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The Week in East Bristol & North East Somerset FREE Issue no 388 10th September 2015 Read by over 30,000 people every week In this week’s issue ...... page 9 Referendum for B&NES Mayor . Election petition successful page 22 Brislington library reprieved . But opening hours to be cut page 24 New schools open this term . New primary and studio schools ANext Tuesday's better public consultation exhibitionfuture very sensibly for Keynsham? brings together a number of issues concerning the future development of Keynsham over the next 15 years. The 'placemaking' operation which fleshes out the aims and ambitions of the Core Strategy and the Draft Transport Plan are key among these, but air quality management and the euphemistically named 'conservation area' strategy will all get an airing on 15th September at the Key Centre. One document you probably won't see there is called 'The Heart of Keynsham' but it is well worth getting your hands on a copy before you visit the exhibition or respond to the council consultation. Bath Hill East in 2 The Week • Thursday 3rd September 2015 e forIt has notKeynsham? been produced by B&NES officials or expensively recruited consultants, it has been written by local people who have witnessed the changes of the last two decades and considered the potential challenges for the future from the inside looking out. Author Terry Edwards lives in Mayfields and over the last 18 months has consulted with local residents and organisations, as well as wearing out a considerable amount of shoe leather walking around the Keynsham town centre and periphery to see Station Road if a better future could be imagined with just a little more courage and foresight. At 30 pages, it's a bit of a tome and the space constraints of our The result is NOT a simple wish list or an uncosted string of own publication limit the detail of a report. But as the title makes demands. It is an invitation for those who are ultimately clear, Terry Edwards' concern is the heart of Keynsham - how responsible for making the decisions which will affect best it can survive as a community rather than simply a Keynsham's future to consider the wider picture. Currently the shopping destination. B&NES Council Core Strategy looks forward as far as 2029 and Connectivity for pedestrians is a vision he shares with B&NES' forecasts a minimum 20% population increase. The Draft officials but he has rather more radical suggestions on how to Transport Plan includes no infrastructure investment and a raft achieve this. Take the railway station, for example. Much has of suggestions which the report acknowledges will have only a been made of the increased reliability on public transport and minimal impact. the development of over 600 homes and a retirement village at Significantly, The Heart of Keynsham calls itself a CAN DO, Somerdale. This report looks at the raised embankment rather than a CAN'T DO document. It doesn't use acronyms opposite the station on the edge of Somerdale and questions and technical jargon but rather affectionately refers to key whether this is perfect terrain for a tiered car park and bridge elements such as the Civic Centre as the Golden Temple and across the road to link with the station footbridge. the Riverside block as the Big Brown Elephant. Continued on Page 5 in The Week • Thursday 3rd September 2015 3 Countdown to clockWork to install Keynsham's launch new clocktower on Market Walk by the new Civic Centre began this week. The six-metre tower is the work of artist Sebastien Boyesen whose design was selected following public consultation and voting last year. It uses a patchwork of glass and acrylic panels to capture the history of the town, past and present. The launch and unveiling is due take place on Saturday 19th September. The Week in Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando, Corston, Downend, Emersons Green, Fishponds, Hanham, Hillfields, Keynsham, Kingswood, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, Marksbury, North Common, Oldland Common, Pucklechurch, Saltford, Staple Hill, Stockwood, St George, Warmley, Whitchurch, Wick, Willsbridge. 15,000 copies are distributed through retail outlets, libraries, pubs, community centres each week. Verified pick-up rate of 97%. Publisher Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd, 8 Temple Court, Keynsham. BS31 1HA 0117 986 0381 www.theweekin.co.uk ISSN: 2052-9767 Managing Editor Stephen Rodgers [email protected] Editorial Becky Feather 07973 839936 Christine Rogers Advertising Jodie Deason and Tracy Broderick 0117 986 0381 [email protected] @theweekineditor No material in this publication, nor its associated website (www.theweekin.co.uk) may be reproduced without the written permission of Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd. All rights reserved. in 4 The Week • Thursday 10th September 2015 A better future for Keynsham? Continued from page 3 infrastructure