursue developments on land it already owns.

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January, 2021

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New Year Wellbeing with Lauren Chiren

ow have you set yourself up for success for the year ahead? Every 90 days, I like to assess how I am using my time, how I feel and where I can make some improvements to my overall wellbeing - physically, emotionally and psychologically. As a health coach, it's easy to assume that I pretty much have my wellbeing under control. Yet like most people, there are times when I am more on top of it than others. So as promised last month, I wish to share The Clangers with you. If you are of a certain age, you may recall the 1969 TV programme of the same name. The Clangers were small creatures living in peace and harmony, on a small, hollow planet, far, far away: nourished by Blue String Pudding, and by Green Soup! The Clangers I wish to share with you are all top tips that help us to live in peace and harmony, with

ourselves and with those around us.

Connect

Reach out to someone every day. Social interaction is fundamental to our mental health. Whilst we navigate our way through covid, it's doubly important to call, text or even post a note to someone every day to stay connected. If you need someone to listen, pick up the phone to The Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@thesamaritans.org.

Learn

Take ten minutes every day to read, listen or watch something that stretches your skills, a great way to keep your brain active and healthy!

Active

Move your body. Move a little more each day, whether it's upping your housework, gardening or going for a walk, aim to move for 30 mins every day. It can be in small chunks of time. Even moving for ten minutes, three times each day is a great target. The aim is to make a small incremental increase in your movement each day.

Notice

Be aware of your surroundings, spend time outdoors, notice all your senses. Allow yourself ten minutes every day to consciously smell, see, taste, hear, touch and tap into your intuition. This is a powerful way to induce calm, especially if you literally stop for those minutes, breathe slowly and steadily.

Give back

Giving to others is good for our emotional health. It helps us connect to others. If you are isolated from family, friends and colleagues right now, even taking some pre-loved items to a local charity shop, or volunteering on a phone line, is a great way to help yourself while you help others.

Eat well

Buy the best quality food you can afford. We are fortunate in Filton to have lots of local shops that we can source fresh produce from. Simple steps include cutting down processed food, sugary snacks, fizzy drinks and alcohol - all of which can cause inflammation

in your body and impact your concentration, mood and stress.

Relax

We generate more of what we focus on in life. So if you spend a few moments each day reliving what went well and the positives, your brain will seek out more of these, helping you be calm and focused.

Sleep

Too many of us sacrifice our sleep! It is so important to put sleep on our daily priority list. We need it to recover from the day's stresses and strains and it helps us stay healthy by boosting our immune system. Give yourself a chance to wind down away from screens each night before you turn in. Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous year ahead! About Lauren Lauren is a Filton-based executive health coach and menopause specialist. For private coaching, corporate wellbeing and speaking engagements, please get in touch. P: 07799 402294 E: lauren@ womenofacertainstage.com

THINKING ABOUT A RECEPTION PLACE IN SEPTEMBER 2021? Join our Virtual Open Event to discover what Colston’s can offer your child

Saturday 23rd January at 9.30am Please register to join us at

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Advertising feature

UK first for webcam wills A legal firm in Bristol has adapted to the social distancing restrictions and surging use of technology brought about by the Covid-19 crisis - by launching the UK’s first “webcam wills” service. ELM Legal Services, which was set up in 2004, has already helped a number of clients via webcam meetings as it converts all face-to-face meetings to digital sessions. “There are many firms offering faceless meetings and online will writing and we are always looking for different routes to market so we thought: ‘why not webcams?’” says Jim Emsley, CEO of ELM Legal Services, pictured. “The pandemic has reinforced in people’s minds that we are all here for a limited period of time, and that we need to prepare for the end of life if we want to look after our nearest and dearest.”

A free “meet and greet” is the first step in the webcam wills process and once a client has signed up via the website, ELM will be in touch to organise a free 15-minute virtual meeting. The next stage is to set up another appointment for a full 90-minute webcam consultation to enable the ELM estate planner to take the will instruction, which is then drafted by the legal team. “The beauty of a webcam meeting is that family members in other locations anywhere in the world can join in,” says Jim. “Within 90 minutes we can get all the information we need to create a sensible estate plan. Once the will has been created we then convert the document into a pdf that is password protected and when normality resumes, we can issue a hard copy.” For further information visit www.elm-online.co.uk/webcamwills/, call ELM Legal Services on 0117 952 0698 or email info@ elm-online.co.uk

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Wishing our readers a very merry Christmas and a bright 2021!

