Stoke Gifford Journal, March 2019

Delivered FREE to 5,000 homes in Stoke Gifford & Little Stoke

March 2019 • Issue 6

SCHOOLS P23, P27 | DIRECTORY P30

BRIDGE CLOSURE BOMBSHELL

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PLUS , IN YOUR 32-PAGE STOKE GIFFORD MAGAZINE MetroBus road closures will start months earlier than originally planned Shock announcement of four-week full closure of Gipsy Patch Lane from Monday 3rd June… Page 11

Stoke Lodge Primary

Willow Brook planning application

“Disappointing” Ofsted P23

But decision could yet be overturned P6-7

m ve

l Tories pledge to replace Little Stoke Sort It centre l Housing minister makes flying visit to the Stokes l Local schoolgirl speaks at United Nations event l Have your say on plans for roundabout upgrade l Latest news from Stoke Gifford Parish Council l Nominations open for Stars of the Stokes 2019 l Another ‘grand’ chalked up by prolific fundraiser l Two local groups win Aviva community grants l Lib Dems select MP candidate for FaBS l Morris dancing lessons for jamboree trip Scouts l Beaver Scouts learn the importance of first aid l South Glos council tax to rise by 2.99 percent

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Tories pledge to replace Little Stoke Sort It centre

W

ith local elections just months away, Conservative campaigners are promising to find a site for a brand new recycling centre that would be able to provide a better service to a larger number of residents and deal with an expanded range of materials.

The proposal to find an alternative, within the Bristol North Fringe, to the existing site in Little Stoke is set to be a “key pledge” for the Conservative Group’s campaign ahead of the elections on 2nd May, along with a promise to further improve Conservative campaigners outside Little Stoke Sort It centre recycling standards.

South Gloucestershire Council is currently searching Yate and Mangotsfield. so it can handle more people and for potential alternative sites Cllr Sarah Pomfret who more types of waste.” within easy reach of residents represents Bradley Stoke Central “Conservatives in South living in communities such as and Stoke Lodge, said: “We are Gloucestershire understand Bradley Stoke, Stoke Gifford keen to see a new Sort It centre the importance of encouraging and Patchway – a site which built in our area, one that is residents for being environmenwould complement the existing larger than the current site in tally sensitive and have worked Easter BSJ ad.qxp_Layout 1 19/02/2019 15:34that Page 1 restrictive recycling facilities in Thornbury, Little Stoke is less hard in recent years to provide

top quality value-for-money services that ensure it is as simple for them to do as possible.

As a result, we are on track to be achieving a 60 percent recycling target by the end of this year and want to better this even further.” ● www.southglos.gov.uk/sortit

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March 2019

News

T Contact Us Editor: Stephen Horton info@stokegiffordjournal.co.uk 01454 300 400 83 Snowberry Close Bradley Stoke Bristol BS32 8GB

Local reporter: Laura Mortimore (Covering Stoke Gifford Parish) Find us on Facebook: StokeGiffordJournal Follow us on Twitter: @TheSGJournal

About the Stoke Gifford Journal The Stoke Gifford Journal website and magazine are published by North Bristol Press, a trading name of Snowberry Media Ltd; company number 8451178 (registered in England and Wales); registered office: 7 Chelford Grove, Stoke Lodge, Bristol BS34 6DD. Our other publications include the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine & website, the Patchway Journal website and the Filton Journal website.

he government’s housing minister Kit Malthouse paid a flying visit to the Stokes on 31st January as part of a trip to the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) area to view sites where new homes are being built, or are planned.

Accompanied by Tim Bowles, regional mayor, and Cllr Toby Savage, leader of South Gloucestershire Council, he visited the site of the East of Harry Stoke New Neighbourhood where 2,000 homes are planned on land that is currently open countryside either side of the new Stoke Gifford By-Pass.

The minister’s schedule also included visits to development sites at Bath Riverside and the Bristol Temple Meads to Keynsham corridor (part of the region’s bid into the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund).

He also held talks with Weca members to discuss calls for further government support towards delivering new homes.

Mr Malthouse, said: “We’ve had a cracking day on a tour of ambition in an area of the country which is crying out for new housing and is well-served by its civic leaders, who have

Councillors and residents await revised plans for 763 homes at Harry Stoke

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Concerned residents gather at a field gate near the junction of Westfield Lane and Harry Stoke Road, from where part of the proposed development site can be viewed

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Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or article author. © North Bristol Press 2019. Content published in our magazines or on our websites may not be reproduced in any form without our express written permission.

LOCAL councillors and residents say they still have major concerns over recent amendments to a detailed planning application to build 763 new homes on land east of Harry Stoke Road.

Housebuilder Crest Nicholson, which recently acquired the land, held an information session in Stoke Gifford on 5th February, at which visitors were told that further revised plans are due to be submitted soon.

Stoke Gifford Parish Council said it aimed to formulate a response to the application at its planning meeting on Tuesday 26th February, but as we went to press there were doubts as to whether the latest batch of updated plans would be made available in time.

A Crest Nicholson spokesperson said: “We are pleased with the outcome of our information session with the local community and continue to work closely with Stoke

Gifford Parish Council and South Gloucestershire Council. We are in the process of revising our plans to submit to the council and intend to attend the next parish council meeting on Tuesday 26th February.”

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesperson said: “Our planning officers spoke with Crest Nicholson’s representatives on 21st February and were informed that a set of amended plans would be submitted early in the week commencing Monday 25th February. The plans will be publicised in the usual way and residents will have the opportunity to comment as part of the publicity process. The publicity period for amended plans is normally seven days.”

Concerned local residents in the area around Harry Stoke Road have formed an action group and set up a website at www.harrystoke.org ● Planning ref: PT17/5810/RM

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News

Housing minister makes flying visit to the Stokes Site where 2,000 new homes will be built over the next decade presented as model of ‘plan-led development’ minister was able to see what plan-led development can do to meet the future housing and growth needs for our region.

In South Gloucestershire, we are committed to sustainable growth and to delivering the new homes, opportunities for employment and with connected infrastructure that delivers on our promise to be a great place to live and work.”

Continued from facing page

come together to deliver what the next generation needs.”

West of England mayor Tim Bowles, said: “It was good to meet the housing minister and show him some of the sites where we are building or planning to build new homes. It was a great opportunity to promote our region’s growing reputation for innovative, inclusive, green and sustainable housing developments.”

“The combined authority is working closely with the government to secure further investment for new homes in the West of England. We know that we need more homes, to buy and rent – homes where they are needed at prices people can afford.

“We also need to ensure that we have great transport

● In addition to the 2,000 L-r: Cllr Toby Savage (SGC), Kit Malthouse and Tim Bowles (regional mayor)

links, schools, and broadband.

Continued support from the government will help us to work with our constituent councils, and North Somerset Council, to build homes and communities

that are well-connected – using our regional knowledge to deliver what we need.”

Cllr Toby Savage, leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said: “I am pleased that the

new homes planned for the East of Harry Stoke New Neighbourhood, outline planning permission dating back to 2007 exists for a further 1,026 new homes on land closer to Harry Stoke. Two reserved matters planning applications are awaiting determination in relation to the latter (see story on facing page about one of these).

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March 2019

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SGC committee refuses permission for McDonald’s & But it’s not the end of the story as the application is now automatically referred to a parent committee which could overturn the decision

A

Members of the DM Committee on a site inspection visit in atrocious weather conditions at the Willow Brook Centre on 8th February.

