Limpley Stoke Issue No 37 May 2021 news WHAT HAS PARISH COUNCIL DONE FOR YOU? uite a lot, as it happens. Further measures at that time Eight of the nine current The search for included seeking a solution to councillors are standing for Qsolutions to Limpley the problem of rat-running on re-election on Thursday, May 6 Stoke’s road safety issues is not Woods Hill and its dangerous and would welcome your votes, a recent occurrence. LSPC is junction with the A36, proving if they are to continue the continuing a programme begun once again that nothing’s new. excellent work begun by them many years ago by previous The current and former into making this village an even administrations and, contrary better place to live. With ten administrations, chaired by Ian to unjustified and detrimental names on the ballot, there should Barnes and Anthony Gennard misinformation circulating be a full complement of nine respectively, have worked around the village recently, members after the election. this current council is no tirelessly to bring about traffic Sheena Broadhead exception. solutions for the safety of the WHOLE village, including Editor Addressing road safety mobile speed signs, traffic matters began some years ago, counters and pollutant guns, Limpley Stoke News is an independent under the chairmanship of the and white line repainting of publication, unaffiliated to LSPC or any other organisation late Geoff Roberts, with the walkways. Future plans include construction of a pavement continued emphasis on under the railway bridge, where pedestrian and road safety; and previously pedestrians were continuing to work with forced to risk life and limb by Wiltshire Council, Highways stepping onto the busy B3108. England and the Valley Parishes The referendum for Freshford This was followed in 2015 by Alliance to argue for safe Village Memorial Hall a footway along Lower Stoke, crossings on the A36, improved ‘Community Right to Build enabling folk to walk safely traffic flow and speed reduction. Order’ takes place on local between the village, bus stop, elections day: THURSDAY, canal and river. LSPC is fortunate to have such enthusiastic, hardworking MAY 6, at both Freshford and But the most significant councillors on board who have Limpley Stoke Village Halls. changes came about under invested a great deal of personal Pink polling cards have been then-chairman Simon time and effort, assisted by a delivered to households. (In Coombe’s watch, when a band of energetic volunteers, Limpley Stoke, there are also village traffic forum in 2010 into environmental and Parish Council, Wiltshire highlighted many safety ecological initiatives such as Council, and Police and Crime concerns. This led to the Commissioner elections). implementation of several Nature Chain, as well as park maintenance and road safety This is the culmination of many traffic calming measures, years’ hard work and an including the first ‘painted’ issues. Anthony Gennard’s plan to retain the Hop Pole for the opportunity for residents of the pavements and a 20mph speed Freshford & Limpley Stoke limit in almost every area of the benefit of the village will also be pursued by supporting any Neighbourhood Plan area to village. All these projects were show their support for the hall's part-funded by LSPC. community bid. continued on page 2 Freshford hall plans continued development plans to ensure they LSPC would welcome your views on parking and road use in the receive 'planning permission'. village, as measures may be required to reduce the problems of If over 50 per cent of voters illegal parking, should the results of a Department for Transport support the proposal, then Bath consultation lead to a complete UK ban on pavement parking. There and North East Somerset Council could well be the additional problem from river visitors and will ‘make’ the order, equivalent associated parking issues again this year, while residents and their to planning consent. A high level visitors also need somewhere to park. of community backing will help Use the Your Voice form on the limpleystoke.com website to support grant-funding bids. register your views, problem areas and suggested solutions. All The Community Right to Build suggestions and comments will be held in strictest confidence. Order describes the hall trustees' vision to enhance, modernise and extend Freshford Village Memorial Hall to provide a welcoming and attractive, multi- purpose focus for local community activity, at the same time complementing its rural setting. The intention is for a phased programme to be carried out over the next five years, incorporating refurbishment of the existing hall building, with extensions to provide a dedicated ê pre-school space and possible The much-missed Freshford & Limpley Stoke Village Fête is to go