Canal Bridge Safety Consultation

Since 2017, we have been working on trying to improve safety across the Canal Bridge and the surrounding areas. With the news that funding for the Conker Crossing was not available due to the scale of the investment required and changes to funding criteria, BANES commissioned a safety paper on alternate options for the Canal Bridge and narrowing by Mulberry Kidz. The Parish Council has received and reviewed the findings of the paper and will undertake a public consultation to share the information and seek public feedback on the options provided.

Click here for the consultation dates and documents

Harbutt – One Hundred and Twenty

A Celebration of 120 Years of Plasticine, William Harbutt and Bathampton

  • From 10.30 a.m.- 8.00 p.m.
  • Bathampton Village Hall, Holcombe Lane Bathampton
  • Free Admission

Image of a ticket advertising Harbutt's Plasticine
Harbutt’s Plasticine, the populate packet. Pleases everyone

Programme of Events June 17th 2017

10.30 Welcome and Introduction – Main Hall. Bring cakes for the cake competition. There are prizes for Most Tasty, Most Like Plasticine (not in taste) and Generally Best Looking! Refreshments all day.

10.30-12.00 Working with Plasticine – A workshop for young and old led by actor Doc Watson as William Harbutt. Come along and work with Plasticine to make an entry for the sculpture competition! There are prizes for pre-school, school and grown-ups.

12.30 Judging of Plasticine Sculpture and Cakes by Jess Mckillop of Aardman Animation, William Harbutt and a representative of the Harbutt family.

1.15 p.m. Awarding of Prizes and Presentation to Bathampton Village Hall of Medallion of William Harbutt.

Tea and Cakes all afternoon. Other refreshments are available!

6.00 p.m. Showing of Aardman Animation films A Grand Day Out, The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave. Take a ticket for this when you arrive during the day!

Image of children playing with model plasticine advertising Harbutt's Plasticine
Harbutt’s Plasticine

Event supported by:

  • Bath & North East Somerset Council
  • Museum of Bath at Work
  • Bathampton Village Hall Committee
  • Bathampton Village Show Committee
  • Bathampton Parish Council
  • Bath Spa University
  • Bathampton Primary School
  • Bathampton Church Bellringers

Image of female child playing with plasticine
Harbutt’s Plasticine, the compete modeller

Election of a Mayor for West Of England Combined Authority

Notice of Election

  1. An Election is to be held of a Mayor for the West of England Combined Authority area.
  2. Forms of nomination for this Mayoral Election may be obtained at 5th Floor, B Bond, Smeaton Road, Bristol, BS1 6XN from the Combined Authority Returning Officer who will, at the request of an elector for any electoral area prepare a nomination paper for signature.
  3. Nomination papers must be delivered to the Combined Authority Returning Officer, 5th Floor, B Bond, Smeaton Road, Bristol, BS1 6XN on any day after the date of this notice, on Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (excluding bank holidays), but no later than 4 pm on Tuesday, 4th April 2017.
  4. The required deposit may be made either by (a) the deposit of any legal tender or by (b) means of a banker’s draft or by (c) electronic transfer of funds using a debit card.
  5. If the election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday, 4th May 2017.
  6. Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes and amendments or cancellations of proxy votes must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 5 pm on Tuesday, 18th April 2017.
  7. New applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 5 pm on Tuesday, 25th April 2017.
  8. Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election on grounds of physical incapacity or for work/service reasons must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 5 pm on Thursday, 4th May 2017. The physical incapacity must have occurred after 5 pm on Tuesday, 25th April 2017.
    To apply on the grounds of work/service, the person must have become aware that they cannot go to the polling station in person after 5 pm on Tuesday, 25th April 2017.

Electoral Registration Officer’s Contact Details

Address: Electoral Registration Officer, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Guildhall, High Street, Bath, BA1 5AW
Telephone: 01225 477333
Email: elections@bathnes.gov.uk

Online council tools for the community

Melanie Hodgson, the People & Communities Communications Team Lead of Bath and North East Somerset Council has provided us with the following information:

I would like to tell you about some useful information tools for your local community. These are managed in-house by the Council and are free of charge to all.