Part of the outline of the proposed McDonald’s food unit can be seen marked with yellow paint on the surface of the car park.

controversial planning application for new developments at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook shopping centre that would include two new drive-through food units anticipated to be occupied by McDonald’s and Starbucks has been refused permission.

The proposed scheme, which also includes two new retail units and rearrangement of the car park, had been recommended for approval by a South Gloucestershire Council planning officer, but was ‘called in’ by a number of local ward members for determination by committee.

Meeting at the Jubilee Centre in Bradley Stoke on Thursday 21st February, the Development Management (DM) Committee was considering the application for the second time in four weeks after members had deferred a

decision at their January meeting to allow a site inspection visit to take place (see photo).

Proceedings at the meeting followed the usual pattern with supporters and objectors being given time to air their views before councillors debated the issues, with guidance from the principal planning officer.

However, one noticeable difference this time was that Bradley Stoke councillor Roger Avenin, who, as a committee member, had spoken strongly against the application at the previous meeting, spoke from the public gallery, his place on the committee having been taken by Stoke Gifford councillor Ernie Brown. The Journal understands that Cllr Avenin was advised to step down as it was feared that he may have “fettered his discretion”.

Many of the points raised by the public and local ward councillors centred on the remoteness of the two food units from the main buildings at the centre (they would be positioned either side of the current Waves car wash) and their close proximity to residential properties in Wheatfield drive.

Following the site inspection visit, the applicant had submitted sketches showing that the closest property in Wheatfield Drive would be 22m distant from the single-storey Starbucks unit and 50m from the two-storey McDonald’s building. However, it was pointed out by one councillor that vehicles using the drivethrough lanes would pass much closer than this to the property.

With five of the eight committee members having raised concerns relating to

Wheatfield Drive Closest residential property

Dewfalls Drive

Bradley Stoke Way

Two additional (non-food) retail units

Planning application reference: PT18/1491/O Orange outline: Phase one

Starbucks Rearranged car park and access road

Willow Brook Centre Development Masterplan

McDonald’s

Willow Brook Centre car park

Poundstretcher

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Blue outline: Phase two This plan shows the proposed layout of the car park and access road at the end of phase 2.

For phase 1, the access road will remain as it is at present, except for the first righthand turn being widened to allow easy access for delivery vehicles serving the two new food and drink units.

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Starbucks drive-throughs

noise, pollution, anti-social behaviour, the proposed 24-hour opening and the creation of a “harmful concentration” of food outlets within the town centre, a proposal was tabled to refuse the application. The principal planning officer advised that, before moving to a vote, members should consider granting permission but with conditions applied that would mitigate against their areas of concern.

However, Cllr Dave Hockey said several of his concerns weren’t addressed at all in the officer report and far too many conditions would be needed to make the application acceptable.

On eventually moving to a vote, the application was refused permission by five votes to one, with two abstentions.

Because the DM Committee’s decision is contrary to the officer recommendation, under new procedures introduced by the council last November the application will now automatically be referred to a larger parent committee, the Spatial Planning

(SP) Committee. This mechanism is intended to ensure that “planning decisions are taken in the best interests of the public and don’t expose the council to unnecessary risks and costs which can come if a developer appeals a council decision”.

A spokesperson for The Brookmaker Limited Partnership, owner of the Willow Brook Centre, said: “We are disappointed that councillors have chosen to overturn their officer’s recommendation and refuse the application for the extension of the Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke.”

“We have worked closely with officers at South Gloucestershire Council to deliver a policycompliant application that sought to improve the offering available at the centre with additional food and drink and retail units.”

“We hope that members of the SP Committee [when they hear the application] will be minded to follow their officer’s recommendation and grant approval.”

Above: Committee meeting at the Jubilee Centre on 21st February.

Left: Three of the councillors who voted against (l-r): Ken Dando, Ernie Brown and (in background) Dave Hockey.

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March 2019

Councillor Column On Gipsy Patch Lane roadworks, local housing developments and more

S

eldom in my 16 years as a District Councillor for the Stoke Gifford ward have I witnessed so many threats to our normal way of life in the ward as I do today. The period after Christmas started fairly quietly as it always does, although we recognised that the impending works to the Gypsy Patch Bridge was inevitably going to be a challenge later in 2019. The growth in transport terms of Parkway railway station was also starting to be felt with an increase in bus traffic into the hub at the front of the station, as was the continued parking blight, suffered by the residents of Stoke Gifford as a result of commuters seeking to avoid paying to park their cars at the railway station.

We have commissioned an extensive Stoke Gifford wide parking review in an attempt to bring some relief to that problem.

Bridge bombshell

But then, on 11th February, came the shock news that preparatory work on Gipsy Patch Lane was to commence as soon as 25th February. This work, commissioned by BT, will consist of enabling works prior to the commencement of the work to modernise and widen the Gipsy Patch Lane railway bridge, and will last until the end of June 2019. We are advised

that initially these works will cause minimal disruption to traffic, and will require little or no traffic management. However there may be some partial foot/ cycle path closures near the railway bridge.

The works will, however, require an approximate full four-week closure of Gipsy Patch Lane at the railway bridge, commencing on Monday 3rd June. This closure will be to all highway users, including pedestrians and cyclists. The closure is necessary to divert a number of vital services prior to the work to replace the bridge itself.

The decision to replace the bridge now will result in the removal a serious bottleneck which has for many years prevented the proper circulation of transport in the area. It will be an asset to both residents and workers passing through, but it is obvious to all, that the disruption to lives and local businesses will be considerable whilst the work is being done.

All three Stoke Gifford district councillors are deeply concerned at the short notice given regarding the commencement of these works, and are determined to exert the maximum pressure on the contractors to minimise the duration of this disruption.

We are also determined that maximum consideration be given to local residents and businesses

in the area. Small businesses are the most vulnerable to such disruption and must be protected as far as is possible.

The parish council will be hosting meetings of the residents liaison committee, and will also be holding a number of public meetings in order to maximise information flow.

Harry Stoke housing

At the same time as the Gipsy Patch Lane problem was becoming clearer, it also emerged that the anticipated commencement of the Harry Stoke development area was undergoing a material change to the agreed format. The original developer had recently sold the land to a new owner, Crest Nicholson, who now gave notice of an intention to reject the previously approved plans, and to make major changes to the agreed format. The proposed changes to style included the provision of a number of 3- and 4-storey bed/sit style homes, which were not a feature in the original plans.

These changes were not insubstantial and were the cause of great alarm to existing residents of Harry Stoke. All three Stoke Gifford district councillors are deeply concerned regarding the lack of detail concerning vital infrastructure, such as schools and medical facilities, given that the current

and existing Stoke Gifford schools and medical facilities are already over subscribed.

We therefore cannot agree to these plans at this stage, without extensive further public consultation.

Graffiti upsurge

Finally, as a proud and committed Stoke Gifford resident, I am dismayed at the recent upsurge in graffiti that is appearing in the area. This criminal damage to property cannot be accepted and I have requested the parish council to take urgent steps to remove instances as quickly as possible.

I have also requested the police to assist in this effort.

With spring now just around the corner, we need to arrange a communal spring clean of our parks and open spaces.