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Making Secure Plans for Uncertain Futures Please feel free to call us during To advertise, contact ruth@filtonvoice.co.uk or Richard on 0777 555 0607 or Ruth on 07590 527664 office hours on: 0117 952 0698

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News

Family finally get apology after son's death by BBC LDRS staff for FiltonVoice The chief executive of a health authority has issued an unreserved apology for mistakes made during an investigation into the death of a teenager, who died after being given drugs he was known to be intolerant to. Oliver McGowan died at Southmead Hospital in November 2016 after being given anti-psychotic drugs following his admission for an epileptic seizure. The 18-year-old student from Emersons Green, who also had mild autism and learning difficulties, was a keen footballer with hopes of becoming a Paralympic athlete. A review into his death by the South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group was flawed, mismanaged and took an “unacceptable” length of time to complete, an independent panel found. Until last month, his parents said they had never had a

personal apology for what happened to their son. Speaking at a public meeting on December 1, Julia Ross, the chief exec of the now merged Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CCG, said: “I welcome the opportunity to apologise to Paula and Tom McGowan and indeed to Oliver’s brother and sister, who were deeply impacted by Oliver’s death, but also by the process that wasn’t good enough that we went through. “I had hoped to meet with Paula and Tom early on when this first came to light but I was

too late. Quite understandably by that time Paula and Tom didn’t feel they could engage with us. “Unequivocally, I want to apologise personally to Paula and Tom, and to the family. “We welcome this report and recognise all the recommendations she and the panel have made. We’re working hard to address the issues in there. I’m pleased to say we’re in a different place today than we were in back then but there isn’t any excuse.” A LeDeR (learning disability mortality review) into Oliver’s death took 17 months to complete and contained a number of inconsistencies. The box next to the question “was the death avoidable” was ticked and later unticked. 'Ms A', the member of staff who led the LeDeR, said she had been warned that saying Oliver’s death was avoidable would put “North Bristol Trust and the CCG in the firing line”.

She told interviewers she was ashamed to “compromise my values”, adding: “I will have to live with it.” An independent review into the LeDeR was launched by NHS England last year after Oliver’s family expressed their anxiety about a perceived lack of transparency in the process. Its report, published in October, said: “From the outset, Oliver’s LeDeR was mismanaged, poorly monitored and allowed to progress without due rigour or any independent oversight. “The lack of knowledge around LeDeR systems and process meant that ultimately, Oliver’s LeDeR did not accurately nor appropriately adhere to accepted process.” Mrs McGowan welcomed the 21 recommendations in the independent review and said if they were accepted and implemented they have the potential to save lives.

DRIVERS! Happy Days Nurseries are recruiting in Bristol! Happy Days is an established provider of nursery childcare in the South West. Our mission is to provide high quality childcare, early year’s education and play experiences, which meet the individual needs of all children.

We are looking for qualified Childcare Practitioners for our Bristol Nurseries in Bradley Stoke, Thornbury, Cheswick Village (Stoke Gifford) and our new Lyde Green Nursery • Do you yearn for a new challenge for 2021? • Do you want a career not just a job – we’ll support your CPD you need to succeed • Discover the benefits of working within the early years sector • Are you a L2/L3 Childcare Practitioner looking for the next step in your career or looking to return to the early year’s sector? • Happy Days mentor and support their employees along the way • We can offer the choice of permanent or supply roles to suit your lifestyle

Apply before 31 January 2021 and you will be eligible to receive our £300 welcome bonus* (*Terms & Conditions apply)

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Dog with a Bone ... Gromit design to become figurine The Gromit sculpture that stood outside Bristol City’s Ashton Gate stadium will be made into figurine, the Grand Appeal has announced. The four-legged hero was designed by Bristolian illustrator Hannah Bone, an illustrator and designer at Defence Equipment and Support at MOD Abbey Wood in Filton. The charity behind the worldfamous Gromit Unleashed trail in Bristol announced via social media that Rockin’ Robin will be available to buy soon. Hannah, 26, who lives in Totterdown and attended Bradley Stoke Community School, was approached by the Gromit Unleashed 2 trail organisers in 2018 after they had seen some of her illustrations online. Hannah jumped at the chance to be part of something so iconic and spent weeks keeping a lid on the design despite constant probing by friends and family.