1 Big Database Bathnes

Looking for family and childcare information? Find support for a range of family issues, childcare, parenting support, activities, benefits, school and much more on 1 Big Database – www.bathnes1bd.org.uk

Rainbow Resource

Do you have a child or young person in your family with a special educational need or disability? Rainbow Resource provides information on the services children, young people and their families may access from a range of local agencies – including education, health and social care providers and voluntary organisations. See www.rainbowresource.org.uk

Wellbeing Options

Are you (or do you care for) an adult needing support to live a full and independent life? Wellbeing Options has a wealth of information about local activities, clubs, help at home or care and support. Find out more at www.wellbeingoptions.co.uk

Follow us on Facebook

www.facebook.com/wellbeingoptions
www.facebook.com/BathnesFIS

Changes to our rubbish collection service from 6 November 2017

The following is from an editorial provided by Bath and North East Somerset Council.

What is changing?

Most households across Bath and North East Somerset will be changing to every other week collection for their rubbish from 6 November. We will be providing a 140 litre wheeled bin for the storage and collection of rubbish. We realise that one size does not fit all, so in a small number of cases where a 140 litre wheeled bin is not suitable for your property, or family situation, we may provide a larger bin or a re-useable rubbish bag to contain rubbish for collection.

Recycling collections, including food waste will remain weekly and our emphasis will be on encouraging you to use this weekly service to its full potential.

Over 70% of UK councils including all our neighbours in Bristol, North Somerset, Somerset, Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire, are already running every other week collections for rubbish (in wheeled bins) and weekly recycling collections. They are seeing the benefits including reduced street mess, cost efficiencies and collecting more recycling (instead of rubbish).

Collection days and times may change as we will need to redesign the routes so that they are as efficient as possible.

Look out for your letter in March

From 9-13 March all households will be sent a personalised letter informing them how the changes will affect them. To reduce postage costs, most letters will be included in the envelope with your Council Tax Bill.

This letter will let you know whether we have allocated your property a wheeled bin or re-useable rubbish bag for rubbish collection, and the frequency of your rubbish collection. The letter is for information and no response is needed. If you are concerned that the container we have allocated is not appropriate for your specific property, or if despite recycling all you can, you feel that your household will not manage with the allocated container you can complete an online query form.

We will write separately to residents who

– live in a registered House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO)
– are currently registered for an Assisted Collection (those who require the help of our crews to carry their rubbish and/or recycling to an agreed collection point). You will be asked to complete a form to update your details to re-apply for an assisted collection if you still need help. For some residents wheeled bins will be much easier to manage.

Why are we introducing the changes?

1. To keep our streets cleaner

Containing rubbish in a bin or bag will prevent animals and birds ripping open bags and making a mess which is unpleasant for everyone and costs us to clear up.

2. To recycle more

We have a very comprehensive recycling collection where you can already recycle 17 different types of household waste every week. We know that some residents can recycle more than they are currently doing – about 75% of a household’s waste can be recycled using the current collections, but we still find that over half of an average rubbish bag consists of items that could have been recycled. Our local research shows that if you recycle all you can you will still have space left in your rubbish bin when collected every other week.

The change will help to encourage everyone to use their food recycling collection – only about 50% of households currently use this. About a third of the waste in black sacks currently is food.

3. To save money

Every lorry load of waste costs £1000 to dispose of whilst every lorry load of recycling earns an income of £100, so reducing the amount put out as rubbish is essential.

Find out more

www.bathnes.gov.uk/recycle

Our website is being updated as details are confirmed and more FAQs added so please check back for updates.

Park and Ride Update

The following is from the Save Bathampton Meadows Facebook page:

B&NES Cabinet are holding a special meeting on Wednesday 25th January to decide on the location of a Park & Ride East and the fate of our precious Bathampton Meadows. PLEASE come join our protest outside the Guildhall at 4.30pm. Bring your banners, megaphones, drums and children. At 5pm join us inside the Guildhall to witness the Cabinet meeting and support the campaigners who are speaking. We need to get our message across to the 9 Tory cabinet members loud and clear.

Please note that we have requested that the timing of the meeting be moved so that people with jobs are able to attend. If they consent, the timing of the protest may change. We will keep you posted on the SBM FB page and on Twitter.

Charity Christmas Tree Recycling

Just a short notice regarding a new scheme being run by Dorothy House this year.

The general concept is that people log onto the website: www.charityxmastreecollection.com , sign up their tree with a donation to Dorothy House Hospice and they will then collect it over the weekend of 7th and 8th January.