Cllr Brian Allinson Stoke Gifford parish councillor and South Gloucestershire councillor for Stoke Gifford ward

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Left: Khushi Ashwin in the chamber of the United Nations Trusteeship Council in New York.

Local schoolgirl speaks at United Nations (NY)

B

radley Stoke resident Khushi Ashwin has recently achieved her dream of speaking at a special conference on global sustainable development which was held at the United Nations in New York at the end of January. After working towards her dream for many months, fourteen-year-old Khushi, who attends Abbeywood Community School, was given the opportunity to speak at the conference about her campaign for gender equality and reducing violence against women.

Khushi arrived in New York on Wednesday 30th January and enjoyed a guided tour of the UN Headquarters building as well as a tour of New York City in the middle of a snow storm with temperatures varying from -2 to -16 degrees Celsius! Describing her first experience of the UN, Khushi said: “We got to see four out of five major organs of the United Nations. The most memorable building was the ECOSOC as we were told that the unfinished ceiling at one end of the room symbolises the constant developments and changes the world will continue to have.”

As part of the 1 Million for 1 Billion (1M1B) Activate Impact Summit, Khushi had to compete against 50 students in the Future Leaders finals by pitching her project to the experts and senior delegates. After a long day of PowerPoint presentations and many rounds of competitions, Khushi qualified with 11 others for the finals, which gave her “a sense of satisfaction and pride”.

Friday 1st February saw the final event arrive as Khushi prepared herself to speak at the 1M1B Activate Impact Summit.

The summit was headed by the Canadian ambassador Louise Blaze, who shared her valuable insights with those in attendance.

Khushi had an audience of about 150 people, including eminent speakers, judges, guests, mentors and students. Speaking

of her experience, Khushi said: “Speaking at the UN was a different experience altogether: a tinge of nervousness mixed with a jolt of excitement and something I will never forget. To begin with, presenting in front of so many people gave me shivers, however, the smiles which arose from the audience gave me confidence and kept me going.

The reaction and the look of joy on the faces of all the panellists at my presentation will be imprinted in my mind forever.”

Since returning from the USA only a few weeks ago, Khushi has continued to spread awareness of her campaign by meeting with local MP Jack Lopresti and home secretary Sajid Javid. The meeting was held to discuss Khushi’s recent visit to the UN and she received support for her project from them both.

Khushi has also made arrangements for the 13 disadvantaged children whom she taught karate to in India to continue their lessons so that they can achieve black belt grade and feel confident in self defence.

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Below: Khushi meets with Jack Lopresti MP and home secretary Sajid Javid to discuss her trip to the UN and seek support for her campaign.

She is also currently teaching karate to some children at a primary school in Bristol.

Our next magazine: Saturday 30th March

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March 2019

Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension / Gipsy Patch Lane roadworks: Frequently asked questions (with answers) What work is happening along Gipsy Patch Lane?

South Gloucestershire Council is progressing the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension scheme. Working with Network Rail, this includes a replacement railway bridge over Gipsy Patch Lane with a wider bridge to enable lanes for general traffic, shared use paths and bus lanes in both directions. The scheme will also include footpath widening and new bus lanes along other sections of Gipsy Patch Lane.

How are you going to stop vehicles cutting through unsuitable streets?

We are undertaking traffic surveys and using available traffic data to understand where most Gipsy Patch Lane users travel to and from. This will help us to plan the most appropriate diversion routes and discourage road users from taking unsuitable routes. We will promote and sign these routes to encourage the travelling public to use them and we will be working with major local employers to encourage considerate commuting.

When is the work starting along Gipsy Patch Lane?

Some preliminary work including BT utility diversions is starting in February 2019. Construction work of the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension is programmed to start from mid 2019 and is expected to be complete with MetroBus services running along the route in early 2022.

Will access for pedestrians and cyclists be maintained during the closures?

During the full closures, the highway under the bridge will be closed to all users including pedestrians and cyclists. Alternative routes will be signposted but these are likely to be relatively long and we recognise the inconvenience that this will cause for many. We will continue to investigate ways to reduce the amount of time that the closures will be in place in order to minimise the disruption for pedestrians and cyclists.

When will Gipsy Patch Lane be closed?

BT utility diversion work requires a closure of Gipsy Patch Lane at the railway bridge for approximately four weeks from Monday 3 June 2019.

In order to facilitate the replacement of the railway bridge, the road will be closed in full again for approximately eight months from early 2020. We will publicise the precise dates in advance of the closures.

Will the whole road be closed?

In June 2019 and from early 2020, Gipsy Patch Lane will be closed at the railway bridge. The rest of the road will be open but there may be some traffic management at different times during the work.

Will there be disruption at other times or only when Gipsy Patch Lane is closed at the railway bridge?

Yes. Traffic management will be required from later in 2019 onwards. This will include temporary traffic lights and possible one way closures. We are in the process of planning for this and more information will be published when available.

Will access to properties and side roads be maintained during the work?

Yes, access to properties and side roads will be maintained although there may be some disruption to the access to Station Road at times - we are working to confirm this and will publicise further information when it is available.

How are you going to deal with any possible increases in commuter parking in nearby residential areas during the full closures?

We are currently investigating potential options and will publish further information when it is available. We will also be working with local employers to encourage considerate commuting and parking.

What will the diversion routes be during the road closures?

There are many factors that we need to take into account when planning for diversions whenever there is a road closure including safety, capacity, suitability of alternative routes and other roadworks needed in the area.

We are also working with Highways England, who are responsible for the motorway network, to consider diverting through-traffic away from the area if possible. When a decision on the signed diversion route(s) for the June 2019 closure has been made, they will be well publicised.

ď Ź This is an extract from a larger Frequently Asked Questions document available on the SGC webpage at http://www.southglos.gov.uk/CPmetrobus

I run a business on the route, will you pay compensation for any loss of earnings during the work?

The general rule is that there is no automatic or statutory provision for compensation to be payable by the highway authority if a business is affected by roadworks. There is however, potential relief from business rates available if business premises are affected by severe local disruption.

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Gipsy Patch Lane road closures to start months earlier than originally planned Shock announcement of four-week full road closure at railway bridge from Monday 3rd June

New bridge (looking east)

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outh Gloucestershire Council has announced that Gipsy Patch Lane, a major commuter route through the Stokes, will be closed to all traffic at the railway bridge for a period of four weeks this June (2019).

The news comes less than three months after council officers assured a packed public meeting that the most disruptive roadworks associated with the upcoming Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (CPME) scheme would not commence until 2020.

The June 2019 road closure is said to be necessary for BT to carry out preparatory work to divert underground utilities.

The main CPME construction programme, which is yet to be finalised, is anticipated to include an approximate eight-month closure of Gipsy Patch Lane from early 2020 to enable the

replacement of the railway bridge.

A council spokesperson said: “Gipsy Patch Lane will be closed to all highway users, including pedestrians and cyclists, at the railway bridge for approximately four weeks from Monday 3rd June. A signed diversion route will be in place during this time.

Access to properties and side roads along Gipsy Patch Lane will be maintained and no disruption to the supply of utilities is expected. Dates of the full closure will be clearly signposted to give adequate notice.”

“Undertaking the utility diversion work at this early stage reduces the overall level of disruption to Gipsy Patch Lane and will help us to ensure that the later construction work keeps to programme.”

