Tuesday 8th December
This report is additional to the one that has been circulated which was submitted for the November meeting and is the last of 2015, so can I start by wishing members, staff and public a good Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year.
Filton Airfield development – CPNN – In the November report I have indicated that I have prompted a resumption of the CPNN Liaison Cttee. in light of new information that appeared to be available, which was in relation to the sale of the land by BAe to another owner, which might have implications for the site. The sale is not a surprise in itself but it is normal for a site to be sold on in smaller parcels to developers wanting to provide a smaller number of houses than the number that has planning consent. South Gloucestershire Councillors have been promised a briefing in advance of the Liaison Committee resuming and I am currently pressing for that to happen as soon as possible.
Filton Avenue/A4174 junction – I can now report that I am advised that the study of the junction is being done by consultants, which will review the current operation of the signal junction, look at options to amend the signal control strategy including removal of current banned turning movements and options for the introduction of additional controlled pedestrian and cycle movements. We are hopeful of receiving an initial report this month with full completion by February 2016.
MoD roundabout signage and road markings – after several attempts to persuade officers that requests for a sign at the end of Great Stoke Way showing the lanes that traffic should be in and the directions that they should travel in. When the refresh of the white lines was done recently an extra set of road markings were done, but this hasn’t solved the problem of people taking wrong lanes, so the sign has proved to be necessary. The big question for when it is put in is whether motorists will actually take any notice of it!.
The other issue, as most people will know, is that vehicles on the middle lane going around towards Filton are wrongly and dangerously cutting across inside lane traffic to enter the Abbey Wood retail park. There is concern that although the line in that lane is straight ahead and right, straight ahead is being seen as taking traffic into Abbey Wood. Officers are looking into repainting the arrows with a bend on the tale rather than it being straight to see if that will work. We shall see!
Meetings attended since the November meeting date:
Friday 27th November – I attended West of England consultation at UWE on the Local Strategic Plan and Local Transport Strategy UWE
Saturday 28th November – I attended our regular weekly councillors’ surgery Filton
Tuesday 1st December – I attended a meeting of the working group that considers bus tendering . Yate
Friday 4th December – I attended a meeting of the LGA Public Transport Consortium Executive Committee where we received a useful update on the Bus Bill which is currently being written. Westminster
Saturday 5th December – I attended our regular weekly councillors’ surgery. Filton
Tuesday 24th November
Road works –
Shield/Third – last month I updated on this and because I write these reports almost a week before the meeting I made the presumption that the works had been finished by the time the meeting took place. As that wasn’t the position and the time being taken far exceeded the expected time, I requested information on what had caused the delay. The answer was that effectively 2 jobs were done at the same time and it included maintenance works including the reconstruction of the footway and replacement of the kerbs in the vicinity of the school and the health centre.
The scheme also required reconstruction of a BT chamber in advance of the main works starting and both speed tables required construction of new drainage gullies. The depth of the connections to the gullies were deeper than usual – nearly 2 metres deep in places therefore extending the time required to complete the work. That is what I have been told, hopefully it will be a good job done.
Gloucester Road North – by the time of the council meeting the work on Gloucester Road North should be complete with the resurfacing being done overnight rather than having to have a full road closure as was originally expected. People have remarked that the amount of widening is less than the new lane that should be there, but the situation was that there wasn’t quite enough space to create the new lane without taking some of the pavement away, which is what has been done. What has been created is 2 lanes travelling in the northerly direction, hopefully helping the traffic flow. I had hoped that the pavements on both sides would be resurfaced but I understand that the one on the Charborough Road side is to be done but not asp part of this contract.
Filton Avenue North – last month a member tabled several questions in respect of the north side of Filton Avenue which I thought would he helpful to answer in writing and on the record.
The issue, of the 7.5 ton limit at the college end was raised as not being properly enforced. Until earlier this year the enforcement role was one that was done by the Council’s Trading Standards officers, however following a consultation on reductions in spending in that department, this function ceased and is now the responsibility of the Police, as is the enforcement of the 20 mph limit. There was a complaint that the pavement widenings on the Avenue, which are part of the scheme designed to try to force drivers to observe the speed limit and deter heavy traffic. It clearly isn’t as effective as was hoped but it is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future due to the cost of electing any changes.
The issue of the cross over from Filton Avenue South to North was raised as it has been on numerous occasions in the past and has been the subject of reports of mine. However, just to repeat that in order to ensure that any changes to that junction work to the benefit of more people and not have an adverse effect on the wider network then a study or modelling of the junction is required. The biggest worry is that by opening the crossover up even more traffic will be drawn off of the A38 to avoid Filton Hill, thereby making Filton Avenue North even worse than now and cause far more traffic on Filton Avenue South. Not only would that be undesirable but any resultant rat runs, such as through Conygre Grove would not be welcomed.
Whatever is done on that junction it needs to be one that sports out the bus stop which causes a bottle neck by the George, work out what, if anything should happen to the bus turning lane into Emma-chris Way and other issues that exist or might be created by change. So I argued for the money to do the modelling to go into the budget for 2015/16 and it is important to wait for the results of that before any action is considered.
Southern Brooks Area Forum – the Forum was held on Tuesday 17th November at the new Wallscourt Farm school in Chiswick.
Budget: On the agenda was a presentation on the consultation that is happening as usual at this time of the year, on the councils spending plans for the next financial year. It is clear that this means more cuts to services that could well be worse than currently expected given that the Chancellor is expected to make more large cuts to local government spending in the autumn statement, which is due shortly.
There was a presentation on the proposals for changes in the waste and recycling service which is expected to include changes to the way that recycling is put out for collection, weekly recycling collections and the replacement of the black bins with ones half the size.
The Council will be holding road shows over the next 3 months with one scheduled for Filton Library on Tuesday 8th December between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm.