doctor's surgery extension, to ahead on Saturday, June 26. This is the first Saturday after significantly improve and ensure COVID-19 restrictions come to an end and, although there is a the long-term viability of a possibility restrictions may change again, this will provide a great building which acts as the occasion for our community to come together for the first time in community hub for Freshford and two years and enjoy the fun of the fête. Limpley Stoke. Attractions such as a bouncy castle, local band, bar, children’s Documents can be viewed at entertainer, history and horticulture stalls are already planned. www.freshfordvillagehall.co.uk/ the-future. Hard copies are More volunteers are needed to help set up and run the fête. If available from the Galleries. Send you’re able to provide ideas for stalls or activities, planning the fête any queries to management@ and/or helping out on the day, contact Ian Sharp on 07704 819738 freshfordvillagehall.co.uk. or email [email protected]. Bringing back our swifts e hear them before we see them, with their shrill, piercing calls, then the swoop Wof scimitar-shaped wings silhouetted against the sky tells us that swifts – those harbingers of summer – are back in the valley. Swifts spend their lives on the wing, eating and sleeping in flight and only landing to breed. They are fast and, apart for humans, have very few predators. They eat airborne insects such as aphids and mosquitoes. Each spring, they make the perilous journey from central and southern Africa to Europe to breed. Pairing for life, they return to the same nest year after year in colonies, the size of which is determined by availability of food and potential nests. But the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and swifts, like many other species, are suffering. Since 1995, we have lost half our swifts. Increased use of pesticides and insecticides as well as habitat loss have sent insect numbers plummeting. Swifts are also losing nest sites. Although, by law, you may not harm them or damage their nests, many houses are being ‘tidied- up’ illegally, losing vital nests. If a nest is destroyed, swifts will die, bashing themselves against the old opening, trying to get in. Swift boxes are rarely installed on new-builds. Without our help swifts will become extinct in the UK. In 2014, Julie Fitzgerald from Freshford discovered a colony of swifts near Freshford school. Working with Tom Harper of the Freshford and Limpley Stoke Environmental Group, a swift box erection programme was set up, with 24 nest Volunteers of all ages have been busy sowing nest boxes installed around the two villages. wildflower seeds on a recently-cleared area behind the Village Hall in Middle Stoke. Middle Stoke now has a colony of four breeding pairs. The colony around the school has increased Photo Elaine Curtin to seven pairs, with another two near the station. You can help, too. If you don’t have a swift box, could you install one? It needs to be at least four metres above ground, with a clear flight path to the entrance. Boxes are easy to build, or you can buy one. Another thing everyone can do is to provide swifts with food by making gardens more insect and Image © A Href wildlife friendly. Sign up with Nature Chain (limpleystoke.com) to receive handy You may have seen the colourful information boards hints and tips. More information is available at at two locations in the village: King George V play www.bristolswifts.co.uk. park and outside St Mary’s Church. A third board is planned for Lower Stoke. Sarah Fraser (Limpley Stoke resident) Cleveland Bridge repairs Major structural repair work has begun on Cleveland Bridge in Bath. Household waste The bridge was built almost 200 years ago for pedestrians and horse- Monday, May 3 drawn carriages. It now carries around 17,000 vehicles a day, Monday, May 17 including coaches and heavy goods lorries weighing up to 44 tonnes Monday, May 31 and forms part of the A36. Despite routine maintenance, the bridge now needs extensive repairs. Blue-lidded bin Black box From mid-April to mid-May – and again from mid-August to October – traffic signals will be in operation. The bridge will be Green waste (chargeable) closed to all motor traffic except emergency vehicles between mid-May and mid-August. Wednesday, May 5 Wednesday, May 19 The renovation project is due to last for seven months in total. More information, including diversion routes, can be found at bathnes.gov.uk/clevelandbridge. Useful contacts Transport Link 07714 16 92 16 Power supply emergency 105 Farewell to Ed Westwood roadworks Police (non-emergency) 101 Ed Elias has stepped down from Major roadworks in Lower Bradford on Avon Police: PCSO Laura Wallace Limpley Stoke Parish Council, Westwood, which had been [email protected] after serving since 2016.