The spokesperson added that BT is expected to commence work on Monday 25th February,

New bridge (looking west)

but the initial phase of work is not expected to cause any disruption to road users or to the supply of BT services, although some foot/cycle paths may be affected.

Council officers are currently considering options to manage traffic during all phases of the CPME construction work on Gipsy Patch Lane and the experience gained during the full road closure in June will inform this exercise.

SGC has recently launched an online travel survey to better understand travel patterns on Gipsy Patch Lane and it is encouraging anyone who travels or lives along Gipsy Patch Lane to take part.

The survey, which should only take about five minutes to complete, can be accessed at www.southglos.gov.uk/ GPLsurvey

“The Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension will improve connectivity between key destinations in South Gloucestershire by providing a fast and direct MetroBus route between Parkway train station and The Mall bus station. The MetroBus extension is one of a package of measures to tackle congestion by providing high quality public transport options, especially focused on the transport needs of residents living in, and workers travelling to, the North Fringe of Bristol.”

A council spokesperson said: “The results of the survey, together with monitoring of traffic flows in the area, including by using temporary traffic cameras, will help us to plan for the traffic management required for the CPME construction work.”

CPME Timeline February 2019 Utility works commence on Gipsy Patch Lane June 2019 Four-week closure of Gipsy Patch Lane for utility diversions Summer 2019 Construction starts 2020 Gipsy Patch Lane railway bridge construction 2022 Construction complete and MetroBus services operating on the route

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March 2019

Great Stoke Roundabout capacity improvements The proposed improvement scheme involves the following works: • Widening of the approaches to the roundabout and of the roundabout itself, to increase the number of traffic lanes from two to three • Installation of Toucan crossings (shared use pedestrian and cycle) across all roundabout approaches • Relocation of the current cycle access ramp on Great Stoke Way to provide greater separation between this ramp and the proposed crossing to reduce the risk of conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists.

The proposed scheme is complementary to other junction capacity schemes successfully delivered in the North Fringe, such as Aztec West Roundabout, as part of a package of investment to support the Filton Enterprise Area and the sustainable housing growth.

The objectives of the improvement scheme are to: • Reduce levels of congestion • Improve journey time reliability • Reduce vehicular emissions • Improve pedestrian and cyclist routes

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Have your say on roundabout improvement proposals

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outh Gloucestershire Council has launched a public consultation on plans for capacity improvements at a major roundabout on the border between Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford.

Great Stoke Roundabout (a.k.a.

Rabbit Roundabout), which lies on the junction of Winterbourne Road with Bradley Stoke Way and Great Stoke Way, is forecast to be operating significantly over-capacity during the morning and evening peak periods by 2036, leading to increased levels of congestion with more queuing and delay.

The proposed scheme, now estimated to cost a total of £2.3m (halved from an earlier estimate), is said to be needed to accommodate the increase in traffic flows expected from committed developments in the area and the widening of Gipsy Patch Lane railway bridge.

Consultation on the proposals runs until 29th March 2019.

Details of the scheme and a short questionnaire can be found on the council website at consultations.southglos.gov.uk You can also email any comments or questions to transportservices@ southglos.gov.uk To request a paper copy of all the information and a questionnaire, call the council on 01454 868000.

The consultation documents make reference to the 8,000 homes planned for new neighbourhoods at East of Harry Stoke and Cribbs Patchway, along with the economic hub around the former Filton Airfield.

The proposed scheme also includes elements to encourage walking and cycling and improve the reliability of bus routes, including the M1 MetroBus.

It is anticipated that funding for the scheme will come from the West of England Combined Authority.

Subject to receiving funding, construction could commence in autumn 2019 and is expected to take one year to complete. A construction management plan will be prepared to minimise the impact of the works on local people and the environment.

Two drop-in information sessions have been arranged where plans of the scheme will be on display and representatives from StreetCare will be present to answer questions: • Tuesday 5th March 2019, 3pm6pm, at Baileys Court Activity Centre BS32 8BH • Thursday 7th March 2019, 4.30pm-6.30pm, at Stoke Gifford Trust Hall BS34 8PE

To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

Parish Council Updates The Parish Council continues to invest in street furniture with funding recently allocated to the purchase of new picnic benches, new seating and new bins for both Meade Park and Little Stoke Park which should be in place very soon. The Parish Council is also in the process of ordering new furniture for the Café at Little Stoke Park which will hopefully be open sometime during the Summer of 2019. A PA system will also be introduced into the existing Community Hall and new Café area shortly. The Parish Council continues to look at several options for new equipment in one of the Meade Park bark pits following the removal of the Sky Surf later last year.

Centre. This is partly due to the sudden closure of the pre-school who have been operating at the venue since September 2018. Anyone seeking additional information on available hire opportunities should liaise with the Parish Council office.

Following continued concerns about graffiti in and around the local community, the Parish Council is now looking into options about the best ways to tackle the urgent removal of graffiti appearing across the community on a wide range of street furniture and utility boxes.

Further kind donations of small trees have been well received by the Council from residents. These trees have been recently been planted just past the entrance between Royal Park and Forty Acres (see photo).

Parish Council grant funding has now been fully allocated for the current financial year.

Funding was recently approved for both the 1st Little Stoke Scout Group towards upgrading and improving lighting at their facility, along with the Friends of Meade Park with an allocation towards new information boards and improving biodiversity in the park.

Any new applications from local community groups will be considered from April 2019 onwards.

There are now opportunities for both regular and occasional hall and meeting/office room hire at The Stokes Youth and Community

STOKE GIFFORD PARISH COUNCIL OFFICE Little Stoke Community Hall PUBLIC ACCESS TIMES MONDAY 9am – 12 noon & 2pm - 4pm TUESDAY 9am – 12 noon WEDNESDAY 9am – 12 noon THURSDAY 9am – 12 noon FRIDAY 9am – 12 noon Please contact the office if you wish to arrange an appointment outside of the public access times.

See below for contact details.

The Parish Council continues discussions with South Gloucestershire Council planners, Crest Nicholson and residents concerning the proposed 763 houses in Harry Stoke following a recent public exhibition to discuss refreshed proposals.

The Parish Council successfully recruited for a new full-time administrative and marketing assistant who joins the team early in March 2019. The Parish Council is also be looking to recruit a new full time Groundsperson and will be advertising for this role shortly.

Newly planted small trees (donated by residents)

MARCH 2019 COUNCIL MEETINGS All meetings to take place at 7pm unless stated but may be subject to change.

Please refer to noticeboards and Parish Council website.

Venue: Little Stoke Community Hall FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSE COMMITTEE (2nd Tuesday of Month) Tuesday, 12th March 2019 PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE (4th Tuesday of Month) Tuesday, 26th March 2019

Steve Shield Parish Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer

Tennis Courts Now available for hire at Stoke Gifford Trust Ground North Rd, BS34 8PE

Cost: £5 per hr Booking Contact Stoke Gifford Parish Council Tel 01454 865202 Email clerk@stokegifford.org.uk

Stoke Gifford Parish Council, Little Stoke Community Hall Little Stoke Lane, Little Stoke BS34 6HR t: 01454 865202 e: clerk@stokegifford.org.uk w: www.stokegifford.org.uk

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STARS OF THE STOKES This month, Willow Brook Centre has once again launched its popular annual community awards programme, Stars of the Stokes.

