Cllr David Dixon has created a new Page on Facebook so that you can quickly and easily follow the work that he is doing for the residents of Walcot.
You can visit http://tinyurl.com/cllrdixon and follow his activities from your Facebook feed!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Black Cat moves into Porter Butt
I visited The Porter Butt this evening and met with Dave from the Black Cat - who are the organisation currently squatting.
Talking to them they didn't know of the future plans for the building so I updated them and said that their squatting may delay things further.
They said that they don't really want to delay things but would like to somehow stay until Richers are ready to start works.
I have passed their contact details onto Richers and I hope that things can be resolved without long and costly court battles etc.
They do run a blog if you want to know more http://blackcatcentre.blogspot.com
It's an interesting one as in principle I do support what The Black Cat are trying to deliver. I am hoping that the Council might open up dialogue with a view to finding them a proper home so that they do not have to keep on squatting in empty properties.
Talking to them they didn't know of the future plans for the building so I updated them and said that their squatting may delay things further.
They said that they don't really want to delay things but would like to somehow stay until Richers are ready to start works.
I have passed their contact details onto Richers and I hope that things can be resolved without long and costly court battles etc.
They do run a blog if you want to know more http://blackcatcentre.blogspot.com
It's an interesting one as in principle I do support what The Black Cat are trying to deliver. I am hoping that the Council might open up dialogue with a view to finding them a proper home so that they do not have to keep on squatting in empty properties.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Liberal Democrat Manifesto Available to Download
We have had such a warm welcome on the doorstep while out canvassing, so thank you to all those we have met.
Many have asked for a copy of our manifesto, our printed manifesto is quite a chuncky document, so here is the link to it and below a quick summary,
a fair chance
for every child
• Ensure children get the individual attention they need by
cutting class sizes
• Made possible by investing £2.5 billion in schools targeted
to help struggling pupils
• Give schools the freedom to make the right choices for
their pupils
fair taxes
that put money back in your pocket
• The first £10,000 you earn tax-free: a tax cut of £700 for
most people
• 3.6 million low earners and pensioners freed from income
tax completely
• Paid for in full by closing loopholes that unfairly benefi t
the wealthy and polluters
a fair future
creating jobs by making Britain greener
• Break up the banks and get them lending again to protect
real businesses
• Honesty about the tough choices needed to cut the defi cit
• Green growth and jobs that last by investing in infrastructure
a fair deal
by cleaning up politics
• Put trust back into politics by giving you the right to sack
corrupt MPs
• Restore and protect hard-won British civil liberties with a
Freedom Bill
• Overhaul Westminster completely: fair votes, an elected
House of Lords, all politicians to pay full British taxes
Many have asked for a copy of our manifesto, our printed manifesto is quite a chuncky document, so here is the link to it and below a quick summary,
a fair chance
for every child
• Ensure children get the individual attention they need by
cutting class sizes
• Made possible by investing £2.5 billion in schools targeted
to help struggling pupils
• Give schools the freedom to make the right choices for
their pupils
fair taxes
that put money back in your pocket
• The first £10,000 you earn tax-free: a tax cut of £700 for
most people
• 3.6 million low earners and pensioners freed from income
tax completely
• Paid for in full by closing loopholes that unfairly benefi t
the wealthy and polluters
a fair future
creating jobs by making Britain greener
• Break up the banks and get them lending again to protect
real businesses
• Honesty about the tough choices needed to cut the defi cit
• Green growth and jobs that last by investing in infrastructure
a fair deal
by cleaning up politics
• Put trust back into politics by giving you the right to sack
corrupt MPs
• Restore and protect hard-won British civil liberties with a
Freedom Bill
• Overhaul Westminster completely: fair votes, an elected
House of Lords, all politicians to pay full British taxes
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Election Definitely Started
OK so if you haven't noticed the election is definitely under way.
We have been busy delivering leaflets and most importantly knocking doors. We have done a complete knock across Walcot and have spoken already to hundreds of residents. We still have more to do as you could probably imagine not everyone is in when you first call.
So today I have leaflets to deliver, then I am taking some time this afternoon to cut the grass as the great weather has made it grow very quickly! Then if all goes to plan I intend to finish any outstanding deliveries for Walcot.
Don't forget if you can help us in anyway please visit http://www.bathlibdems.org.uk/pages/campaign.html every little helps.
We have been busy delivering leaflets and most importantly knocking doors. We have done a complete knock across Walcot and have spoken already to hundreds of residents. We still have more to do as you could probably imagine not everyone is in when you first call.
