ISSUE 143 – MAY/JUNE 2019 DIY SOS changes lives HELP FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS Communities and Local community groups voluntary organisations are invited to apply for With the ongoing national in North Somerset can grants to help initiatives benefit from up to £3,000 which support the PCC’s conversation about knife crime, Soroptomists International of to tackle issues in your priorities. I know local people continue to Weston-super-Mare received local area. be very concerned about serious Applications are welcome £500 for new resources to violence. Residential burglary, all year. Visit our website highlight domestic abuse knife crime and the illegal supply to find out more. and unhealthy relationships. of drugs have a devastating impact on our communities and you want to be assured that the police are doing everything they NOMINATE NORTH SOMERSET’S can do to tackle these issues. UNSUNG HEROES With the council tax bill coming Did you know that your enjoying lunch with the through all of our letterboxes PCC recognises those who PCC and a tour of the recently, you will have noticed go above and beyond to police communications an increase for policing. By keep their communities centre. January:”This award is not increasing policing by £2 a just for me, it also goes to safe? It’s a chance to say Naseem Talukdar founded month for the average band D all of the volunteers from to say a big thank you to ‘Feed the Homeless’ in Feed the Homeless and household, local people will help the truly extraordinary 2016 and the charity with without them the charity the police to intensify their fight individuals who make the help of volunteers would not exist.” against serious violence. a difference to their now provide meals for the communities. The winners To nominate the silent stars This investment means we can homeless in Weston-super- and their guests attend a Mare and Bristol. in your community, visit our recruit an additional 100 new ceremony at Police and website. officers and launch a focused Fire Headquarters before Naseem received a operation that will tackle PCC Pride Award in serious violence as part of an initiative Operation Remedy. We will be sending a loud and clear message to criminals that WHAT’S OP REMEDY? coming into our area to commit Suspected burglars, 100 police officers and sees dedicated officers crime and exploit the vulnerable armed robbers and violent a £2million investment working alongside local offenders were among from local taxpayers to neighbourhood policing is not an option. those arrested during the crack down on the crimes teams to tackle knife With your help, we will continue first few days of Operation that matter most to local crime, the supply of illegal to make our communities safe Remedy, which went live people. drugs and burglary. on April 1. and feel safe. Aiming to improve Visit our website for the Operation Remedy performance, satisfaction latest Operation Remedy involves an increase of and public confidence, it news. Sue Mountstevens To improve Tackle operations Police & Crime Commissioner the police’s serious to disrupt violence & dismantle response to 100 residential burglary police officers better results = recruitment of 100 NEW officers, increasing including drug supply planned numbers for the justice knife crime on our street first time since 2004 For more information visit: AVONANDSOMERSET-PCC.GOV.UK • or call 01278 646 188 l @AANDSPCC • f AANDSPCC Contacts Call us Do it online – report it, request it or pay for it at: For all council Direct numbers for other popular services: services, call www.n-somerset.gov.uk/connect For waste and For council tax and 01934 888 888 Or go straight to these popular web pages by recycling, road issues, benefits: (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) adding these shortcuts: planning and building 01934 888 144 www.n-somerset.gov.uk control: (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) At the prompt, say /myaccount 01934 888 802 who you want to talk For social services: /planning (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) to if you know their 01275 888 801 /schooladmissions name, or say what (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm) /wastecollections you want to talk about /termdates in a word or two. Contents 4 News 18 Changes to bus network in 32 Could you get a Blue Badge? North Somerset 10 DIY SOS: The Big Build comes 36 Bright future for street lighting to town 24 Stretch your legs over Sand 38 State-of-the-art road repairs Point 12 Tackling rogue landlords 40 Lowdown on garden waste 28 Adrenaline-fuelled year of 14 Help change a future by recycling sport fostering 47 Tide times North Somerset Council does not endorse or recommend any commercial products or services advertising in Life magazine. This publication is available in large print, Braille or audio formats on request. Help is also available for people who require council information in languages other than English. www.n-somerset.gov.uk l @NorthSomersetC f NorthSomersetCouncil 3 News