Priorities for maintenance schemes for 2015/16 where the Forum can choose up to £60,000 worth of schemes from a long list of maintenance needs on roads and footways. Because of the number of expensive schemes that were on the list it was suggested that the forum concentrate on lower cost footways, with several in Filton, namely Third Avenue, Copthorne Road, Pine Grove, Fifth Avenue and Mayville Avenue. Others may be added when the full capital programme is determined but that is unlikely. I can report that this is the last time that this will happen at the Area Forum as spending cuts have resulted in the PTSE Committee removing the allocation to Area Forums in future years.
CPNN – I can report that I gained an assurance that there will be a resumption of the Liaison Committee meetings in the next few weeks at a meeting following the last Town Council meeting. South Gloucestershire Councillors are awaiting a date for an update briefing and the resumption of liaison committee meetings will start after that has happened.
Consultation on Joint Spatial Plan and Joint Transport Study – a great deal has been happening on the issue of devolution in recent weeks with the West of England authorities submitting a joint interest to government for a combined authority with certain powers yet to be determined. So far all 4 councils have been clear that there is no wish for a so-called Metro Mayor, but every indication is that this will be forced upon us in order to get funding for infrastructure. I have to say that in the light of evidence so far I question how democratic this is likely to be and exactly what financial benefit might be gained, which in my view will be less than Government has to give under present circumstances, it does sound on the face of it like some very large figures. There are tow consultations being organised by the West of England presently which will support the bid as well as taking forward major strategic policy. These are on the Joint Spatial Plan and the Joint Transport Study.
Meetings attended since the last Town Council meeting:
Wednesday 28th October – I attended 2 Performance Board meetings where senior officers report on the performance of their departments over the past 6 months and future plans. These particular meetings covered Strategic Planning and Streetcare.
Yate
I later attended the Lead members Agenda briefing for the forthcoming meeting of the PTSE Committee. Yate
Thursday 29th October – I attended a coffee morning, with a Highways Officer, at Concorde Lodge to discuss a number of issues raised by residents, not least the difficulties that exist in crossing the A38 near to Filton roundabout. Filton
Saturday 31st October – I attended our regular weekly councillors’ surgery Filton
Tuesday 3rd November – I attended a further Performance Board meeting with the Lead Officer for Transport and Strategic Projects. Yate
Friday 6th November – I attended a meeting of the DC WestSites Inspection Committee Thornbury
Saturday 7th November – I attended our regular weekly councillors’ surgery. Filton
Monday 9th November – I attended ta briefing on the progress on the draft cycle strategy. Kingswood
Wednesday 11th November – I attended a meeting of the PTSE Cttee. Kingswood
Thursday 12th November – I attended a meeting of South West Councils. Exeter
Friday 13th November – I attended the AGM of the LGA Public Transport consortium where I was again elected as the Labour Vice Chair Westminster
Saturday 14th November – I attended our regular weekly councillors’ surgery. Filton
Tuesday 17th November – I attended training event on Safeguarding Adults and Children Kingswood
In the evening I attended the meeting of Southern Brooks Area Forum Chiswick
Prior to the meeting of the Town Council I also expect to attend:
Thursday 19th November – a meeting of the Development Control West Planning Committee Thornbury
In the afternoon – A member briefing on the proposed Cribbs Patchway Metrobus Extension. Yate
Tuesday 24th November – An informal PAG meeting which is formulating the council’s input to the West of England devolution bid Yate
Tuesday 27th October 2015
Road works – I can report that the works on creating the the 20mph zone and the speed tables outside Shield Road School are now completed, the 20mph zone includes Northville Road and other roads that lead to the school.
The work to widen Gloucester Road North continues and It is proposed to close that section of Gloucester Road North, from Charborough Road to Filton Roundabout from the 16th November, the closure might not be implemented for the whole of the period, but only when traffic signs are in position and only for as long as is necessitated by the works which are anticipated to be of ONE WEEK duration.
Other issues that have been raised over the past month have been the painting of the white line in Filton Avenue following the recent resurfacing, which has now been done, as has the white line on the bend at the junction of Fourth Avenue and Northville Road which has also been done.
Meetings attended since the last Town Council meeting:
Friday 2nd October – I attended a meeting of the LGA Public Transport Consortium Executive Committee where we had an interesting and helpful briefing on the “Bus Bill” which deals with issues such as local authority franchising or not. Westminster
Saturday 3rd October – I attended our regular weekly councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 5th October – I attended a meeting of the LED lighting Policy Advisory Group, which approved a change of supplier and the ordering of a new and more modern lantern for future installations. We also confirmed the programme for rolling out the conversions throughout the parts of South Gloucestershire that haven’t yet been converted to LED. Yate
Tuesday 6th October – I attended a briefing on South Gloucestershire emergency planning.