So today I have leaflets to deliver, then I am taking some time this afternoon to cut the grass as the great weather has made it grow very quickly! Then if all goes to plan I intend to finish any outstanding deliveries for Walcot.
Don't forget if you can help us in anyway please visit http://www.bathlibdems.org.uk/pages/campaign.html every little helps.
Friday, April 09, 2010
Register to vote by 20th April 2010 and have your say
Residents across the Bath & North East Somerset Council area can find out more about voting in the May 6th 2010 General Election through the Council’s website, by email, or by telephone.
All the information needed by voters can be found on www.bathnes.gov.uk/elections or the Council can be contacted by email on elections@bathnes.gov.uk or telephone on 01225 477333. On the Council website residents can download the form to register to vote, find out where their local polling station is, and apply for a postal or proxy vote. Anybody wishing to vote in the General Election must register to do so by Tuesday 20th April 2010. If you do not register, you cannot vote. There are no Local Elections being held this year.
I am a first time voter…
Remember, your name doesn’t go on the register automatically once you have turned 18, or just because you are paying Council Tax;
First time voters must fill-in the form to register to vote and send it back to us. Once on the electoral register, the Council will send a card with details of where the polling station is.
I want to vote by post…
The deadline to request a postal vote is Tuesday 20th April 2010 by 5pm. You do not need a reason to request a postal vote;
Your ballot paper is sent to your home address ahead of Election Day.
All the information needed by voters can be found on www.bathnes.gov.uk/elections or the Council can be contacted by email on elections@bathnes.gov.uk or telephone on 01225 477333. On the Council website residents can download the form to register to vote, find out where their local polling station is, and apply for a postal or proxy vote. Anybody wishing to vote in the General Election must register to do so by Tuesday 20th April 2010. If you do not register, you cannot vote. There are no Local Elections being held this year.
I am a first time voter…
Remember, your name doesn’t go on the register automatically once you have turned 18, or just because you are paying Council Tax;
First time voters must fill-in the form to register to vote and send it back to us. Once on the electoral register, the Council will send a card with details of where the polling station is.
I want to vote by post…
The deadline to request a postal vote is Tuesday 20th April 2010 by 5pm. You do not need a reason to request a postal vote;
Your ballot paper is sent to your home address ahead of Election Day.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Southbourne Gardens Planning Dismay
A hearing to decide whether homes can be built on former allotment land in Bath has ruled in favour of the development.
Developer Thomas Wheeler appealed to the Planning Inspectorate last year after Bath and North East Somerset Council refused permission to build 10 homes at the site in Fairfield Park.
And following a hearing, the government inspector decided to grant permission for the housing.
The Claremont Residents’ Association and local councillors had argued that the land at Southbourne Gardens is the area’s village green and should be returned to allotment use.
They opposed the application, which will see the building of eight four-bedroom houses and two three-bedroom flats, amid fears they would be losing an open space and would be disturbed by an increase of traffic in the area.
In her report the inspector said: “I appreciate that the proposed development would result in noise and disturbance from additional vehicles using the road and accessing the site, particularly in the area nearest the proposed turning head/parking area. However, I do not consider that the noise likely to be generated by those accessing the site would be likely to have such a significant effect in this residential urban environment as to warrant refusal. Although car headlights might be noticeable from some of the existing properties, the landscaping plan indicates that planting would be provided in this area to lessen any such effect.”
She added that she found that development reflected the character and appearance of the area.
The land had previously been used for grazing livestock but during the Second World War was turned into allotments.
The allotment holders were kicked off the site in the 1980s and has been left disused and unkept by the family who own it despite previous attempts by the local community to buy it and offer alternative uses.
Councillor Colin Darracott (Lib Dem, Walcot) who was strongly against the proposals said it was going to be a big disappointment for residents.
He said: “I’m bitterly disappointed, but not entirely surprised. The residents have been on the waiting list for an allotment for a long time and now they will be waiting even longer.”
An application for costs from Mr Wheeler was submitted as part of the appeal and has also been granted, on the grounds that the council was unable to give a valid enough reason for the refusal.
Developer Thomas Wheeler appealed to the Planning Inspectorate last year after Bath and North East Somerset Council refused permission to build 10 homes at the site in Fairfield Park.
And following a hearing, the government inspector decided to grant permission for the housing.
The Claremont Residents’ Association and local councillors had argued that the land at Southbourne Gardens is the area’s village green and should be returned to allotment use.