International firm EnerMech to create 100 jobs in Portishead An international mechanical arm Invest Bristol and Bath, has and electrical services specialist supported EnerMech’s successful is moving into Portishead and investment into the area, which will creating 100 jobs over the next create even more opportunities for three years. highly-skilled residents. Aberdeen-based EnerMech This included providing business is diversifying from its energy intelligence, advice on property, industry roots and setting up its talent acquisition and connections South West base at Kestrel Court into the region’s industry sectors. Business Centre, in Harbour Road. Duncan Frame, EnerMech’s The firm will target the nuclear, general manager for the South industrial processing, refining, West, said: “We envisage building petrochemical, aviation, defence, a significant team of competent, doorstep of, and accessible to, transport and infrastructure sectors to multi-skilled individuals with potential new clients.” experience across multiple sectors create the new roles as it diversifies. EnerMech currently employs in the next three to five years. North Somerset Council, along with 3,500 staff across 40 locations in the West of England Combined “We will establish the necessary the UK, Norway, the Middle East, Authority’s inward investment workshop, storage and testing Caspian, Asia, Africa, Australia infrastructure to be on the and Americas. Website winner picks up prize The winner of a council-run M council tax – view your details, competition to win an iPad has set up a direct debit, make picked up her prize. payments, apply for discounts and amend address details Emma Anderson won the prize M benefits – make an application draw competition after signing up and report a change in your to the council’s online MyAccount circumstances service to manage her council services. M Report problems – such as litter or fly tipping By registering for an online M waste and recycling – report a account, you can view and missed collection or request a download your latest council tax new or replacement bin bill, report road issues, order recycling boxes and more. M business rates – manage your Customer services apprentice business rates online. Coco hands the iPad to winner Sign up online at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/myaccount Emma Anderson 4 North Somerset Life • Issue 143 – May/June For the latest updates on North Somerset’s news visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/news Funding secured for Underground cables getting Portishead Rail installed Underground cables are now The re-opening of Portishead’s Gloucestershire, Bristol City and being installed in North Somerset railway line is back on track Bath and North East Somerset as part of National Grid’s after the scheme received more councils. upgrade of the South West’s electricity infrastructure. than £31m of funding from the As well as reopening the Portishead Department for Transport. Rail branch line, with two new The 8.5km of cables are being buried The funding announcement stations at Portishead and at Pill, this underground following consultation for MetroWest Phase 1, which MetroWest scheme also includes feedback which asked National includes the reopening of the vital improvements to passenger Grid to protect the views through the Portishead to Bristol rail line, was services along the Severn Beach Mendip Hills area of outstanding made in April. and Bristol to Bath Lines. national beauty (AONB). It comes ahead of the submission Colin Medus, head of transport and Existing pylons will also be removed of a Development Consent Order infrastructure at North Somerset from this part of the AONB, leaving (DCO) to the Government in July. Council, said: “This is a nationally- it pylon free for the first time since significant project which will open the 1960s. Work is due to be All nationally-significant up the rail network to thousands of completed by the end of 2022. infrastructure projects require a people across the region and will DCO before they can progress. help relieve congestion during the Work is also progressing well at MetroWest Phase 1 is being led rush hour periods. Churchill substation, to connect it to the nearby overhead lines and by North Somerset Council and “MetroWest Phase 1 is firmly on install new equipment. the West of England Combined track for delivering rail services fit Authority on behalf of South for the future of our region.” Ground investigation surveys have also started along the route of the new underground cables between Climate emergency declared in North Somerset Nailsea and Portishead. In places where staff have to work in the North Somerset is one more than 50 councils across the country to declare road, traffic lights will be installed. a ‘climate emergency’ following UN warnings of future catastrophe. The motion was unanimously North Somerset Council had passed at a council meeting in already adopted a low carbon February in a bid to force through reduction target, agreed with the plans for more carbon reduction.