I than attended a meeting of the Policy, Sites and Places Members Working Group which recommended to the Policy and Resources Committee that the submission of the plan is delayed because of difficulties surrounding the council’s 5 year land supply. Yate
Wednesday 7th October – I attended a meeting of the PT&SE major schemes sub committee which approved a series of technical requirements relating to the decision of the Joint Transport Board to proceed with the Henbury Spur and to approve procedures in relation to the MetroBus extension, this included a recommendation that the replacement for the railway bridge at Gypsy Patch Lane should be single carriageway in each direction, a 3.5m shared use path on the north side, 5m shared use path on the south side plus a bus lane in both directions. which is the option supported by the committee. Kingswood
In the afternoon I attended a joint meeting of the PTSE Cttee and the East and West Development Control Planning Committees. This meeting was to review the “West of England Joint Spatial Plan (JSP) for the wider Bristol Housing Market Area – Issues and Options Consultation” prior to it being considered at the Policy and Resources Committee on 9th October. Kingswood
Friday 9th October – I attended a meeting of the DC WestSites Inspection Committee Thornbury
Wednesday 14th October – I attended the South Glos full council meeting, where the Labour Group had tabled a motion seeking an assurance that Kingwood Civic Centre would not be closed and sold because of employment issues, local economy, access to services and to meetings for the local priority neighbourhood. However the motion was lost with all of the Conservatives and 2 of the Lib Dems voting against. I spoke for Labour in support of a Lib Dem motion which called on the council to write to the governemnt in opposition to the extension of the right to buy to Housing Association tenants. In the event the motion was amended beyond recognition and we abstained on the amended motion. I did complain on the unusual way in which the motion was changed by the Lib Dems prior to the start of the meeting and a different wording was circulated by the Tories, rather than putting a clear amendment, I extracted an assurance from the Tory Leader that he would discuss procedure with the Labour and Lib Dem leaders. Kingswood
Thursday 16th October – I attended a meeting of the South West Councils Resource and Management Committee. Taunton
Saturday 17th October – I attended our regular weekly councillors’ surgery. Filton
Monday 19th October – I attended a PTSE Spokes briefing on the agenda for the Joint Transport Board meeting due to take place on Friday 23rd October.. Yate
Tuesday 20th October – I attended a briefing meeting by Great Western Railways (the rebranded First Great Western) on their modernisation plans. Yate
Thursday 22nd October – a meeting of the Development Control West Planning Committee Thornbury
In the evening – visit a site where the new LED lighting units are being trialled. Winterbourne and Chipping Sudbury
Prior to the meeting of the Town Council I also expect to attend:
Saturday 24th October – our regular weekly councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 26th October – An informal PAG meeting which is formulating the council’s input to the West of England devolution bid Yate
Later that day a briefing meeting on the agenda for the Southern Brooks area forum scheduled to be held on Tuesday 17th November at Wallscourt Farm Academy, Stoke Gifford
Cllr Roger M Hutchinson
Please note that I no longer have the 01454 964048 telephone number, in future I can be contacted on 07860 181204
written on Friday 23rd October 2015
Tuesday 29th September 2015
Firstly I have to apologise for not being at the meeting as I will be at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton.
Road works – I can report that the works on creating the the 20mph zone and the speed tables outside Shield Road School are expected to be carried out in Third and Shields during the October half term.
Metrowest – Issues surrounding the decision of the West of England Joint Transport Board have been at the forefront of the news over the past couple of months as there has been concern over the decision to proceed with the spur and not the full Henbury Loop.
In view of the lack of consultation and scrutiny in the period leading up to the decision, the issue was called in by the Leaders of all Parties on Bristol City Council to the council’s scrutiny panel, the result of which was to refer it to a meeting of the full council of Bristol CC.
The results of both meetings was to recommend that a meeting of the West of England scrutiny Panel be convened and a meeting of the Transport Board should follow to reconsider the decision in favour of the Loop. The scrutiny panel concluded that the Transport Board should alter it’s decision and move ahead with the Loop, but if not the work on the Spur should not impede the ultimate wish for the Loop.
At the Board meeting, members concluded that in view of the business case for the Spur being met, a figure of £43m being available and the Department for Transport being very clear that within their rules only the Spur met the requirements. The Spur will therefore go ahead with the added decision that the new station at Henry should be built in a way that would be easily modified for the Loop and the proposed turn back at Yate should be changed to Gloucester should that be the decision of discussions and work being done by Gloucestershire County Council.
I personally believe that this is the correct decision, not least because I believe that if the Board had taken a different decision we might have found that not only was the Loop unachievable, but we lost the spur, which involves the re-building of the Filton North Station to serve the airfield site and the new businesses on that and other sites.
Bus services
I have expressed concern that the only bus that actually serves Filton Abbeywood station via Emmachris Way has stopped going directly to the station and now can be caught on the avenue. This calls into question whether future services will visit the station when, as expected, it gets busier when the Henbury spur and eventually the loop is opened.
Meetings attended since the last Town Council meeting:
Wednesday 5th August – I attended a lead members meeting with business leaders to discuss transport. Yate
Friday 7th August – I attended the meeting of the Bristol City Council scrutiny panel on Metrowest as an observer Filton
Friday 14th August – I attended the Development Control West sites inspection committee Thornbury
Monday 17th August – I attended an informal Policy Advisory Group meeting to discuss devolution issues. Yate
Wednesday 26th August – I attended the agenda briefing for the forthcoming meeting of the Planning, Transport and Strategic Environment Committee. Yate
Thursday 27th August – I attended a meeting of the Development Control West Committee Thornbury
Tuesday 1st September – a further informal PAG meeting on devolution Yate
In the evening I attended a meeting of Southern Brooks Area Forum Patchway
Thursday 3rd September – meeting of councillors with the new Merlin directors Yate
In the evening I attended a meeting of the Filton Safer and Stronger Community Group Filton
Saturday 5th September – I attended our regular weekly councillors’ surgery Filton
Tuesday 8th September – I attended the meeting of the West of England Joint Scrutiny as an observer, which discussed the Henbury Spur v Loop issue and recommended the Transport Board to go ahead with the Loop. BAWA Filton
Wednesday 9th September – I attended a meeting of the Planning, Transport and Strategic Environment Cttee. Kingswood
Thursday 10th – Friday 11th September – I attended the annual study tour of the LGA Public Transport Consortium which was at Nottingham. In addition to our meeting we had opportunities to see and ride on the tram system and we also visited the new Mansfield Bus Station and travelled on the heavy rail which hs connections with other transport forms, not least the tram. Nottingham
Saturday 12th September – I attended our regular weekly councillors’ surgery Filton
Wednesday 16th September – I attended the meeting of the West of England Joint Transport Board as an observer. This was the meeting that finally took the decision to go ahead with the Henbury Spur. Bristol
Friday 18th September – I attended the launch of the Go Ultra Low West campaign which is seeking funding for infrastructure intended to extend the use of electrically powered vehicles. Emerson Green
Saturday 19th September – I attended our regular weekly councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 21st September – I attended a meeting of the South Glos Public Transport Forum .Kingswood
Prior to the meeting of the Town Council I also expect to attend:
Thursday 24th September -a meeting of the Development Control West Planning committee Thornbury
Cllr Roger M Hutchinson
Please note that I no longer have the 01454 964048 telephone number, in future I can be contacted on
07860 181204
written on Wednesday 23rd September 2015
Tuesday 28th July 2015
This is a shorter report than usual as I have been away on holiday from the 10th to the 26th July.