2019 is the fourth year of the awards, which cover Bradley Stoke, Stoke Gifford, Winterbourne, Patchway, Almondsbury and Frampton Cotterell and comes on the back of increased nominations each year.

Willow Brook Centre works with a variety of local businesses to sponsor and promote the awards, led locally by the Bradley Stoke Journal and the Stoke Gifford Journal, and the awards night itself is broadcast live on Bradley Stoke Radio. Returning sponsors are Olympus Academy Trust, Tesco Extra, Aztec Hotel & Spa, Carisway Facilities Services, First Bus and Honeyfield Property Services.

HOW TO NOMINATE

AWARD CATEGORIES

Members of the public are invited to nominate anyone from the local area who they feel deserves recognition for outstanding community engagement and/or achievement of personal goals.

Nominations can be made on starsofthestokes.co.uk or by completing the nomination form overleaf. The glittering awards night will be held at the Aztec Hotel & Spa on Friday 21st June.

The categories for Stars of the Stokes 2019 remain unchanged: Star Teacher, Pre-School Carer of the Year, Achievement Against the Odds, Young Hero, Champion Carer, Parent/Guardian in a Million, Coach of the Year and Unsung Hero.

Andy Wynn, manager of Willow Brook Centre said: “Willow Brook is at the heart of the community and Stars of the Stokes has become an important part of our annual calendar. It has been three years since we first launched the awards, and we have been delighted to see them grow each year, with over 500 nominations in the first three years, which has been amazing.

We are forever grateful to the many local people who have gone out of their way to help us recognise local heroes.

We are delighted to work with our sponsors on this year’s awards, and are looking forward to seeing the nominations start to come in and to meeting some more of the leading lights in our community on 21st June.”

Stephen Horton, editor of the Journal magazines, said: “Every month we get to meet and report on a fair few heroes and achievers within our community. It was lovely to see that so many of the winners in the last three years had been featured previously in the Journal. We know, however, that there will be many more who support the community or celebrate achievements quietly and under the radar. Please help us to recognise these unsung heroes by taking a few minutes to nominate them.”

“The presentation night is always such an enjoyable evening and it is a pleasure to meet and chat to the finalists and sponsors.

I am really looking forward to this year’s awards night.”

More information and updates on this year’s awards can be found by visiting www.starsofthestokes.co.uk or searching ‘Stars of the Stokes’ on Facebook and Twitter.

Brought to you by

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STARS OF THE STOKES BROUGHT TO YOU BY

WillowBrookCentre Do you know someone who deserves to be recognised for outstanding community engagement and personal achievement in the Bradley Stoke, Patchway, Stoke Gifford, Almondsbury or Winterbourne areas?

Willow Brook Centre has teamed up with many local services and businesses to launch the Stars of the Stokes awards, a set of community awards to recognise the personal achievments of individuals in our local area.

The nominations will close on Friday 10th May and the awards evening will be held on 21st June at the Aztec Hotel.

h Please hand in completed entry forms to the Willow Brook Centre Management Office on the first floor or you can nominate online at www.starsofthestokes.co.uk before Friday 10th May

Category please tick

STAR TEACHER

BAILEY COOPER YOUNG HERO (UNDER 18 YEARS)

PRE-SCHOOL CARER OF THE YEAR

PARENT/GUARDIAN IN A MILLION

CHAMPION CARER

COACH OF THE YEAR

ACHIEVEMENT AGAINST THE ODDS

UNSUNG HERO

Your name

Your email

Your phone number

My nominee is

My nominee deserves to win because

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AWARD CATEGORIES STAR TEACHER Do you know a teacher who works in the area and goes above and beyond what you would expect? Has a teacher you know made a huge difference to your life?

Maybe you know a teacher who has motivated and inspired students to achieve their best and who is always willing to give that extra time and effort.

CHAMPION CARER Carers, be they family, friends or professionals, are crucial to many families. Does someone you know provide care that is ‘beyond the norm’? Have they changed lives or put their lives on hold to help and care for you?

PARENT / GUARDIAN IN A MILLION PRE-SCHOOL CARER OF THE YEAR Can you see the difference your child minder or nanny makes to your child’s development? Does your child have a favourite member of staff at their nursery or pre-school who brightens their day? Maybe your child carer ends up caring for the whole family, or has helped you with short notice cover during family emergencies over the last year.

What do parents you know do to make them a parent/guardian in a million? Do they collect your children from school every day so that you can work?

Do they fight to make sure you have everything you need and deserve? Perhaps something has happened in the last year that you couldn’t have got through without their support.

COACH OF THE YEAR ACHIEVEMENT AGAINST THE ODDS Do you know someone who achieves great things against the odds? Has someone you know overcome illness or disability to return to work, faced a battle to achieve something important to them, or achieved sporting prowess when told that they wouldn’t be able to?

BAILEY COOPER YOUNG HERO AWARD Do you know someone aged 18 or under who is a hero?

Have they spent a lot of free time volunteering?

Perhaps someone you know has achieved great things in sport or started a new hobby and become renowned for it. Maybe they care for their parents, mow the lawn for a neighbour, or have raised money for a cause that is close to them.

phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

Do you know someone who gives up their free time to coach others? Perhaps a youth football coach or a cycling coach. Maybe you know someone who works in sport but goes above and beyond what would be expected. Perhaps a teacher who runs an out of school exercise club, or a personal trainer who has helped you achieve your goals in the last year.

UNSUNG HERO Do you know someone who is a hero to you but doesn’t see it themselves? Maybe they give their life to volunteering or have done the same job for many years. Perhaps they run a local sports team, raise money for charity. It may be that they are simply a hero to you and you’d love them to receive some recognition.

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STARS OF THE STOKES BROUGHT TO YOU BY

WillowBrookCentre

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

SUPPORTED BY

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March 2019

March 2019

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News

Another ‘grand’ chalked up by prolific fundraiser

I

n the January issue of the Stoke Gifford Journal, we saw local resident Tony Giles hand over a cheque for £2,000 to the charity Above and Beyond, who raise vital funds for hospitals in the centre of Bristol. This month, Tony has already reached his next target of raising £1,000 for the charity.

On Sunday 10th February, at the Beaufort Arms in Stoke Gifford, a cheque was presented to Above and Beyond for the Meadow Ward at Bristol Children’s Hospital. The Meadow Ward is a surgical ward and the money raised will be used to purchase new play equipment for the children to use both before and after their surgeries.

Speaking after the cheque presentation, Tony said: “There was a really good turnout for the presentation of the £1,000 and I am really happy that we have reached the target already. I have received lots of positive feedback which makes it all worthwhile.”

Lydia McGivern, who accepted the cheque on behalf of the charity, said: “We are so grateful to Tony and everyone at the Beaufort Arms for their amazing support. In the last three years they have raised over £5,000 for Bristol city centre hospitals, supporting areas including bowel cancer research, children’s cardiac services and children’s cancer services. This donation will go to Meadow Ward, the day case surgical unit at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children,

Cheque presentation (l-r): Tony Giles, Lorna and Jim Carey (manager of the Beaufort Arms)

where young patients prepare for surgery. This can be a frightening time, and the support of the Beaufort Arms will help to make the ward as comfortable as possible.”