This is the first year of the scheme so they are starting it in 6 postcodes and providing it is a success hope to expand on this the following year. Let’s show them what Bathampton can do!

If you have any queries or questions please do not hesitate to contact Steph on steph.cox@dorothyhouse-hospice.org.uk or phone 01225 721480 to speak to the Fundraising team.

Connecting Devon and Somerset, broadband voucher scheme

Voucher Scheme Update

The Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) Programme has been running a voucher scheme as part of its commitment to ensuring all premises have access to at least 2 Mbps. The scheme was launched in March 2016 and it offers anyone with a broadband speed of less than 2Mbps a voucher worth up to £500 towards the cost of a new broadband connection.

The scheme will close to applications on the 30th of November 2016, though voucher holders can still use their vouchers up until March 2017. Anybody who applies before this date will have the voucher processed and will be part of the system. We are receiving a large volume of applications at present and we expect this to only increase towards the end of the month; it may take us a few weeks to process all the vouchers after the 30th deadline.

Working with 18 registered suppliers voucher holders can choose between a range of solutions such as fixed wireless, mobile 4G and satellite as well as some fibre operators. These solutions will offer at least 10Mbps though some can deliver superfast speeds of 30 – 80Mbps.

How the scheme works

Residents and businesses who have slower speeds can apply through the Connecting Devon and Somerset website. Those with speeds that are confirmed as below the 2Mbps threshold and have no access to faster networks will be issued with a voucher. In some cases where there is a programme underway to connect an area the applicant will be informed that they may be able to access improved broadband through another scheme. If residents do not have sufficient internet access to apply online, paper copies of the application form can be sent. Alternatively arrangements can be made to take applications over the phone.

Once issued with a voucher code, residents and businesses are able to choose from the range of 18 suppliers registered on the scheme; in some areas, where suppliers can identify sufficient demand a whole community solution can be delivered. CDS are not able to arbitrate or be involved in any of the decisions taken by the voucher holders in their choice of supplier or engagement in a community scheme. CDS will honour the invoiced value of an individual installation up to the value of £500 and this is supplied by the providers on a monthly basis.

All applications must be completed by 30th November 2016. This will allow installations to be carried out and invoices returned and approved before the end of the financial year in March 2017.

How to access the scheme

Further details can be found on the CDS website at: www.connectingdevonandsomerset.co.uk/cds-broadband-voucher-scheme

Residents may also email broadbandvoucher-mailbox@devon.gov.uk for information.

Digital access to ancestral records in Bath and North East Somerset

Residents, or those with family or historic ancestral connections to the area, are now able to go online to access burial and cremation records managed and held by Bath & North East Somerset Council.
The Council, in partnership with Deceased Online, www.deceasedonline.com, has scanned and created digital versions of all burial and cremation records going back to the early 1850s to enable easy and fast searching for family and ancestors’ records.

Under statutory legislation, burial and cremation records need to be managed and preserved by all local authorities. Until now, anyone searching for these records would have needed to apply to the Council or visit the Bereavement Services offices. The availability of the online records means that individuals are able to search the data themselves 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This will improve accessibility for the users, reduce the demand on Council resources and provide far easier and faster access to the records by the public. The online records will also be available to global users and visiting tourists who have an interest in the region and local family connections .

Deceased Online already has records for 150+ UK councils and other archives in its database; users can search the website free of charge and digital copies of records can be downloaded for a small fee per document.
Cllr Martin Veal (Conservative, Bathavon North), Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “We are embracing digital technology to ensure these vital records are safeguarded and made easier to access and at a lower cost than before. This project will also provide local, national and even international researchers access to the fascinating history of the area at the click of a button from anywhere in the world.”

The digital records available are as follows:

  • Bathwick Cemetery, 1862-1998
  • Harptree Cemetery, 1884-2011
  • Haycombe Cemetery, 1937-1990
  • Locksbrook Cemetery, 1864-2010
  • St James’s Cemetery (formerly Lyn Wid & St James), 1861-2011
  • St Michael’s Cemetery, 1851-2008
  • Twerton/Bellots Road Cemetery, 1882-2003
  • Haycombe Crematorium, 1961-1996

People searching the website will be able to find:

  • Scans of original registers
  • Grave details indicating all those buried within each grave
  • Maps indicating the section within the cemeteries where each grave is located (available for Haycombe, St James’s and Twerton cemeteries only)