Road works – Everyone will no doubt have noticed that the widening works on Gloucester Road North have commenced and are due to last until December, hopefully with less disruption as time goes on.
I understand that the objections to the 20mph limit around Shield Road School and the speed cushions outside the school were not accepted by the Southern Brooks area from while I was away, which I was pleased to see.
Metrowest – There has clearly been a great deal of press about the decision by the West of England Transport Board to go ahead with the Henbury Spur and to wait for better evidence of viability before a decision is ultimately taken on the full Henbury Loop.
Having received a briefing, together with the 2 Lead members from the other 2 political groups, before the details of the consultants report became public, I fail to see how the Transport Board could have taken any other decisions, given the rules laid down by Government that require viability before any of the much needed funding is approved or not. It seems clear that not pressing ahead with the spur at this point and failing the ultimate tests on the loop, could leave us with no improvements at all, when the spur will at least provide for new stations at Henbury and Filton North, giving good frequent access into Bristol Temple Meads.
Meetings attended since the last Town Council meeting:
Tuesday 30th June to Thursday 2nd July – I attended the LGA Annual Conference and Assembly Harrogate
Saturday 3rd July – I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Cllr Roger M Hutchinson
written on Tuesday 28th July 2015
Tuesday 30th June 2015
Firstly my apologies for not being in attendance at the meeting as I will be in Harrogate as one of the South Glos representatives to the Local Government Association Annual Conference.
CCPN – the final part of the planning application for the CCPN (Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood) i.e. the Filton Airfield application was given consent on 4th June. No-one can be entirely satisfied with the outcome, but with planning laws as they are, it is a matter of getting the best outcome possible within the constraints of the required guarantee of viability. The real disappointment is the low commitment to affordable homes at 20.6% against our stated requirement of 35%, caused mainly by the viability of the airfield site and the guarantee that the Council has to give of a 20% profit to the developer/s. To achieve that we have had to cut back on several of the S106 gains that we would otherwise be seeking. On the plus side we have achieved the new railway station at Filton North on the hoped for Henbury Line, a better access than proposed for the Metrobus extension through the East works and under the road where the Airbus entrance is. Metrobus will have use of the bus corridor through the middle of the site without other traffic. The Concorde and BAC museum will be built and open in a couple of years and the employment area, 24 Hectares will be without warehouses and will focus on high tech aerospace related companies, this will be in addition to around 70 hectares located in the enterprise area taking in the East works, Rodney works, Charlton Hayes and the Brabazon hangar. Additionally there is a requirement on the developers to seek additional funding in order to increase the level of affordable housing above the level currently agreed. Having worked on the Framework agreement binding the developers together to deliver a comprehensive development and the improvements made to it over the past couple of years, it was not worth the risk of an appeal against refusal or against the profit guarantee so I voted in favour of consent.
Road works – Since my last report in April both ends of Filton Avenue, North (Conygre) and South (Northville) have been resurfaced and south now awaits the re-painting of the white and yellow lines. This has not been entirely satisfactory as both have been part done. In Conygre the resurfacing was done from the A38 to Charles Road, implementing the council’s policy of only doing the work on the worst parts of a road as happened previously in Wallscourt Road. On the Northville side the policy worked as the bus lane end wasn’t in need of repair.
The next major works will be the widening of Gloucester Road North, including the change of the crossing at the top of Charborough Road to a Toucan. This is due to start on 20th July from Elm Park to Filton Roundabout.
Other road changes and consultations – As part of the Southmead Hospital travel plans the council are consulting on the creating of a 20mph zone covering most of Northville and of Charborough including speed tables in Charborough Road and Dunkeld Avenue, all of which I personally support.
This is in addition to the proposed 20mph for the area surrounding Shield Road school and including Northville Road plus speed tables close to the school which will also aid safer crossing points for the children. I have reported on this in the past and had hoped that it would have been nearer to implementation by now. However because of objections it has been referred to the Southern Brooks Area Forum which is being held on 21st July at Shields Road school.