Even though the £1,000 cheque has only just been presented, Tony is already thinking about his next target which is to raise money for training guide dogs for the blind. To help Tony with his fundraising, why not pop into the Beaufort Arms on a Sunday afternoon for the meat raffle or to enjoy a game of ‘higher or lower’?

The Journal: Serving the community 24/7 since 2012

● www.aboveandbeyond.org.uk

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March 2019

News

Two local groups win Aviva community grants

S

eptember 2018 saw a number of local community groups send in applications to the Aviva Community Fund in the hopes of receiving funding for their projects. After voting was opened to the public in October 2018, the finalists were announced on 27th November.

From across the Stokes, there were four finalists: St Michael’s Primary School PTFA, 1st Bradley Stoke Scouts, Wheatfield Primary School and Bradley Stoke Youth FC. On 24th January 2019, the winners from the ‘environment’ category were announced followed by the ‘health and wellbeing’ category on 31st January and on 7th February it was the final category, ‘skills for life’. Out of these three categories, two of the four finalists from the Stokes were successful and will be receiving the funding that they applied for.

Left: Bradley Stoke FC under-7s team secured £500 for clothing and equipment.

Right: Play equipment at St Michael’s Primary School, Stoke Gifford, partly funded by a £5,000 award from the Aviva Community Fund.

Bradley Stoke Youth Football Club (BSYFC)

BSYFC’s U7 team received funding of £500 to purchase some winter training clothing as well as new training equipment such as mini-hurdles, training ladders and slalom poles to ensure

training sessions remain engaging and interactive for the children.

James McTiernan, manager of the U7 team, said: “We are delighted with the news that the club were able to secure a significant sum of money through the Aviva Community Fund.

Coaches and parents worked really hard to ensure that we had enough votes to be considered.

The under-7 squad are undergoing and really enjoying their first season in league football this year. The money will go towards kit and equipment, and will go a very long way in helping the children to grow and develop as both footballers and people.”

St Michael’s Primary School PTFA

The parents, teachers and friends association (PTFA) of St Michael’s Primary School secured funding of £5,000 to put towards the installation of new play equipment on the field.

The PTFA has been fundraising towards this goal over the last year and have managed to raise a total of £20,000 to pay for the new equipment. Alongside fundraising events at the school, the PTFA has also been

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March 2019

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News

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awarded a number of grants, including £500 from the Airbus Community Awards, £200 from Asda Green Tokens, £5,000 from Morrisons Community Fund and £1,000 from local councillor Brian Allinson through the South Glos member awards scheme.

Laura Walker, chair of the PTFA, said: “We are so pleased that we secured enough funding from the grants and our fundraising efforts. The new play equipment looks amazing and we are thrilled with it! The children have loved playing on the equipment and, rumour has it, Mr Freeman (headteacher) has also been spotted on it!”

Mr Freeman added: “We were delighted to receive the Aviva Community Fund grant, which will provide a massive boost to our fundraising efforts.

Our aim is to make significant improvements to our outdoor play equipment, to give children much greater opportunity to play and be physically active. Thank you Aviva and thanks to everyone who supported us.”

Hopefully, the Aviva Community Fund will take place again later this year, giving groups in the local community the chance to receive funding for their projects. To find out more, visit community-fund.aviva.co.uk

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March 2019

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23

Schools

Disappointment at Stoke Lodge Ofsted verdict

S

enior staff at the Olympus Academy Trust have expressed disappointment at the latest Ofsted report for Stoke Lodge Primary School, which has been given an overall grading of ‘requires improvement’ for the second time in just over two years.

Inspectors who visited the school in early January once again judged its Early Years provision to be ‘good’ but rated the other four standard areas of assessment to be in need of improvement.

At the time of the last assessment in September 2016, the school had just joined the Olympus Academy Trust and the headteacher at the time told parents he was confident that access to additional expertise and resources through the trust would allow the school to “fast-track areas identified for improvement”.

However, in his key findings, the inspector reports that leaders at the school “have not tackled issues identified for improvement at the previous inspection quickly enough”. As a result, pupils’ progress at the end of Year 6 has remained in the lowest 20 percent of schools nationally for English and mathematics.

The reports goes on to say that “middle leaders do not yet have the skills to improve teachers’ practice” and that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in Key Stage 2 is “inconsistent”.

It adds: “Weak teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling has led to gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This weakens progress in pupils’ written work.”

Communication with parents and carers is said to be in need of improvement and it is noted that a “large majority” of parents who responded to an online survey said they wouldn’t recommend the school to another parent.

Strengths identified by the inspector, in addition to the good Early Years provision, are the quality of teaching in Key Stage 1, which is leading to stronger outcomes for pupils, and the provision of a “broad and balanced” curriculum.

Pupils make particularly good progress in geography, history, art and religious education and the inspector noted evidence of improvements this year in both writing and mathematics.

The report finds that, until recently, governors “have not provided leaders with sufficient levels of challenge”. It is noted that Olympus has replaced the governing body with a ‘standards board’ made up of experienced leaders from the trust board. The reports adds that there are “early signs that this body is having a more positive impact”.

In a letter sent out to parents ahead of the publication of the latest Ofsted report, Dave Baker (Olympus CEO) and Claire Banks (Olympus executive headteacher) wrote: “Clearly we are disappointed that the Ofsted

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can now progress to a ‘good’ judgement with support and strong leadership from the trust.”

The school says it plans to organise a meeting for parents and carers at which it will share its plans for addressing concerns identified in the report and any associated issues.

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News Get well · Stay well

March 2019

by Craig de Groot, chiropractor at Willow Brook Clinic

What can chiropractic care do for you?

W

e are all designed and put together differently. Some people are designed to run, some to lift and some to row. I know someone who never stops. Over the years he has helped build several houses and has fixed many cars. He does distance bike riding. He helps with his grandchildren and loves gardening.

He hit a barrier recently when he did too much activity in a short space of time, not giving himself sufficient recovery time and not stretching. Suddenly back pain was a major issue. But that did not slow him down for long.

He saw his chiropractor for immediate treatment to fix the problem and get him moving again. This was followed by a series of treatments to keep him moving, an exercise programme and a realisation that he needs to be aware of his physical capabilities and how to best manage his wellbeing.

If you sometimes overdo it too, you may be wondering how you can keep your body healthy and avoid pain.

Here are some chiropractic tips to help you function well and eliminate pain promptly.

When you encounter pain, see your chiropractor for a diagnosis and early treatment to relieve the pain without drugs or surgery. Many people

run into pain through stress or ‘overdoing it’, lifting heavy objects or periods of inactivity followed by too much activity.

Set up regular chiropractic appointments to maintain a healthy body balance so you can be as active as you want to be.

Whatever your role, as a runner, golfer, parent or weekend warrior, regular chiropractic visits will help to keep your body ready for the next challenge. When the body is properly aligned and maintained, injuries tend to heal faster.

A competent chiropractor will have a selection of treatment modalities in their toolkit to enable your recovery, including manipulation, massage, dry needling and myofascial release. They will give you the correct exercises for your rehabilitation and to strengthen you so that the injury doesn’t reoccur.

If you sometimes do too much too fast, let your chiropractor provide a quick, effective diagnosis and treatment with a plan for avoiding future injuries.

The Willow Brook Clinic East Offices The Willow Brook Centre www.willowbrookclinic.co.uk

● See our advert on page 7.