Hannah with Rockin' Robin at Ashton Gate. Inset, her original design “I was so honoured to be asked because the Gromit Unleashed trail means so much to the people of Bristol and brings so many people to the city,” Hannah said. She spent 34.5 hours painting her Gromit at the Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove before the

award-winning trail started in July 2018. But she had no idea that her sculpture was going to be one of those made into a figurine that Gromit fans can purchase until a friend alerted her to the social media. Hannah said: “It's so exciting.

"I feel very lucky to have been part of something so special and now I'm able to relive it all again with this release.” The Grand Appeal’s 2018 Gromit Unleashed 2, featured 67 sculptures of Gromit, his pal Wallace and his nemesis Feathers McGraw. All are creations of the famous Aardman Animations studios located on the Bristol waterfront. The hugely popular trail, which attracts families from around the world, sees participants use a map or an app on their phone to explore the city and locate all the sculptures. The sculptures were later auctioned off in aid of Bristol Children’s Hospital and the St Michael’s Neonatal intensive Care Unit, raising a staggering £2 million. Although Rockin’ Robin has not been released yet, most of the figurines cost between £35 and £45.

A WARM WELCOME AWAITS AT FIELD HOUSE NURSING HOME Field House in Horfield offers safe and nurturing care Whilst we are taking care to ensure distancing, residents are still enjoying daily activities, and access to our beautiful gardens. We also have the technology to keep our residents in ‘virtual’ touch with their families.

We also ensure: • Strict Infection Control measures approved by Public Health England are fully implemented • Care staff wear PPE at all times and we have ensured a high volume of supply

“Field Field House remains a place of happy daily life and excellent nursing care.” care Dee, Nurse Manager

• Skilled nurses are on site 24/7 and respiratory equipment is at hand • Safe face-to-face visits where possible

We’d love to hear from you and we’d be very happy to give you a virtual tour of the home...

Give us a call on 0117 969 0990 or visit our website at bristolcarehomes.co.uk

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JANUARY 2021 January, 2021

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Test your knowledge of 2020 with our New Year quiz 1. Which Chinese city was the first to go into an unprecedented lockdown due to the coronavirus in January? 2. Who won the US Presidential election, eventually? 3. What did Prime Minster Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds name their baby? 4. Who did Rishi Sunak replace as Chancellor of the Exchequer earlier this year? 5. To which town did Dominic Cummings drive to test his eyesight after being infected with coronavirus? 6. In which city will the postponed Olympics be held in 2021?

11. Who won the FA Cup final? 12. Which wedding anniversary did the Queen and Prince Philip mark in November? 13. In May, it was announced a former British Army officer was to be knighted after raising money for charity in the run-up to his 100th birthday. What is his name? 14. Which two members of comedy double acts passed away this year? 15. Which two military events marked their 75th anniversaries in 2020.? 16. Which country faced one of its most devastating wildfire seasons?

17. Which new bank note entered circulation 7. Which two singers performed in the Super in February and features the face of artist JMW Turner? Bowl half-time show? 8. Which film won Best Picture at the Oscars? 18. Who was the winner of I'm A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here? 9. Which company became the first to 19. Name The Body Coach who kept us all fit launch a private, crewed spacecraft? during lockdown? 10. On which social media platform did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce 20. EastEnders celebrated which they were stepping down as senior Royals? anniversary in February? Answers: 1. Wuhan; 2. Joe Biden; 3. Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson; 4. Savid Javid; 5. Barnard Castle; 6. Tokyo; 7. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira; 8. Parasite; 9. SpaceX; 10. Instagram; 11. Arsenal; 12. 73rd; 13. Captain Tom Moore; 14. Eddie Large and Bobby Ball; 15. VE Day and VJ Day; 16. Australia; 17. ÂŁ20; 18. Giovanna Fletcher ; 19. Joe Wicks; 20. 35th.

Got a story or any other inquiry? Call Richard on 0777 555 0607 or email richard@filtonvoice.co.uk Got a story or any other inquiry? Call Peter on 07719 106676, Christine on 07719 106672 or email southworcestervoice@gmail.com

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PUZZLES for all Each row, column and square (9 spaces each) needs to be filled out with the numbers 1-9, without repeating any numbers within the row, column or square.

3 1

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Copy exactly what you see in each box below into the correct space in the grid to reveal the mystery winter themed picture!

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4 9 1 3

Mystery Picture

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7

For younger readers

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The FIEND

Mystery picture

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Fiend

3 1 2 3

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Childcare from 3 months to 5 years of age at Banana Moon Day Nursery Bristol.