Meetings attended since the last Town Council meeting:
Saturday 9th May – I attended our first Councillors surgery of the new Council term. Filton
Monday 11 May – I attended an induction session for new and returning councillors. Kingswood
Tuesday 12th May – I attended the Town Council Annual Assembly Filton
Thursday 14th May I attended a train session on Planning decisions Kingswood
Friday 15th May – I attended a tour of South Gloucestershire for new and returning councillors from Yate
Saturday 16th May I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 18th May – a further induction session on “what councillors need to know” Kingswood
Tuesday 19th May Planning committee training Yate
Thursday 21st May further induction session on the Financial challenges that the council faces. Kingwood
Friday 22nd May meeting of the DC West Planning committee Sites Inspection Panel Thornbury
Saturday 23rd May I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Tuesday 26th May attended the FTC AGM Filton
Wednesday 27th May first full council of the new term where Chair and Vice Chair of Council are “elected” and committee Chairs appointed, all from the now in control Conservative Group. Kingswood
Thursday 28th May attended a meeting of the CPNN Liaison group Filton
Saturday 29th May I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 1st June attended the agenda briefing for DC West Planning Committee Yate
Tuesday 2nd June attended a further induction session “an Introduction to PTSE” Yate
Thursday 4th June DC West Planning Committee Thornbury
in the evening I attended the Filton Safer and Stronger meeting Filton
Saturday 6th June I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 8th June attended the Public Transport Forum which became an informal meeting as the 2 Conservative representatives were not in attendance and a chair could not be elected Kingwood
Tuesday 9th June I attended the FTC Finance committee meeting Filton
Wednesday 10th June I attended the Agenda Briefing for the meeting due to take place on 24th June. Yate
Thursday 11th June I attended a PTSE Leads briefing on Transport issues Yate
this was followed later by a meeting of the PTSE Major Schemes Committee to determine security arrangements for the Metrobus sites. Kingswood
Saturday 13th June I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 16th June more training on “planning modules including transport” Kingwood
Friday 19th June DC West Sites Inspection Panel from Thornbury
Saturday 20th June I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 22nd June a further meting of the DC West Planning Committee Sites Inspection Panel specifically to visit the proposed site for the Police and Air Ambulance helicopters. Almondsbury
Wednesday 24th June a meeting of the PTSE Committee Kingswood
Before the Council meeting I expect to attend:
Friday 26th June a tour for DC East and West members to visit sites approved for development across the district in the past 12 months to see the best and the worst examples. from Yate
Cllr Roger M Hutchinson
written on Thursday 25th June 2015 – to see back copies of these reports please go to my blog: rmhutchinson.wordpress.com
Tuesday 28th April 2015
Road works – I am advised that the resurfacing and the new speed tables in Filton Avenue will be done at the end of May to coincide with half term.
I have also pursued the need for repainting of white boxes on Filton Avenue, Northville near to the Bulldog and am assured that this will also be done at that time.
Charborough Road is to be re-surfaced in May, so white/yellow lines that need repainting outside the school will be done after the resurfacing.
Untidy premises – I have been working on an area where 2 properties in the Mortimer Road area which are causing particular concern to residents and enforcement action has been instituted to ensure that these are tidied up and are no longer a blot on the landscape for local residents.
Parking – due to further complaints from residents of Dunked Avenue, the use of white lines have been employed to reduce parking on corners and across drives.
CPNN – Little to report on CPNN this month as there has been few meetings over the period of the election. It would appear, however, that the planning application for the airfield will be determined by the Development Control West Planning Committee in June.
East Works – We have been informed that the company who have been chosen as developers of the East Works are Marcol and the St Francis Group, there planning consultants are Origin3.
Origin3 are about to apply for permission to discharge the outstanding reserve matters of the permission already given on the site, which is:
Redevelopment of site for mixed use development comprising Use Classes: B1(a)
Offices, B1(c) Light Industry, B2 General Industry, B8 Storage and Distribution, C1
Hotel including ancillary leisure and food and drink, sui generis trade units and car
dealerships, with associated infrastructure, access, parking (Outline) with access
to be considered with all other matters to be reserved.
This is expected to deliver around 2000 jobs
Meetings attended since the last Town Council meeting:
Thursday 9th April I attended a meeting of the Development Control West Planning Committee Thornbury
Saturday 11th April I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Friday 17th April – I attended a meeting of the Development Control West Sites Inspection Panel Thornbury
In the afternoon I attended a meeting of the Policy, Sites and Places Member Working Group Kingswood
Saturday 18th April I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Between today and the Council meeting I expect to attend:
Thursday 23rd April – a meeting of the Mall Forum The Mall Offices
Cllr Roger M Hutchinson
written on Thursday 23rd April 2015 – to see back copies of these reports please go to my blog: rmhutchinson.wordpress.com
Tuesday 31st March 2015
Road works – I am pressing a date for the work on Filton Avenue but it should be carried out early in the new financial year. It will involve resurfacing of stretches of Filton Avenue North and Filton Avenue South and the putting in of the speed tables in the Conygre end.
Work is planned to start at the end of this month or thereabouts on the widening work on Gloucester Road north which is intended to give more road space, but not a bus lane, and measures to help the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.
People have expressed concern at the condition of Southmead Road and I can now report that major reconstruction work is to be done on the 1st, 2nd, 7th and 8th April starting each day at approximately 09:30 hrs until approx. 15:30 hrs when the road will be closed. Access will be available to residents.
The final legal notice TRO, has been published for the 20mph limit in Northville Road, Third, Fourth shield, Ferndale etc prior to the speed tables being put in for the benefit of the safety of school children. This is a slight slip in the previously advertised programme.
CPNN – Several things to report on CCPN.
Firstly that the Planning Application for a 100 dwellings and required infrastructure on the Deeley Freed site by Haw Wood and Clifton Rugby club has been approved.
Secondly that agreement has been confirmed between BAe, the Air Ambulance and the Police on a site at Almondsbury which stretches from the sports ground to where the M5 bends around to join the M4. It is quite a large area but the hangar building occupies a small site near to the motorway roughly opposite the RAC tower.
The application for the airfield site has been in for some time and efforts have been made to ensure that the route of the Metrobus extension and it’s entrance via the underpass from the old combination ground site into Airbus and the Airfield is confirmed. This continues to be under discussion. My un-confirmed information is that the application is likely to be heard in June.
Whilst a decision has yet to be made on which of the 2 sites is to be chosen for the Henbury station, we are confident that the Filton North station re-building and opening will be part of the BAe application and will be necessary to serve either the Henbury Spur or Loop.