To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

March 2019

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25

News

Liberal Democrats select prospective candidate for Filton and Bradley Stoke

L

iberal Democrat members in South Gloucestershire have selected their prospective candidates for the Filton and Bradley Stoke (FaBS) and Kingswood parliamentary constituencies, after re-selecting Claire Young in January to fight Thornbury and Yate.

Louise Harris, councillor for the South Gloucestershire ward of Dodington, was selected for Filton and Bradley Stoke, whilst Dine Romero, Lib Dem group leader on Bath and North East Somerset Council, will contest Kingswood.

Louise said: “It’s a great honour to become the candidate for Filton and Bradley Stoke.”

“I’m looking forward to speaking about Lib Dem priorities and values in the area. We know that South

South Glos candidates (l-r): Louise Harris, Claire Young and Dine Romero

Gloucestershire and the country have been let down by the Conservatives on education, the NHS, local services and Brexit, and I’m eager to listen to

residents about their concerns.”

Dine said: “The Kingswood constituency is an area with two stories. There are areas of new development here with a

commuting population who will be feeling very nervous about their jobs as we approach Brexit day, and there is another group living with deprivation in their community who want answers to Conservative austerity. The Lib Dems demand better than Brexit, which will only make that struggle worse.”

Claire Young added: “I’m delighted to stand alongside a team of talented women for the Lib Dems for the second election in a row. Voting Lib Dem here is a positive choice against the usual disappointing palate of bland politicos that will fill the Conservative and Labour tickets.

Across our area, people are starting to demand better from Westminster, and I know Louise and Dine can provide it.” ● www.southgloslibdems.org.uk

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March 2019

News

Morris dancing lessons for jamboree trip Scouts

A

vonation World Scout Jamboree Unit 70 attended St. Michael’s Primary School in Stoke Gifford on Sunday 17th February to continue their preparation for the 24th World Scout Jamboree which takes place in West Virginia, USA from 22nd July to 2nd August. It will bring together Scouts from all over the world to experience new adventures, cultures and friendships.

As part of their preparations, Unit 70 needed to choose an activity for the Culture Day, where Scouts from all over the world who are attending the jamboree can visit Avonation’s campsite and get a taste of what it’s like to be British.

There will be 99 other UK units at the event, so choosing something the others aren’t doing was extremely difficult and they wanted something that could easily be taught to groups of foreign Scouts. Luckily, the Winterbourne Down Border morris dance side came to the rescue and offered to teach them a routine.

Morris dancing originates from the Cotswolds and Unit 70 is made up from Scouts and

Members of Winterbourne Down Border Morris teach the jamboree-bound Scouts of Avonation Unit 70 a routine

Explorer Scouts from all over the Avon Scouts area, which includes Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

The unit were taught how to perform ‘John Smith’ by the Winterbourne morris dancers and their band.

The Scouts had a great time and are very thankful to their teachers for all their help and

support. They will now be able to go over to America in July and show people what morris dancing is all about.

One of the leaders from the unit said: “It’s a lot harder than it looks and we’re sure the Scouts at the jamboree will love the dance and our tatter jackets. The young people put so much effort into learning this routine in true Scouting fashion.”

The unit are going to be fundraising at the Tesco Extra store in Bradley Stoke in March by packing bags for customers and then, in April, they will receive first response first aid training. (The jamboree is the trip of a lifetime and they need to be prepared for anything.)

To find out more about the World Scout Jamboree, visit www.2019wsj.org

We hand-deliver 5,000 copies of this magazine As well as being delivered to 5,000 homes in Stoke Gifford parish (north of the A4174), we leave a further 200 copies of this magazine at public locations in Stoke Gifford and Little Stoke.

These include shops, doctors’ surgeries, takeaways and pubs.

Larger quantities are left at St Michael’s Coffee Shop and Ratcliffe Drive post office.

Although we don’t presently deliver to Cheswick, copies of the magazine are available from the Co-operative store there.

Send us your news!

April magazine Deadline for contributions: Monday 18th March To advertise in this magazine or on our websites, phone The Journal’s sales team on 01454 300 400

March 2019

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Schools

Harry Potter event raises £200 for charity

O

n Thursday 7th February, Abbeywood Community School invited children from the local community to help them celebrate Harry Potter Book Night. Around 50-60 children attended the event and enjoyed a variety of activities based around the popular books written by J.K. Rowling.

Although the children enjoyed all of the activities available, it was clear to see that some had their favourites. For example, the Quidditch games using lacrosse sticks for broomsticks and hunting for the golden snitch were very popular as well as the Fantastic Beast hunt where children had to search around the hall for 10 different beasts.

Once completed they could claim their chocolate frog and wizard card. On arrival, every child was given a ticket to receive one cup of butterbeer and many children returned for more throughout the evening, showing the popularity of the magical drink.

Debbie Swindail, Abbeywood’s librarian and organizer of the event, said: “This was our third year of celebrating the work of J.K Rowling and taking part in

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the Harry Potter World Book Night and as always I am very proud of Abbeywood’s student fundraising team. Every year they excel themselves and put on a bigger and better Harry Potter event. Everyone seemed to be having a magical time, young and old. It was fantastic to see the school filled with local children celebrating a great series of books and all for a good cause.”

The event raised a total of £224 which is going to two charities: The Royal British Legion and Children’s Hospice South West.

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March 2019

News

Beaver Scouts learn the importance of first aid

T

Beavers of the 1st Little Stoke Scout Group receive first aid instruction from St John Ambulance cadets

history, the Beavers section will sleep over at the Lovell Centre at Woodhouse. This camp will allow the Beaver leader to gain her overnight camping warrant, which will allow the Beaver section to plan more exciting overnight adventures.

Around 15 excitable Beavers will spend 24 hours at a Gruffalo-

themed camp. During the day, the Beavers, a mix of boys and girls, will be enjoying a range of activities from wide games, treasure hunts, outdoor cooking and craft activities. Then, after a delicious dinner the children will settle down to listen to the Gruffalo story while drinking hot chocolate, before heading off to

bed in the centre’s bunk beds.

If you would like any more information on getting involved with any of the 1st Little Stoke Scout Group sections, please contact Group Scout Leader Tony Edmonds on 07957 880503 or tonyedmonds108@yahoo.com

● www.scouts.org.uk

FR

IE

N

D BO LY O TO K U A R TO

DA Y!

his term, the Beaver section at 1st Little Stoke Scout Group has been extremely busy. The Beavers are currently working towards several badges, including their Faith badge, which will involve a visit to local church Christ the King, the Outdoor Challenge badge and their Emergency Aid badge levels 1 and 2.

As part of the Emergency Aid badge, the Beavers had a visit from the St John Ambulance Cadet group. They learnt about the importance of understanding what to do in an emergency, who to contact, how to put someone in the recovery position and how to use bandages. All the Beavers had the opportunity to ask questions and then act out scenarios.

Currently, the Beaver leaders are busily preparing for their first-ever 1st Little Stoke Beaver sleepover at the end of March.

For the first time in the group’s

R E V O C S DI . . .

E M I R P E M I T Y !

P I AN H S R E B M R 55’s ME OV E

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info@stokegiffordjournal.co.uk

News

South Glos council tax to rise by 2.99 percent But massive increase in police precept means bills will be closer to 4 percent higher

S

outh Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) element of the council tax levied on local households is to increase by 2.99 percent from April.