They opposed the application, which will see the building of eight four-bedroom houses and two three-bedroom flats, amid fears they would be losing an open space and would be disturbed by an increase of traffic in the area.
In her report the inspector said: “I appreciate that the proposed development would result in noise and disturbance from additional vehicles using the road and accessing the site, particularly in the area nearest the proposed turning head/parking area. However, I do not consider that the noise likely to be generated by those accessing the site would be likely to have such a significant effect in this residential urban environment as to warrant refusal. Although car headlights might be noticeable from some of the existing properties, the landscaping plan indicates that planting would be provided in this area to lessen any such effect.”
She added that she found that development reflected the character and appearance of the area.
The land had previously been used for grazing livestock but during the Second World War was turned into allotments.
The allotment holders were kicked off the site in the 1980s and has been left disused and unkept by the family who own it despite previous attempts by the local community to buy it and offer alternative uses.
Councillor Colin Darracott (Lib Dem, Walcot) who was strongly against the proposals said it was going to be a big disappointment for residents.
He said: “I’m bitterly disappointed, but not entirely surprised. The residents have been on the waiting list for an allotment for a long time and now they will be waiting even longer.”
An application for costs from Mr Wheeler was submitted as part of the appeal and has also been granted, on the grounds that the council was unable to give a valid enough reason for the refusal.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Bright ideas...
Sometimes you plan something out as well as you can and think it's all going to be fine, but it's not until it comes to implementing it that you realise just how daft something is in practice.
Take this superb example where I am sure that the lighting engineer did everything right in the way of getting the new lighting up Claremont Road and Eastbourne Avenue techically in the correct positions, but surely while the contractor is putting it in something must think that something isn't quite right...
I know that the picture isn't great as this was taken at night but what you can see is the new lighting column tucks nicely away into a large sycamore tree, meaning that the lamp which will end up on top of it will be totally ineffective.
When I get a daylight image I will put it up.
I await a response from the street lighting team as to how to solve this one... D
Take this superb example where I am sure that the lighting engineer did everything right in the way of getting the new lighting up Claremont Road and Eastbourne Avenue techically in the correct positions, but surely while the contractor is putting it in something must think that something isn't quite right...
I know that the picture isn't great as this was taken at night but what you can see is the new lighting column tucks nicely away into a large sycamore tree, meaning that the lamp which will end up on top of it will be totally ineffective.
When I get a daylight image I will put it up.
I await a response from the street lighting team as to how to solve this one... D
Friday, January 29, 2010
New Cycle Lane
Following requests from local residents, a Council officer will be looking at opening up the lane between Powlett Road and Bathwick Street to cyclist. Initial findings are that the lane is wide enough and that it would create a good link through. Since The Council never made any dedicated cycle route around Sydney Gardens when complete farce of a traffic system went in (funny that was also unpopular and funded through a government grant - nothing changes eh?).
All funds and projects for this financial year are agreed, however I do hope that we can open it up next year. Unfortunately there is a cost which has not previously been budgetted as a legal order and markings have to go in to reverse the cycling ban.
Thanks to the residents who raised this with me (you know who you are), I do hope that next year we might get this sorted.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Excuses to be heard in public over poor waste collections
So waste bosses are due to come in front of a scrutiny panel of Councillors to explain the thinking behind the catch up method of rubbish and recycling collections. The Bath Chronicle reports 3 week of no collection! 3 week indeed? That is business as usual for Walcot. Many street have had 6 weeks now without a collection.
Needless to say that I will be sending a statement in for that meeting which starts at 10am on Thursday 28th January. In the Guildhall.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Cleveland Pools
Hidden away in Bathwick, on the banks of the River Avon, is the country's only surviving Georgian lido. Closed over twenty years ago, the Cleveland Pleasure Pools were at one time a favourite summer destination for generations of Bathonians. Now a campaign is underway to re-open the pools for public bathing.
The Cleveland swimming pools in Bath were built at the beginning of the nineteenth century and provided open air bathing for the city's residents until they were closed during the 1970s (although they re-opened temporarily for a short period in the mid-1980s). Other than a brief and unsuccessful life as a trout farm, they have been closed ever since.
Led by The Princes Regeneration Trust, the Cleveland Pools Trust has teamed up with The Trevor Osborne Property Group to form the Cleveland Pools Alliance. The Alliance has recently agreed to acquire The Cleveland Pools site from Bath & North East Somerset Council, and heads of terms have been signed.