My preference is for the Henbury Loop and we continue to work towards that alongside the very long and detailed sustainability work that has to be carried out by Network Rail.
The application for the Mall extension is another major application that the next council Planners will have to deal with and is subject to objections from surrounding councils.
Meetings attended since the last Town Council meeting:
Wednesday 25th February I attended a meeting of PTSE Lead members
This was followed by a meeting of the Policy, Sites and Places Working Group. Yate
Thursday 26th February I attended a further meeting of the Policy Sites and Places Working Group. Yate
Friday 27th February I attended a meeting of the DC West Planning committee sites inspection panel. Thornbury
Saturday 28th February I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Tuesday 3rd March – I went , with other members of the PTSE Major Schemes sub committee, on a bus tour of the Metrobus routes in South Gloucestershire in order to understand recommendations of bus lanes and speed limits which were being considered at the sub committee meeting on 25th March. from Kingswood
Wednesday 4th March – I attended a meeting of the South Glos Cycle Forum, where arrangements for consultation on our new cycling policy were agreed. Emerson Green
Thursday 5th March – I attended a meeting with the Friends of Conygre House and a possible purchaser of the historic and important building. Filton
Saturday 7th March I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Tuesday 10th March – I attended a briefing with other PTSE Lead members, on the agenda and reports going to the next meeting of the West of England Joint Transport Executives (JTEC) Yate
In the evening I attended the Southern Brooks Area Forum meeting where we were able to secure the installation of dropped kerbs in the Charborough Road area and investigation work for a crossing on Filton Avenue South to enable a safer route to schools. Two separate Grants were awarded to Filton Community Centre from different grant sources which we supported, being the only applications from Filton. Winterbourne
Wednesday 11th March – I firstly attended a meeting with the management of the Abbeywood Centre for an update and consultation on the progress of the centre development. Abbeywood
Later in the morning I attended a visit to the new Farm Foods distribution centre at Severnside where we were shown around the building and informed on the size and are covered and planned. We then received a briefing by the owner of that part of the Severnside distribution park on progress being made on site. Severnside
Following this I attended the consultation on the new site for the Air Ambulance and Police helicopters at Almondsbury Almondsbury
Thursday 12th March -I attended a meeting of the DC West Planning Committee, which confirmed the consent for the Charlton House site which I had gained deferral of because I wasn’t satisfied with the level of parking proposed. Thornbury
In the evening I attended a meeting of the Filton Safer and Stronger Community Group. Filton
Friday 13th March – I attended a briefing on proposed developments at Cribbs Causeway. Kingswood
In the afternoon I substituted as a member of the Policy and Resources Committee, which considered and approved the Policy, Sites and Places DPD, which now goes for 6 weeks further consultation before being heard at a public enquiry later in the year. Part of the document which covered the allocation of green spaces has been deferred for further information on some sites before being approved. Kingswood
Saturday 14th March – I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 16th March – I attended a briefing with other PTSE Lead members on the papers and reports to the West of England Planning, Housing and Communities Board. Kingswood
Thursday 19th March – I attended the Filton Twinning Association AGM where I was again elected as Vice Chair. Filton
Tuesday 17th March – I attended a briefing by Network Rail on the progress of the electrification of the main line from Paddington to Parkway and on to South Wales. Kingswood
Wednesday 18th March – I attended the South Glos Full Council, which approved the Policy, Sites and Places DPD on the same basis as had the P & R Committee. Kingswood
Monday 23rd March – I attended a conference on Climate Change, organised by the LGA (Local Government Association) which had some very good and helpful speakers including a South Glos officers who has designed a computer Toolkit, mostly for engineers and councillors which give linked information on highways initially to help with future maintenance decisions. Westminster
Tuesday 24th March – I attended a meeting of the LED Policy Advisory Group at which we had an update on progress with the changing of street lights to LEDs, future planning and the financial savings being made, together with carbon reductions which are extremely pleasing and beneficial to both council and residents. Yate
Wednesday 25th March – I attended a meeting of the PTSE Committee this meeting was simply to consider a road safety scheme in Tennis Court Road, Kingwood where there had been an objection. Kingswood
This was followed by a meeting of the PTSE Major Schemes Sub Committee, which confirmed bus lanes and TRO,s for speed limits on the South Glos sections, one objection had been received concerning bus lanes on Bradley Stoke Way which was not accepted. Construction of the various elements of the Metrobus routes can now being. Kingswood
Between today and the Council meeting I expect to attend:
Friday 27th March – a Plenary meeting of the LGA Public Transport Consortium Westminster
Saturday 28th March our weekly councillors surgery at Filton Library. Filton
Cllr Roger M Hutchinson
written on Thursday 26th March 2015 – to see back copies of these reports please go to my blog: rmhutchinson.wordpress.com
Tuesday 24th February 2015
Northville Road Toilets – The work on the Northville Road toilets has now been completed with the addition of the Town Council notice board in an area which has needed one for years, but where it has not been possible to find a site. This work has been funded from an application I made for New Homes Bonus allocations and has included resurfacing of the pavements in front of the shops, bricking up of the old toilets, new litter bins and a seat plus the notice board.
HMO’s – I reported verbally at the January meeting that a part survey had been done of about 800 properties by South Glos officers, supported by resources from UWE and Weston college to try to identify the density of HMOs within Filton. As I also reported as a further possibility and can confirm happened, a further similar number of properties were surveyed on the following Friday. Results from this work will be collated and further discussion will be held with senior officers to determine whether a more in depth survey should and could be done in order to build a case for licensing.
Road works on Filton Avenue – I don’t yet have a date for the work on Filton Avenue but can report that one drainage works have been carried out the speed tables will be done in Filton Avenue North and the road resurfaced and resurfacing will also take place in a stretch of Filton Avenue South. Also in the capital programme for 2015/16 is funding to improve the junction of Filton Avenue, Ninth and Northville, in view of the accidents that have continued to occur since the last work was carried out.