The latest rise follows inflationbusting uplifts of 5.99 percent in 2018/19 and 4.99 percent in 2017/18, both of which included a ring-fenced levy of 3 percent to support adult social care.

A social care levy could not be levied for 2018/19 as the council has already reached the government-imposed cap of a 6 percent cumulative rise over three years.

The increase means that the South Gloucestershire Council element of council tax for a Band D property for 2019/20 will rise to £1,484.

Meeting on 13th February, councillors agreed to set a revenue budget of almost £221 million. The spending plans also include a further £208 million that will be distributed to schools.

The Budget papers show that while the council’s finances are projected to remain in balance for the coming two years, this is only by using reserves set aside for this purpose, delivering additional savings and generating extra income. The council concedes that challenges remain in the medium term, caused by falling government grants and increased costs and demand for services.

Public consultation carried

out by the council prior to the budget-setting process showed that 37 percent of respondents expressed a preference for a lower council tax rise for 2018/19 of 1.99 percent, while 36 percent opted for the finally chosen value of 2.99 percent.

The council’s Conservative administration says its budget includes £78 million of investment in local schools and £35m for road and highways (both over four years).

There will also be £3.2m of additional funding for social care, with further increases set aside for extra support to deal with the spike in demand for adult social care seen over the winter months.

Cllr Toby Savage, leader of the council, said: “Our goal in setting this budget is to ensure South Gloucestershire continues to be a fantastic place to live and work. I’m passionate about improving educational standards and I’m delighted that we’ll be able to deliver such a significant investment in our schools.”

“One of the council’s key priorities is to offer ‘value for money’ to our residents and I believe we are continuing to do so. I am extremely proud that we have not only been able to balance the budget for the next two years, but that we’re also keeping our focus on the quality of services and the delivery of our savings targets.”

In addition to the South

Gloucestershire element, bills that will be coming through letterboxes in the next few weeks will include contributions to Avon & Somerset Police (up 12.38 percent) and Avon Fire & Rescue Service (up 2.99 percent), and the precept raised by Stoke Gifford Parish Council (up 1.6 percent), producing a grand total of £1,842.25 for a Band D property, an increase of 3.97 percent over last year.

The sizeable increase in the policing element follows a surprise announcement by the government last December to allow police and crime commissioners (PCCs) to increase their levy by £24 a year for a Band D property. It follows a £12 (6.6 percent) rise in 2017/18.

Avon and Somerset PPC Sue Mounstevens said: “I fully understand that this is a big increase for households. It was not an easy decision. However, Band

I have to balance the challenges facing policing; the increased threat from criminality and the safety of residents.”

“This money will not fix everything but it’s the first investment we’ve seen since austerity began in 2010 and it’s a big step in the right direction.”

From April, the total increase in policing funding after the council tax precept rise and new Home Office funding will boost the PCC’s net expenditure budget by £21 million of which some £17 million is required to meet rising costs. The remaining £4 million of new funds will be invested in the policing service for local residents and tackling local priorities including burglary, drug crime, violent crime and the recruitment of 100 additional officers.

2018/19

2019/20

£ Increase

A

£1,181.29

£1,228.17

£46.88

% Increase 3.97%

B

£1,378.16

£1,432.86

£54.70

3.97%

C

£1,575.05

£1,637.56

£62.51

3.97%

D

£1,771.93

£1,842.25

£70.32

3.97%

E

£2,165.70

£2,251.64

£85.94

3.97%

F

£2,559.46

£2,661.03

£101.57

3.97%

G

£2,953.22

£3,070.42

£117.20

3.97%

H

£3,543.86

£3,684.50

£140.64

3.97%

Total figures for Stoke Gifford residents, comprising contributions to South Gloucestershire Council, Avon & Somerset Police, Avon Fire & Rescue and Stoke Gifford Parish Council. Figures for other parishes will vary.

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Directory of Advertisers Accountants & Bookkeepers C & M Services, Page 29 Dunkley’s Accountants, Page 2 Bathrooms Concept Property Maintenance, Page 12 Beauty Salons Beautilicious Beauty Room, Page 21 Car Dealerships Motorline Toyota Bristol North, Page 22 Carpentry & Joinery J. Earle Carpentry & Joinery, Page 30 Northavon Carpentry, Page 24 Children’s Activities Willow Brook Centre, Page 3 Chiropractic Willow Brook Clinic, Page 7 Domestic Appliance Repairs Kitchen & Laundry Appliance Care, Page 19 Driving Schools See directory on SGJ website Education & Learning Abbeywood Community School, Page 10 Kumon Study Programme, Page 11 SGS College, Page 32 Electrician Paul Willcox, Page 31 Estate Agents Ocean Estate Agents, Page 1 Events Willow Brook Centre, Page 3 Financial Services Crystal Clear Financial Planning, Page 9 Foot Care Willow Brook Clinic, Page 7 Garage Services Bristol Caravans, Page 20 LCM Automotive, Pages 1 & 21 Gardening Services Garretts Landscapes, Page 26 Smart Patios, Page 7 Gyms & Health Clubs Anytime Fitness, Page 28 Riverside Leisure Club, Page 27 Hairdressers Reflections, Page 25

Healthcare Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Page 23 Home Improvements & Furnishings Door Express, Page 12 Mortgages Aspirations IFA, Page19 Crystal Clear Financial Planning, Page 9 Opticians Specsavers, Page 13 Painting & Decorating A. Worsfold, Page 30 Digby Decor, Page 30 Pet Services & Supplies Rosie Posie Pet Services, Page 31 Physiotherapy Willow Brook Clinic, Page 7 Plumbing & Heating Assist Plumbing and Heating, Page 31 Concept Property Maintenance, Page 12 Low Cost Plumbing, Page 31 M.S.M Plumbing & Heating, Page 31 Panache Plumbing, Page 31 S. Berryman Plumbing & Heating, Page 31 Property Maintenance Concept Property Maintenance, Page 12 David Coombs Services, Page 31 Mark’s Gutter Cleaning, Page 31 Paul Willcox, Page 31 P.J.R Plastics, Page 31 Public Notices Stoke Gifford Parish Council, Page 14 Recruitment G4S Cash Solutions, Page 21 Rubbish Clearance Bradley Stoke Rubbish Clearance, Page 30 Self Storage Admiral’s Yard Self Storage, Page 24 Solicitors Bevan Evemy Solicitors, Page 4 Slimming Clubs & Consultants Slimming World, Page 5 Taxis & Private Hire Bradley Stoke Cabs Ltd, Page 31 Z Cars, Page 29 More in directory on SGJ website

Visit our online directory: www.stokegiffordjournal.co.uk/directory CARPENTRY & JOINERY

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PLUMBING & HEATING

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Call Paul for free quote 01454 850201 or 07980 001109

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YOUR FIRST REAL CHANCE AT SGS! Join us at our Open Evening and find out about SGS College’s wide range of full/part-time and Higher Education study programmes, including those starting in September 2019.

• Speak with our specialist course tutors • Meet current learners studying at SGS • Tour the campus to see our industry focused facilities OUR NEXT OPEN EVENING: Thursday 28 March, 17:30–20:00 All subject areas – SGS Filton, WISE, Stroud, Queens Road and Berkeley UTC campuses

TO FIND OUT MORE

FREEPHONE: 0800 0567 253 www.sgscol.ac.uk | info@sgscol.ac.uk