Providing a safe, caring environment for children from three months to five years of age. •

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Dog with a Bone ... Gromit design to become figurine The Gromit sculpture that stood outside Bristol City’s Ashton Gate stadium will be made into figurine, the Grand Appeal has announced. The four-legged hero was designed by Bristolian illustrator Hannah Bone, an illustrator and designer at Defence Equipment and Support at MOD Abbey Wood in Filton. The charity behind the worldfamous Gromit Unleashed trail in Bristol announced via social media that Rockin’ Robin will be available to buy soon. Hannah, 26, who lives in Totterdown and attended Bradley Stoke Community School, was approached by the Gromit Unleashed 2 trail organisers in 2018 after they had seen some of her illustrations online. Hannah jumped at the chance to be part of something so iconic and spent weeks keeping a lid on the design despite constant probing by friends and family.

Hannah with Rockin' Robin at Ashton Gate. Inset, her original design “I was so honoured to be asked because the Gromit Unleashed trail means so much to the people of Bristol and brings so many people to the city,” Hannah said. She spent 34.5 hours painting her Gromit at the Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove before the

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UK first for webcam wills A legal firm in Bristol has adapted to the social distancing restrictions and surging use of technology brought about by the Covid-19 crisis - by launching the UK’s first “webcam wills” service. ELM Legal Services, which was set up in 2004, has already helped a number of clients via webcam meetings as it converts all face-to-face meetings to digital sessions. “There are many firms offering faceless meetings and online will writing and we are always looking for different routes to market so we thought: ‘why not webcams?’” says Jim Emsley, CEO of ELM Legal Services, pictured. “The

award-winning trail started in July 2018. But she had no idea that her sculpture was going to be one of those made into a figurine that Gromit fans can purchase until a friend alerted her to the social media. Hannah said: “It's so exciting.

"I feel very lucky to have been part of something so special and now I'm able to relive it all again with this release.” The Grand Appeal’s 2018 Gromit Unleashed 2, featured 67 sculptures of Gromit, his pal Wallace and his nemesis Feathers McGraw. All are creations of the famous Aardman Animations studios located on the Bristol waterfront. The hugely popular trail, which attracts families from around the world, sees participants use a map or an app on their phone to explore the city and locate all the sculptures. The sculptures were later auctioned off in aid of Bristol Children’s Hospital and the St Michael’s Neonatal intensive Care Unit, raising a staggering £2 million. Although Rockin’ Robin has not been released yet, most of the figurines cost between £35 and £45.

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pandemic has reinforced in people’s minds that we are all protect your your family’sfamily’s inheritance A Will Willlets letsyou you protect inheritance here for a limited period of time, and decide youryour assets are shared out – if out you – if you and decidehow how assets are shared WEB-CAM and that we need to prepare for don’t make a Will, the law says who gets what. don’t make a Will, the law says who gets what. the end of life if we want to look after our nearest and dearest.” Please feel free A free “meet and greet” is the first step in the webcam wills to call us during process and once a client has signed up via the website, ELM office hours on: will be in touch to organise a free 15-minute 0117 952 0698 virtual or email meeting. The next info@elm-online.co.uk stage is to set www.elm-online.co.uk up another appointment info@elm-online.co.uk We have teamteam of We havea aBristol-based Bristol-based of trained trained Willawriting consultants whocan now for a full We have Bristol-based team Will writing consultants who Mirror www.elm-online.co.uk Wills Single Or can now provide the same personal of trained Will writing consultants provide the same personal face to face 90-minute face to face meetings via our Couples FROM £99.00 who provide a and, home visiting serviceand, meetings via our Web-Cam-Wills webcam consultation to enable Web-Cam-Wills subject to health and safety, canto take your instructions in can the still subject safety, we and wehealth can stilland provide a homethe ELM estate visiting service to take your instructions in We have ayour Bristol-based team comfort own home. provide aofhomeMirror Wills Single Or planner to take the will the comfort of your own visiting service to writing takehome.consultants of trained Will instruction, which is then drafted Couples FROM £99.00 your instructions in the Making Secure Plansservice for Uncertain Futures who provide a home visiting by the legal team. comfort of your own and can take your instructions in the “The beauty of a webcam home. meeting is that family members comfort of your own home. A Will lets you protect your family’s inheritance in other locations anywhere andin decide how your assets are shared out – if you make a Will, the law says who gets what. the world can join in,” saysdon’t Jim. Making Secure Plans for Uncertain Futures “Within 90 minutes we can

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