Filton Avenue/A4174 Ring Road junction.
The capital programme for the next financial year contains an allocation of £50,000 for an in depth study of the traffic movements at the junction and surrounding roads to determine what might be done to improve the junction for residents who have to sit for very long times in traffic, when what they want to do is to cross to the other side to get home. This work will include the possibility of North to South taking into account the effect of that on Filton Avenue South and other roads such as Conygre Grove where rat-running traffic could increase. The biggest issue is that traffic sitting in congestion on the A38 going towards Filton Roundabout will use Filton Avenue as a rat run. Additionally there are issues about pedestrians crossing the south side to the George corner, moving the bus shelter/stop, effects of the bus lane and a number of other issues, not least the fact that housing will begin to come on stream on the airfield site in about 2 years time.
Other Road Works – There are plans, which were consulted upon over the past few months to widen the A38 going north towards Filton roundabout and improving pedestrian and cycling safety on that stretch of road, which is due to start in the next few months.
CPNN – Last month I reported on the total estimated employment land in the enterprise area, which included the airfield, East works, Rodney works, Charlton Hayes, the Brabazon Hangar, totalling in the region of 90+ hectares.
Since last month the Framework agreement has been passed by the Development Control West Planning Committee. There have been serious issues in trying to get the maximum value in the Section 106 agreement that covers the site within the CPNN, but under the new planning laws has to meet the test of viability and ensure that the developers are guaranteed a profit of around 15 to 20%, which should we as an authority fail to do, the developers have the right to appeal to a government inspector. The main area to suffer in the Framework agreement is affordable housing, which falls well short of our expected level of 35%, although the developers will be required to seek other funding, Government or elsewhere to increase the percentage over the life of the developments.
Meetings attended since the last Town Council meeting:
Wednesday 28th January I attended a presentation by Scottish Power about their proposed gas powered power station at Avonmouth.
This was followed by a brief update for PTSE Lead members on the CPNN Framework.
This in turn was followed by a meeting of the PTSE Committee which approved the capital programme for recommendation to the Policy and Resources Committee and then to full council as part of the 2015/16 budget. Kingswood
Thursday 29th January I attended a meeting of the PTSE Lead members and officers. Yate
Friday 30th January I attended a meeting of the DC West Planning committee sites inspection panel, which included a visit to the site at the now redundant Charlton House, which is to erect 22 dwellings which are a mixture of 1, 2 and 3 beds on a 100% affordable site. I was able to raise a number of issues that I knew to be concern to residents in both Glebelands and Rectory Lane. Thornbury
Saturday 31st January I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 2nd February I attended a meeting of the South Glos. Public Transport Forum Kingswood
Tuesday 3rd February – I attended a meeting of the DC West Planning committee, which was the meeting that considered and approved the Framework Agreement for the CPNN. Yate
Thursday 5th February – I attended a meeting of the South West Councils Resources and Management Committee. Taunton
Saturday 7th February I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Wednesday 11th February – I attended a meeting of the PTSE Lead members Yate
Thursday 12th February -I attended a meeting of the DC West Planning Committee Yate
Friday 13th February – I attended a further meeting of the Policy, Sites and Places members working group. Yate
Wednesday 18th February – I attended a meeting of Full Council, which approved the budget for 2015/16. This included the Labour Group key priorities which were:
Ring fence the Independent Living Fund payments, finding the £37,500 that were withheld by central government
Continue the welfare grants that central government has stopped funding costing the council £307k over a full year.
Stop the proposed savings to community safety, in practice blocking the cut to 9 PCSOs costing £277k
Freeze the council tax for a further year.
Contribute £11k by freezing the councillors’ allowances on an ongoing basis.
Kingswood
Between today and the Council meeting I expect to attend:
Thursday 19th February – a Community walkabout, organised by the Filton Safer and Stronger Group.
Saturday 21st February our weekly councillors surgery at Filton Library. Filton
Tuesday 24th February – a Southern Brooks Area Forum agenda briefing meeting. Little Stoke
Cllr Roger M Hutchinson
written on Wednesday 18th February 2015 – to see back copies of these reports please go to my blog: rmhutchinson.wordpress.com
Tuesday 27th January 2015
Northville Road Toilets – The work on the Northville Road toilets should soon be completed.
HMO’s – An opportunity arose at the last meeting of South Gloucestershire Council to amend a motion that had been put on the agenda asking the Government to think again on issues contained in the latest planning regulations.
I was able to move the following amendment that was carried by the Council:
“the recent changes to permitted development rights that allow family houses to be used as houses with multi occupation without the need for planning permission, thereby causing uncontrolled change to the demography of an area and serious changes to the local community, only able to be changed by an Article 4 direction, by which time the problem has already totally changed the community”
In support of the amendment I described the situation in Filton and pointed out that not only does it change the community but can have effects on the look and the tidiness of the area as well as adding seriously to parking issues in many of our streets.
Road works on Filton Avenue – Preparation work is being carried out in advance of the resurfacing and the speed tables going in to replace the cushions which are currently there. When I was chasing this work it came to light that it was being treated as 2 jobs and not one and there was a danger in programming that the resurfacing would be carried out and then the road would be dug up form the cushions and related work.
Fortunately the works will be carried out as one and firstly the cushions will be taken out, then some quite major drainage works need to be done before the tables can go in, finally the resurfacing and the speed tables will be done to finish the job. This is likely to be timed to take place over the next couple of months.