Together the partners of The Cleveland Pools Alliance are working to restore this unique Grade II* site. After an initial feasibility study, the Alliance has raised £64,000 with a generous grant from English Heritage and further contributions from The Osborne Group, The Duke of Cornwall's Benevolent Fund and the Cleveland Pools Trust.
Once reinstated, the Cleveland Pools will fulfil a key role in the Bath World Heritage Site while providing a focus on leisure, healthy living, ecology and education for the local community. Below is a draft plan of proposed changes.
The Cleveland swimming pools in Bath were built at the beginning of the nineteenth century and provided open air bathing for the city's residents until they were closed during the 1970s (although they re-opened temporarily for a short period in the mid-1980s). Other than a brief and unsuccessful life as a trout farm, they have been closed ever since.
Led by The Princes Regeneration Trust, the Cleveland Pools Trust has teamed up with The Trevor Osborne Property Group to form the Cleveland Pools Alliance. The Alliance has recently agreed to acquire The Cleveland Pools site from Bath & North East Somerset Council, and heads of terms have been signed.
Together the partners of The Cleveland Pools Alliance are working to restore this unique Grade II* site. After an initial feasibility study, the Alliance has raised £64,000 with a generous grant from English Heritage and further contributions from The Osborne Group, The Duke of Cornwall's Benevolent Fund and the Cleveland Pools Trust.
Once reinstated, the Cleveland Pools will fulfil a key role in the Bath World Heritage Site while providing a focus on leisure, healthy living, ecology and education for the local community. Below is a draft plan of proposed changes.
Piles of Rubbish
Walcot seems to have been hit really badly by poor refuse and recycling services. While I appreciate that the bouts of bad weather has not helped. Many areas of the ward have not seen a single collection since before Christmas.
Despite numerous emails and calls and promises that action will take place, not a lot seems to have happened.
Surely there must be some form of prioritisation of streets which have not seen a collection for the longest period?
How are resident's supposed to take Bath and North East Somerset Council seriously on waste and recycling when we continue to let them down?
Areas of Walcot have always suffered some of the poorest waste and recycling services that I know of across the authority. Needless to say I will continue to be on the case.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Declare my interests....
A few people have commented on how I have put links to various Councillor's Declarations of Interests in order to help you find out just a little bit more. Some are long and intereting and others, such as my own is much shorter, but do feel free to have a read... here.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Someone is having a laugh...
I need not write much to explain this, but quite simply someone within the Council wants to spend £188k on a software update for a single product we buy for finances.
Click here and see page 9.
"Jog on" I say, "jog on..."
Click here and see page 9.
"Jog on" I say, "jog on..."
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Haiti Earthquake
While we all go about our day, some of us wondering when a general election might be called or grumbling about the delays on waste collections due to bad weather (which coincidently has attracted over 350 comments on the Bath Chronicle Website), the disaster in Haiti continues.
Recent figures estimate 75000 people killed, 250000 injured and 1 million left homeless.
Today I did my bit and donated to Disaster Emergency Committee.
I know that it's January and for some of us it's been a long month, and we are probably looking forward to pay day, however if we can all help donate a little, it will help a lot.
Donating is so easy to do just visit http://www.dec.org.uk/donate_now/ to find out how.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A poor decision in my view.
When I saw a planning application for 2 large houses to be built behind Percy Place to replace one house in perfectly good condition, in the conservation area. I thought that to reject the planning application would be a no brainer.How wrong was I?
Despite over 30 objections from local residents and Bath Preservation Trust, the planning officer was minded to approve the planning application. So I asked it be be referred to committee for decision, thinking that surely a committee of sensible Councillors (do we exist?) would at least give it a good hearing in public and come to a balanced view.
So the planning officer takes it to the Chair of the Development Control Committee, Cllr Les Kew (find out more about him here if you like) who decided in all his wisdom, and finally replied to me, "It is difficult to decide at times whether to refer apps. to the committee when a request is made and this app. was indeed one of those. However after careful consideration of your request and the history of this site I felt that it was a case for delegation."
Nuts! No justification for his thinking and how one councillor gets to decide that a fair public hearing is not worthy of an application that received so much objection has left me pretty much depressed at the state of democracy to be quite honest.
It's a crazy proposal and a crazy decision to approve it. To round it off despite me speaking personally to The Chair of the Committee who said he would look again at this, and didn't, and despite me chasing the planning officer for information as to progress on this application before he approved, he still did so with no reconsideration. Needless to say I have now lodged a formal complaint. Something that after 7 years as a councillor I thought I'd never have to do.
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