Trevor Jones WARD: Frenchay & Stoke Park Activities
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SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL COUNCILLOR REPORT 2009– 2010 NAME OF COUNCILLOR: Trevor Jones WARD: Frenchay & Stoke Park Activities (Set out here a brief description of your main activities this year. Please note that this report relates to your work as a South Gloucestershire councillor and not as a parish councillor, if you are one.) Ward Councillor (What has been your main focus of work within the ward including any community activities or membership of any community bodies where not a council appointee) Cllr Bob Pullin and I continue to develop the team strategy which we feel best addresses the needs of the geographical spread of our ward. I am the point of first contact for items arising in the northern part of the ward and Bob in the Frenchay part. We have regular telephone conferences to share and discuss items. In addition we work with our colleagues in Winterbourne and Stoke Gifford wards to ensure good coverage of border zones. We also work with colleagues in the Bristol City Council Frome Vale Ward on matters of common concern. We continue to work closely with Stoke Park residents in addressing their problems and concerns. I am one of three Parish Councillors who represent the UWE, Stoke Park and the developing Cheswick communities on Stoke Gifford Parish Council. During the year a Stoke Park Residents’ Association was established, we have attended its meetings to advise and listen. The Association has been very helpful in informing discussions about parking with both Council and UWE. We have welcomed opportunities to attend social gatherings and have facilitated the production of residents’ newsletters. We remain conscious of the lack of community facilities at Stoke Park. We aim to ensure that its position “out on a limb” is addressed as the Cheswick development next door continues to take shape, UWE progresses its Masterplan, and further development occurs locally. Traffic problems still occupy most of our time in the area of the ward north of the A4174 although many of the conversations with residents and local workers refer to the ongoing major road improvements funded by the Greater Bristol Bus Network and Cycling City projects. The planned major housing development in Harry Stoke is likely to exacerbate traffic problems unless further major transport improvements are made. We have maintained a watching brief on the site of the proposed development and liaise with officers on health and safety and environmental protection issues Dialogue continues with officers and the police about traffic speeds and parking problems in Hambrook Lane and Church Road. I am part of a group of volunteers who have recently undergone Community Speed Watch training which will enable us to use speed guns to monitor and identify speeding motorists in identified roads. I:\Members ser\Annual Councillor Reports 2008.09\Template SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL These and other items of concern are discussed with residents and the Parish Council at the Stoke Gifford Safer and Stronger Community Group which meets regularly throughout the year. Similar items concerning Stoke Park and Frenchay are covered at meetings of the Winterbourne Safer and Stronger Group. We have encouraged residents to attend meetings, ensuring that their voice is heard. We work closely with the two Police Neighbourhood Beat Teams which cover our ward and have been involved in the induction of new members to both teams We continue to liaise with UWE in attempting to improve the interaction between the student population and the wider community. Our involvement, and that of members of the community in the ongoing Masterplanning exercise at UWE has resulted in improved contact and recognition by the University of community concerns. We have developed a close working relationship with the new Community Liaison Manager and other senior officers and have had discussions with the Vice-Principals. As Council’s representative on the Stoke Park Parkland Management Group I continue to work with the Builders’ Consortium and Bristol City Council towards a plan securing the long-term security and improvement of the Stoke Parkland. To this end I met with representatives of English Heritage and the Avon Garden Trust during autumn 2009. Ward work in the Frenchay polling district, which covers the area south of Coldharbour Lane has encompassed consultations and discussions on various topics from road conditions and parking to planning applications and flytipping. We have had meetings with Directors at North Bristol NHS Trust about future parking provision and have been involved in community discussions about possible modernisation of the village hall. We attend meetings of the Frenchay Preservation Society and are involved in the annual Frenchay Flower Show. We have involved the whole team of Parish and District Councillors at one time or another in addressing and consulting on planning concerns across the ward. This is especially helpful in ensuring that I do not fetter my discretion on individual applications as a member of the Development Control (West) Committee. Bob has also substituted for members of DC (West) and must therefore take the same care. We both continue to avail ourselves of the excellent training and visit programmes provided by Council. In addition to regular planning training updates, equalities and corporate parenting training I have attended various sessions of Select Committee scrutiny training. I have also availed myself of the training provided by the IDEA Leadership Academy Council Activities (Identify what Council committees you sit on – this should also include complaints and licensing panels and forums) Council Children & Young People Select Committee (Conservative Spokesman) Chairman C & YP Review of Sure Start Centre Advisory Boards Health Scrutiny Select Committee Governors Consultative Forum Headteachers’ Consultative Forum Development Control (West) Members Efficiency Group Southern Brooks Area Forum Stoke Gifford Safer and Stronger Community Group I:\Members ser\Annual Councillor Reports 2008.09\Template SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL Winterbourne Safer and Stronger Community Group Winterbourne Sure Start Centre Advisory Board Complaints Panel Appeals Panel I have also substituted for colleagues on other Committees to widen my experience School Governorship (Provide details of any school governorships and the nature of your responsibility – eg, chairing roles) Abbeywood Community School (Learning & Teaching Committee; Finance Committee; Governor responsible for Safeguarding) Frenchay Primary School (Finance and Premises Committee, Pay and Appeal Committees; Lead, Headteacher’s Performance Review Panel) Outside Bodies (excluding Parish Councils) (Provide details of those outside bodies to which you have been appointed by the Council) Name of Body No. of Actual meetings No. of you could Meetings have attended attended Stoke Park Parkland Management Group 2 2 Achievements (Set out here a description of your main achievements/successes this year) Completion of the new £30m Abbeywood Community School (formerly Filton High). An additional £2M a year is being spent on highway surfacing after concerns from local residents were fed back to the Council. The increased funding has led to several roads in the local area being included in this year’s expanded programme and other roads will be done sooner as a result of the extra funding. Beckspool Road and Malmains Drive are two such highways. Introduction of parking restrictions around Frenchay Hospital. Installation of pedestrian crossing outside Frenchay Hospital. Development of several Greater Bristol Bus Network and Cycling City routes traversing the ward Imminent introduction of parking restrictions in Stoke Park with an option to convert into a residents’ parking scheme. Start of work to widen the Ring Road between Coldharbour Lane and M32 I:\Members ser\Annual Councillor Reports 2008.09\Template SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL Junction 1. Raising the profile of speed/road safety issues across the Ward has contributed towards the introduction of Community Speed Watch to the northern part of the Ward and improvements to Cycling City routes. Working with local residents to ensure that their concerns about controversial planning applications were fully debated. Ensuring installation of dropped kerbs to aid mobility-impaired residents. Welcomed and worked with the first residents of the new Cheswick Village development. Encouraged the establishment of the Stoke Park residents’ Association and its closer working relationship with Council officers and UWE I:\Members ser\Annual Councillor Reports 2008.09\Template .