Other Road Works – Resurfacing is to be done in Wallscourt Road up to Stanley Avenue at to the South Glos part of Copthorne this month and the white/yellow lines are expected to be done that are in Phase 3 of the Traffic management Review are expected in late January or early February although there is apparently a slippage in the programme for lining. White lines are due to be added on the junction of Rannoch Road and Dunked Avenue.
CPNN – Work has continued on the Framework Agreement which is effectively the Section 106 agreement that will cover the area of the Framework Plan, previously approved. The issues on infrastructure continue to be negotiated with difficulty given that the airfield site in particular is not viable under the planning rules that now apply to major sites.
Our biggest concerns remain the level of affordable housing, which will not be as high as we would like or expect, and transport which we must get right either from the Section 106 or other funding. We are particularly concerned that as much dedicated lane running applies to the proposed Metrobus extension with the necessary land safeguarded within the agreement. Part of the measure of viability under the current planning law is that the developer of a site has to be guaranteed a profit of 15% to 20% by the local authority, which the developer can appeal to a Government Inspector if they believe that the council hasn’t met this requirement.
Metrobus – The North Fringe to Hengrove section of the new Metrobus system is expecting to receive confirmation of Government funding early in February which will allow construction work to begin, as is now the case following the approval and commencement of the first section in Bristol.
While the Metrobus route doesn’t come directly through Filton is does come sufficiently close to, hopefully, take commuters from parts of the North Fringe, including the CPNN sites that would normally travel by car on the A38 and Ring Road.
Highways Maintenance Capital Programme – the programme for 2015/16 is due to be considered at the meeting of the Planning, Transport and Strategic Environment Committee on Wednesday 28th January. I will report further in February, but I can confirm that the 20mph zone and traffic calming in Third Avenue is in the programme so should be done early in the new financial year.
Meetings attended since the last Town Council meeting:
Wednesday 10th December – I attended a meeting of the Project Board for Allowable Solutions Hanham Hall
In the evening I attended a meeting of the South Gloucestershire Full Council, where I achieved the amendment mentioned above. Kingwood
Thursday 11th December – I attended a meeting of the Development Control West Planning Committee. There was a major item on the agenda which was the siting of 2 large wind turbines at Ingst. The meeting was held at Armstrong Hall because of the large audience that was expected and attended. I am very sorry to report that the application was refused, even thought the council has a Climate Change strategy committing us to a challenging target of renewables. Thornbury
Friday 12th December – I attended a meeting of the JTEC/ West of England Transport Board BAWA
Saturday 13th December I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 15th December – I joined officers to be given a tour of the area including Hanaham and the main roads from there to the Wyevale Garden Centre on the A38 at Thornbury to see the progress being made on the change to LED street lights. Various
Wednesday 17th December – I attended a meeting with the other PTSE Lead members for a briefing on initial work on the Local Transport Capital Programme for 2015/16. This was followed by a briefing on the agenda for the West of England PCHB meeting.
Thursday 18th December – I attended a joint meeting of the DC West, DC East and PTSE Committees to consider the final draft Development Management Policies of the Policies, Sites and Places DPD. Kingswood
In the afternoon I attended the members working group that is reviewing the Councils Animal Welfare Charter. This is intended to make sure that our policies are up to date in respect of changes in legislation since it was first adopted and I am hopeful that we will include a ban on snares on council owned land. Yate
Friday 19th December – I attended a meeting of the DC West Sites Inspection Panel.
Saturday 20th December – I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 22nd December – I attended a meeting of the PTSE Lead members Yate
Saturday 27th December– I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Wednesday 7th January – I attended a meeting of PTSE Lead members and officers which was followed by a further meeting of Leads to consider further implications for the Local Transport Capital Programme Yate
Thursday 8th January -I attended a meeting of the PTSE Major Schemes Sub Cttee which agreed to approve the delegation for acceptance of the full approval offer for the North Fringe to Hengrove Metrobus Scheme to the Director of Corporate Resources and to approve together with Bristol City and North Somerset Councils to go to consultation on a Quality Partnership Scheme Kingswood
Saturday 10th January – I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 12th January – I attended the first part of the agenda briefing for the Development Control West Planning Committee Lead Members to receive an update on the CPNN Framework Plan, which will ultimately be considered for adoption by the committee. Yate
Wednesday 14th January – I attended a meeting of PTSE Lead members to consider the agenda for the meeting of the committee due to be held on Wednesday 28th January and which is due to consider the capital programme for 2015/16 Yate
We then had a further update on the CPNN with particular reference to the Metrobus extension route. Yate
Thursday 15th January – I attended a meeting of the Development Control West Planning Committee Thornbury
Friday 16th January – I attended a briefing from representatives of the new developers of the Oldbury Nuclear Power Station, which is a subsidiary of Hitachi. Yate
Saturday 17th January – I attended our weekly Councillors’ surgery Filton
Monday 19th January – I attended another meeting of the Policy Sites and Places members working group to consider changes to various sections following the consultations, more meetings are planned. Yate
Tuesday 20th January – I attended a meeting of PTSE Lead members and officers to discuss the details of a proposed Quality Bus Partnership for the Metrobus which will lay down guidance for the operation and responsibilities for the Council and the operator/s and contain a Voluntary Partnership Agreement, which is binding and contains details of pricing and timings policies amongst the detail. This is a consultation document which will set the parameters for the operation of the system.
Between today and the Council meeting I expect to attend:
Thursday 22nd January – a meeting of the LGA Councillors Forum in Westminster followed by a CPNN Liaison Group meeting.
Friday 23rd January – the topping out of the new Hitachi rail depot Northfields
Saturday 24th January our weekly councillors surgery at Filton Library.
Tuesday 27th January – a meeting of the Policy, Sites and Places Members Working Group Yate
Cllr Roger M Hutchinson
written on Wednesday 21st January 2015
Cllr Roger M Hutchinson 