investment in Keynsham. Its own Draft Transport Plan identifies the biggest problem as the volume of through Then there is Bath Hill. B&NES' Draft Transport plan highlights traffic which has to cross the town. While the Ashmead Lane the volume of traffic which accesses the town centre up Bath bypass has been talked about for over 10 years, the report Hill. So why not head it off at Bath Hill East with a multi-storey dismisses that idea as too expensive and long term. Let's not car park and level pedestrian link across to the Big Brown forget either that while the Civic Centre has been sold to us as Elephant - sorry, the Riverside, once redeveloped. the catalyst for Keynsham's economic regeneration, it is first With the fire station due to move to Hicks Gate, why redevelop and foremost a cost effective means of re-homing council the Temple Street site as the Fire Brigade HQ? Can't that go to departments. Hicks Gate as well? And why not move the ambulance station Nothing in The Heart of Keynsham will ever come to pass in Park Road for that matter to free up valuable space for without the intervention of local and central government, as well housing. Rather than another office block between the Civic as the support of commercial developers. While public Centre and the redeveloped (presumably for housing) consultation is a necessary part of any council project these Riverside, why not something which would draw people in and days, many in Keynsham will have reason to believe this is be part of the Keynsham community? A Bath Guildhall style usually of the 'tick-box' variety and that the views of residents market, for example? are seldom given serious consideration. If The Heart of The Heart of Keynsham makes many 'what if' suggestions, Keynsham is at least read in the corridors of power and some which would have severe consequences for businesses like of its recommendations considered further, the people of Kwik Fit and organisations such as the Scouts. It is for this Keynsham may for the first time, feel they have had some input reason it must be emphasised it is not a blueprint, just a into the future of their town. discussion document. It will be too easy for bureaucrats to scoff The Heart of Keynsham is available in PDF format for and ask where all the money is coming from but that would downloading from The Week In website. Go to detract entirely from the aims of The Heart of Keynsham. www.theweekin.co.uk and then "A better future for Keynsham" B&NES Council has a shocking record when it comes to in the News section. in The Week • Thursday 10th September 2015 5 Scout group's Thesponsored 1st Kingswood Baden Powellexpedition Scouts undertook a sponsored expedition to raise funds to install a Public Access Defibrillator outside Cock Road Methodist Church, where they meet. Group Scout Master Sarah is disabled and continues to do Scouting with the aid of her mobility scooter that partly compensates for the limitations of Elhers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder. The expedition involved Sarah travelling over 40 miles in four days on her mobility scooter, travelling from her home in Portishead to Scouts and back again, avoiding roads as much as possible, with various members of the group, friends and supporters joining her for various sections. If you would like to sponsor the Scouts or find out more about the group, either for young people or adult opportunities, email [email protected] in 6 The Week • Thursday 10th September 2015 Bitton FeteSt Mary's Church fete raises was opened on Saturday by£4,700 Connie Williams - just three days shy of her 100th birthday. Connie was introduced by MP Chris Skidmore who then joined the crowds in singing Happy Birthday to her, accompanied by Oldland Brass. Hundreds of people enjoyed the fete's many attractions, including a dog show, the Bristol Morris Men, ballet dancing, medieval archery skills and an egg throwing competition. There were stalls and traditional games, and Bitton Parish History Group and Bitton Road Runners invited visitors to find out more about what they do. In the church itself, there was an exhibition of gold embroidery and visitors enjoyed tea and cakes and music by pianist Natalie Morton. There was also the opportunity to climb to the top of the tower for stunning views. At nearby Church Farm there was an art exhibition and cream teas with music from the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Bitton. Connie with Chris Skidmore, Rev Jeremy Andrew & Lexi, The fete raised over £4,700 and forms part of year-round efforts who presented her with flowers to raise funds and maintain the Grade I listed church. in The Week • Thursday 10th September 2015 7 in 8 The Week • Thursday 10th September 2015 Keynsham B&NES Christmas tree festival Referendum will be held next year on an elected Mayor The petition for an elected mayor for Bath and North East Somerset has reached the number of valid entries legally required to kickstart a referendum.